Aaron Donald is set to make his 2026 season debut Monday night, and the Rams are treating it like a major lift for their defense.
Sean McVay confirmed Donald will return in Week 2, saying, via @NateAtkins_, "If he said it, he's going. Whatever Aaron says, I support."
Donald missed Los Angeles’ season opener against the San Francisco 49ers because he did not travel with the team to Australia. The Rams held him out to give him more time to get ready after he decided in late August to come back to the team.
Even with Donald back, the expectation is that his workload will be managed. After not playing since the 2023 season, he is projected to be on a snap count, and Garafolo reported he is likely to play around 30 snaps in his first game back.
That matters for a Rams defense that has already taken a hit, with star pass rusher Myles Garrett (knee) landing on injured reserve and expected to miss at least the next four weeks.
Oddsmakers at DraftKings, though, have not made a big move on the line because of Donald’s return. Los Angeles opened as a seven-point favorite, but with Garrett out and Puka Nacua questionable, the spread has shifted a half point toward the Giants.
Donald’s comeback also comes after he retired following the 2023 campaign, closing what looked like one of the greatest defensive careers ever. The 35-year-old was an eight-time First Team All-Pro, and in 2023 he posted eight sacks while earning another All-Pro selection.
If he can get anywhere near that level again, the Rams defense suddenly looks like it could be one of the league’s best. For now, the expectation is simpler: get Donald on the field, get a disruptive few snaps out of him, and hope he changes the game against a New York offense that rolled over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1.
In the prop market, Donald is listed at +182 to recod one or more sacks and +140 to record half a sack against Jaxson Dart and Co.
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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