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As the Los Angeles Rams dive deep into a rebuild, they still have some high-end fantasy football weapons on their roster.
You only need to go back to 2021. Cooper Kupp was the top overall player at any position, Matthew Stafford was the QB5, and Aaron Donald was wreaking havoc on opposing quarterbacks on his way to finishing as a top-15 IDP star. The Rams still have all three veterans, but they're all two years older than they were when they began their Super Bowl campaign.
After a disappointing year in which most of the Rams' top players went down with injuries, and the team lost more games than any other defending champion in history, will they be able to bounce back? Or will one of the Rams' young players be the next league-winning breakout in fantasy football? I present my recommendations for Los Angeles Rams breakouts, busts, and locks.
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Fantasy Football Breakout: Cam Akers
Cam Akers was supposed to break out multiple times already, but each time he was faced with an injury or a difficult situation.
After three years at Florida State in which he finished in the top five of the ACC for rushing yards twice, Akers was drafted by the Rams in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He finished sixth amongst rookie running backs with 625 rushing yards, but he scored just two touchdowns as a rookie. He was primed for a breakout in year two, but then he tore his Achilles and didn't return until the post-season.
Last season, Akers began the season in coach Sean McVay's doghouse, and he didn't play well in what limited opportunities he received. The relationship between him and the team got so bad that he was kept inactive from Week 6 through the trade deadline. When the Rams failed to find a buyer, both sides made peace, and Akers was back in the lineup in Week 9.
If you just looked at his box score numbers in Weeks 10 through 14, it wouldn't look like Akers was doing much. He only ran for 22 yards on six carries against the Cardinals in mid-November – 3.7 yards per carry – but if you dig into the weeds, you see all 22 of his yards were after first contact. The Rams' run blocking was terrible, and he was often getting hit behind the line.
I can't tell you the Rams' offensive line is going to be much better. It was ranked No. 31 in rankings put out by Pro Football Network and by Sharp Football. I can tell you that despite the Rams' poor offensive line play, Akers did manage to finish off the season as the RB2 in Weeks 15 through 18. This was just two points behind Christian McCaffrey.
In his final three games, Akers had three of his four biggest-volume games and went over 100 rushing yards in each of them. He scored three touchdowns against the Denver Broncos in Week 16. Akers has no serious competition for the workhorse RB1 role. Behind him on the depth chart is Kyren Williams, a 2022 fifth-round pick, and Zach Evans, a rookie sixth-rounder.
Fantasy Football Bust: Ben Skowronek
The Rams' WR3 role is in limbo, but that might not benefit any of the contenders. Instead of one winning out, there is talk of a "WR3 by committee." If they do play it out as a competition, don't bet on Ben Skowronek to win or to make a big fantasy impact.
Skowronek made it into the NFL as a late-seventh-round pick because of his size (6'3", 211 pounds). He has stayed there because of his feistiness and attitude. He puts his body on the line. He gives it his all on special teams. He is one of the best wide receivers in the NFL at pass blocking. He does things that help the team but doesn't score fantasy points.
He didn't make the NFL because of his athleticism or production. For wide receivers, you want to see good production at a young age. Twenty-one-year-old rookie WRs produce more fantasy points than 22- or 23-year-olds. Ben Skowronek was 24 when he was drafted by the Rams after five years in college.
He maxed out at 644 yards at Northwestern as a sophomore before seeing his production decline for two years. He then transferred to Notre Dame for his fifth-year senior season where he caught 29 passes for 439 yards and five touchdowns.
The Rams also have a speedster in Tutu Atwell and a rookie in Puka Nacua who has been receiving praise in training camp. I'm not buying the hype for either of them either. I just don't think the Rams' offense can support two productive fantasy WRs, let alone three.
Fantasy Football Lock: Cooper Kupp
I have seen a version of this argument from some casual fans: "Cooper Kupp only had one good season!" The narrative is a testament to how extremely impressive and seemingly out-of-nowhere Kupp's 2021 season truly was.
He led the league in every receiving category and bested his previous career-high by 786 yards. Yes, it might be difficult for Kupp to go for 1,947 yards and 16 touchdowns again. However, he was actually on pace for over 140 receptions when he went down with a high ankle sprain in Week 10. Before his PPR1 year, Kupp still averaged 93 receptions and 1,067 yards in 2019 and 2020.
He's by far the most talented and most effective asset on this subpar Rams offense. I can't say I'm confident that Matthew Stafford has much left in the tank at this late stage of his career or how well Stetson Bennett might play if called upon. In either case, the Rams quarterback will have to look to Kupp seven, eight, nine, ten, or more times a game. He might lack high-efficiency targets, but in PPR scoring, Kupp will be a goldmine.
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