2024 Los Angeles Rams Fantasy Preview
The 2023 Los Angeles Rams surprised many by winning 10 games and clinching a spot in the postseason after finishing the previous season with a disappointing 5-12 record. It didn’t hurt that the Ram’s offense finished in the top 12 in passing yards, rushing yards, and points per game.
One of the biggest reasons the Rams doubled their win total was Matthew Stafford’s health. Stafford (3,965/24/11) managed to play in 15 contests after playing in just nine the season before. Only Lamar Jackson completed more “Hero” throws among quarterbacks who attempt at least 275 passes.
Last year during the draft, the Rams selected Puka Nacua (105/1486/6) in the fifth round, and all he did was put together the most outstanding season a rookie wide receiver has ever had. Nacua accounted for a 32.9% air yards share and a target of 26.8% (11th-most) last season as Cooper Kupp missed five games. He also averaged 2.75 yards per route run in 2023, the ninth most among receivers. It’s hard to imagine Nacua repeating those numbers, especially with a healthy Kupp, but he is still worthy of being a WR1 this season.
Despite Kupp only playing in 12 contests, the former triple-crown winner still finished the 2023 fantasy season as the WR39 and was 25th in fantasy points per game in PPR formats. Father time remains undefeated; maybe it was the injuries, or perhaps it’s part of turning 30, but Kupp saw a career low in his yards per route run (1.77) last season, something worth monitoring.
If Puka Nacua was the biggest surprise for fantasy managers, what do we call Kyren Williams? Williams (228/1,144/12) finished as the RB5 in PPR formats with 255 fantasy points despite missing four games. Only Christian McCafferys 24.5 fantasy points per contest were more than Williams 21.3.
Williams was a bell-cow for the Rams, accounting for nearly 48% of all the touches in the run game. One reason for concern is that the club did draft Blake Corum, who had also proven to be a workhorse over his last two seasons at Michigan with more than 500 carries and 2,700 rushing yards.
Tyler Higbee (47/497/2) isn’t going to move the needle much in fantasy. Sure, he’ll give you some TE1-type weeks this season, but the volume is not going to be there to make him much more than a TE2 on your roster.
Quarterbacks
QB MATTHEW STAFFORD – QUALITY BACKUP
Now 36, Stafford has settled in as a reliable streaming option but is unlikely to revert back to his high-volume role from yesteryear. Last season, the Rams were top-10 in points and offense but Stafford was firmly outside the top-12 fantasy ranks. The emergence of WR Puka Nacua helped Stafford rebound from a down 2022 showing. Nacua and Cooper Kupp give the Rams a formidable duo and help ensure that Stafford’s floor remains safe. He offers nothing as a runner and tends to turn the ball over a tad much, but Stafford can be a reliable source of points as a bye-week fill-in or as a QB2 in Superflex leagues.
Running Backs
RB KYREN WILLIAMS – STUD (LOW RISK)
The only running back besides Christian McCaffrey to average over 20 fantasy points per game, Kyren Williams was a testament to being aggressive and diligent early on the waiver wire. Williams ranked third among all running backs with a 75.9% snap share and led the position with 218 red-zone rushing yards. The red zone is where Williams really paid off, cashing in nine TD plunges inside the 5-yard line. The Rams did add Blake Corum in the third round but Sean Payton prefers to stick with one back rather than a committee. Corum might take away some targets but Williams should maintain his share of the carries and dominate in short yardage once again. ADVICE: Safe RB1 with high floor.
RB BLAKE CORUM – FANTASY HANDCUFF
Kyren Williams dominated touches out of LA’s backfield but Blake Corum has the chance to come in and play an immediate role. Corum profiles as a power back who breaks tackles and moves piles. He’s not as good of a receiver as Williams but could potentially reduce the amount of hits Williams takes on early downs. Corum was highly productive at Michigan and being selected as this draft’s third running back is an indicator that he will be a part of the Rams’ early-season plans. View Corum as a premier handcuff option that could potentially have RB2/3 value if Williams misses time. ADVICE: One of the top handcuff and ZeroRB candidates to target in the middle rounds.
Wide Receivers
WR PUKA NACUA – STUD (LOW RISK)
Puka Nacua shattered all the NFL rookie receiving records en route to an overall WR4 finish. Nacua ranked fourth in the NFL with 1,486 receiving yards on a massive 160 targets. His metrics were even more impressive, including ranking third in EPA and fifth with 627 yards after the catch. Nacua has surpassed Cooper Kupp as LA’s top receiver. He’s an exceptional route runner and has an unreal knack for exploiting coverage and getting open. Look for Nacua to remain the Rams’ top option and pile up targets and catches. He’s a locked-in WR1 with top-5 upside. ADVICE: Target machine locked Into a WR1 role.
WR COOPER KUPP – SOLID/SAFE PICK
Injuries curtailed Kupp’s stellar numbers but he was still a solid contributor when active. Kupp’s “down” 2023 numbers translate to a 17-game pace of 135 targets, 84 grabs, 1,044 yards, and seven TDs. Kupp still ranked ninth with 19 red-zone targets in 12 games and remained a terror in man-to-man out of the slot. He may now trail teammate Puka Nacua in the target pecking order but Kupp’s rapport with QB Matthew Stafford and ability to defeat man coverage make him a strong rebound candidate in 2024. ADVICE: No longer a top-10 lock but Kupp offers plenty of upside as an undervalued WR2.
WR DEMARCUS ROBINSON – DEEP-LEAGUE ONLY
ADVICE: Robinson was the WR19 in the final four weeks of the season. While he won’t sustain those gaudy numbers, the Rams used three-wide sets on a league-high 93.1% of their snaps last season. Robinson is a fine depth add as a streaming WR5/6 option.
Tight Ends
TE TYLER HIGBEE – GAMBLE (HIGH RISK)
Higbee felt out of favor in Zac Robinson’s offense, dipping from 108 targets and 72 grabs in 2022 to just 70 looks and 45 receptions in 2023. Usage played into that decline as Higbee ran a career-high 27.6% of his routes out of the slot. Then, Higbee suffered a major knee injury in the playoffs which complicates his availability. Solid player when healthy, but not one to rely on in 2024. ADVICE: Modest TE2 target but candidate to open season on PUP list.
TE COLBY PARKINSON – DEEP-LEAGUE ONLY
Parkinson produced modest numbers as part of Seattle’s rotation. The Rams don’t throw a ton of targets to the position but Parkinson could open the season atop the club’s depth chart if Tyler Higbee begins the year on the PUP list. That gives Parkinson some decent late-round value as a potential streamer in the first half of the season.
Place Kicker
PK JOSHUA KARTY – SLEEPER (UNDERVALUED)
When you see an NFL team use a valuable draft pick on a kicker, that’s a good indicator that they plan to start the youngster right away. Karty garnered a ton of awards as the nation’s top kicker at Stanford and has a ton of sneaky fantasy sleeper appeal kicking in a Sean McVay offense that produced 128 kicking points last season.
Defense/Special Teams
LOS ANGELES RAMS – NOT DRAFT WORTHY
Los Angeles slid to 12th versus the run and 20th versus the pass. Now, they must contend without having Aaron Donald clogging up the middle. While they are well coached, this Rams’ defense is a far cry from the dominant unit that led the team to a Super Bowl win. The 2024 version is little more than a middling fantasy option that projects to be a volatile streaming unit at best.
Other 2024 Fantasy Football Previews
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