Fantasy Index

header banner img
OUR FANTASY BASEBALL MAGAZINE IS BACK! PRE-ORDER NOW
Win here.

Factoid

Rams running backs

3-way battle for starting job in Los Angeles

I have interest in the Rams’ running backs. I don’t think it’s certain who’ll be the best option, but I think there will be some really good production.

Cam Akers, I think, is the guy they’re hoping for. They selected him late in the second round, and Akers was a good all-around back at Florida State. But just a year previously, they picked Darrell Henderson (pictured) not much later. And veteran Malcolm Brown, while not as talented, has more experience than either of those guys.

Akers faces the unusual challenge of being a rookie trying to move directly into the starting lineup without much of an offseason.

I would think they’ll start with some kind of committee approach and go from there. Once they settle on their guy, I think he’ll be a good touchdown scorer. Sean McVay is one of the top few offensive minds in the game, and he tends to use the run around the goal line. Two years in a row the Rams have run the ball 33 times when they’ve been inside the 5-yard line (that’s including 2-point conversions).

The Rams and the Patriots are the only teams that inside the 5 have scored at least 11 rushing touchdowns in each of the last three years.

For now, I’m going with Akers as the top prospect. Henderson looks undervalued relative to other second running backs. And Brown would be one of the first “third” backs I would pick.

OFFENSES WITH DOUBLE-DIGIT TD RUNS INSIDE THE 5 (last 3 yrs)
YearTeamAttYdsAvgTD2PtEZ%
2018New Orleans43521.2117346.5%
2019LA Rams33531.6115148.5%
2018LA Rams33471.4215148.5%
2019New England35501.4314142.9%
2018Kansas City34501.4714144.1%
2018New England33341.0313039.4%
2019Minnesota32431.3413040.6%
2019Philadelphia29411.4113251.7%
2018Pittsburgh24241.0013054.2%
2019Houston20301.5013065.0%
2017Jacksonville2827.9612042.9%
2018Carolina26371.4212046.2%
2017Minnesota25271.0812152.0%
2017New England2318.7812052.2%
2019Green Bay21291.3812161.9%
2019Baltimore3732.8611235.1%
2019Carolina26281.0811146.2%
2019Indianapolis26301.1511146.2%
2019Tampa Bay26341.3111353.8%
2017New Orleans25271.0811148.0%
2017LA Rams24321.3311045.8%
2018Cleveland23271.1711256.5%
2019Dallas22401.8211154.5%
2018Chicago17301.7611064.7%
2018Tennessee2922.7610034.5%
2017Dallas25331.3210040.0%
2019LA Chargers25271.0810040.0%
2019San Francisco2519.7610040.0%
2018Denver17261.5310058.8%

—Ian Allan

Fantasy Index