2015 Team Outlook: St. Louis Rams
WR Kenny Britt, --- - Gamble (high risk)
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Britt led all Rams WRs with 813 snaps in 2014. He caught 48 of his 84 targets for 748 yards and three TDs. Over the first 13 games of the season, Kenny had three catches or fewer in each game, all of which included no more than seven targets. Over the last three games of the year, St. Louis tried to get him more involved, and he caught 18 passes on 25 targets for 206 yards. Britt had two 100-yard outings overall. It was a steady season for Kenny, even with the inconsistent play at the QB position. Britt has plus size and scoring ability, and he may develop more value with Foles under center. Currently, he's almost free on draft day with an ADP of 192 (64th WR selected). He'll turn 27 in September, so he is plenty young enough to develop more upside. The Rams have four viable WR options, which makes it tough to believe that any of them will be consistent from week to week. If healthy, Britt could come down with 50 catches, 800 yards and a decent amount of touchdowns.
WR Brian Quick, --- - Sleeper (undervalued)
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Quick looked to be on his way to a breakthrough season when he caught 21 passes for 223 yards and three TDs over his first four games of 2014. However, he was limited to just three catches and 43 yards over the next two weeks combined and was then brought down by a season-ending shoulder injury in Week 7. He underwent surgery in November to repair his torn rotator cuff. Recent reports have stated that he may not be at full strength when training camp opens, but he should be ready for the start of the season. His success last year points to more growth and upside this year. Prior to the injury, Quick was on a pace for 64 catches, 973 yards and eight TDs on 99 targets. Based on most recent play and trending career path, Brian makes sense as Rams' No. 1 wideout. Barring any setbacks in his recovery, Quick has a chance to grab 60 passes for 800-plus yards and lead this team in receiving touchdowns.
St. Louis Rams WR Brian Quick
TE Jared Cook, --- - Deep-league Only
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Over the past two years with the Rams, Cook has been more steady than explosive. Last season, he caught 52 of 99 targets for 634 yards and three TDs but started only six games. St. Louis gave him 706 snaps compared to 613 for tight end Lance Kendricks. Cook surpassed the 60-yard mark in only four games and caught more than five passes just once. He has an edge over Kendricks as a run blocker, but he will still have to compete for snaps. I expect more of the same production from Cook, making him a mid-tier TE2 in PPR leagues.
St. Louis Rams TE Jared Cook
TE Lance Kendricks, --- - Not Draft Worthy
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Lance started 14 games but finished well behind Cook in targets (99 to 38). He caught 27 passes for 259 yards and a career-high five touchdowns. Over his last 13 games, Kendricks never had more than two catches or three targets in any contest. Lance is on the field enough to post a couple of worthwhile stat lines when he scores, but he has no upside as the Rams' No. 2 tight end.
PK Greg Zuerlein, --- - Quality Backup
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Through three seasons, Zuerlein has yet to finish among the top 10 in field goal attempts. He's made 82 percent of his kicks while averaging just less than 30 chances per year. Greg, who is known for his strong leg, has made 13 of his 22 chances from 50 yards or longer. Last season, the Rams scored 24 FGs and 32 TDs on their 189 possessions. I love Zuerlein's upside, but he needs to cut down on the misses, and St. Louis needs to improve on offense in order for him to have a greater number of opportunities. Greg is worth a shot if the Rams' offense finally takes that step forward.
Los Angeles - Stud (low risk)
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The Rams' run defense has five tough matchups: the Seahawks (twice), the San Francisco 49ers (twice) and the Cincinnati Bengals. They also have five games versus teams with weak rushing attacks: the Arizona Cardinals (twice), the Chicago Bears, the Detroit Lions and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, I think the Lions and the Cardinals will run the ball much better than last year. St. Louis has three games versus quality passing attacks: The Pittsburgh Steelers, the Washington Redskins and the Green Bay Packers. The Rams have eight games against teams with below-par aerial offenses, most of which come during the second half of the year. St. Louis finished 14th in rushing yards allowed (1,765) with ball carriers gaining 4.2 yards per carry and 12 TDs. The Rams accumulated 40 sacks after coming up with 53 in 2013. They ranked 19th against the pass, allowing 3,861 yards and only 18 passing TDs while catching 13 interceptions.
Linebacker Alec Ogletree improved slightly in all areas in his second season. He still graded out as only a league-average player. LB James Laurinaitis struggled against the run last year while recording 3.5 sacks, three QB hits and 10 QB hurries. His best skill is in pass coverage, and it really doesn't separate him from the field. LB Akeem Ayers has shown upside as a run defender and some underlying pass-rushing skills during his four-year career.
Cornerback E.J. Gaines was a nice surprise for the Rams. As a sixth-round pick in the 2014 draft, E.J. held his own in pass coverage (57 catches on 85 targets for 550 yards and one touchdown with two interceptions). CB Janoris Jenkins has been a league-average player for the past two years. He allowed a 72.7 percent completion rate on 77 pass attempts last season, which led to 753 yards and five TDs. He also picked off two passes. Safety Rodney McLeod has improved in pass coverage but still isn't great against the run. Safety T.J. McDonald was much better in run support during his second season. He still has plenty of problems versus receivers (43 catches on 59 targets for 500 yards and six scores last year).
The Rams' defense is loaded with talent on the defensive line, but when that group doesn't pressure the quarterback, the secondary gets exposed. St. Louis plays physical football and can make offenses one-dimensional. The second level of the defense can be better if it improves its pass-rushing ability off the edge. This defense is getting a lot of respect in the early draft season; it is the fourth unit off the board with an ADP of 163. There is upside here and scoring ability in the punt and kick return game. This defense could be No. 1 in Fantasy scoring if the stars align.
