2025 Los Angeles Rams Team Preview

2024 was projected to be a rebuilding year for the Rams. Instead, they went 10-7 for the second consecutive year and captured the NFC West crown. L.A. regressed on offense, falling from 8th in 2023 to 20th in scoring. The defense also slipped to 26th, but Sean McVay overcame obstacles and seized a weak division. Armed with a full allotment of draft picks for a change, McVay and GM Les Snead focused on reinforcing the offense to take advantage of QB Matthew Stafford's closing window.

Speaking of Stafford, his days as a quality fantasy option appear behind him. Stafford struggled under pressure and no longer has the mobility to help his own cause. Stafford ranked middle-of-the-pack in most analytics measures. His 47.3 percent red-zone completion rate ranked 25th and played a big part in the touchdown regression. At this stage in his career, Stafford is much more valuable in the NFL than in fantasy. He should be viewed as a middling QB2 who may have a handful of usable games to stream.

The fantasy metrics crowd sure wants to get rid of Kyren Williams. However, Sean McVay feels differently. Williams was a tremendous value last season, as many fantasy analysts projected a breakout for Blake Corum. Corum barely played, and Williams led all running backs with an 88.4 percent snap share, ranked 3rd in carries, and produced 16 more touchdowns. Fourth-round Auburn RB Jarquez Hunter is this year's Corum. But we will stick with what works, and that's Kyren Williams as a workhorse RB1.

Davante Adams, acquired to replace Cooper Kupp, brings elite production to McVay's passing attack. In 2024, he posted 85 catches, 1,063 yards, and 8 TDs in a bad spot. His 2.6 yards per route run and 22 percent target share fit McVay's motion-heavy scheme. And his red-zone prowess should be a big help for Stafford, who struggled in that area. Puka Nacua remains a co-WR1. Nacua's 43.6 percent target rate and 4.07 yards per route run led all wideouts. The Rams boast two fantasy WR1s but have little depth. Tutu Atwell projects as the WR3 but is well off the fantasy radar.

TE Tyler Higbee missed the first 15 games recovering from a knee injury but made an impact late. However, Higbee, 32, is nearing the end, which necessitated the Rams using their first pick (Round 2 after trading down) on standout Oregon TE Terrance Ferguson. Ferguson (6-5, 247) is uber-athletic with a 90th percentile catch radius and 94th percentile Speed Score. He's a deep sleeper with breakout potential.

Fantasy Grade: B-

QB Matthew Stafford, LAR - Over the Hill (decreased production)

Entering his age-37 season, Matthew Stafford remains a quality fit in Sean McVay's offense. But Stafford has become a middle-of-the-road fantasy starter who no longer adds rushing production. Stafford hasn't posted QB1 numbers since 2021 and has settled in as a mid-range QB2. He only produced four top-10 weekly performances last season, making him a poor best as a streamer and in Best Ball. Perhaps the addition of Davante Adams, who replaces Cooper Kupp, will help resurrect Stafford's wanining red-zone efficiency (31st in accuracy inside the 20).

RB Kyren Williams, LAR - Stud (low risk)

Last year, Blake Corum was going to eat into Kyren Williams's touches. This year, sixth-rounder Jarquez Hunter is being anointed as the threat. While Hunter projects to be a solid fit in Sean McVay's scheme, we're still in on Williams as a solid value. He led all running backs with an 88.2 percent snap share and handled a league-high 77 red-zone touches. Williams has found pay dirt 31 times in the last two seasons, tied with Jahmyr Gibbs for most in football. McVay prefers to lean on one featured runner, and Williams has performed extraordinarily well in that role.

RB Jarquez Hunter, LAR - Deep-league Only

ADVICE: Hunter blazed a 4.44 and has a lot of burst paired with plus pass-catching skills. He's a popular sleeper target, but as long as Kyren Williams is commanding a league-leading 88.2 percent snap share, Hunter will struggle to earn touches.

RB Blake Corum, LAR - Dynasty Only

Not us, but other places were advocating Corum as a potential league-winning sleeper last year. Instead, he barely played and wasn't effective when he did. The Rams also used a middle-round pick on Jarquez Hunter, which all but tells us they don't believe in Corum. Neither should you.

WR Puka Nacua, LAR - Stud (low risk)

Puka Nacua continued to build on his dominant rookie season with a record-setting 2024, leading the NFL with a 37.1 percent target rate, the highest ever recorded. He also led in yards per route run at 3.23. Puka injured his knee in Week 1 and missed the next 5 weeks, but dominated after he returned. WR Davante Adams has replaced Cooper Kupp as the veteran WR, but Stafford is a WR kingmaker who assures his top targets always eat. Even with Davante Adams joining the fold, Nacua remains the primary offensive weapon.

WR Davante Adams, LAR - Solid/Safe Pick

Even after splitting the 2024 season between the Raiders and Jets, Davante Adams secured his fifth consecutive 1,000-yard campaign and finished as the WR14 overall. He maintained elite efficiency with over 2.0 yards per route run and ranked top five in red-zone looks and target share (27 percent), proving he still plays at a high level at age 32. Now paired with WR kingmaker Matthew Stafford in Los Angeles, Adams joins an efficient passing attack led by Sean McVay. While Puka Nacua remains the top option, there are plenty of targets to sustain Adams's fantasy relevance. With five top-10 weekly finishes in 2024, he remains a strong bet for high-end production. One of the best values on draft day.