Fantasy Football News & Views
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QB RB WR TE PK | All Non-IDP | DT DE DL ILB OLB LB CB S DB | Footballguys View | All the news | FBG News Blogger Archive
Rams | Levonta Taylor sent packing Tue Aug 11, 02:36 PM
Los Angeles Rams DB Levonta Taylor was waived Tuesday, Aug. 11.
Link to story Rams | A'Shawn Robinson expected to play in 2020 Sun Aug 9, 02:48 PM
Los Angeles Rams DT A'Shawn Robinson (undisclosed) is expected to play at some point during the 2020 season, but the team will take things slow with him since he was diagnosed with a medical issue during the medical on-boarding process.
| Footballguys view: Robinson was signed to help the run defense and provide toughness at nose tackle and defensive end. It sounds like he'll miss regular season games as a precaution, which will get Sebastian Joseph-Day and Greg Gaines on the field more. Ezekiel Elliott's Week 1 matchup just got better. |
A'Shawn Robinson player page
Rams | A'Shawn Robinson on NFI list Sat Aug 8, 04:04 PM
Los Angeles Rams DT A'Shawn Robinson (undisclosed) was placed on the Active/Non-Football Injury list Saturday, Aug. 8.
Link to storyA'Shawn Robinson player page
Rams | Cooper Kupp hasn't had contract talks Sat Aug 8, 11:43 AM
Los Angeles Rams WR Cooper Kupp has not had talks with the team about a contract extension, he said via videoconference.
| Footballguys view: "I love it here. I don't want to go anywhere. In terms of all the contract stuff, I'm letting that be handled by my agent and staying out of it." Kupp said. He's in the final year of his rookie contract but the team should find a way to get something done. They also have to work on an extension with CB Jalen Ramsey in the near future. |
Cooper Kupp player page
Rams | Robert Woods has had some contract talks Thu Aug 6, 03:41 PM
Los Angeles Rams WR Robert Woods said he has had preliminary contract extension talks with the Rams and wants to finish his career with Los Angeles.
| Footballguys view: Woods is signed for a bargain price for no.1 wide receivers. When he signed his five-year, $34 million contract in 2017 Woods was not considered the no.1 wideout ...and over the last three seasons he has performed as such. His current contract has two years remaining, but Woods salary ranks 37th among all wide receivers in terms of annual average salary. We'll see if the two sides can find a way to get a new contract done. |
Robert Woods player page
Rams | Michael Hoecht activated Sun Aug 2, 01:01 PM
Los Angeles Rams DT Michael Hoecht was activated from the Reserve/COVID-19 list Sunday, Aug. 2.
Link to story Rams | Los Angeles releases 4 players Sat Aug 1, 03:23 PM
Los Angeles Rams LB Daniel Bituli, RB James Gilbert, DE Greg Reaves and DT Sam Renner were released by the team Saturday, Aug. 1.
Link to story Rams | Two players on COVID list Fri Jul 31, 06:00 PM
Los Angeles Rams DT Michael Hoecht and LB Terrell Lewis were placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list Friday, July 31.
Link to story Rams | Nine rookies locked up by LAR Tue Jul 28, 06:14 PM
Los Angeles Rams second-round pick RB Cam Akers, seventh-round pick G Tremayne Anchrum, third-round pick DB Terrell Burgess, sixth-round pick DB Jordan Fuller, fourth-round pick TE Brycen Hopkins, second-round pick WR Van Jefferson, seventh-round pick LB Clay Johnston, third-round pick LB Terrell Lewis and seventh-round pick PK Sam Sloman all signed four-year rookie contracts Tuesday, July 28. Financial terms weren't disclosed.
Link to story Rams | Cam Akers, three others agree to rookie deals Mon Jul 27, 03:12 PM
Los Angeles Rams RB Cam Akers, WR Van Jefferson, LB Terrell Lewis and S Terrell Burgess agreed to terms Monday, July 27, on rookie contracts. None of them were first-round picks, so the deals are standard four-year contracts with slotted financial terms.
| Footballguys view: Akers is a talented rookie from Florida State who could emerge as the primary running back. He has swiftness and power to his game, and Akers does a good job of using his quick feet to make defenders miss. Rams coach Sean McVay has previously stated that he loves the RBBC the 49ers use, so expect guys like Darrell Henderson or Malcolm Brown to cut into the touches for Akers (if he wins the starting job). Akers has a current ADP of RB27 (5.08) in 12-team PPR leagues. |
Rams | Three players waived by Rams Sat Jul 25, 06:36 PM
Los Angeles Rams S Jake Gervase, TE Ethan Wolf and WR Greg Dortch were waived Saturday, July 25.
Link to storyGreg Dortch player page
Rams | Nate Trewyn no longer on team Sat Jul 25, 05:52 PM
Los Angeles Rams OG Nate Trewyn was waived Saturday, July 25, according to a source.
Link to story Rams | Sean McVay talks up RBBC again Tue Jul 21, 11:38 PM
Los Angeles Rams RBs Cam Akers, Darrell Henderson, John Kelly and Malcolm Brown will likely be expected to begin the season in a committee, as head coach Sean McVay specifically mentioned the way the San Francisco 49ers used their running backs last season as a model for what he hopes the Rams will attempt to do at the position in 2020.'I think it'll just naturally work itself out. I think if you look at that success San Fran had last year with that running back-by-committee approach. What I thought Kyle (Shanahan) and their players did a great job of is, 'Hey, we're going to have an open-mind approach, we're going to be committed to trying to have some balance and then we'll go with the hot hand or whoever really expresses himself as deserving of the carries,' McVay said on The Helliepod.
| Footballguys view: This is a nightmare for Fantasy GMs who are looking for value. The Rams have talented backs who do things each a little differently but they're not going to pick one to lead the way. In addition to a RBBC, this situation could turn into the dreaded 'hot hand' approach which is incredibly difficult for Fantasy GMs to navigate. The rookie Akers is the first Rams running back coming off the board with a current ADP of RB26 (5.06) followed up by Henderson at RB50 (10.12) in 12-team PPR leagues. |
Malcolm Brown player page
John Kelly player page
Darrell Henderson player page
Rams | John Wolford may top option for backup job Sun Jul 12, 03:29 PM
Los Angeles Rams QB John Wolford may have an edge over QBs Bryce Perkins and Josh Love for the No. 2 quarterback job since he was with the team last season.
| Footballguys view: Knowing Sean McVay's offense is key as he wants the quarterback to be an extension of him on the field. The Rams could also bring back Blake Bortles, who was with the team last year. |
Rams | Tyler Higbee paced target metric Sat Jul 11, 02:07 PM
Los Angeles Rams TE Tyler Higbee had a 33-percent target rate when the Rams were trailing in 2019. That matched San Francisco 49ers TE George Kittle for the highest percentage in the league, according to Pro Football Focus data.
| Footballguys view: Higbee is one of the toughest puzzles of 2020 drafts. He was the best fantasy tight end down the stretch after Gerald Everett got hurt, but was a fantasy non-factor before that. Everett is healthy, but it's possible that the chemistry established between Jared Goff and Higbee will be undeniable this year and Higbee will outperform his ADP that splits the difference between the two levels of production. |
Tyler Higbee player page
Rams | Micah Kiser may be in line to start Sun Jul 5, 02:14 PM
Los Angeles Rams LB Micah Kiser appears to be the leading candidate for one of the starting inside linebacker jobs but will be pushed by LBs Travin Howard and Kenny Young for the job.
| Footballguys view: Kiser is tough against the run and he was the player the team was looking to install next to Cory Littleton last year before he got hurt. He's worth rostering in deep dynasty IDP leagues. |
Micah Kiser player page
Kenny Young player page
Rams | LAR could look at veteran QBs Sun Jul 5, 02:13 PM
Free-agent QB Blake Bortles (Rams) and QB Matt Moore (Chiefs) could be options for the Los Angeles Rams if the team wants a veteran backup quarterback, in the opinion of RamsWire's Cameron DaSilva.
| Footballguys view: Right now John Wolford, Bryce Perkins and Josh Love are competing to back up Jared Goff. That sounds like a disaster in the making. Bortles was the backup last year and wouldn't have to be brought up to speed on the offense, so look for him to get signed if the team doesn't like what they see in the backup trio when camp opens. |
Matt Moore player page
Blake Bortles player page
Rams | Sebastian Joseph-Day should still have role Sat Jun 27, 03:14 PM
Los Angeles Rams DT Sebastian Joseph-Day is not expected to start this upcoming season but should still have a solid role since he can play all three positions along the defensive line.
Link to story Rams | Jared Goff challenged Tue Jun 23, 10:07 AM
Los Angeles Rams QB Jared Goff needs to take ownership of the offense, according to offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell.
| Footballguys view: The new offensive coordinator is sending a bit of message here that Goff needs to improve, but the offense functioned a lot better in December once they got past the tough defenses on their schedule, and the offensive line could be better this year. Goff is only a matchup play in typical one quarterback leagues. He could be a value in two quarterback/superflex leagues. |
Jared Goff player page
Rams | Robert Woods successful on play action Mon Jun 22, 05:19 PM
Los Angeles Rams WR Robert Woods recorded 35 receptions on play-action passes during the 2019 season, which ranked second among wide receivers.
| Footballguys view: The Rams want to use play-action fakes to set up receptions down the field. They also can be used for quick fakes and screen passes to the other side of the formation. Woods led all wide receivers in 2019 with 146 yards on screen passes and this makes him a high-floor WR2 for Fantasy GMs. |
Robert Woods player page
Rams | Gerald Everett hard to tackle Sun Jun 21, 10:39 PM
Los Angeles Rams TE Gerald Everett's nine broken tackles after receptions in 2019 were tied for the eighth most in the NFL and were the most among tight ends.
| Footballguys view: Everett has always been big and physical on the football field. He'll continue to work well after the catch in 2020, but Tyler Higbee has emerged as the primary tight end for the Rams. A second-round pick in the 2017 NFL draft, Everett has yet to fully play up to his potential as a move tight end. |
Gerald Everett player page
Rams | Greg Gaines may be on bubble Sat Jun 20, 05:43 PM
Los Angeles Rams DT Greg Gaines may be on the roster bubble during training camp if he does not stand out during practices.
| Footballguys view: Gaines was a fourth round pick last year as a classic nose tackle to anchor the line in the Rams 3-4 defense, but he has fallen to third on the depth chart. The signing of A'Shawn Robinson could spell the end for Gaines. |
Rams | Austin Blythe may be option at center Sat Jun 20, 05:29 PM
Los Angeles Rams C Austin Blythe could be an option at center if the team decides to use another player at guard.
| Footballguys view: The Rams plan of having Joseph Noteboom and Brian Allen take over starting spots last year and firm up the line for the long haul isn't working out. Blythe might end up being the best choice at center in a year that will have more change on the line for the Rams offense. |
Rams | Joseph Noteboom not guaranteed spot Sat Jun 20, 05:24 PM
Los Angeles Rams OT Joseph Noteboom likely will need a solid performance during training camp in order to make the team, in the opinion of RamsWire's Cameron DaSilva.
| Footballguys view: The plan was for Noteboom to eventually be the replacement for Andrew Whitworth at left tackle, but after an unimpressive year starting at left guard, he may have to earn his roster spot this year. |
Rams | Malcolm Brown may have smaller role Sat Jun 20, 04:54 PM
Los Angeles Rams RB Malcolm Brown may be limited to goal line and short yardage work this upcoming season depending on how RBs Cam Akers and Darrell Henderson perform, in the opinion of RamsWire's Cameron DaSilva.
| Footballguys view: This running back situation could prove to be quite problematic for Fantasy GMs in 2020. Akers is the talented, no-nonsense rookie while Henderson provides some big-play ability to the backfield. Brown has some power to his game but might be third in the pecking order. We'll see how this competition shapes up in training camp but we could be headed for a three-headed RBBC with the Rams. |
Malcolm Brown player page
Rams | Robert Woods No. 1 in screen yards Sat Jun 20, 02:35 PM
Los Angeles Rams WR Robert Woods led all wide receivers in 2019 with 146 yards on screen passes, according to Pro Football Focus data.
| Footballguys view: Woods is going to continue as a high-value target for the Rams in 2020. He's a high-floor WR2 for Fantasy GMs this season and could bump to a top-15 wideout if he increases his number of touchdown catches this year. |
Robert Woods player page
Rams | Aaron Donald in a class of his own Thu Jun 18, 09:28 PM
Los Angeles Rams DL Aaron Donald has amassed a league-high 71 pressures within two seconds of the snap over the last three seasons, according to Pro Football Focus. Philadelphia Eagles DL Fletcher Cox ranks a distant second with 48.
| Footballguys view: Early pressure up the gut is the most difficult for quarterbacks to deal with. Donald is the king here but Cox could be very good this year with the addition of Javon Hargrave and return of Malik Jackson. |
Fletcher Cox player page
Aaron Donald player page
Rams | Jared Goff struggles past first read Tue Jun 16, 03:24 PM
Los Angeles Rams QB Jared Goff had the lowest Pro Football Focus in the NFL last season when forced to look past his first read. He has a top-10 PFF grade on first-read throws over the last two seasons.
| Footballguys view: That's a pretty telling stat for Goff...and it backs up the film. If he's on time and on rhythm with the first read, then Goff can be pretty efficient. However, when he's forced to go away from his initial read then the young quarterback still struggles. He put the ball in the air 626 times in 2019 but was not an efficient passer. From a fantasy perspective, Goff is a QB2 with upside. |
Jared Goff player page
Rams | Cooper Kupp terrific in slot Sun Jun 14, 01:54 PM
Los Angeles Rams WR Cooper Kupp caught 69 passes while lined up as the slot receiver during the 2019 season, which was tied for the most among wide receivers.
| Footballguys view: Kupp was used less in the second half of the season as the Rams went with more two tight end sets. It's not clear whether the offense will lean more towards two tight end or three wide receiver sets in 2020, but Kupp's numbers are likely to be down from 2019 levels in any event. |
Cooper Kupp player page
Rams | Terrell Burgess learning all DB spots Sat Jun 13, 04:51 PM
Los Angeles Rams S Terrell Burgess said he is learning to play all of the defensive back positions this offseason and may also learn the dime linebacker position.
Link to story Rams | Cooper Kupp tops in slot yardage Sat Jun 13, 01:40 PM
Los Angeles Rams WR Cooper Kupp led the league in 2019 with 853 receiving yards from the slot, according to Pro Football Focus data.
| Footballguys view: Kupp is going to have opportunity to do more in 2020. With Brandin Cooks moved on, the team needs guys like Kupp and Robert Woods to excel. Rookie Van Jefferson will get thrown into the mix along with Josh Reynolds to round out the main group of receivers this year. |
Cooper Kupp player page
Rams | Darrell Henderson pronounces himself fit Wed Jun 10, 11:45 PM
Los Angeles Rams RB Darrell Henderson (ankle) told reporters during a Zoom call Wednesday, June 10, that he has fully recovered from surgery to address the high-ankle sprain he suffered late last season.
| Footballguys view: Henderson is going to compete to establish a pecking order in the backfield with Todd Gurley moving on to the Falcons. His main competition will be rookie Cam Akers and veteran Malcolm Brown. All three have differing skill sets, and this may end up being some form of a three-headed RBBC. |
Darrell Henderson player page
Rams | Cam Akers taking part in workouts Wed Jun 10, 04:02 PM
Los Angeles Rams RB Cam Akers has started to participate in workouts with QB Jared Goff in Los Angeles, according to Goff.
| Footballguys view: Akers is an exciting rookie running back to watch. He's got a good rushing style which features contact balance and vision. Akers is not as good of a receiver as you'd like and will be working in a RBBC this season. We'll see how he stacks up against Darrell Henderson and Malcolm Brown in training camp and the preseason. |
Rams | Jared Goff working with teammates Wed Jun 10, 04:01 PM
Los Angeles Rams QB Jared Goff said he has been working out with some of his teammates during the shutdown and has been working to his receivers for a while.
| Footballguys view: Another quarterback working with his receivers here. Insert the standard 'this should help chemistry' take. However, with Goff there needs to be improvement off a down season in 2019. He threw the heck out of the ball but was not an efficient passer. Goff is a QB2 with upside for Fantasy GMs. |
Jared Goff player page
Rams | Troy Hill expected to start Sat Jun 6, 07:04 PM
Los Angeles Rams CB Troy Hill is expected to start opposite CB Jalen Ramsey this upcoming season.
| Footballguys view: The Rams put a lot of trust in Hill when they traded Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib during the season last year, and he came through. With Ramsey on the other side, Hill should get targeted a lot, which is a foundation for cornerback IDP value. |
Rams | Three candidates for OLB job Fri Jun 5, 08:50 PM
Los Angeles Rams LBs Samson Ebukam, Ogbonnia Okoronkwo and Terrell Lewis are expected to be the three main candidates for the outside linebacker job opposite LB Leaonrd Floyd.
Link to storyOgbonnia Okoronkwo player page
Rams | Cooper Kupp's job getting easier each year Mon Jun 1, 10:58 PM
Los Angeles Rams WR Cooper Kupp has seen his average depth of catch decline each year, going from 9.0 yards as a rookie in 2017 to 8.3 in 2018 and 7.0 in 2019.
| Footballguys view: It's going to level out for Kupp in 2020. His average depth of catch reflects how he's used and where he's attacking an opponents defense. Kupp is a stud on the field and a WR1 for Fantasy GMs in PPR leagues. His current ADP is WR11 (3.09) in 12-team PPR leagues. |
Cooper Kupp player page
Rams | Robert Woods a YAC monster Sun May 31, 07:33 PM
Los Angeles Rams WR Robert Woods registered 613 yards after the catch in 2019 - the third-highest total in the league.
| Footballguys view: Woods can take short passes and turn them into long gains. He led the Rams in targets in 2019 with 140 looks, and he was especially targeted over the final six games of the season. Woods needs to be used more in the red zone, and that might be the plan in 2020. He's a WR2 with upside for Fantasy GMs. |
Robert Woods player page
Rams | Brycen Hopkins had drop issues Tue May 26, 10:46 AM
Los Angeles Rams fourth-round pick TE Brycen Hopkins had seven drops at Purdue last season, but his targets went up from 54 to 91. He finished 2019 with 61 receptions for 830 yards and seven scores. 'Man! I don't want to come up with excuses,' Hopkins said. '(Critics) don't like to give me any credibility for the catches, for any of the good catches I had. It's all about drops. It's something I'm working on. It's all concentration. It's not like I don't have hands. I've shown everybody that I can catch. It's just something I will be working on; I will get better at.'
| Footballguys view: His drop rate was pretty bad in college. PFF reports that Hopkins had 22 career drops on 152 catchable passes. We'll see if he can clean that part of his game up. Hopkins will serve as a no.3 tight end behind Tyler Higbee and Gerald Everett in 2020. |
Rams | Jalen Ramsey may see time at S Mon May 25, 06:21 PM
Los Angeles Rams CB Jalen Ramsey could receive some snaps at safety this upcoming season, according to defensive coordinator Brandon Staley.
Link to storyJalen Ramsey player page
Rams | Jared Goff kept clean last season Sun May 24, 05:11 PM
Los Angeles Rams QB Jared Goff was sacked on only 3.3 percent of his 662 dropbacks in 2019 - the second-lowest mark for a quarterback with at least 615 dropbacks in a season since 2015.
| Footballguys view: Goff needs to do a better job with so little pressure getting home. He threw 10 fewer touchdowns in 2019 than he did in 2018 and he threw more interceptions last year than the previous season. The team is going to be a volume-based passing attack again this year and a more efficient/improved Goff would help them greatly. |
Jared Goff player page
Rams | Lofty comparison for Cam Akers Sat May 23, 09:44 PM
Los Angeles Rams RB Cam Akers 'does everything well,' according to Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com, and Rosenthal compared Akers to retired RB Matt Forte.
| Footballguys view: Akers is a good all-purpose running back but he's not the level of player that Forte was coming out of Tulane years ago. We like Akers contact balance and ability to run through arm tackles. However, he's not as natural a receiver as you'd like and does struggle with passes outside his frame. Ball security is also an issue. He's a good back but will likely be working in a RBBC with Malcolm Brown and Darrell Henderson in 2020. |
Rams | Bobby Evans may push for starting job Sat May 23, 08:54 PM
Los Angeles Rams OT Bobby Evans may push OT Rob Havenstein for the starting right tackle job during training camp, in the opinion of NFL.com's Gregg Rosenthal.
Link to story Rams | OC excited about Cam Akers Thu May 21, 03:35 PM
Los Angeles Rams RB Cam Akers is a player that offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell is excited about working with this upcoming season.
| Footballguys view: Akers is a player to get excited about, but his situation is going to be a bit problematic for Fantasy GMs. He's a tough runner who needs to hang onto the rock. Akers has a three-down skill set but will have to split time with Malcolm Brown and Darrell Henderson in 2020. We'll have to see how this battle shakes out in training camp. |
Rams | Testing Troy Hill a bad idea last season Wed May 20, 10:49 PM
Los Angeles Rams CB Troy Hill allowed only 40 percent of the passes thrown in his coverage to be completed in 2019, according to Sports Info Solutions. The catch rate Hill allowed was the lowest mark in the league by a defensive back who was targeted at least 50 times.
Link to story Rams | Terrell Burgess to compete Tue May 19, 10:07 AM
Los Angeles Rams third-round pick DB Terrell Burgess will compete with CBs David Long and Darious Williams for a starting job.
Link to story Rams | Austin Blythe struggled in the running game Mon May 18, 11:58 PM
Los Angeles Rams C Austin Blythe finished in a tie with Houston Texans OG Zach Fulton for the most blown blocks on running plays in 2019 with 15, according to Sports Info Solutions.
Link to story Rams | Cooper Kupp sure-handed in 2019 Mon May 18, 02:04 PM
Los Angeles Rams WR Cooper Kupp caught 94 of his 134 targets in 2019, good for a reception rate of 70.1 percent. Only New Orleans Saints WR Michael Thomas had a better percentage (80.5) among qualifying wide receivers (at least 130 targets).
| Footballguys view: Kupp has always been a sure-handed target and that's going to continue in 2020. Fantasy GMs are taking Kupp off the board at WR8 (3.01) in 12-team PPR leagues. Last year in standard-scoring leagues, Kupp finished the year as the no.4 fantasy receiver. His 10 receiving touchdowns from 2019 will be difficult to reproduce, but he's still a must-start every week. |
Cooper Kupp player page
Rams | Jared Goff an oddity in today's game Sun May 17, 05:34 PM
Los Angeles Rams QB Jared Goff (68) was the only NFL quarterback in 2019 to attempt more than 50 passes on seven-step drops in 2019, according to USA TODAY's Doug Farrar.
| Footballguys view: That's not something that happens much anymore. It used to be a staple in the NFL, but seven-step drops take time to develop and pass-rushers are getting too good in the NFL. The Rams use a West Coast system and that leans on running the ball effectively. If you can do that, those seven-step drops could be more fruitful. |
Jared Goff player page
Rams | Van Jefferson close to full strength Sat May 16, 11:46 PM
Los Angeles Rams WR Van Jefferson (foot) said he is 90 percent healthy following surgery on his foot.
| Footballguys view: Jefferson is the type of player who could have a better pro career than he did as a collegian. Bad quarterback play limited his production at Florida, and the Rams are hoping they got a value pick with Jefferson in the second round. Jefferson is a deep target who has late hands and tracks the ball well over his shoulder. |
