Fantasy Football 2017 Team Preview: Los Angeles Rams
This is the 2017 fantasy preview of the Los Angeles Rams. In this preview I will provide the Must-Own players, Sleepers, and Longshot players with upside very deep in drafts.
Must-own players are those who should be owned by someone in any league. Handcuff RBs can qualify, as they are often very important to a fantasy team over the full schedule. Sleepers are secondary players that you may find on the waiver wire at some point in the year, or may go undrafted in shallower auction-style leagues. The Longshots are players with microscopic ADP, who are being drafted at the very end of drafts, or more likely not drafted at all.
All ADP data is courtesy of FantasyPros.com.
**I will list all kickers, but I cannot give analysis on them. Sorry :-/
MUST OWNS
Todd Gurley, RB (ADP: 19): After a 2016 in which he was almost definitely the biggest bust of anyone, Gurley still has believers. He’s going 10th among RBs, which is not in the first round anymore, but is still a heavy investment. The talent is certainly there, and his opportunity should be tremendous once again. The Rams do not have much of a passing game, nor do they have a great offensive line to protect young passer Jared Goff. That knife cuts both ways though; Gurley is the clear focal point of the offense, and it will be the goal of every Rams opponent to key on him. Last year Gurley saw 278 carries – a.k.a. a lot – and managed just 3.2 yards per rush. It wasn’t all his fault, because his supporting cast was terrible, but not much has changed for him. Gurley could wind up with a lot more touchdowns in 2017, but not enough has improved for me to make him a second round pick.
Sammy Watkins, WR (ADP: 54): Poor, poor Sammy Watkins. I was really warming up to him, as he was healthy with a QB in Tyrod Taylor who has proven he can throw nice deep balls. Then the Bills up and traded him to L.A., where he has downgraded at QB, is still running opposite Robert Woods (LOL), and is functioning in a less explosive offense. Watkins’ talent is so tremendous that he will put up numbers anywhere, provided he’s healthy, but the 1,047-yard, nine touchdown season in 2015 is likely his ceiling until his surroundings improve.
Defense/Special Teams (ADP: 178): The Rams are currently the 12th D/ST off the board, and I think they can be better than that. The talent isn’t quite as great as it was last season, but DT Aaron Donald and DE/LB Robert Quinn are such disruptive players I see the Rams becoming turnover-heavy. Those two, plus a return man like Tavon Austin, put the Rams D/ST in position to have blow up weeks.
SLEEPERS
Tavon Austin, WR (ADP: 248): Austin is perennially “interesting” because of his game-breaking speed, but at this point I’m out. He’s included here because there’s still not much competition for him, and the Rams do try to involve him in different ways. Austin is only one year removed from a nine-touchdown campaign. The problem is Austin’s explosions are utterly unpredictable, and with Goff at QB there’s no floor on any given week. Austin isn’t worth your stress, and you’ll never feel comfortable drafting him.
LONGSHOTS
Robert Woods, WR (ADP: 272): Woods is the de facto WR2 for Goff, and if Goff makes a leap Woods could be fantasy relevant with enough targets. Woods is sure-handed, and potentially useful in full-PPR leagues, but his lack of any touchdown upside limits him from any kind of huge breakout.
KICKER
Greg Zuerlein.