The Rams currently sit at second in the NFC West and third in the NFC with a 4-1 record.
Every week they look more like the 2018 team that went all the way to the Super Bowl and are playoff contenders.
After five weeks of great football from the Rams, it’s time to look at each player’s fantasy value.
Quarterbacks
Jared Goff
I was right and wrong in my valuation of Jared Goff in the pre-season. I’m happy to see Goff scoring with his legs, but he needs at least three touchdowns, no matter in the air or on the ground, to be worth starting in your line up.
Goff has been averaged 274.4 passing yards per game. His 18.4 fantasy points per game are worth picking up for your starters bye week. He is also a great pair for a quarterback-by-committee when his matchup makes sense. Goff’s touchdown dependency and three interceptions in five games worry me. I’m not saying Goff’s a poor pick up just that his production is a little volatile.
Jared Goff is available in 52.3% of leagues, which is a little high. He is a quality pick up for deeper and two-quarterback leagues. But he is a quality top 15 quarterback. He’s a solid back up in the fantasy and a must-start versus week pass defenses.
Running Backs
Darrel Henderson
I said it during the preseason, and I’ll say it again. Out of the Rams three running back, Darrel Henderson is the best fantasy option. He is a solid flex play and a top 30 running back. He’s averaging 13.4 fantasy points per game. If you remove his week 1 performance where the Rams underutilized him, he is averaging 16.4 fantasy points per game.
After his week two performance, Henderson’s fantasy stock went up and is only available in about 18% of leagues. If he is available in your league he is worth picking up. He’s averaged a touchdown a game since week 2 and can put points up either as a pass catcher or a runner.
If there is a downside to Henderson, it’s that the Rams are a running-back-by-committee. Who’s getting the most touches or biggest share of snaps each week has been a little unpredictable, but Henderson’s fantasy points have been consistent through week four.
Cam Akers
Cam Akers’s rib injury boosted Henderson’s workload. It will be a surprise if Henderson’s workload diminishes now that Akers is back. I expect it to go up from here. Malcolm Brown was a break-out star in week 1 against the Dallas Cowboys with 26 points, but he hasn’t scored over 15 points since then. Henderson might not be used as a true starter for the Rams, but he should be starting on your fantasy team.
Wide Receiver
Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods
Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods are playing at the caliber the Rams paid them for. They’ve averaged 13 yards per reception and 5.6 and 4.6 receptions a game, respectively. Kupp and Woods are also deep ball threats averaging 32.6 and 29.2 as their longest receptions per game.
Kupp and Woods have averaged 16.1 and 15.1 fantasy points per game, respectively, and are solid No. 2 wide receivers. They are available in 2.4 and 2.9% of leagues, respectively, so you will have to trade for them. Unless your strategy is to have Rams players on your roster, you probably already have wide receivers averaging the same amount of points per game.
You might think they are worth having on your roster, but they aren’t going to win a game for you. You should be starting them every week, but if you don’t have them, they aren’t worth targeting. If you need a wide receiver, look for DK Metcalf or Robbie Anderson in a trade or pick up Chase Claypool or Travis Fulgham off waivers. Also, stay clear of Josh Reynolds and Van Jefferson; they haven’t cleared 10 points in a single week.
The Rams can support two fantasy-relevant wide receivers no more no less.
Tight Ends
Tyler Higbee
I was wrong about Tyler Higbee. The Rams switching to a two-tight end system was a fever dream after his late-season success in 2019. He broke out in week 2 against the Philadelphia Eagles with 28.4 points but has never scratched those numbers again. Without week 2, Higbee’s averaged 5.8 fantasy points per game.
Higbee is a must drop in all leagues. Higbee is a reliable receiver, but Goff is not looking his way. He’s caught 15 of his 17 targets on the season but is only targeted half the time compared to Kupp and Woods.
Higbee might get more work towards the end of the season like last year, but he isn’t worth rostering to find out. He was dropped from 4.5% of rosters heading into week 5 and expect that number to continue to grow. Also, don’t let Gerald Everett’s 13 points in week 5 fool you. Don’t pick him up as a replacement for Higbee; make him earn a roster spot.
Defense & Special Teams (and Samuel Sloman)
The Rams defense and special teams and kicker Samuel Sloman aren’t set it and forget it options but can be picked up during a good matchup.
The defense and special teams were great against the New York Giants and Washington Football Team. But they are match-up dependent, and their schedule doesn’t get much easier. However, the Miami Dolphins kept the San Francisco 49ers to 17 points in week 5.
Samuel Sloman
Sloman has been an okay kicker in fantasy but not worth it even in a good matchup, to be honest. He’s missed three kicks from inside the 40 and only has one kick from 40+ yards.
Sloman is averaging six fantasy points per game, but there are better volume kickers out there.
Featured Image: Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images
