It’s hard to believe the Rams’ preseason is almost over. This means there are only a few weeks left to sign up for fantasy football.
The Rams have an exciting group of fantasy players worth drafting.
Here’s part two of my Rams fantasy draft guide. This week we’ll look at running back and wide receiver.
All the rankings and average draft positions (ADP) are from ESPN and an ESPN standard 10-team PPR league.
WR Robert Woods // Pos. 14 – Overall 33
It’s hard to decide between Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp. However, if I’m going to roster one over the other, I’m taking Woods.
He’s a far more consistent player. He has a .476 consistency rating, a player’s weekly standard deviation divided by his PPR fantasy points per game average. The rating finds players who score closest to their average, so a lower number is better.
However, the big thing separating these two receivers is that Woods is far more active in the running game. Kupp had 38 more receiving yards than Woods. However, Woods added 155 rushing yards to his stat line. He also outscored Kupp in touchdowns scoring six passing and two rushing touchdowns. Considering that Cam Akers is out for the season, Woods could see more use in the running game.
FLEX Cooper Kupp // Pos. 21 – Overall 47
There is a good argument for either Woods or Kupp, and rostering both isn’t a bad idea either. I like the idea of having Woods as a starting wide receiver and Kupp as a flex option. Both receivers will get a massive boost from Matthew Stafford at quarterback and eat up most of the target shares. Having both will ensure your earning points for the majority of the Rams’ plays.
However, it doesn’t mean that you can’t draft Kupp without drafting Woods. It’s a matter of personal preference. Kupp has a slightly better big-play potential. Last season, he had 12 plays for over 20 yards and 529 yards after the catch – that’s over half of his receiving yards.
The consistent quarterback play will help Kupp because he’s not very active in the running game. Cam Akers is out for the season; we can also expect the Rams to rely more on passing. However, Kupp will most likely fall to near the end of the sixth round. Depending on how fast wide receivers are going off the board, he might become your No. 2 wide receiver, but he’ll most likely be your flex option.
RB Darrell Henderson // Pos. 20 – Overall 39
Darrell Henderson obviously skyrocketed after the Rams announced Akers’ season-ending Achilles injury. I’ve always been high on Henderson; however, I’m not targeting Henderson.
I think the Rams might lean more into the passing game with Stafford under center now. I also tend to draft running backs in the first and second rounds, so I don’t need to go out and get him. Suppose he falls to me in the middle of the draft, great. But I don’t necessarily need to have him like I might want the Rams defense and special teams or Woods.
Featured Image: AP Photo/Jae C. Hong
