Introduction: The Rams are one of the teams with tremendous upside with all the young talent they have on their team. Guys like Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey look to improve off of their rookie seasons. If both Bailey and Austin can hit their stride in the NFL one only needs to look back at how dangerous West Virginia’s potent offense from a couple seasons ago. Thanks to the trade the Rams made with the Redskins a couple years ago they team is also loaded with young talent on defense as well. Alec Ogletree and Trumaine Johnson are two of a host of young athletes on that defense that have bright futures. The Rams may not be the best team in the league right now but Head Coach Jeff Fisher has them set up nice for the future.
Sam Bradford, Quarterback
Bradford is a very talented young quarterback but an ACL tear ended his 2013 campaign early. But in the seven games he played in you have to really like what you saw from him. He threw for 1,678 yards and 14 touchdowns with only four interceptions. I hear a lot of of bad things about Bradford from fans and even analysts sometimes. He isn’t the draft bust some may want to think he is. His low production can be a product of having nothing around him with a defense that hasn’t scared anyone in the past. But now with guys like Zac Stacy and Tavon Austin who are playmakers in the making, Bradford finally has weapons around him to carry this team to some victories.
Zac Stacy, Running Back
Stacy isn’t one of the premier ball carriers like Marshawn Lynch or Adrian Peterson but he has the potential to become one of the most dangerous offensive weapons in the league. Last year he averaged nearly four yards per carry and totaled 973 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground. He also made a small contribution receiving with 140 yards and a touchdown. Many think Stacy only has the ability to run defenders over or drag them a couple yards after contact. He has a little make you miss ability too, if he can work on his elusiveness and making plays when receiving the ball on short passes or screens he can be dangerous.
Tavon Austin, Wide Receiver
One of the most explosive players out of college a year ago Austin came out the gates slow with a below par rookie season. I think a lot of it has to do with him getting used to his new system and the speed of the NFL game. Last year he only tallied 40 catches for 418 yards and four touchdowns, and half of it came against the colts when he exploded for 138 yards and two touchdowns on two catches. Austin has the potential to do that in every game he just needs to get used to the Rams system and NFL game, when that happens you’ll see Dante Hall mixed with Percy Harvin.
Kenny Britt, Wide Receiver
Britt signed with the Rams in the offseason and he’s another young receiver yet to reach his full potential. With all the hype in Tennessee Britt hasn’t done much in his NFL career, the only season he played all 16 games was his rookie year and he hasn’t even surpassed 800 yards yet. But there’s no doubt that with his size and speed Britt has the talent to be a good receiver in the NFL. Britt is six foot three and runs a 4.5 in the 40 yard dash, and has the ability to go up and make plays in the endzone. He’s talented and Jeff Fisher must see it bringing him over from his old team to the Rams.
Jared Cook, Tight End
Cook had a great season last year as he lead the team in catches and receiving yards. Cook is a good receiving tight end and one of the best weapons on the Rams offense. Tight ends have become one of the most dangerous weapons in the league. Players like Cook are simply too big for most corners and safeties and are too skilled of route runners for linebackers. Cook will most likely still be the top targets again and with him Austin and Britt opposing teams will need to come with their A game to stop this trio.
Biggest Fantasy Surprise: Kenny Britt, Wide Receiver
Biggest Fantasy Disappointment: Zac Stacy, Running Back
How the Schedule Impacts St. Louis’s Fantasy Options
The Rams are in a tough division, but they start the season off against three teams that they match up well against. The Vikings, Cowboys, and Buccaneers all struggled last season as none of these teams made the playoffs. You can see the Rams players do well fantasy wise in the first three games against three non division opponents. They also play teams like the Raiders and Redskins later in the season who struggle stopping the pass. Guys like Britt, Austin, and Cook can rack up large amounts of fantasy points in these five games.
The difficult parts of the season is whenever the Rams play inside the division against the 49ers, Seahawks, and Cardinals who all have very talented defensive units. Since the Rams see each of these three teams twice a year they need to find a way to move the ball on these tough defensive units. They also play the Chiefs and Broncos and their talented defensive units after their week four bye week. Thats eight weeks (half of the season) where they face top tier defenses. Does this mean you shouldn’t start any of the Rams in fantasy or use high draft picks on them? Not necessarily but it’s something you should keep in mind when making your picks.