I have interest in the Rams’ running backs. I don’t think it’s certain who’ll be the best option, but I think there will be some really good production.
Cam Akers, I think, is the guy they’re hoping for. They selected him late in the second round, and Akers was a good all-around back at Florida State. But just a year previously, they picked Darrell Henderson (pictured) not much later. And veteran Malcolm Brown, while not as talented, has more experience than either of those guys.
Akers faces the unusual challenge of being a rookie trying to move directly into the starting lineup without much of an offseason.
I would think they’ll start with some kind of committee approach and go from there. Once they settle on their guy, I think he’ll be a good touchdown scorer. Sean McVay is one of the top few offensive minds in the game, and he tends to use the run around the goal line. Two years in a row the Rams have run the ball 33 times when they’ve been inside the 5-yard line (that’s including 2-point conversions).
The Rams and the Patriots are the only teams that inside the 5 have scored at least 11 rushing touchdowns in each of the last three years.
For now, I’m going with Akers as the top prospect. Henderson looks undervalued relative to other second running backs. And Brown would be one of the first “third” backs I would pick.
| OFFENSES WITH DOUBLE-DIGIT TD RUNS INSIDE THE 5 (last 3 yrs) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | 2Pt | EZ% |
| 2018 | New Orleans | 43 | 52 | 1.21 | 17 | 3 | 46.5% |
| 2019 | LA Rams | 33 | 53 | 1.61 | 15 | 1 | 48.5% |
| 2018 | LA Rams | 33 | 47 | 1.42 | 15 | 1 | 48.5% |
| 2019 | New England | 35 | 50 | 1.43 | 14 | 1 | 42.9% |
| 2018 | Kansas City | 34 | 50 | 1.47 | 14 | 1 | 44.1% |
| 2018 | New England | 33 | 34 | 1.03 | 13 | 0 | 39.4% |
| 2019 | Minnesota | 32 | 43 | 1.34 | 13 | 0 | 40.6% |
| 2019 | Philadelphia | 29 | 41 | 1.41 | 13 | 2 | 51.7% |
| 2018 | Pittsburgh | 24 | 24 | 1.00 | 13 | 0 | 54.2% |
| 2019 | Houston | 20 | 30 | 1.50 | 13 | 0 | 65.0% |
| 2017 | Jacksonville | 28 | 27 | .96 | 12 | 0 | 42.9% |
| 2018 | Carolina | 26 | 37 | 1.42 | 12 | 0 | 46.2% |
| 2017 | Minnesota | 25 | 27 | 1.08 | 12 | 1 | 52.0% |
| 2017 | New England | 23 | 18 | .78 | 12 | 0 | 52.2% |
| 2019 | Green Bay | 21 | 29 | 1.38 | 12 | 1 | 61.9% |
| 2019 | Baltimore | 37 | 32 | .86 | 11 | 2 | 35.1% |
| 2019 | Carolina | 26 | 28 | 1.08 | 11 | 1 | 46.2% |
| 2019 | Indianapolis | 26 | 30 | 1.15 | 11 | 1 | 46.2% |
| 2019 | Tampa Bay | 26 | 34 | 1.31 | 11 | 3 | 53.8% |
| 2017 | New Orleans | 25 | 27 | 1.08 | 11 | 1 | 48.0% |
| 2017 | LA Rams | 24 | 32 | 1.33 | 11 | 0 | 45.8% |
| 2018 | Cleveland | 23 | 27 | 1.17 | 11 | 2 | 56.5% |
| 2019 | Dallas | 22 | 40 | 1.82 | 11 | 1 | 54.5% |
| 2018 | Chicago | 17 | 30 | 1.76 | 11 | 0 | 64.7% |
| 2018 | Tennessee | 29 | 22 | .76 | 10 | 0 | 34.5% |
| 2017 | Dallas | 25 | 33 | 1.32 | 10 | 0 | 40.0% |
| 2019 | LA Chargers | 25 | 27 | 1.08 | 10 | 0 | 40.0% |
| 2019 | San Francisco | 25 | 19 | .76 | 10 | 0 | 40.0% |
| 2018 | Denver | 17 | 26 | 1.53 | 10 | 0 | 58.8% |
—Ian Allan