Fantasy Football 2016 Preview: Los Angeles Rams running backs

The Rams running backs will be the focus of the offense in LA’s run-heavy attack, but where should you look to draft them in fantasy football?

Aug 20, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams running backs Todd Gurley (30) warms up prior to the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

The Rams are one of the few rush-heavy attacks left int he NFL, and this year looks to be more of the same especially with their conservative approach to last year’s #1 pick Jared Goff. They’ll start the season with Case Keenum at quarterback which means he’ll be the one handing the ball off to the real stars of the offense–the Rams running backs.

Todd Gurley will look to follow up his impressive rookie campaign with another big year as the Rams play their first season in LA since 1994. Gurley is lined up to be a fantasy stud, but there are some other interesting options in the Rams running backs as well, so check out the positional preview on the following slides to see who else could be in play.

To help you figure out who to target and when to target them, we’ve been working our way through the NFL with a series of daily previews of each of the running back situations around the NFL. So far we have examined the Colts, Jaguars, Titans, Texans, Falcons, Saints, Buccaneers, Panthers, Patriots, Jets, Bills, Dolphins, Redskins, Cowboys, Eagles, Giants, Broncos, Raiders, Chiefs, Chargers, 49ers, Seahawks, and Ravens running backs. Today, we’ll head back to the West Coast to look at the only team in a new city this season after the Rams were moved to LA leaving St. Louis.

Over the last few days of preseason, we’ll continue to examine the important fantasy options on each NFL team. While most team’s just have one quarterback and tight end that are noteworthy for fantasy, every team has multiple running backs and wide receivers that you need to know heading into the season.

You can find all our coverage throughout the season on the FanSided fantasy football hub or check out the related content box. For more running back coverage, make sure to check out my top 15 fantasy football sleepers from Preseason Week 3, my top 10 breakout RB candidates, and my full RB rankings.

Stay tuned to our FanSided fantasy football hub all season where you’ll find fantasy coverage including sleepers, rankings, injury news, and overall strategy tips. Another way to get all our coverage is to follow @FansidedFantasy on Twitter where I’ll be happy to answer any questions you have. I’ll also keep you up to date on all our latest coverage, and even help you through any draft-day dilemmas you find yours.

As we have for every team in our series, we start our look at the Rams running backs with an overview of rushing offense on the next slide, and then we’ll take a look at each player on the depth chart individually. For each player, I’ll let you know their ADP (average draft position) and what their potential will be to contribute to your fantasy team.

Sep 1, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Case Keenum (17), running back Todd Gurley (30), quarterback Sean Mannion (14) and quarterbacks coach Chris Weinke react on the sidelines against the Minnesota Vikings during a NFL game at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Rams Running Backs-Overall Outlook

The Rams ranked fifth in the NFL last year in Rushing play percentage. They ran the ball on 46.63% of their plays trailing only the Bills, Panthers, Vikings, and Seahawks. That’s pretty much the short-list for run-first offenses in today’s NFL, so getting yourself a star running back from one of those teams is definitely a good move for fantasy football.

Not only did they run the ball a lot, the Rams were effective at it finishing seventh in rushing yards, sixth in rushing touchdowns, and fifth in yards per rush attempt. Most of that production came on the back of rookie sensation Todd Gurley. Hurley led the team with 1,106 yards rushing while Tre Mason and Benjamin Cunningham served to give him a break every now and then.

Besides the big move to LA, the Rams spent their offseason trading up for Goff and adding some pieces to their defense. They didn’t mess much with their running game and return the same offensive line and group of running backs that they had last season.

Let’s take a look at each of the Rams running backs coming into the season and what I think their fantasy potential is. We’ll examine the potential of each option, where they’re currently being drafted (according to fantasypros.com ADP), and what you can expect from them this season.

Jul 31, 2016; Irvine, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley (30) carries the ball at training camp at UC Irvine. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Todd Gurley

The Rams took a big gamble on Gurley drafting him despite his ACL injury, but it definitely paid off in year 1 as the rookie dominated after joining the team as the starter in Week 4. Gurley ran for over 120 yards in each the next four games after that on his way to 1,106 yards and ten touchdowns.

The scary thing is that Gurley was still less than 100% when he was putting up those impressive numbers. He could be even better this year due to his experience in the NFL and another year removed from his surgery.

The Rams offense doesn’t have many other playmakers so Gurley should get a ton of work every week making him one of the few “workhorse” backs left in the NFL. He should get at least 20 touches per game and has stated this offseason that he wants to be more involved as a receiver out of the backfield as well.

Gurley is an absolute fantasy beast and deserves to be the first or second running back chosen in every format. His ADP according to FantasyPros is the third overall pick and the first running back off the board. I prefer David Johnson as my top back just because he’s in a better all-around offense, but either stud you grab early should be in for a monster season. Getting Gurley isn’t easy, but if you land the stud get ready for a big season of production.

Aug 20, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams running back Benny Cunningham (23) runs the ball as Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Marcus Peters (22) attempts to defend at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

Benjamin Cunningham

Cunningham enters the year as the team’s primary backup behind Gurley. Cunningham has been part of the Rams running backs for the last three seasons and has proven to be useful in his third-down role as a pass protection specialist.

He scored the Rams first touchdown in their return to LA and has been pretty involved this preseason. LA has rested Todd Gurley all preseason, though, so don’t read too much into Cunningham’s workload.

Since he is a specialist and probably wouldn’t step in as an every down back, Cunningham isn’t ideally suited to be handcuffed to Gurley. He like wouldn’t be worth starting in fantasy football even if Gurley was hurt since he’s a change-of-pace option with good hands.

In PPR leagues, Cunningham is an end-of-the-roster option, but Gurley will do all the heavy lifting in LA. Cunningham can start the season on your league’s waiver wire.

Aug 13, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams runningback Malcolm Brown (39) runs against Dallas Cowboys cornerback Isaiah Frey (23) during the third quarter at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

Malcolm Brown

If there is a breakout option among the Rams running backs, Malcolm Brown could be the one to emerge. He’s had a very strong preseason and secured the third spot on the Rams depth chart.

Brown joined the Rams before last season as an undrafted free agent out of Texas, but eh only got into one game totaling 17 yards on four rushes. While Gurley has rested this preseason, Brown has been doing work. He opened with 66 yards on eight carries in Preseason Week 1 and followed that up with 68 more yards won 12 carries while adding a receiving touchdown as well. He sat out the team’s last preseason game, but showed a lot of potential in the early going.

If something were to happen to Gurley, Brown would likely take over as the early-down back, bu he also has a nice skill-set to be a third-down option as well. If you need a handcuff for Gurley, I actually think Brown makes more sense than Cunningham since he has a broader skill set.

At this point in almost all leagues, Brown is going completely undrafted. He doesn’t need to be on your roster either, at this point, but do keep an eye on how Jeff Fisher works him into the rotation. If Brown gets enough time on the field, he’ll be worth watching in a Rams offense that needs any playmakers it can get.