Matt LaMarca labeled Kyren Williams a priority tournament play at $6,300 after he logged 81% of snaps and 18 of 19 backfield carries in Week 1 while running a route on 53% of dropbacks. With the Rams installed as 5.5-point favorites in Tennessee, Williams draws the game-script LaMarca says has driven his production: 19.74 DK points and a +4.93 Plus/Minus when favored. The Titans allowed the 20th-worst rush-defense EPA in 2024, giving Williams both secure volume and multi-TD upside at modest ownership.

Seth Walder forecasted another statement outing from Puka Nacua, projecting 100-plus receiving yards against the Texans. Nacua led the league with 3.7 yards per route run last year, and Cooper Kupp is still ramping up. Houston’s completely rebuilt offensive line ranked 31st in run-block win rate and mediocre in pass rush, giving Matthew Stafford time despite his back flare-up. Walder believes the target funnel plus a modest 43.5-point total put Nacua on the WR1 radar and a priority in mid-tier DFS pricing.

Joyner put a 2-confidence win and 1-confidence cover on L.A. (-3) after reports confirmed Matthew Stafford will suit up despite back concerns. Pairing Stafford with Davante Adams gives the Rams one of the league’s premier receiver duos. Houston brings an elite edge tandem in Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson plus Nico Collins/Jayden Higgins outside, but its offensive line rates worst in the league by Joyner’s metrics. That liability on the road against Aaron Donald and company makes the Rams the safer side.

Labeling it his Lock of the Week, Iyer urged bettors to lay the 2.5 with Los Angeles. He cited Houston’s offensive-line injuries and unsettled backfield, predicting the Rams’ dynamic young front seven will camp in C.J. Stroud’s pocket. With Matthew Stafford kept clean and Davante Adams flanking Puka Nacua, Iyer forecast a 24-17 Rams win that easily covers.

Prisco laid three with L.A., downplaying Matthew Stafford’s limited summer by focusing on Houston’s still-porous offensive line. He noted C.J. Stroud is trying to rebound from last year’s slump but will see constant heat from Aaron Donald and friends, leading to a 23-17 Rams win that cashes both the spread and under tickets.

Matty Betss wagered on Jared Verse at 23-1 to follow his Defensive Rookie of the Year campaign with a full-blown DPOY season. Verse posted 66 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 18 QB hits, an eye-popping 77 pressures and 56 hurries in 2024 – leading the entire NFL in one of those latter two categories. He was a Pro Bowler as a rookie, and Betss thinks an eight-to-ten-sack jump is realistic with another year in the Rams scheme. If the counting stats catch up to the pressure metrics, he could replicate Micah Parsons’ path from DROY to DPOY, making 23-1 more than fair.

Matty Betss grabbed Puka Nacua at 20-1 for Offensive Player of the Year, pointing to superstar upside if he finally stays healthy. Nacua missed six games last year yet still produced 127.5 fantasy points and carried a 37 % target rate. Betss projects roughly 180 fantasy points over a full season. The key change is the arrival of Davante Adams opposite him; defenses can no longer double Nacua every snap, opening the middle of the field for his YAC skill set. Betss thinks Adams is past his WR1 prime, so Puka should remain the engine of the Rams passing game and could smash if he reaches double-digit touchdowns.

Polzin expects the "Tyler Higbee show" to start immediately now that the veteran is healthy and rookie tight end Ferguson has barely practiced. The Rams extended Higbee just before his injury, signaling financial commitment, and Polzin anticipates a full snap share similar to his pre-injury role. With a potential shootout against Houston and Higbee priced modestly, Polzin sees an overlooked path to double-digit DFS points at low ownership.

Andrew Erickson locked in Jared Verse at 15-1 to win Defensive Player of the Year. Verse posted the fourth-most pressures in the league last season but converted only six into sacks, a classic positive-regression profile Erickson loves. He envisions a scenario where Matthew Stafford misses time, the Rams lean on defense, and Verse’s sack total explodes—mirroring Aidan Hutchinson’s pre-injury trajectory. Erickson called it the same process that nearly cashed Hutchinson last year and urged bettors to 'lock and load' Verse before preseason buzz shortens the price.

Tarracciano urged drafters to fade Matthew Stafford after The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue reported the 37-year-old’s herniated-disc flare-up will need management all season. The Rams have capped Stafford’s preseason throws, and Sean McVay admitted one big hit could shelve him. Tarracciano warned that any missed time would crush Puka Nacua and Davante Adams projections and makes Stafford an unnecessary risk in one-QB formats.

Tony Farmer called Davante Adams a boom signing for the Rams and a bet-on name in September prop markets. He argued Adams finally reunites with high-end quarterback play—Matthew Stafford posted a top-six EPA per dropback when healthy last year—something Adams has not enjoyed since 2021. Unlike his Raiders and Jets stints, Adams will face less double coverage thanks to Puka Nacua drawing attention underneath. Farmer compared the situation to Adams’ 2016 season with Jordy Nelson, predicting spike weeks right away. He recommended looking at receiving-yardage overs during the first few weeks before books fully adjust to the upgraded environment.

Tying back to Matthew Stafford’s disc issues, Jeff Mueller said he is comfortable fading Puka Nacua at his current Round-7/8 ADP. If Stafford’s back flares up, the Rams receiving corps—especially the highest-priced options—will feel the brunt of the fantasy damage. Mueller prefers pivoting to similarly priced wideouts such as Malik Nabers, Brian Thomas Jr., or Nico Collins, who do not rely on a quarterback with a volatile medical outlook and questionable blind-side protection.

Jeff Mueller labeled Matthew Stafford the highest-risk quarterback on draft boards because a cervical/lumbar disc irritation remains vulnerable for 3-6 months. Although biologic treatments have calmed inflammation enough for limited practice, rotational torque and blind-side hits (especially with left tackle Alaric Jackson uncertain and D.J. Humphries signed as insurance) could trigger another flare-up that shelves Stafford for weeks. Mueller still likes Stafford as a dirt-cheap QB2 in superflex, but calls the range of outcomes "he could be great until he’s suddenly not," urging managers to build contingency plans and avoid tying up too much capital in Rams pass-catchers.

Jim Coventry kept Kyren Williams at RB11 because Los Angeles just extended him and historically ignores draft-day challengers once the season starts. Williams’ every-down workload is secure, but Coventry warned that Matthew Stafford’s chronic back issues are a ticking time bomb. If Stafford misses time and Jimmy Garoppolo takes over, the offense could crater, throttling Williams’ touchdown equity and lowering overall efficiency. Volume is king, yet the quarterback’s health is the difference between a safe RB1/2 and a plodding compiler.

Davis Mattek projected Kyren Williams for a steady 65-75 rushing yards and about 2.7 catches per game, noting those reception numbers rise in negative game scripts as shown last season. Crucially, Mattek expects zero third-down competition from rookie backs Jarkas Hunter or Blake Corum, locking Williams into an every-down role. Because the weekly ceiling still hinges on whether he scores, Mattek framed Williams as a spike-week best-ball play rather than a safe RB1, but the locked-in volume and pass-game work make him an attractive mid-round target at current ADP.

Tom Strachan loves Devante Adams at WR18 in round four now that he’s paired with Matthew Stafford. After leaving Las Vegas, Adams averaged 2.2 yards per route and 76.6 yards per game. Stafford’s health is a question, yet the Rams need a separator—Cooper Kupp ranked 108th of 116 in ESPN’s Open Score while Adams was 58th—so Strachan anticipates high-value targets once games count, calling the payoff potentially league-winning.

Mike Wright labeled Davante Adams a ceiling-priced pick. The 32-year-old has never played as a team’s clear WR2, yet that’s his likely role alongside Cooper Kupp in Los Angeles. Wright added that Matthew Stafford’s health is a wildcard and noted only two wideouts 31+ changing teams have cracked the top-24 in the last decade. Adams in the third round is “a risky bet we’re willing to pass on.”

James Koh recommended stashing Blake Corum, who is going undrafted outside the top-200 picks. Kyren Williams has endured a broken hand (2024), two high-ankle sprains (2022-23) and a broken foot, making his health questionable despite his youth. Sean McVay historically rides one primary back, and non-Puka rookies have struggled to earn trust, casting doubt on fellow newcomer Jarkhuis Hunter. If Williams misses time, Koh believes McVay would hand a heavy workload to Corum, giving him league-winning potential for a zero-cost pick.

Mike Wright said Davante Adams remains perfectly acceptable as your fantasy WR1 even though Matthew Stafford’s health adds some risk. Wright emphasized that Adams’ target dominance ensures high-end volume every week, giving managers a sturdy floor and elite ceiling. If drafters have already locked in studs at other positions, Adams’ slight ADP discount—caused by worries over Stafford—becomes one of the best values on the board.

Tom Strachan advised passing on Puka Nacua at 1.08 after his ADP tumble. Nacua has averaged a steady 6.6 catches per game across two seasons but only nine touchdowns total—a red-zone profile Strachan labeled "a problem" now that Davante Adams has arrived to soak up end-zone looks. Matthew Stafford’s health remains shaky, and if he can’t go the Rams would turn to Jimmy Garoppolo, further capping ceiling. With elite, healthier options on the board, Strachan said the price is simply too rich.

Tony Farmer urged bettors to fade Matthew Stafford’s season-long passing props. While some point to Stafford gutting it out in Detroit years ago, Farmer reminded listeners that the quarterback is now significantly older and the chronic back problems have only gotten worse. He expects missed games or diminished arm strength to undercut Stafford’s totals and sees little upside in backing any overs.

Johnny Venezia warned drafters about Kyren Williams at his RB12, 26th-overall slot. Williams lived off pure volume in 2024—316 carries for 1,299 yards and 14 touchdowns—yet his 4.1 yards per carry hints at looming efficiency regression. Venezia noted that backs coming off 300-carry seasons rarely repeat and that any dip in touches would crush Williams’ value. He also flagged Matthew Stafford’s lingering back injury; if the quarterback misses time, Williams will face more stacked boxes and fewer scoring chances. Venezia still likes the player, just not at a late-second, early-third cost given the workload and health concerns.

Sean Koerner argued that fantasy players are sleeping on Tyler Higbee. He pointed out that Sean McVay was openly disappointed with the depth behind Higbee in 2024, prompting the Rams to draft Terrance Ferguson mainly as an indictment of backups Colby Parkinson and Davis Allen, not of Higbee himself. Koerner reminded listeners that Higbee flashed clear top-five upside late last season and said if the veteran shows a 75 percent routes-run rate in Week 1 he would immediately push into the weekly top-12, if not top-10, at the position. Because Higbee is largely undrafted, Koerner recommends scooping him off waivers or slotting him into low-cost DFS lineups early, then holding if the usage sticks.

Matthew Freedman told gamers to buy Matthew Stafford at 182.4 FFPC ADP. Reporters panicked when Stafford missed another week of practice with a back issue, only for the veteran to return days later. Freedman joked the injury means Stafford is in midseason form and believes his arm talent remains a perfect late-round quarterback target when healthy.

Davis Mattek grabbed Blake Corum with his final pick as a "galaxy-brain" correlation piece for his Rams stack. His thesis: when starter Kyren Williams goes down, Los Angeles tends to throw more, which simultaneously spikes Matthew Stafford’s volume and gives the backup running back extra touches in space. Preseason Week 1 confirmed Corum is the clear No. 2, so Mattek wants the contingent upside that pairs naturally with his existing Rams exposure.

Davis Mattek said he is perfectly willing to grab Matthew Stafford in the 13th round even if it means jumping him ahead of ADP. Because he already burned a first-round pick on Puka Nacua, Mattek stressed that the roster now lives and dies with the Rams passing attack and must be "stacked like you’re right." He dismissed the idea that a fallback such as Jimmy Garoppolo could keep Nacua’s value afloat, pointing out Garoppolo "could not hack it with the Raiders" despite a league-wide quarterback shortage. Paying the small premium on Stafford protects the huge draft capital tied up in Nacua and locks in the only quarterback Mattek believes can deliver that first-round ceiling.

Davis Mattek spent a 13th-round pick—well ahead of recent slow-draft ADP—on Matthew Stafford to complete his first-round Puka Nacua stack. He is operating under the assumption that Stafford’s back is "fine." Mattek argued that once you invest early draft capital in Nacua, you "put so much weight on that selection" that reaching for Stafford becomes mandatory. If the health bet is right, the Rams duo carries tournament-winning upside in Week-17 style playoff formats.

Tom Strachan advised passing on Puka Nakua at 1.05 despite elite volume. Nakua averages 6.6 receptions per game across two seasons, but his 0.3 touchdowns per contest lag well behind other first-round receivers such as Ja'Marr Chase (0.7) and Justin Jefferson/CeeDee Lamb (0.5). Strachan added that Matthew Stafford’s lingering health questions compound the touchdown drought. Even with Davante Adams drawing coverage away, Nakua must dramatically increase red-zone production to justify first-round cost, so Strachan prefers safer or higher-ceiling options at that draft slot.

Andy Holloway said Kyren Williams is being drafted several rounds below where a back with his profile should go. Williams has finished as the RB6 in consecutive seasons and has racked up 31 touchdowns over his last 28 games. Holloway pointed to league-leading usage near the goal line — Williams topped the NFL in both red-zone touches and carries inside the five in 2024 — as the primary driver of that production. Because Matthew Stafford never vultures sneaks and Sean McVay gives Williams more than 40 % of the Rams’ total opportunities, Holloway expects the same high-floor, spike-week combo to continue. He dismissed concerns over Williams’ poor explosive-rush rate, calling it a noisy stat that does not offset the predictive power of raw volume and premium touches. Draft him as a rock-solid RB1 wherever he is priced as a mid-range RB2.

Sam Monson said fantasy managers and anyone building power-rankings should stop treating Matthew Stafford like a top-tier option. Monson pointed out that Stafford is now 37 years old, playing through chronic back issues, and has gone just 22-18 over the past three regular seasons. He noted Stafford’s efficiency cratered down the stretch last year – the only above-average outing after Thanksgiving was the Buffalo shoot-out – while the Rams defense repeatedly held opponents under 14 points to prop up the win column. Monson added that outside of the 2021 Super Bowl run, Stafford has rarely delivered full-season tier-one production and that lumping him at QB5—closer to Mahomes, Allen, Jackson and Burrow than to the Hurts/Herbert group—ignores the real gap in weekly ceiling and durability risk. His takeaway: fade Stafford at his current ADP in season-long leagues and do not pay top-10 quarterback prices in best-ball or futures markets.

Mike Fanelli spotlighted Braden Fiske as a deep sleeper at DL67. The Rams traded two second-rounders and a fifth to secure him in the 2024 draft, and Fiske rewarded them by finishing as the DL20 as a rookie with 5.3 fantasy points per game. He led Los Angeles with nine sacks and two forced fumbles. Entering Year 2 with a full-time role, Fanelli expects the pass-rush numbers to climb and recommends snagging Fiske once the elite defensive linemen are gone.

Donabedian labeled Nacua a frequent ESPN reach: he sits eighth in both default rank and platform ADP while his high-stakes ADP has fallen to 12. Ongoing worries about Matthew Stafford’s back and Davante Adams siphoning targets have cooled best-ball rooms, but that dip has not hit ESPN yet. With Nacua even going ahead of Malik Nabers on ESPN, Donabedian advises passing at that premium and shopping the tier for better risk-reward profiles.

Matt Olson reported that the Rams are being “cautious, cautious, cautious” with Matthew Stafford’s balky back but still expect him to start Week 1. Stafford will undergo another test on Saturday—the same protocol that caused a minor flare-up earlier this month. If he clears it, team doctors are prepared to green-light him for full practice, and Sean McVay reiterated that the veteran remains on track for the opener. Olson warned that back injuries can resurface at any time but, for now, views Stafford as good to go, stabilizing Rams passing bets and season-long outlooks.

Jake Ciely advised passing on Kyren Williams at his current ADP, arguing the Rams runner is "not one of the seven or eight most talented backs" in the league. Ciely would draft Jonathan Taylor, Josh Jacobs and several others instead, stressing that Williams’ fantasy value is almost entirely scheme- and volume-driven. If Williams strings together a few poor games, Ciely believes Sean McVay could pivot to Blake Corum or Jarquez Hunter, making Williams’ RB7 price tag fragile. The takeaway: treat Williams as a mid-tier RB2 rather than the back-end RB1 the market currently assumes.

Ian Hartitz said Kyren Williams belongs inside the first two rounds, calling him a "top-20 player" overall. Hartitz’s optimism rests on four pillars: (1) Sean McVay’s long-standing tendency to feature one back – Gurley, C.J. Anderson, Cam Akers, Darrell Henderson – while the Rams have still drafted an RB eight straight years; (2) a new contract that eliminates the fear of Williams being yanked after a cold streak; (3) guaranteed weekly volume – Hartitz highlighted that Williams averaged nearly 20 touches and produced only one single-digit PPR game last season, trailing only Saquon Barkley, Christian McCaffrey and Jahmyr Gibbs in points per game across the past two years; and (4) an offense that will remain functional even if Matthew Stafford misses time, keeping touchdown equity intact. For season-long drafters Hartitz is comfortable taking Williams ahead of Jonathan Taylor and several other marquee names.

Tom Strachan said he is ‘okay’ using Puka Nacua as a hero-WR when Matthew Stafford’s elbow checks out. He likes the Rams’ offensive reset that pairs Nacua with Davante Adams, noting Adams ranked 58th in ESPN’s open-score versus Cooper Kupp’s 108th, which should occasionally pull coverage away from Nacua. The second-year wideout has averaged 6.6 receptions per game across two seasons and delivered steady yardage; the lone missing piece is touchdowns (nine career). Strachan believes another step forward in Stafford-led red-zone efficiency can unlock WR1 upside.

Davis Mattek lobbied to grab Kyren Williams at the 3.10, reminding the room that Williams pumped out roughly 22 PPR points a week during last year’s money weeks and carried his NFC Primetime squad to the overall points lead until the final weekend. Mattek argued that Sean McVay’s willingness to feature one back, plus Williams’ pass-game chops, gives him a rare workhorse ceiling in the current running-back landscape. Because of that weekly RB1 potential, Mattek is happy to spend late-third capital instead of hoping a committee back emerges later in the draft.

Davis Mattek lobbied to take Kyren Williams over George Kittle, citing the Rams’ offseason contract extension as a clear sign they intend to keep feeding Williams as a high-volume workhorse. Mattek noted the market has been slow to react—most drafters are still selecting wide receivers like Garrett Wilson, Marvin Harrison Jr., and Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the same range even though that tier has "lost its luster" over the last two weeks. With running backs naturally pulling up in ADP and Los Angeles showing long-term commitment, Mattek believes Williams should be pushed into the early-third round of FFPC drafts and represents a better expected-value pick than a positional premium tight end like Kittle in this specific scoring format.

Chris Raybon told best-ball drafters this is the last chance to grab Tutu Atwell outside the top-100 receivers. With injuries piling up around the league and Rams depth uncertain behind Cooper Kupp, Raybon expects summer news to push Atwell’s ADP into the 50s. He values Atwell’s field-stretching role for spike-week upside and noted that wideouts in the WR80-100 bucket rarely own a clear lid-lifting skill like Atwell’s speed. Raybon advised locking him in now before the inevitable market correction.

Chris Raybon’s deep-sleeper pick is Tutu Atwell, whose job as the Rams’ starting flanker is “his to lose.” Raybon reminded listeners that Atwell opened 2023 as an every-down player before the staff pivoted to Demarcus Robinson, a move Sean McVay publicly regretted. The coach backed that up by giving Atwell a one-year $10 million prove-it deal—serious money for a supposed gadget guy. Raybon expects Atwell to command targets at a Marvin Mims-style per-route rate, with spike-week upside from manufactured touches and vertical shots. A healthy Matthew Stafford or capable backup keeps the passing ecosystem intact, and with an ADP of 108 on Yahoo Atwell could jump into the top-50 receivers by October. Raybon urged drafters to scoop him anywhere he’s still free in double-digit rounds.

Freedman slots Davante Adams for 142 targets (WR6) and a WR13 finish while the market lets him fall to pick 37 (WR15). Comparing two-year per-game numbers, Adams has nearly identical opportunities (10.2) to Puka Nacua (10.3) but a better touchdown rate (0.52 vs 0.36) despite playing in far worse passing environments. Now catching balls from Matthew Stafford in Sean McVay’s offense, Freedman says Adams has "a non-zero chance" to outproduce Nacua outright, turning him into a clear value in the late third round.

Anderson dropped the Rams to 18th in his line rankings because the left-tackle spot is suddenly a mess. Starter Alaric Jackson is battling a second bout of blood clots – an issue that can shut a player down for months – and newly-signed 10-year vet DJ Humphreys is "available for a reason," still laboring after an ACL tear. The Rams cycled through 12 linemen with 50-plus snaps last season – more than double the five you actually need – and Anderson fears a repeat. He does expect Sean McVay to keep the run game afloat (“the run blocking sets up pretty well”), but emphasized that Matthew Stafford’s extensive “injury history and injury present” make fragile pass protection a DFS and prop-bet landmine. Fantasy managers targeting Rams pass catchers or bettors eyeing Stafford yardage totals should price in heavier rushing scripts and potential blind-side leaks.

Sean Koerner warned drafters that Davante Adams is overpriced around WR 16. Although Adams still ranked 10th in fantasy points per game last year, Koerner expects the move to the Rams to help Matthew Stafford more than Adams himself. Across from target-hog Puka Nacua, Adams projects as a red-zone package player rather than a volume monster. Stafford’s 2024 health is shaky, and Koerner noted if the veteran quarterback misses time, Adams—not Puka—would see the steeper drop-off because backup QBs struggle to work the boundary. Adams turns 33, the same cliff age that sank Allen Robinson, and Matt Harmon’s Reception Perception data showed a notable decline versus zone coverage—now the NFL’s primary coverage shell. Koerner will not chase an aging WR who needs touchdowns to pay off while competing with a 30-percent-target-share teammate.

Jakob Sanderson painted a bleak fantasy outlook for Matthew Stafford after the quarterback’s latest herniated-disc flare-up. Sanderson does not see a workable ‘middle outcome’: either the pain resolves quickly, or Stafford winds up in surgery and possibly contemplating retirement. Because nerve pain in the back is "not something you grit through," Sanderson believes the Rams will be ultra-cautious, potentially holding Stafford out well into the regular season. That makes every Rams pass-catcher a volatility grenade, particularly Puka Nacua, whose target supply hinges on Stafford’s accuracy and willingness to throw over the middle. Sanderson advised drafters to discount Los Angeles stacks and have contingency plans for weeks 1-4 at minimum, warning that the risk profile feels more like a binary 0 or 16-game season than the market currently prices in.

Pat Kerrane acknowledged a "six or seven" worry level on Matthew Stafford’s balky back but still views Puka Nacua as worth his mid-second ADP. Kerrane argued Nacua’s game-breaking efficiency—2.85 yards per route run as a rookie—comes mostly on short- and intermediate patterns that a lower-ceiling replacement such as Jimmy Garoppolo could still deliver. If Stafford’s herniated-disc saga resolves quickly, Kerrane expects L.A. to again rank top-10 in neutral-situation pass rate, keeping Nacua locked into double-digit weekly targets. Should Stafford miss extended time, Kerrane projects only a 12 percent dip in Puka’s expected fantasy points because Sean McVay would lean on quick throws to mask line issues and protect a backup. Bottom line: the talent and role outweigh the quarterback risk, so keep drafting.

Tom Strachan likes Kyren Williams as an early-round anchor after Los Angeles extended him, signalling a locked-in lead role. If the Rams meet playoff expectations, Williams benefits from positive game scripts; if Matthew Stafford’s health falters, the back could absorb even more touches. Strachan said the contract plus likely heavy workload make Williams worth the price despite lukewarm public sentiment.

Pat Kerrane called Tyler Higbee his "Zach Ertz play of the year," arguing that the veteran could once again absorb a full route share at punt-range ADP. Kerrane pointed out that Sean McVay wants to live in 11 personnel and trusts Higbee because he blocks well enough and catches every play-action check-down. Although the Rams spent a second-round pick on rookie tight end Ferguson, Kerrane believes the team is focused on winning now in what might be the final season for both Matthew Stafford and Higbee. If that proves true, the rookie becomes a developmental Ben Sinnott type while Higbee handles every-down work, giving best-ball drafters a dirt-cheap path to steady early-season tight-end points while waiting for higher-ceiling stashes to mature.

Josh said he slashed Matthew Stafford in his rankings because the red flags keep piling up. Stafford has already flown to Germany for specialist treatment and is rehabbing in an Airstream trailer at Rams camp, which Josh reads as evidence the quarterback still is not close to 100 percent. Combine that with a shaky offensive line and Josh fears Stafford will flat-out miss games. If Sean McVay has to turn to Jimmy Garoppolo, the Rams will lean on the run and overall pass volume will fall, further capping Stafford’s ceiling. Bottom line: a QB who might not play cannot help fantasy rosters, so Josh has moved him out of the weekly-starter tier.

Hayden Winks elevated Blake Corum to RB190 after the rookie out-snapped and out-produced Jarquez Hunter with the Rams’ second-unit offense. Corum’s trademark lateral agility translated immediately, leading to two short touchdowns and several textbook cutback runs that mirrored his Michigan tape. Hunter, while fine, showed less wiggle and was pushed to RB214 in Hayden’s ranks. Winks still cautioned drafters to monitor Matthew Stafford’s back situation before over-stacking Rams, but prefers Corum as the clear late-round bet on Sean McVay’s run game.

Best Ball Guy warned drafters to stay away from Matthew Stafford after the quarterback required an epidural yet remains in street clothes. He emphasized that epidurals usually provide immediate relief; the continued discomfort along with off-site ‘holistic van’ treatments suggests a chronic issue that could sap arm strength or lead to missed time. Without the realistic path back to his 2021 4,500-yard, 40-TD ceiling, Stafford no longer justifies a best-ball roster spot, especially when the Rams could pivot to Jimmy Garoppolo or another veteran mid-season.

Best Ball Guy advised scooping Puka Nacua at his sliding ADP even with Matthew Stafford’s back flaring up. He believes a potential pivot to Jimmy Garoppolo (or another veteran like Kirk Cousins) would keep Sean McVay’s timing-based scheme intact, yielding similar shallow-to-intermediate targets that fueled Nacua’s record rookie year. The host noted Nacua’s early-season schedule (Rams, Buccaneers, Jaguars) is a plus for Eliminator formats and argued that Stafford’s uncertain health is already fully baked into the current discount.