Fantasy Football Week 16: 5 Los Angeles Rams to Consider For Championship Week
Nov 20, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley (30) races past Miami Dolphins defensive end Andre Branch (50) on his way to a 24-yard touchdown in the first quarter against the Miami Dolphins at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports
With championship weekend officially here, take a look at five Los Angeles Rams to consider for fantasy football Week 16.
This season may not have gone according to plan for the Los Angeles Rams, but that doesn’t mean some of their members can’t make a splash for fantasy football Week 16.
For most leagues, this is the championship round of the fantasy football season as owners will scramble around to see which players are still available with favorable matchups. From a fantasy perspective, the Rams have let down a majority of their owners throughout the 2016 season, but with the team hosting the 1-13 San Francisco 49ers on Christmas Eve, this may be the time to buy in on some of their players.
It’s amazing to see a running back with the high expectations of Todd Gurley entering Week 16 without a single game of more than 100 rushing yards, but that’s just one of many examples to the type of disappointing year 2016 has been for Los Angeles. With that being said, here’s to hoping a few members of the Rams can end the season on a positive note by coming through for fantasy owners when needed the most.
Starting off with Tavon Austin, here’s a look at five Rams to consider for championship weekend during fantasy football Week 16.
Nov 20, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Tavon Austin (11) rushes against the Miami Dolphins during the first half of a NFL football game at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
5. Tavon Austin
At the end of season, the decision to reward Tavon Austin with a $42 million extension in the preseason is going to go down as one of the worst moves made in the NFL from 2016. Austin finally started to show potential in 2015 when he found a way into the end zone 10 times.
This year, it’s been a completely story for Austin as he heads into the final two weeks with only three touchdowns, all of which have come through the air. Austin may already have set career highs for receptions (54) and receiving yards (477) with two games to go, but these are the type numbers most coaches expect from a No. 2 or No. 3 wideout.
By comparison, the amount of money Austin is making for his level of production is absolutely ridiculous as the Rams could easily be using this money towards more talented players. With that being said, maybe a matchup against a one-win team like the 49ers is the perfect opportunity for Austin to finally have that big breakout game.
As last year showed, Austin’s speed makes him capable of being dangerous any time the football is in his hands, as the potential for multiple touchdowns is always going to there each game.
Oct 16, 2016; Detroit, MI, USA; Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald (99) during the first quarter against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Lions won 31-28. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
4. Rams’ Defense
Last year, it was the defense that played a big part in the team finishing with seven wins on the season as the offense ranked near the bottom of the league, which is no surprise when seeing some of the weapons they had to work with. With high expectations for the defense at the beginning of the year when it comes to being the strength of this team, Los Angeles has performed for the most part, despite some bumps throughout the regular season.
Aaron Donald continues to prove he’s a defensive star on the rise as the defensive tackle has been a nightmare for opponents all season with seven sacks to go along with two forced fumbles. After seeing how much of a disappointment the 49ers have been all season on offense, there’s a good chance Donald and company will rack up plenty of fantasy points in Week 16.
Don’t be fooled by what took place between these two teams opening weekend as it seemed like the Rams let the jitters of playing in their first game get the best of them. If all goes according to plan, Los Angeles will be one of the top sleeper defenses to monitor for championship weekend in fantasy football.
Dec 15, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff (16) throws the ball against the Seattle Seahawks during the first quarter at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
3. Jared Goff
To say Jared Goff‘s rookie season has been a rough one would be the biggest understatement, as the Rams certainly haven’t made it easy for the former California standout with the lack of weapons in the passing game. In five starts, Goff has failed to record a single touchdown in three of those games, with his most impressive performance coming against the New Orleans Saints in Week 12.
During that game, Goff was simply phenomenal in the first half after throwing three touchdowns, although he failed to find the end zone at all in the second half. This was the first time Rams fans felt confident about the team’s decision to move up in the 2016 NFL Draft in order to acquire Goff, but he clearly still has a long way to go.
When looking at the amount of points San Francisco is surrendering to their opponents on a weekly basis, this seems like the perfect game for Goff to return to that dominant level displayed in the first half against New Orleans. After looking at some of the tough quarterback matchups for Week 16, inserting Goff into the starting lineup isn’t the most terrible idea in the world from a fantasy perspective.
Nov 27, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Kenny Britt (18) is tackled by New Orleans Saints cornerback B.W. Webb (28) in the second quarter at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
2. Kenny Britt
Kenny Britt is 13 receiving yards (he currently has 987 receiving yards) away from becoming the first member of the Rams to break the 1,000-yard mark since Torry Holt during the 2007 season. If that’s not enough motivation for Britt to have a big game against the 49ers on Saturday, nothing will be for the wide receiver.
Despite all of the struggles this team has dealt with on offense throughout the 2016 season, Britt has been one of the few bright spots as he’s currently caught 67 passes for 987 yards to go along with two touchdowns. Britt’s most impressive performance came in Week 6 against the Detroit Lions when he hauled in seven catches for 136 yards and two touchdowns, even if Los Angeles did end up losing the game.
With Goff targeting Britt 20 times over the last two games, there’s no reason why this trend shouldn’t continue when the Rams face the 49ers in Week 16. Not to mention, Goff realizes Britt breaking the 1,000-yard mark for the first time won’t just be a highlight of the wideout’s career, but a major accomplishment for a team that’s struggled in that area over the last couple of years.
Dec 15, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley (30) runs past Seattle Seahawks strong safety Kam Chancellor (31) at CenturyLink Field. The Seahawks won 24-3. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports
1. Todd Gurley
Has there been a more frustrating running back from the 2016 fantasy football season than Todd Gurley? After taking home Rookie of the Year honors in 2015 while being a strong candidate at the beginning of the season to compete for the rushing title, this has been a year to forget for Gurley as all signs point to the running back failing to break the 1,000-yard mark.
Of course, that could easily change if Gurley finishes the season on a strong note, as the 49ers provide him with one of the most favorable matchups in the world. At the moment, San Francisco ranks dead last in the league by allowing 176.3 rushing yards per game.
If Los Angeles can’t figure out a way to help their running back earn his first 100-yard game of the 2016 season, there really is no hope for Gurley this year. For all of the fantasy owners that spent a first or second round pick on the Rams running back, what better way to finally come through by displaying a monster performance against the 49ers?
Otherwise, fantasy owners will be cautious when it comes to selecting Gurley too early when next year’s drafts roll around.
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