Dynasty Capsule: St. Louis Rams

Paul Perdichizzi

ramscapsule

As part of the premium content package, we’re again unveiling dynasty capsules for every team in the NFL leading up to free agency and the NFL Draft. This year, we’re again going to do a follow-up on all the teams after all the free agency and NFL Draft movement to assess the impact of any players teams have gained or lost. Since these capsules are always done as a simple snapshot in time, we figured that was the best way to tackle the off-season and provide ultimate value for our subscribers. All in all, we’ll have close to 500 player profiles found in these capsules over the off-season.

We continue our march through the NFL with the St. Louis (for now) Rams.

Quarterbacks

Sam Bradford

The former 2009 first overall draft pick once again saw another season derailed by injury in 2014. After suffering a torn ACL in preseason action, Bradford missed the entire year. Since being selected by the Rams, he has only played two full seasons. Even when he is on the field, his play has been inconsistent at best and he has simply not lived up to his draft position. This upcoming season is the final year on his contract and all indications are the Rams will once again give him every opportunity to be their starter and become the franchise quarterback they had hoped he would. Even if healthy, Bradford offers little more than being a fantasy QB2. With few weapons in the passing game, the Rams offense will be built upon the running game once again this season, which will limit the stats that Bradford puts up.

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Running Backs

Tre Mason

When the Rams drafted Mason last year with the 75th pick in the third round, most expected him to eventually become a part of a tandem with Zac Stacy. While few questioned the running ability of Mason, his pass protection and receiving ability figured to hold him back from a big role in his rookie year. Once Stacy struggled, Mason seized the opportunity that was given to him and quickly took control as the lead man in the Rams backfield by week seven. He rushed for 765 yards and four touchdowns, with an additional 16 receptions for 148 receiving yards. Once Mason took over the backfield, he was a RB2 in fantasy for the remainder of the season. This year, I believe he enters the off-season as a potential RB1 or a high end RB2 with upside for the 2015 season. I think he has the talent to rush for over 1,200 yards and score double digit touchdowns next season if the depth chart remains as is. Mason will not turn 22 years old until August as well and therefore would be near the top of my list of running backs to try and acquire during the off-season. He is in my top ten dynasty running backs already with room to continue to climb up the rankings.

Benny Cunningham

Cunningham was signed as undrafted free agent following the 2013 NFL Draft and saw little playing time in his rookie season. In this past season, he really found his role in the NFL as a pass catching option out of the backfield. He secured 45 receptions for 352 yards and one touchdown, while also rushing for 246 yards and three additional scores. He proved to be the perfect complement to Mason, who right now is still limited in his pass protection and receiving skills. Entering the 2015 season, I think Cunningham is a solid handcuff to Mason and also offers some individual value in deep PPR dynasty leagues.

Zac Stacy

The former fifth round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft exploded onto the scene in his rookie year. Once he took over the starting job, he excelled all year rushing for 973 yards and seven touchdowns. The expectations were that Stacy would continue to develop and be a very good starting running back in his second year. While he was never a good receiving threat, even in his great rookie year, he had a power running style and was similar to Alfred Morris in my opinion.  Stacy entered last season as a RB1 in standard leagues and a RB2 in PPR leagues and was a colossal bust. He looked slow and indecisive with his runs. He ended up losing the starting job to Cunningham and Mason and by the end of the year, was not even part of a committee. He finished with only 293 yards rushing and one touchdown. He enters this season completely off the fantasy radar except maybe as a super deep dynasty stash, but only if the Rams move on from him and he ends up on a new team as a goal line back.

Wide Receivers

Brian Quick

When the Rams selected Quick in the early part of the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft from Applachian State, they knew it would take some time for him to develop his game. With the size and physicality, most projected Quick to possibly become the number one wide receiver for the Rams. During his first two years in the league, it seemed like he was going to be unable to make the jump from small school prospect to the NFL. He struggled to find playing time and was unable to move up the depth chart, even with a lack of quality options. Last preseason, he started to show the talent and traits that made him such a high pick, and it translated to the regular season. Unfortunately during the eight game of the season, he suffered a season ending shoulder injury that required surgery. In the seven full games he played, he caught 25 passes for 375 yards and three touchdowns. He was providing fantasy WR 3 value during the early part of last season. He will enter the offseason atop the depth chart and provided he is healthy, should be able to pick up and continue to show the progress he was making last year. If the Rams can get better quarterback play this upcoming season, Quick has a chance to be a real fantasy asset all year and is definitely a sleeper to target in dynasty trades during the offseason as a WR 4, who could produce at a WR 3 level.

Tavon Austin

When the Rams traded up into the top ten to grab Austin, most applauded them for the bold move to get themselves a young dynamic playmaker. Unfortunately, Austin has not lived up the pre-draft hype. He is an electric player with the ball in his hands, but he is too small to create separation at the NFL level. He needs to be in an offense that manufactures touches for him to try and get him the ball in open space. After securing 40 receptions, 418 yards and four touchdowns in his rookie year, Austin’s stats fell to 31 receptions, 242 yards and no receiving touchdowns. The coaches did start to realize the need to get the ball in his hands as he had 36 rushes for 224 yards and two touchdowns this season compared to only nine rushes his rookie year. Right now, Austin is just a dynasty stash because of his former draft position. Unless the Rams find a way for him to become an effective slot receiver, in addition to getting him other touches each game, he will have little to no relevant fantasy value moving forward.

Stedman Bailey

Bailey was drafted in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft also out of West Virginia, hoping to form a dynamic tandem at wide receiver with his college teammate, Austin. Unfortunately, similar to Austin, Bailey has struggled in his first two years in the league. While he has good hands and route running ability, he has not been able to translate that into production. He was also suspended four games to start last season due to performance enhancing drugs. Once he returned he caught 30 passes for 435 yards and one touchdown. He held little to no fantasy value all season. Entering the off-season, he is currently second or third on the depth chart, so right now he is a dynasty hold until we see the Rams plans to upgrade the position through the draft and free agency.

Chris Givens

Givens was drafted by the Rams in the 2012 NFL Draft and really showed signs in his rookie year as a vertical deep threat. He caught 42 passes for 698 yards and three touchdowns. Rather than build on his rookie success, Givens has seen his value diminish to a part time player with little to no fantasy value. After he struggled in 2013, it completely fell apart this season as he only caught 11 passes for 159 yards and one touchdown in limited action. He is a free agent after the 2015 season, but if he hopes to continue his NFL career he is going to have to show more this upcoming season.

Kenny Britt

Britt, still only 26, just finished his sixth year in the league. As a former early round pick of the Tennessee Titans, Britt had the makings of becoming an elite receiver until injuries derailed his stardom. After five seasons with the Titans, he signed a one-year deal last year to try and turn his career around with the Rams. He had a productive season as he stayed healthy and caught 48 receptions for 748 yards and three touchdowns. With few options at wide receiver after Quick went down with an injury, Britt was their number one receiver for the remainder of the year and provided some fantasy WR3 value some weeks. He enters this off-season as a free agent and will be interesting to see if he re-signs with the Rams. With the return of Quick from injury and possibly adding an additional receiver in free agency or the draft, I see Britt having no higher than WR4 or WR5 value next season. If he signs with another team, where he is lower on the depth chart, he may offer even less value.

Tight Ends

Jared Cook

When Cook signed a huge free agency deal two years ago, the expectations were that with his size and athleticism he would become one of the elite pass catching tight ends in football and be one of the focal points of the offense. While he has been productive during his first two years in St. Louis, he has not lived up to the big contract he was given. This past season, he caught 52 passes, for 634 yards and three touchdowns. He has settled in as being an average NFL tight end and a TE2 in fantasy football. If the Rams can get improved quarterback play and Mason can become an elite running back, the potential is there for Cook to make some more plays in the offense, but his upside is limited at this point. If someone is still intrigued by his size, speed and ability, try and trade him during this offseason to a team in need of a tight end.

Lance Kendricks

When the Rams selected Kendricks out of Wisconsin in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft, they did so to be a receiving threat for Bradford. Coming out of college, Kendricks was known more as an H-back and receiving tight end than a blocking one. Unfortunately, during his four year career, it has turned out to be the opposite of what the Rams had hoped. Kendricks never developed into a receiving threat but did become a solid blocker and has established himself as a good second tight end. He enters this off-season as a free agent, and it is unknown if the Rams would like to bring him back or not. Whether he is a member of the Rams or signs with a new team next year, Kendricks will hold little to no fantasy value moving forward.

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