The entire running back room for the Rams has started a combined two games in the NFL. To say they lack experience would be an understatement, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re thin on talent.
Cam Akers is a rookie, and there’s a long history of first-year backs being productive right out of the gate. Darrell Henderson was a third-round pick in 2019 and averaged more than 8 yards per carry in college. Malcolm Brown may only have two starts as a pro, but he’s proved capable and reliable as a backup in the past.
Pro Football Focus is putting more weight in the Rams’ lack of potential at running back instead of their potential, ranking L.A.’s backfield third-worst in the NFL heading into this season.
The team drafted Cam Akers in the second round after a productive career at Florida State despite poor run blocking. Akers gained just 1.16 yards before contact per rush in his college career, the lowest number of any NFL-caliber runner since 2014. He also forced a solid 0.25 missed tackles per attempt, so he could produce right away if the offensive line gets straightened out. Akers will compete with Malcolm Brown, who graded at 64.4 overall last season while forcing 13 missed tackles on 69 carries. He’s been a viable backup option during his five years with the Rams.
The wild card is 2019 third-rounder Darrell Henderson, who carried the ball only 39 times at 3.8 yards per carry last season, but he looked like an explosive threat and a good scheme fit coming out of Memphis. If he can take a step forward, it forms a solid 1-2 punch with Akers. Until then, the Rams enter the season with as many question marks as any running back unit in the league, though there’s plenty of potential to create new stars if the offensive system gets back on track.
Sean McVay has hinted at using a committee approach in the backfield, similar to the one the 49ers used last season on their run to the Super Bowl. It wouldn’t be a bad plan considering the team’s lack of a proven workhorse, allowing the competition to sort itself out.
Many people expect Akers to eventually pull ahead of the group as the best option in the backfield, but a shortened camp and the absence of a preseason won’t help his case. Regardless of how the Rams manage this group of players, expect the team as a whole to commit to the run more often than it did in 2019.