Tutu Atwell probably won’t be drafted in many traditional fantasy leagues, but he could be a target in dynasty leagues.
Tutu Atwell probably won’t be drafted in many fantasy leagues this year, being buried on the Rams’ depth chart at wide receiver. However, he’ll surely be selected in dynasty leagues where rosters carry over from year to year.
While his role this season probably won’t be significant, he could take over as the team’s primary deep threat in 2022 after DeSean Jackson’s contract expires. For that reason, as well as his overall explosiveness, he warrants consideration in dynasty leagues.
Draft Wire’s Luke Easterling recently ranked the 30 best rookies for dynasty leagues and Atwell came in near the bottom at No. 28. Steelers running back Najee Harris took the top spot, given his clear path to the starting job, followed by Ja’Marr Chase of the Bengals, Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts and Jaguars running back Travis Etienne.
Atwell was unsurprisingly the only Rams player to make the list, given the lack of other impactful rookies on the roster. Jacob Harris might warrant consideration, but fantasy owners will likely wait to see what he does in Year 1 before committing to him on their dynasty team.
As for Atwell, his ceiling isn’t all that high as a rookie. Mike Clay of ESPN projected him to catch just 27 passes for 367 yards and two touchdowns, which would come out to about 75 fantasy points in PPR leagues. He also has some rushing potential and could score a touchdown or two on special teams as a punt returner, but anyone who drafts him in a dynasty league is banking on his role growing in Year 2.
Tutu Atwell probably won’t be drafted in many traditional fantasy leagues, but he could be a target in dynasty leagues.
Tutu Atwell probably won’t be drafted in many fantasy leagues this year, being buried on the Rams’ depth chart at wide receiver. However, he’ll surely be selected in dynasty leagues where rosters carry over from year to year.
While his role this season probably won’t be significant, he could take over as the team’s primary deep threat in 2022 after DeSean Jackson’s contract expires. For that reason, as well as his overall explosiveness, he warrants consideration in dynasty leagues.
Draft Wire’s Luke Easterling recently ranked the 30 best rookies for dynasty leagues and Atwell came in near the bottom at No. 28. Steelers running back Najee Harris took the top spot, given his clear path to the starting job, followed by Ja’Marr Chase of the Bengals, Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts and Jaguars running back Travis Etienne.
Atwell was unsurprisingly the only Rams player to make the list, given the lack of other impactful rookies on the roster. Jacob Harris might warrant consideration, but fantasy owners will likely wait to see what he does in Year 1 before committing to him on their dynasty team.
As for Atwell, his ceiling isn’t all that high as a rookie. Mike Clay of ESPN projected him to catch just 27 passes for 367 yards and two touchdowns, which would come out to about 75 fantasy points in PPR leagues. He also has some rushing potential and could score a touchdown or two on special teams as a punt returner, but anyone who drafts him in a dynasty league is banking on his role growing in Year 2.
Tutu Atwell and Jacob Harris were the only two Rams rookies selected to be part of the NFLPA Rookie Premier class.
The Los Angeles Rams had two players selected to the NFLPA Rookie Premier class this year. Wideout Tutu Atwell and tight end Jacob Harris were named to the 2021 class, which is an honor for both players.
Players are chosen based on their draft position and overall marketability in the NFL. Here’s how the NFLPA describes the selection process, per the official release.
Players are selected as part of the Rookie Premiere class primarily by Panini America based on position, college performance, draft status as well as projected overall demand and marketability. All these factors impact a rookie’s trading card value, even before they have played a down in a game.
Atwell isn’t all that surprising, considering he was a second-round pick and figures to be a dynamic playmaker in the NFL. However, Harris was a fourth-round pick and only has two years of college production under his belt, but he’s a highly athletic playmaker with an elite combination of size and speed.
It’s unclear how much either player will contribute in Year 1, but both could be starters a season or two down the line.
Sean McVay isn’t committing to Tutu Atwell as the team’s punt returner just yet.
One of the first things Joe DeCamillis told reporters when he was introduced as the Rams’ new special teams coordinator this offseason was that the team wants to find a return specialist who can “drop the ball over the goal line.” The Rams haven’t returned a punt or kickoff for a touchdown since Pharoh Cooper took back a kick 103 yards in 2017, so that phase of special teams has lagged behind.
Nsimba Webster has been inconsistent in the last couple of years, which could lead to a change on punt returns. Tutu Atwell said at OTAs that he’s “going to play punt return” as a rookie, but Sean McVay isn’t committing to him as the team’s primary returner.
McVay sees a lot of candidates for the job and a long time to decide on the best option, so Atwell will certainly have some competition.
“He’s done a good job so far. You can see a lot of the things we liked looking at his film throughout the course of his career at Louisville,” McVay said last week. “He’s come out here and done a good job trying to pick things up. There’s a lot of information that we’re throwing at him in a short amount of time, but could definitely feel that speed. We’ve got a lot of guys that are potential candidates to be punt returners for us and we’ve got a long time to figure that out, but been pleased with Tutu so far, for sure.”
In addition to Atwell and Webster, the Rams also have a few other candidates. DeSean Jackson has a good track record as a punt returner, though the team might rather not put him at further risk of injury.
Landen Akers and Jeremiah Haydel were both return specialists in college and signed with the Rams as undrafted free agents this year. Jake Funk and Raymond Calais fit better as kickoff returners, but they could also compete for the punt return job.
The position likely won’t be decided until training camp and the preseason, so as McVay said, they have a long time to sort it out. But Atwell has the speed and elusiveness to potentially succeed in that role.
The Rams could use a change at punt returner and rookie Tutu Atwell might just be the man for the job.
Rams rookie Tutu Atwell is expected to come in and compete for snaps at wide receiver as one of the team’s deep threats. He can also turn short passes into big gains and make plays with the ball in his hands no matter where he is on the field, making him an intriguing player for Sean McVay to deploy on offense.
But it sounds like he’ll do more than just catch passes. He plans to return punts as a rookie, which isn’t something he did much of in college. Atwell returned four punts for 84 yards at Louisville and never attempted a kickoff return.
During Wednesday’s media session, Atwell told reporters that he’ll “play punt return” this year, which is a big deal for the rookie.
Rams rookie Tutu Atwell says he's "going to play punt return" this season: "It will be a huge, huge deal for me."
Atwell is only 5-foot-9 and 155 pounds, but he’s a shifty player with elite speed. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.32 seconds, making him one of the fastest players in the entire 2021 draft class.
The Rams are in search of punt return help after getting less-than-stellar results from Nsimba Webster the last few seasons, and Atwell will hopefully provide a spark to a unit that’s underwhelmed since Pharoh Cooper’s reign.
Tutu Atwell on preparing to be the Rams' punt returner: "It’ll actually help me. It would be a great spot for the team. I’m just excited & ready to take over the job & do what I have to do … It'll be a nice (demonstration of my) skill set to get back there & do what I do best."
Atwell should see some competition for the job, potentially from Webster, DeSean Jackson and undrafted rookies Landen Akers and Jeremiah Haydel. He won’t be handed the job, but if he can field punts cleanly and make defenders miss, it’ll be hard to keep him off the field.
Tutu Atwell has some great receivers to learn from in Los Angeles.
Unlike many of the top wide receivers drafted this year, Tutu Atwell won’t step into a situation where he’ll have a clear role with his new team. At the moment, he’s the fifth wide receiver on the Rams’ depth chart, behind the likes of Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp, Van Jefferson and DeSean Jackson.
That’s not to say he won’t still have a role as a rookie, but he won’t see the targets that fellow second-round receivers Terrace Marshall Jr., Dwayne Eskridge and Rondale Moore will. Atwell will benefit from practicing alongside the four players ahead of him, however, as well as learning from them on and off the field.
In a one-on-one sitdown, Atwell was asked what it means to be on a team with such great receivers.
“It means a lot,” he said. “I’ve grown up watching DeSean Jackson. When I moved to receiver, when I got to Louisville, I started watching a couple cut-ups of the small receivers. Cooper Kupp was one of them I was watching. I never watched Robert Woods but now that I’m on a team, I could learn from the guys and I’ll take everything that they can teach me.”
What does @c5_atwell want Rams fans to know about him?
“That I’m a great, humble person. They got a fast, nice, explosive guy coming to the Rams.” pic.twitter.com/e6Dc3s4ifX
Atwell is undersized at 5-foot-9 and 155 pounds, but he’s an electric athlete with great speed. He doesn’t have much experience as a punt returner, but that’s a possible role for him in the NFL – as is being a gadget player who can turn screens and handoffs into big plays.
He sees himself as a weapon who can do a variety of things for the Rams.
“Just another weapon, another piece, to the wide receiver (group) – not just the wide receiver, the whole team,” he said. “Special teams, punt return threat. I can add a lot. Just wait for the season and see what I can do.”
Tutu Atwell’s four-year contract comes with a $1.657 million signing bonus.
Tutu Atwell officially signed his rookie contract with the Rams over the weekend as the team welcomed its draftees and undrafted rookies to Los Angeles. As the Rams’ top draft pick this year, Atwell will earn the biggest contract of any player selected by L.A.
NFL reporter Aaron Wilson shared details of Atwell’s first contract in the NFL, which will span four years. It’s worth a total of $5.908 million and comes with a $1.657 million signing bonus, which will be prorated over the four years.
Rams second-round wide receiver Tutu Atwell deal has total value of $5.908 million, including $1.657 million signing bonus
According to Over The Cap, Atwell’s base salaries and cap hits will be as follows, based on his draft slot.
2021
Salary: $660,000
Cap hit: $1.074 million
2022
Salary: $928,578
Cap hit: $1.342 million
2023
Salary: $1.297 million
Cap hit: $1.611 million
2024
Salary: $1.466 million
Cap hit: $1.880 million
Atwell was selected 57th overall in the second round and is expected to be the Rams’ fourth or fifth receiver as a rookie, behind Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp, Van Jefferson and possibly DeSean Jackson.
The Los Angeles Rams’ rookie minicamp is underway after kicking off on Friday and with that, they’re beginning to get their draft picks under contract. Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that Tutu Atwell has agreed to terms on his rookie deal with the Rams.
Atwell was the team’s top draft pick this year, going 57th overall out of Louisville. He’s a speedy receiver with excellent explosiveness, joining the Rams as their field stretcher like DeSean Jackson.
Some were surprised that the Rams took Atwell, who’s only 5-foot-9 and 155 pounds, as early as they did in the second round. But even if he’s not a starter as a rookie, he’ll likely play a major role in 2022 and beyond.
His rookie contract is for four years and is expected to carry a cap hit of $1.07 million in 2021 alone, with that number rising by about $300,000 each year.
Tutu Atwell got a call from the Los Angeles Rams during the second night of the 2021 NFL draft, learning that he was going to be the newest member of Les Snead and Sean McVay’s team. Some fans and analysts were surprised by the Rams’ selection, but Atwell probably wasn’t. Wide receivers coach Eric Yarber told Atwell, “Don’t be surprised if I don’t let you go past the second round,” and they didn’t.
But what exactly went into the pick, and what drew the Rams to the 5-foot-9, 155-pound receiver? For starters, his speed, explosiveness and ability to turn short passes into big gains. The Rams released Episode 2 of their webseries “Inside the Draft,” which features exclusive interviews with the team’s scouts both before and after the draft, as well as comments from Yarber and McVay.
“The explosiveness of speed, I think, is legit. This guy can erase angles,” scout Billy Johnson said. “These traits, they’ll translate to the league if you can get the ball in his hands.”
"The explosiveness of speed, I think, is legit. This guy can erase angles."
Director of scouting strategy James Gladstone also shared his thoughts on the receiver after the draft, saying this pick is about more than just 2021 when it seems like he’s buried on the depth chart. Atwell has a bright future three years down the line, especially if he can reap the benefits of learning from a historically great deep threat, DeSean Jackson.
“The decision to select him was not just thinking simply in the short term, but also envisioning three seasons from now. Tutu walks into a situation where he’s able to team up with one of the most electric deep-threat wide receivers over the last decade in DeSean Jackson, who he shares many of the same qualities with. Premier perimeter player with A1 acceleration and the ability to threaten each level of the defense,” Gladstone said.
Atwell talked to Yarber during the pre-draft process, who he will be coached by with the Rams. Yarber is excited to have the speedy receiver on offense with Cooper Kupp, Robert Woods and Jackson, highlighting his ability to turn a short pass into a touchdown in a flash.
“He can take a short pass to the house instantly. Or he can take the top off it and track the ball down the field. That’s what impressed me a lot about him,” Yarber said.
And then there was McVay during the draft. He said adding Atwell to the offense for Matthew Stafford would be huge, and that he gives the Rams another playmaker on offense.
“You know what, this will be a big deal. So I think being able to add him will really provide some of that explosiveness, you get another playmaker for Stafford, so I think that’ll be huge,” McVay said on the phone.”
Sean McVay explained why the Rams added so many players to an already strong group of receivers this offseason.
Les Snead and Sean McVay didn’t blindly go into the 2021 NFL draft with the plan to just draft the best players that fell to them. They also weren’t going to reach for players at specific positions of need for the sake of filling roster holes.
They had a plan, even if it seemed like they were just kids in a toy store shopping for whatever they pleased. And that plan – for McVay, at least – is to stress opposing defenses with as many dynamic weapons on offense as they can reasonably accumulate.
It’s why they drafted speedy 5-foot-9 receiver Tutu Atwell at No. 57 overall instead of taking an offensive lineman like Creed Humphrey, despite already signing DeSean Jackson as a free agent. It’s why they selected 6-foot-5 tight end Jacob Harris in Round 4 instead of drafting a player who could potentially take over for Andrew Whitworth in 2022, despite adding Brycen Hopkins in the fourth round last year.
Typically it’s the defense putting pressure on the offense with a pass rush – whether it’s with four rushers or exotic blitzes. But McVay wants to return the favor and pressure defenses by forcing them to defend an elite group of eligible receivers that welcomed Jackson and Atwell this offseason.
The Rams put very little pressure on opposing defenses last year with their dink-and-dunk offense. It will (hopefully) be a very different story in 2021.
“I think the biggest thing I would say is that we were able to add guys that bring an elite trade in terms of the ability to stretch the top-shelf of the defense. That’s not exclusive to the ways that you can utilize these guys, but we do want to become a more explosive offense,” he said after the draft. “It starts with opportunities and I’ve got to be able to call those plays and give our players to make those plays down the field, or really create them. And it’s not exclusive to having to catch the ball down the field. You can get run after catches and things like that, but we do feel like these guys are nice complements to an already really good group that we had in place. I think their skill sets are great complements to the groups that we have when you look at the running backs, the tight ends and the already solid group of receivers. So how many different ways can we activate and really put pressure on the defense with our five eligibles and ultimately play really well as a unit collectively, all 11? And so those two guys, definitely we have a vision for them and then their ability to make it come to life is something that we’re looking forward to see.”
(AP Photo/Steve Helber)
McVay’s offense has primarily been built around having three receivers on the field together – specifically 11 personnel, with one tight end and a running back. But with all the weapons Los Angeles now has on offense, that should certainly expand to include more groupings and combinations.
On first down, the Rams could go empty with Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp, Van Jefferson, Tutu Atwell and Tyler Higbee. There may not be a running back on the field, but the threat to run the ball is still there. Just before the snap, Atwell comes in motion from the slot, takes a handoff from Matthew Stafford and jets around the corner with Higbee and Woods leading the way as blockers.
On the very next play, the Rams’ offense could look like this: Woods on the left side, Kupp in the slot, Jackson lined up outside to Stafford’s right, Cam Akers in the backfield and Higbee attached to the formation. There’s a threat to run, throw it deep or take an underneath pass to either Woods, Kupp or Higbee.
Again, it’s all about options and forcing the defense to stay on its toes, alert to all five eligible receivers on the field – which, for the Rams, all of them are capable of making a big play in one way or another.
There’s also an element of keeping players fresh throughout the course of a game and season. With the NFL expanding to 17 regular-season games – and the Rams expecting to make the playoffs – they need to have good depth in the event of injury.
And giving their new QB Stafford as many weapons as possible helps, too.
“To be able to surround him with playmakers, keeping guys fresh. We have some really important players at that receiver group that have played a significant amount of snaps, but I think it’s important to be able to keep them fresh throughout the course of games and then also the season, playing 17 games and hopefully you give yourself an (opportunity) to compete afterwards,” McVay said. “But the more weapons you can surround yourself with offensively, especially around a player like Matthew Stafford, that’s really important to us. I think what we’ve got is a great complement, guys that have different skill sets, but really valuable skill sets – almost as if you’re looking at it, when you got your five eligibles, it’s kind of like a basketball starting lineup to be able to really stretch people horizontally, vertically, and can kind of threaten people in a bunch of different ways. When you have a quarterback that can really activate all those parts of the field with the ability he has as a thrower, that was something that we wanted to be intentional about going in and attacking and Tutu definitely brings that as did DeSean and those two additions to our already solid group is exciting.”
It might seem like overkill to add Atwell, Harris and even Ben Skowronek to a pass-catching group that already featured Kupp, Woods, Jefferson, Jackson and Higbee, but McVay has a vision for this offense. We won’t know exactly what it will look like until Week 1, but expect to see a ton of variety and different combinations that constantly keep pressure on the defense.
