Kyren

Williams

It would appear Kyren Williams is not going to lead the NFL in rushing yards per game this season. Corum is the third RB off the board in this weak class. Arguably the draft class’s most famous runner, Corum (5’8/205) is far from 2024’s best back. You could argue it was Michigan’s “cloud of dust” system, but Corum was a genuine plodder in Ann Arbor. Of the 40 1,000-yard rushers in FBS football last season, Corum’s 4.7 yards per carry was the lowest. He also had the lowest broken tackle rate amongst the 35 highest usage backs. His 2.47 average yards after contact ranked 137-of-152 amongst backs with at least 100 carries. Corum just isn’t an explosive player. He is ridiculously strong, staying low to the ground as a runner and as artillery waiting to go off as a pass blocker. You simply cannot get lower than Corum on the blitz. As powerful and savvy as it gets in short-yardage situations, Corum can also move the chains and finish drives as a role player. He just doesn’t profile as a feature back for the modern era, especially since he’s below-average as a pass catcher. It’s a worrisome situation for Williams, as Corum’s initial calling card figures to be short-yardage work.

Williams, who injured his hand in the fourth quarter, will undergo surgery to repair the fracture, McVay said. Williams should be good to go when spring practices start, ready to resume his role as LA’s lead back after leading the league in rushing yards over the season’s final six weeks.

Williams briefly departed the game at the beginning of the fourth quarter before returning on the subsequent drive, only to retreat to the locker room with the training staff on the following possession. He does not have an official designation at this time but should be considered questionable to return with only eight minutes remaining to play. Williams managed 61 yards on 13 carries prior to departing, adding nine yards on his lone reception. He finished the 2023 regular season as the RB2 in fantasy points per game and could push into the second round in redraft and dynasty drafts alike in the new league year.

Aaron Donald is also getting the week off. The Rams are locked into either the No. 6 or No. 7 seed for the playoffs, so there is almost nothing for them to play for this week. Ronnie Rivers, Royce Freeman, and Zach Evans will all have a shot at seeing more work in Week 18. Rivers was the only backup to see snaps last week, making him the next man up.

Kyren punched in two short touchdowns of two and four yards a piece but also broke off a 28-yard run for his third and final score of the day. That brings Kyren to a total of 15 touchdowns in 12 games. He and teammate Puka Nacua are the two names that come to mind for waiver wire add of the season. Both players excelled in Week 17, but Williams’ three-touchdown day should give him the crown. With the Rams needing a win to secure a playoff spot next week, Williams will rank as a RB1 one more time to close out the season.

Unusually, Williams was not targeted in the passing game, but the 100-yard rushing effort is becoming quite usual. He has now done so each of the past three weeks, and six times in his past eight games. Elite, league-winning stuff. Williams managers were going crazy tonight as he got stuffed on one goal-line carry after another before finally converting from a more exotic 10 yards out in the third quarter. This man keeps on running, running, running and now gets a ground-funnel Giants defense for the fantasy finals in Week 17.

It was a horrific receiving day for Williams, although fantasy managers won’t be mad about the PPR scam he pulled off. The lack of receiving yards didn’t matter, however, as Williams surpassed 140 rushing yards for the third time this season. He averaged a strong 5.6 yards per carry on his attempts and punched in a one-yard touchdown in the second quarter for his only score of the day. Williams continues to look like a true league winner for fantasy managers. He’ll be an RB1 in Week 16 against the Saints.

Williams rushed seven times for 43 yards on the Rams’ first possession. The Rams called nine-straight run plays out of the gate only to see an effective drive stall in the red zone, but Williams, as we’ve come to expect, once again operated in a bell-cow role. His longest run of the day went for a 14-yard gain, but Williams ripped off multiple chunk yards to finish with a solid 4.6 YPC. Fantasy managers would have liked to see him find the end zone in this one, but it’s hard to be upset with his overall production. Williams should have a chance to go off in Week 15 against the Commanders, where he’ll be treated as a high-end RB1.

Williams played 94 percent of the Rams’ snaps on Sunday and is arguably the most important player in this offense. The Browns sold out to stop the run, using a single high safety and a variety of blitzes and stunts on the line to a force the Rams to throw. Despite all of that, Williams was able to overcome missed assignments from his offensive line and slip tackles for extra yardage throughout the day. He also remained heavily involved in the passing game and was able to punch in a touchdown on the Ram’s final drive of the game, even though the two-minute warning had already elapsed and the Browns had no timeouts so the Rams could have just kneeled out the clock. Not that fantasy managers are upset about it. He remains an RB1 in fantasy due to his skill and workload.

Williams made his presence known in a quick fashion running all over the Cardinals’ defense just as he did against them in Week 6. Whether it was running the ball or catching it, Williams made light work of the opposition. His biggest play came on an explosive 56-yard run in the second half. It’s no shock that he should be considered an RB1 in fantasy for the rest of the season.