Malcolm

Brown

He didn’t practice all week and has to be considered questionable for Week 11 at this point. Cam Akers and Darrell Henderson will get together and find a way to combine for 40 rushing yards against Arizona on Sunday, with Henderson the preferred fantasy option of the two even though both have had problems doing anything more than scoring a touchdown this year.

Brown had just two carries last week and fell behind Cam Akers in the pecking order, if not in the rushing yardage count. Back-to-back DNPs has him trending towards a Friday rule-out. The Rams have struggled running the ball this year and there’s little reason to believe that will change against the Cardinals in Week 10.

Brown rejoined the Rams in Week 4 and has been playing about a quarter of the offensive snaps the last three weeks. He’s been coach Sean McVay’s preferred pass-blocking specialist and in the red zone for an offense starved of run-game playmakers. Brown isn’t one, either.

Although he, for some reason, received two first quarter goal-line carries, Brown’s other three handles came with the Rams draining the clock down 31-14. Brown was out-touched 12-5 by someone named Ronnie Rivers. Fifth-round rookie Kyren Williams (ankle) is almost back. Moving on.

The closest thing the Rams have to a No. 2 running back behind Darrell Henderson now that they are moving on from Cam Akers, Brown out-touched new No. 3 Ronnie Rivers 8-2. Coach Sean McVay does now have his bye week to think about how he wants to deploy his backs. It’s far from a guarantee Brown will be able to hold off Rivers or another waiver claim/practice squad promotion in perpetuity.

Brown could be on the active roster against the 49ers on Monday Night Football. While Brown is unlikely to see many snaps behind Cam Akers and Darrell Henderson, even if active, it’s always possible the 220+ pound back punches in a goal line carry if serving as the No. 3 back.

Brown lasted 16 days with the Saints after signing on July 26. The 29-year-old’s career is on fumes after a failed 2021 season in Miami following a six-year stint with the Rams.

Darius Victor, Bo Scarbrough, and Jordan Howard all worked out for the Saints before Brown was signed. Brown is a veteran solution behind Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara as the Saints continue to try to stockpile backs for the seemingly likely suspension of Kamara, though nobody knows when that suspension may actually get handed down. Brown will be competing with UDFA Abram Smith and returner Tony Jones Jr for a roster spot in camp.

Signed to a one-year, $1.75 million deal in the offseason after spending the first six years of his career with the Rams, Brown appeared in seven games for the Dolphins before getting hurt in Week 7. He produced a pedestrian 33-125-1 rushing line as part of a three-way committee with Myles Gaskin and Salvon Ahmed. The Dolphins have since added Duke Johnson and Phillip Lindsay to their backfield. Brown turns 29 in May. Don’t expect him back in Miami next season.

Brown is not an official inactive since he remains on injured reserve. Brown has resumed practicing and will presumably finally be back from his marathon absence in Week 16 against New Orleans. The Dolphins’ official inactives for Week 15 are S Jevon Holland, DB Trill Williams, DB Will Parks, TE Adam Shaheen and DL John Jenkins.