Rams' Cam Akers Could Be a True Feature Back for Fantasy Football in 2023

Things did not go according to plan for the Los Angeles Rams last year.

The reigning Super Bowl champs experienced one of the biggest hangover seasons we've seen in recent years. The team started the season slowly before injuries to Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp all but ended their season before it ever really began.

But before those injuries, one of the biggest head-scratchers the team faced during the season was the apparent benching of running back Cam Akers.

Akers, who had previously been dubbed a "War Daddy" by head coach Sean McVay and seemingly had a handle on the starting job throughout training camp, carried the ball just 3 (three) times in the Rams' season opener.

He did get more work in the ensuing weeks, but a Week 5 falling out led to the back taking time away from the team and demanding a trade. Things eventually sorted themselves out, and when the wheels fully fell off of Los Angeles' offense, McVay turned back to Akers as the engine of the unit.

But that leaves fantasy drafters in a bit of a grey zone for the upcoming season.

Will the Rams try to filter Akers out of the offense again like they did at the beginning of the season? Or will he be the primary back that handled over 20 carries per game for them in the final three weeks of the 2022 season?

Cam Akers Fantasy Football Projection

(All projections via numberFire.com)

Positional Ranking: RB19
Projected Stats:

• 285.1 rush attempts
• 1,264 rushing yards
• 6.8 rushing touchdowns
• 22.1 receptions
• 173.4 receiving yards
• 1 receiving touchdown

Cam Akers Fantasy Football Outlook

A Feature Back or a Bust?

Fantasy managers who spent significant draft capital on Akers in 2022 surely felt burnt by the third-year back.

The former second-round pick's debut 2020 season had flashes of fantasy upside, but a torn Achilles tendon cost him the entire 2021 regular season. Akers returned for the Rams' electric playoff run that year and handled a heavy workload yet struggled for rushing efficiency while recovering from that injury (and facing elite rushing defenses).

The Rams' willingness to commit to Akers in the playoffs -- when the stakes were highest -- so soon after recovering from a torn Achilles implied the team had real and unshakeable faith in him as their featured back.

But obviously, something must have happened between that Super Bowl victory and Week 1 of the 2022 season, and fantasy managers were left holding the bill after their startling bad open to the season.

Most of the 2022 season was a wash for Akers, and by the time the Rams turned back to him, most fantasy managers had likely moved on. But Akers was one of the most dominant backs in the league over the final few weeks of the season, and there's not much standing in the way of him retaining that role in 2023.

The Rams ramped up Akers' workload after his Week 8 return to the team and fully committed to him over the final six weeks of the year.

In those final six games, Akers averaged 17.3 carries, 85.3 yards, and 1.0 touchdown per game. In the final three alone, he averaged over 20 carries and 100 yards per contest

It was a small sample size to be sure, but Akers' workloads rivaled the lofty loads of backs like Derrick Henry and Josh Jacobs.

Can He Keep Carrying the Load?

The Rams didn't make any moves this offseason to suggest that they aren't committed to Akers in 2023.

Besides adding a sixth-round pick in former TCU and Ole Miss back Zach Evans, the team is on track to trot out pretty much the same group of running backs that Akers outshined a year ago.

The team is also in something of a rebuilding phase, too; while the core of Stafford and Kupp will still be in place, the team did pretty much nothing to add additional talent to their offense for the upcoming year.

Stafford and Kupp are still likely to be the engine of LA's offense this year for as long as they're healthy, but without a secondary receiving option such as Robert Woods, Odell Beckham, or Allen Robinson, that pretty much just leaves the running game to help them move the ball this season.

In other words, the Rams' paper-thin skill position depth should funnel opportunities in Akers' direction all year.

Other backs may have more exciting arguments in their favor for appealing fantasy upside, yet Akers should mop up a boatload of touches for the Rams this season. Unless game scripts get completely out of hand, he could be expected to handle upwards of 20 carries per game.

As we hinted at above, Akers' biggest flaw on the field so far has been his lack of involvement in the Rams' passing game. In his two healthy seasons, Akers has handled just 24 receptions for 240 yards.

At Florida State University, he caught 69 passes for 486 yards and 7 touchdowns over his three seasons, but the Rams evidently don't prioritize him in the passing game.

While he should see as many carries as he can handle in positive game scripts, Akers does run the risk of getting phased out of the game plan when the Rams need to claw themselves out of deficits.

Cam Akers Fantasy Football Draft Value

Fortunately, fantasy drafters won't have to break the bank to draft Akers onto their squads this season.

According to FantasyPros' ADP data, drafters this summer have been taking Akers as the RB23 and as the 59th overall player, making him a late-fourth-round pick in most 12-team drafts. He's the RB24 in FanDuel's best ball fantasy football format.

Fantasy managers who start their drafts with multiple wide receivers or who splurge on elite talents at the quarterback or tight end positions and find themselves with a need at the running back position could benefit from Akers' projected high workload this season.

The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author’s advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.