Blake Corum has emerged as a viable fantasy option in recent weeks. But Thursday night’s rematch with Seattle on a short week presents a difficult test for the Los Angeles Rams’ complementary back. Can fantasy football managers trust Corum in Week 16 lineups?
Blake Corum’s Fantasy Outlook
The Rams backfield is much more of a timeshare this season. Corum is still only at around a 30% snap share on the year, but he is seeing regular work. He has logged double-digit carries in two straight games, earning 12 attempts against Arizona and 11 against Detroit.​
He’s been legitimately efficient, averaging an impressive 5.5 yards per carry on 112 attempts this season. Corum has actually been more efficient than Kyren Williams on a per-touch basis. He ripped off a 48-yard touchdown against Arizona and has recorded multiple explosive runs over the past month, demonstrating big-play ability that the Rams value.​
MORE: Free Fantasy Football Start/Sit Optimizer
The concern with starting Corum is how reliant he’s been on touchdowns for his fantasy production. He has just six receptions on 11 targets for only 13 yards all season. His lack of pass-game involvement creates a dangerously low floor when he fails to reach the end zone, limiting his weekly upside in PPR formats.​
Corum has posted at least 13 fantasy points in three straight games. However, he’s scored in all of them. He has one touchdown against Carolina, two against Arizona, and one against Detroit. Remove those touchdowns, and you’re looking at a low-volume, non-pass-catching back in a timeshare, which is not the profile you want to chase in a bad matchup.​
Should You Start Corum This Week?
The matchup this week is very difficult on multiple fronts. It’s a short week following a physical division game, which limits preparation time and recovery for the offense. Thursday night games historically favor defenses, as offenses struggle to execute cleanly with limited practice.​
The Seahawks are allowing the seventh-fewest schedule-adjusted fantasy points per game to running backs this season. Seattle has been particularly stingy against the position at home, where they’ve won four straight games. Their front seven has been one of the league’s most underrated units.​
READ MORE: Soppe’s Week 16 Fantasy Football Start ‘Em Sit ‘Em: Analysis for Every Player in Every Game
Corum had eight carries for just 10 yards the last time these teams met in November. That 1.3 yards-per-carry average represented his worst performance of the season by a significant margin. The Rams’ offense struggled mightily in that matchup despite eventually escaping with a narrow victory.​
The Rams have scored at least 28 points in seven of their last eight games. The lone failure? Against Seattle, when they managed just 21 points. That game featured Williams carrying the load while Corum was bottled up completely.
If you watched Corum score all these touchdowns on your bench the past three weeks and are tempted to start him now, resist it. Don’t chase the points. Touchdown regression is real, especially for a complementary back who doesn’t dominate snaps or touches. Corum is not a good option on Thursday night.
