Thursday Night Football has been home to some colossal shootouts and some epic snoozers. There’s no worse feeling as fantasy managers than watching your players flop on Thursday and having to stare at it for three days.
For those fantasy football managers with Los Angeles Rams on their teams, it was probably a good night. In the wake of the Rams’ offensive explosion, let’s examine the fantasy outlooks for their key players heading into championship week.
Kyren Williams’ Week 17 Fantasy Outlook
If I had to describe Kyren Williams in one word from a fantasy standpoint, it would be “inevitable.”
On a night where Williams kept getting stymied at the goal line, with Matthew Stafford taking the touchdowns through the air, he still managed to get it done for fantasy managers.
Williams amassed 104 yards on 22 carries and was able to find the end zone in the second half. He scored 16.4 fantasy points, which is actually a bit of a disappointment relative to what we’ve come to expect from him.
If it ends up being enough for you to advance to the final, strap in, because Williams is poised to help fantasy managers lift that trophy.
The Rams get the New York Giants in Week 17. They are on the road, but they will be favored, likely by at least a touchdown. With playoff positioning on the line, the Rams will be heavily motivated.
Williams has exceeded 100 rushing yards in four of his five games since returning from injured reserve.
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The one game he didn’t, he still got to 88.
As has been the case pretty much all season, the only running back you’d rather have in fantasy right now is Christian McCaffrey.
Cooper Kupp’s Week 17 Fantasy Outlook
It definitely wasn’t the best performance of Cooper Kupp’s career, but he still managed to put up a respectable 10.9 fantasy points. However, his night could’ve been even bigger.
On each of the Rams’ touchdown drives, before Stafford ultimately hit someone else in the end zone, Kupp was given a chance on third down. His first chance might’ve been just out of his reach, but he would tell you he should’ve caught it. The second one was a flat drop.
Kupp’s 12 targets matched a season high. He is still heavily involved and should have every opportunity to smash next week against a Giants defense allowing the fifth-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers.
With that said, I do believe we can officially declare a changing of the guard as the WR1 in LA.
Puka Nacua’s Week 17 Fantasy Outlook
Puka Nacua has overtaken Kupp as Stafford’s primary target. Against New Orleans, Nacua caught nine of 11 targets for 164 yards and a touchdown. He also added an additional two carries for 16 yards.
His best game of the season came at the best possible time for fantasy managers.
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Everything about next week’s matchup against the Giants that benefits Kupp also benefits Nacua. He’ll be a locked-in WR1 in Week 17 rankings, while also making his case for being a second-round pick in 2024 fantasy drafts.
Demarcus Robinson’s Week 17 Fantasy Outlook
The biggest surprise of the night has to be Demarcus Robinson. The former Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens wideout who couldn’t even get on the game-day roster until Week 9 played his way into a starting role in 11-personnel.
Even with Tutu Atwell back, Robinson did not relent his position, relegating Atwell to only a handful of snaps.
Robinson caught all six of his targets for 82 yards and a touchdown. And a couple of those grabs were high degrees of difficulty.
The veteran WR has now scored in four straight games. He’s been a rock-solid WR2 for a month now, so I guess it’s time to give him his respect.
Robinson will be ranked firmly inside the top 36 against a Giants defense that is more generous to the slot than outside receivers. If he’s on your waiver wire, make him a priority target.
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