INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 29: Cam Akers #23 of the Los Angeles Rams runs the ball during a team scrimmage at SoFi Stadium on August 29, 2020 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Cam Akers started the year with big expectations, but a rib injury has knocked him out of the Rams game against the Eagles.
The Rams want to base their offense around running the football to set up their play action pass game. That will get a lot more challenging for Sean McVay and his coaching staff without the services of rookie running back Cam Akers.
The former Florida State star left the field in the first quarter of his team’s Week 2 matchup against the Eagles with an apparent rib injury. The team officially deemed his potential return to the field as “questionable.” shortly after he was forced into the locker room to undergo additional evaluation.
Without Akers, the Rams will likely distribute more carries to both Darrell Henderson and Malcolm Brown. Don’t expect either rusher to get the lion’s share of the work in Akers’ absence. It’s likely going to become an evenly split timeshare.
Akers entered the season as a sneaky running back target for Fantasy Football players looking to snab a steal in middle to late rounds. He struggled to put up big numbers in college due to a shaky supporting cast around him. The hope was that Akers could fill the majority of what Todd Gurley gave the Rams last season at a fraction of the cost.
The fact that his return was called questionable likely means that he won’t be forced to miss significant action. The Rams have the required depth at running back to survive without him for a game or two. Things would look much differently for McVay’s offense if Akers was forced to miss a large chunk of his rookie season. That nightmare scenario doesn’t appear to be in play at the moment.