This late into the fantasy season, it should come as no surprise pickings are slim on the waiver wire. Case in point: This story is dedicated to Cam Akers, who has been nothing but a source of frustration all year.
The Rams running back turned in his best game of the season on Sunday, totaling 60 yards and scoring twice. Naturally, this happened on a day people were expecting to see a lot more of Kyren Williams – the rookie did a whole lot of nothing, registering three rushes for nine yards with no impact in the passing game.
The Action Network’s fantasy football experts weigh in on the latest edition of the Akers saga below.
Sean Koerner: Just when it looked like the Rams were going to feature the rookie Williams for the rest of the season, Sean McVay pulled the rug from under us and used Akers as a workhorse back.
Though the Rams backfield is likely going to be very volatile the rest of the season, both Akers and Kyren should be rostered in all formats. There will be weeks when we may feel confident starting either of them as RB3/Flex options.
Samantha Previte: Akers led the Rams' backfield in their 27-23 loss to the Seahawks in Week 13. He logged 17 carries for 60 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while Williams saw just three carries for nine yards.
Akers finished as the RB6 in half PPR in this standout performance — his best of the year — and out-snapped the rookie Williams for the first time since both have been on the field by a count of 46 to 18.
I am probably as confused as you are about this headache of a backfield. Without Darrell Henderson Jr. on the field, the Rams' RB1 position remains very much up-for-grabs.
Akers could certainly seize the opportunity with two mouthwatering matchups on deck: The Rams face the Raiders and Packers in back-to-back weeks, both of whom rank below average in rush DVOA and bottom seven in fantasy points allowed to running backs this year. We shall see if Akers (or anyone) emerges as the alpha as the Rams continue to throw things against the wall to see what sticks.
Mike Triplett: This was a head-scratcher. Akers played a season-high 46 snaps with a season-high 18 touches compared to just 18 snaps and three touches for rookie Williams. Just last week, Williams had a season-high 38 snaps and 14 touches compared to 16 and eight for Akers.
The good news for Akers is that he appears to be back in the team’s good graces after being away from the team and getting shopped in trades earlier this season. McVay said he was proud of Akers’ growth and how he played. At the same time, however, McVay has spoken highly of Williams and his potential.
I wrongly recommended Williams in this space last week because the Rams are clearly in “seeing what they have for 2023” mode. I guess that mode also includes deciding if they want to keep Akers in the fold as well. It’s possible for both backs to have some value down the stretch, but considering the state of L.A.'s injury-ravaged offense, it’s hard to get too excited about either one.
