Turf Show Times
One of the primary discussions this offseason when it comes to the Los Angeles Rams revolves around running back Kyren Williams. With Williams entering the final year of his rookie contract, there has been plenty of talk around how much value he provides to the offense and whether or not the team should give him a second contract.
It’s no surprise when fans of any team overrate their players and that has gotten to be the case with Williams. When it comes to the Rams running back, multiple things can be true at the same time. He is a fine player who helps keep the offense on track and has a knack for scoring touchdowns. Williams has clearly become a player that McVay trusts. At the same time, he is a limited player that struggles breaking away and creating in the open field. It’s because of this that Williams was among the worst in the NFL in explosive run rate last season.
When it comes to running backs, they become very difficult to rank, especially based on stats as they are a position that is heavily dependent on the situation around them. For a running back to have success, they need a good offensive line and scheme. With that combination, it almost becomes a plug and play position. Last season, the Rams ranked ninth in adjusted line yards via DVOA which assigns responsibility to the offensive line. They also ranked sixth in run-blocking via PFF. Over the last two years, Sean McVay has also designed one of the more creative run schemes in the NFL. It’s hard to argue that Williams hasn’t benefitted heavily from the situation around him.
This seems to be what the NFL believes as well. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler recently surveyed league executives, coaches, and scouts to rank players at all positions with the goal to get a top-10. Williams didn’t finish inside the top-10 and while he received votes, he also was not among the five honorable mentions. The 15 running backs listed were:
It’s fair to say that a consideration for Williams could be had anymore from RB9 to RB15 on this list. At the same time, it’s also a good indicator of how the NFL views Williams. Based on pure volume stats, Williams has been a top-5 running back in the NFL over the past two seasons. Last season, he was seventh in yards and sixth in touchdowns. The year before, Williams was third in yards and eighth in touchdowns. Still, those around the NFL seem to be aware of Williams’ limitations.
On a per attempt basis, Williams’ lack of creativity and efficiency is evident. Excluding his numbers in the red zone, the Rams running back was 31st in...
