Los Angeles Rams DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Los Angeles Rams rookie kicker Joshua Karty will be put to the test early in his career in a hostile environment Sunday night against the Lions. The Stanford rookie, who was drafted in the sixth round of the 2024 Draft, figures to be involved heavily in a game that could be a shootout. He should get plenty of opportunities for extra points and field goals if the Rams stall out on a few drives. In a raucous environment, it is hard to predict how the rookie will fare if he is faced with some long field goal attempts. The good news is he will be kicking indoors at Ford Field so he won't have to deal with inclement weather or wind. Karty is likely on the waiver wire in shallow leagues so it might be best to see how he does with his first assignment before deciding whether he should be your fantasy kicker this season.

Los Angeles Rams tight end Colby Parkinson has been thrust into the starting tight end role for the Rams after signing from Seattle in the offseason. With Tyler Higbee recovering from an ACL injury, Parkinson will operate in the lead role until Higbee is healthy enough to return. The matchup is decent against the Lions in Week 1 after Detroit allowed 12.53 points per game to tight ends in fantasy last season. But the fantasy tight-end landscape makes it difficult to elevate Parkinson into a starting role in leagues that play just one at the position. Parkinson could command some looks on Sunday night but with Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp both healthy it's difficult to see him getting too many valuable targets. Parkinson's night is therefore largely touchdown dependent which makes him a risky play.

Los Angeles Rams rookie Blake Corum could end up having some stand-alone value in fantasy aside from being a handcuff for Kyren Williams. But in Week 1, fantasy managers would be wise to see how he is used before putting him in the fantasy lineups in his matchup at Detroit. The Lions had a good run defense last year and Corum will be operating behind a healthy Williams on the depth chart. The Michigan product has the potential to score a touchdown in a short-yardage situation but until his usage is more defined it is best to take a wait-and-see approach with Corum. He has a high upside and could end up being a valuable player to roster in the second half of the season, but there is too much unknown in Week 1.

Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams is one of the best fantasy options at his position but faces a tough matchup against the Lions in Week 1. In what should be a high-scoring game, the Rams figure to exploit the passing game against Detroit which allowed 15.79 fantasy points to opposing running backs last season, the best mark in the NFL in that category. Put another way, the Lions were the stiffest test for fantasy running backs last season. That could continue into this season. Williams made some plays in the passing game last season so that could help him a bit in this matchup. The other wild card is the unknown usage of rookie Blake Corum, who theoretically could take away goal-line carries from Williams. Add it all up and this is not an ideal matchup for Williams. Fantasy managers will still likely want to start Williams without a better option in most cases. But expectations should be lowered in Week 1.

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (knee) is officially off the injury report and is set up nicely for success against the Detroit Lions in Week 1. Nacua will line up against the Lions' revamped secondary of rookie Terrion Arnold and veteran Carlton Davis III. He should see success with Matthew Stafford under center and pick up where he left off during a breakout rookie campaign last year. He had a knee issue in the preseason but is ready to go. The BYU product commanded 9.4 targets per game last season and racked up 105 catches for 1,486 yards and six touchdowns. With Cooper Kupp back fully healthy the red-zone usage might be a bit of a concern for Nacua as Stafford seems to look for Kupp a lot in those situations. But Nacua should work the middle of the field on the short and intermediary routes and is a high-upside PPR play, who could be in for a huge game if he can find the end zone.