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Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams has had an interesting career so far. After being selected in the 5th round of the 2022 NFL Draft, Williams suffered a foot injury during OTAs that caused him to miss the first eight games of his rookie season. When he was active, though, he was the clear backup to Cam Akers in the backfield.
However, things changed for Williams last season. He not only took over the Rams' starting job but also proved to be one of the best fantasy options throughout the year.
So, after a breakout 2023 campaign, can fantasy managers trust Williams in fantasy in 2024? Let's dive in and find out.
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Kyren Williams' 2023 Regular-Season Recap
Entering 2023, Williams was not the Rams starting running back. That role still belonged to Akers, who was coming off a 786-yard season. But following a strong two-touchdown performance on 52 rush yards in Week 1 against the Seattle Seahawks, the former 2022 fifth-round pick soon earned that role.
Los Angeles eventually traded Akers to the Minnesota Vikings, and Williams showed his potential immediately in that starting role. On the year, the 23-year-old totaled a career-high 1,144 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground while catching 32 passes for 206 yards and three touchdowns through the air.
Reminder how much of an X factor Kyren Williams is for the Rams pic.twitter.com/9Xn4PYkupY
— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) June 19, 2024
The Rams running back was able to put up those big numbers in just 12 games last season after injuring his ankle in the middle of the year. However, upon his return from that injury, Williams was unstoppable. From Week 12 to Week 17, he totaled 789 yards from scrimmage and eight touchdowns.
It was surely an unexpected season from Williams, especially in fantasy. The 23-year-old went undrafted in most leagues but soon emerged as the waiver wire pickup of the year. He finished as the RB7 in PPR formats while averaging a whopping 21.3 fantasy points per game. He also finished as a top-12 fantasy running back in nine of 12 games, including six of the final seven games he appeared in.
Will Kyren Williams Still Be A Workhorse Back?
Volume is key in fantasy football, and Williams' volume in 2023 led to fantasy stardom. He averaged 21.7 touches per game, which led to an average of 95.3 rush yards and 17.2 receiving yards per game. That made the 23-year-old a workhorse back for the Rams last season. However, his high workload could change a bit in 2024.
Last season, Los Angeles didn't have any back to compete with Williams for touches -- hence why the team relied on him heavily in the running and passing game. After the Rams traded away Akers early in the year, their depth chart consisted of Ronnie Rivers and Royce Freeman. Even when they signed Darrell Henderson, he wasn't going to take away touches from the young back.
Kyren Williams from the LA Rams stopped by to put in some work between sessions with all of my guys today …
He’s seen my guys using the gloves on my IG & wanted to give it a try, first time ever.
Let athletes athlete
Guy is electric pic.twitter.com/joiRGzSmRU
— Jeff LoVecchio (@JeffLoVecchio) June 20, 2024
But the Rams have added running backs this offseason to compete with Williams for touches. They drafted Blake Corum in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft and also signed Boston Scott in free agency. While Scott likely won't be much of a threat, Corum figures to have a role in Year 1. So, the third-year running back could lose some opportunities in 2024.
Nevertheless, there's no reason why the Rams will shy away from Williams this upcoming season. Maybe Corum sees somewhere between four to eight touches per game while giving the 2023 Pro Bowler some rest on the sideline. But this is Williams' backfield, and he showed how great he can be when given opportunities. As a result, it's safe to assume that the 23-year-old will still be a workhorse back in 2024.
Can You Trust Kyren Williams in 2024 Fantasy Football?
The biggest question heading into the year is whether or not Williams can repeat his 2023 fantasy season. He averaged the second most fantasy points per game last year, only behind Christian McCaffrey's 24.5 PPR fantasy points. The Rams back also averaged 5.02 yards per carry behind 15 total touchdowns.
That strong season has propelled Williams to an early second-round pick in most fantasy leagues this summer. He currently has an ADP of 15.3 on Sleeper and is usually the sixth running back off the board in drafts. However, is he worth that high of a pick?
The short answer to that question is yes. Williams is the clear RB1 in Los Angeles' backfield, and a rookie running back in Corum isn't going to take that many touches away from the 2023 Pro Bowler. The only thing that should possibly worry fantasy managers, though, is his injury history.
I REALLY don’t understand the Kyren Williams pessimism in the fantasy football world right now🤷🏻♂️🤯
When have we ever had an RB accomplish as much as Kyren Williams in their sophomore SZN in the NFL but still get doubted in a major ways the next year?
- THE ONLY RB OTHER THAN… pic.twitter.com/HOSlmLFpRZ
— PPRFantasyTips (@PPRFantasyTips) June 10, 2024
He broke his foot during the 2022 offseason and then suffered a high ankle sprain last year. Now, Williams missed most of OTAs due to a foot injury. Still, that's not enough to avoid him early in the second round. He should see a high workload again in Los Angeles' offense while having the potential to finish as a top-three running back in 2024.
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