Cam Akers Fantasy Football Outlook (2022)

By Andrew Erickson (FantasyPros), Thu, Sep 1st 2022, 10:27am EDT

It's clear that the experts and sharps are convinced that Cam Akers sucks at football after he averaged an abysmal 2.4 yards per carry during the 2021 season after returning from his Achilles injury - the worst mark of any running back with at least 70 carries. But his inefficient production is partially related to the juggernaut of run defenses he faced down the stretch - San Francisco 49ers (twice) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers - when in fact no Rams RB ran efficiently. 95% of his rushing yards in 2021 came after contact - the highest mark in the NFL.

Did I also mention he was never even supposed to come back at ALL last season due his Achilles injury? If Travis Etienne came back from his injury and failed to perform, would that be held against his draft stock?

There's simply too much emphasis placed on Akers' production when touch volume is the key driver to fantasy success at running back. In the Rams' divisional playoff win versus the Buccaneers, Akers played 81% of the Los Angeles offensive snaps and out-touched Sony Michel (signed with Miami this offseason) 27 to three.

I expect Akers to be dialed back in as the top RB next season in Sean McVay's consistent 1RB offense, where the team's lead back averages 20-plus touches per game. Darrell Henderson has proven he's nothing more than a replaceable running back that the Rams continue to try and replace.

Not to mention, Akers has a cakewalk of soft-run defenses to open the season against the Bills, Falcons and Cardinals. Won't take long for Akers to pay off his early Round 4 ADP in a high-powered offense.