Fantasy Football Player Notes

Kyren Williams has finished RB2 and RB8 in half-point PPR fantasy points per game the last two seasons. Last, year, he had 316 carries in 16 games. Only Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry had more carries. Williams wasn't particularly efficient last year, and the Rams keep adding to their backfield. They drafted Blake Corum in the third round in 2024, and they drafted Jarquez Hunter in the fourth round this year. Williams should remain immensely valuable if he maintains his workhorse role, and it seems likely he will in light of the lucrative contract extension he signed in early August.

Blake Corum never threatened Kyren Williams' workload last year. He could be surpassed on the depth chart this season after the Rams added Jarquez Hunter in the draft. Corum's per-touch numbers last year were expectedly disappointing, with only a 14% missed tackle rate and 1.66 yards after contact per attempt (per Fantasy Points Data). If you're taking shots on this backfield, I would point you in the direction of Williams and Hunter.

Hunter is arbitrage Bhayshul Tuten in fantasy football drafts. Hunter, much like Tuten, is headed to the NFL (Rams) via the fourth round of the NFL draft. Also, like Tuten, Hunter finds himself possibly buried for 2025 behind two veterans, but he also possesses the talent and pathway to surpass one or maybe both of them in the running back pecking order. The Rams thought so much of Blake Corum's rookie season that they addressed running back again this year. Hunter is incredibly talented. Hunter has ranked inside the top 24 in yards after contact per attempt in each of the last three seasons while also sitting in the top 22 in breakaway percentage in two of three years (per PFF). Hunter offers the Rams an explosive element that neither Kyren Williams nor Corum has. Last year, among 46 qualifying backs, Williams ranked 44th in explosive run rate, 37th in missed tackles forced per attempt, and 40th in yards after contact per attempt (per Fantasy Points Data). Hunter could be one of the best values of the fantasy football draft season.