The Los Angeles Rams had just about enough of Jared Goff after their 2020 campaign. They shipped him off to Detroit in order to acquire new starting quarterback Matthew Stafford. That’s likely the most impactful fantasy football move they made this offseason. The Los Angeles Chargers took three wide receivers in the 2021 NFL Draft (none of them any good) and a running back. What can we expect from these four rookie fantasy football-eligible players in their inaugural campaigns?
FULL LOS ANGELES RAMS DRAFT RESULTS
| Rd | Pick | Player | Pos. | College |
| 2 | 57 | Tutu Atwell | WR | Louisville |
| 3 | 103 | Ernest Jones | LB | South Carolina |
| 4 | 117 | Bobby Brown III | DT | Texas A&M |
| 4 | 130 | Robert Rochell | CB | Central Arkansas |
| 4 | 141 | Jacob Harris | WR | UCF |
| 5 | 174 | Earnest Brown IV | DE | Northwestern |
| 7 | 233 | Jake Funk | RB | Maryland |
| 7 | 249 | Ben Skowronek | WR | Notre Dame |
| 7 | 252 | Chris Garrett | DL | Concordia–St. Paul |
Round 2, Pick 57 Overall: Tutu Atwell, Wide Receiver, Louisville (5’9” 149 pounds)
Depth Chart:
WR1: Cooper Kupp
WR2: Robert Woods
WR3: Van Jefferson
WR4: DeSean Jackson
WR5: Tutu Atwell
WR6: Ben Skowronek
TALENT
Tutu is an extremely fast, vert undersized slot receiver. He doesn’t have a lot on YouTube, but his game against Pitt tells you one thing: if he had a better quarterback, he would get more hype. If Tutu had a QB that didn’t overthrow him or underthrow him, his 4/37/1 line would have been closer to 150 yards with four touchdowns. But, alas, his quarterback hampered him. That having been said, I’m not sure where an undersized slot wide receiver fits in the landscape of fantasy-relevant rookie wide receivers. Especially one who has a weight with no production history. I bench Tutu Atwell as a warm-up, twice a week. And I’m not particularly strong. I hesitate to guess what happens if and when Richard Sherman jams him at the line. But then again, you can’t hit what you can’t touch.
2021 OPPORTUNITY
Tutu fills the deep threat role the Los Angeles Rams didn’t have last season after the Texans handed them a second for the bloated Brandin Cooks contract. That is if they hadn’t signed DeSean Jackson. But, expect Tutu to fill that role as soon as DeSean Jackson gets hurt for the season (third quarter of week one). He’ll get plenty of air yards, and Matthew Stafford certainly can sling it. It’s hard to argue with the offensive opportunity for Tutu Atwell, but he needs to climb out from behind not only D-Jax but last year’s second-round selection, Van Jefferson. Jefferson profiles more as an intermediate-range target (10.2 average depth of target) than a true deep threat. That having been said, a deep threat straight up did not exist in the Los Angeles Rams offense last season.
Tutu Atwell will have a shot at production this year, there’s no doubt about that. The only question is if he will do anything with his opportunities.
2021 FANTASY FOOTBALL OUTLOOK
I can’t fault anyone taking a late-round flier on a second-round pick, but Tutu Atwell’s profile has never been my cup of tea in any sort of fantasy football leagues. Deep threat guys tend to be all-or-nothing players, who tend to get overdrafted given their inconsistent week-to-week production. Still, he’s worth a dart throw at the end of your drafts just to see what happens now that Sean McVay has a QB who knows which direction the sun rises and sets.
TALENT
2021 OPPORTUNITY
2021 FANTASY FOOTBALL OUTLOOK
Round 4, Pick 141 Overall: Jacob Harris, Tight End, UCF (6’5” 219 pounds)
Depth Chart:
TE1: Tyler Higbee
TE2: Brycen Hopkins
TE3: Jacob Harris
TALENT
The NFL had Jacob Harris listed at wide receiver, but the Rams have him on their depth chart as a tight end, so that’s where I put him. He is in an interesting situation because he is clearly part of the Los Angeles Rams’ desire to get more vertical. Harris had an average depth of target of 16.6 yards downfield in his last year at UCF and has a 9.88 RAS as a wide receiver. He has off-the-charts athleticism for a tight end, but he’s a little slight for the position at 219 pounds. Harris is a great sleeper tight end… for 2022. He still needs to learn the game, but his athleticism is undeniable and flies off the tape.
Harris a little awkward with his body movements, and can’t block worth a lick, but he’s a freak athlete who the Los Angeles Rams likely stash on the practice squad this season with the hopes that he bursts onto the scene in 2022.
2021 OPPORTUNITY
He is, at best, the seventh passing option on the team as a converted rookie tight end. Things would have to have fallen apart entirely in Los Angeles if Jacob Harris ever tops 25% of snaps in a game.
2021 FANTASY FOOTBALL OUTLOOK
He’s a rookie tight end! Don’t bother!
TALENT
2021 OPPORTUNITY
2021 FANTASY FOOTBALL OUTLOOK
Round 7, Pick 233 Overall: Jake Funk, Running Back, Maryland (5’10” 203 pounds)
Depth Chart:
RB1: Cam Akers
RB2: Darrell Henderson
RB3: Raymond Calais
RB4: Jake Funk
TALENT
Jake Funk is an interesting case. He’s fast, but not too fast. He’s powerful, but he’s not too powerful. Funk also does a great job of maximizing blocking, without being a value-add himself. He doesn’t cut but deftly weaves through traffic. In the end, Funk maxes out as a good depth guy in the NFL, who a team ideally doesn’t use, but can breathe a sigh of relief knowing they have him in their hip pocket. Like a hand grenade, I guess. He’s strong and always falls forward, bringing tacklers with him, and he has good hands, but the whole package isn’t much to write home about.
2021 OPPORTUNITY
Ideally, Funk stays on special teams in his rookie year, because it means both Cam Akers and Darrell Henderson went down with injuries. I doubt the Rams have him in their plans as anything but a change-of-pace guy in 2021, so I don’t plan on seeing him (except when my 49ers blow out the Rams).
2021 FANTASY FOOTBALL OUTLOOK
If he gets into a game as the short end of a platoon, then he could possibly do some damage as a depth flex. But, I’m not bothering with him in 2021 until he shows me something.
TALENT
2021 OPPORTUNITY
2021 FANTASY FOOTBALL OUTLOOK
Round 7, Pick 249 Overall: Ben Skowronek, Wide Receiver, Notre Dame (6’3” 224 pounds)
Depth Chart:
WR1: Cooper Kupp
WR2: Robert Woods
WR3: Van Jefferson
WR4: DeSean Jackson
WR5: Tutu Atwell
WR6: Ben Skowronek
TALENT
Honestly, I’m not entirely sure what Skowronek does well. He is just a big guy who played bully ball at Notre Dame by beating up on smaller cornerbacks, a luxury he won’t have at the NFL level. He’s not a refined route runner, doesn’t have particularly exciting hands or separation ability, and he doesn’t run particularly fast. Skowronek’s best path forward as a member of the Los Angeles Rams is as a special teamer.
2021 OPPORTUNITY
I doubt he sees 50 offensive snaps all year, a number that he will fly past during the preseason.
2021 FANTASY FOOTBALL OUTLOOK
Skowronek’s ceiling is a preseason DFS darling in 2021.
TALENT
2021 OPPORTUNITY
2021 FANTASY FOOTBALL OUTLOOK
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