Los Angeles Rams vs Pittsburgh Steelers
Los Angeles Rams
This game was ugly from an offensive standpoint. The Rams held the ball for 28:20 and were unable to do anything at all with it. The Steelers held the ball for 31:40 and were a little bit more successful, although they were almost as anemic as the Rams. The game was mostly even throughout, providing little insight into usage in different game scripts.
Quarterback
- Jared Goff: 22/41, 253 yards, 2 INT’s
After a long and frustrating relationship, I think I have to break up with Jared Goff.
The Rams offense is terrible every time they face a somewhat capable defense. The offensive line cannot protect him, Todd Gurley’s screens are a thing of the past, and the playcalling has regressed significantly. I have no idea what Sean McVay is doing, but all his creativity and offensive genius has all but disappeared. I don’t know if the league has caught up with him, the offensive line is just that bad, or he has inexplicably forgot how to coach a football team. Regardless, the dynamic passing offense of yesteryear is all but dead and gone.
Goff thrives in the hurry-up offense, so it makes no sense to me why they keep huddling and slowing the game down with runs that go for 3 yards and long-developing routes down the field. Goff is not free from blame, but with a different game plan, he could be better than he has been. Instead of play-action bootlegs, they have Goff stand in the pocket motionless as the defense collapses on him. Goff is not a quarterback you can start with any confidence going forward, especially against the Bears defense next week that pretty much started his downward slide into mediocrity.
Running Backs
- Todd Gurley: 12 carries, 73 yards | 4 targets, 0 receptions
- Darrell Henderson, Jr: 4 carries, 4 yards
- Malcolm Brown: 5 carries, 10 yards
Todd Gurley, one of the most potent offensive weapons of his generation, has been neutralized by poor playcalling, poor offensive line play, and injuries. It’s sad to watch as he is hammered forward again and again for 2 yards. It’s a situation reminiscent of David Johnson last year, except McVay is supposed to be a good coach. Additionally, he is sharing snaps with Darrell Henderson, Jr. and Malcolm Brown. Henderson was similarly unable to find much rushing room or passing work, so I don’t blame Gurley much at all for his struggles. This offense is a trainwreck, and Gurley’s fantasy production is an added casualty. Whenever he got a sliver of room, he looked good and almost near his former self. Anyone who faded Gurley this season has to be feeling smart, although probably for the wrong reasons; nobody could have predicted the entire offense falling off a cliff. Combined with the injury risk, Gurley is tough to trust moving forward, and any other Rams running backs can be safely dropped.
Wide Receivers/ Tight Ends
- Cooper Kupp: 4 target, 0 receptions
- Robert Woods: 11 targets, 7 receptions, 95 yards
- Josh Reynolds: 5 targets, 3 receptions, 49 yards
- Gerald Everett: 12 targets, 8 receptions, 68 yards
As Goff struggled mightily, so did the Rams pass-catchers. Robert Woods was the main beneficiary today but still did nothing of note. Cooper Kupp disappeared as the Steelers focused on him almost exclusively. He was double covered for most of the game, and as he stalled so did the offense. It seems as if defenses simply have to focus on Kupp and the Rams offense will be terrible. Anyone hoping for a sneaky tight end start with Gerald Everett got some production in PPR leagues, but Josh Reynolds did nothing inserted into the starting lineup in Brandin Cooks’ absence.
If you were forced to start any of these secondary options with so many teams on bye, my condolences to you. Kupp should hopefully get back on track, and you can’t bench him now. Woods, however, is not an every-week starter anymore, and neither is Everett, Reynolds, Cooks, or whoever else is in this offense. I’m not saying to drop Woods, but I am saying that what this offense has done in the past has no bearing on this year. They look awful and show no signs of life.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Quarterback
- Mason Rudolph: 22/38, 242 yards, 1 TD
On the other side of the ball, Mason Rudolph outplayed Goff, although that’s not saying much. The Rams defense was much better than their offense as they made life very difficult for Rudolph. He was consistently pressured and had little help with his running game. I doubt most people are starting Rudolph anyways, as he has a low ceiling and floor, but this game confirms that Rudolph should not be started in any format. He did enough to win the game, however, so if you are desperate he should remain the starter for the rest of the year. Ben Roethlisberger isn’t coming back and the Steelers are still in the playoff hunt, which may lead to pass-friendly game scripts. Especially if James Conner remains out, the Steelers will remain committed to the pass, for better or for worse.
Running Backs
- Jaylen Samuels: 14 carries, 29 yards | 7 targets, 3 receptions, 11 yards
- Tony Brooks-James: 6 carries, 11 yards
- Trey Edmunds: 4 carries,1 yard | 3 targets, 2 receptions, 14 yards
Jaylen Samuels was efficient with his limited touches today, but this Steelers offense is not what it once was. Last year when Conner was injured, Samuels balled out and was a great start. But this year, without Big Ben and with a timeshare, Samuels does not have nearly the same upside. The Steelers rotated in recently activated back Tony Brooks-James and Trey Edmunds to spell Samuels, making it tough for owners who were expecting Conner-like volume. Samuels can be a decent flex play against worse defenses, especially given his pass-catching prowess, while Conner is out. But he can’t replicate Conner’s usage or productivity, so Samuels owners should lower their expectations. It also seemed that Rudolph didn’t look Samuels’ way so much in the short passing game as he had in the past couple weeks. His absurd 15-catch performance may not be repeated.
Wide Receivers/ Tight Ends
- Juju Smith-Schuster: 6 targets, 3 receptions, 44 yards
- Diontae Johnson: 6 targets, 4 receptions, 64 yards
- James Washington: 7 targets, 6 receptions, 90 yards, 1 TD
- Vance McDonald: 7 targets, 3 receptions, 11 yards | 1 carry, 2 yards
Juju Smith-Schuster continues to give fantasy owners fits. Without Big Ben and Antonio Brown to take away attention from him, Juju has taken a giant leap backward. He will still have some decent games, but his floor and ceiling are so much lower than in the past. It seems as though James Washington and Diontae Johnson are Rudolph’s favorite targets. Any of the 3 can be started as a desperation flex play, although not with much confidence. Vance McDonald is also a shaky start at tight end. He was touted as a breakout candidate before the season, and it has not come to fruition at all. Given the rough landscape at tight end, I doubt there are better options on the waiver wire, but McDonald should be benched if you have another option. This offense is too anemic to support many pieces, and McDonald is certainly not being prioritized.
— Ryan Comeau