I know a lot of you read that headline and may have cringed. All I will ask is that you hear me out. I know Cam Akers may have burned some of you guys in the past:
I will say I have been burned by Akers, like many others have. However, I’m asking you to give this guy another chance. I’m not saying you have to draft him, but at least consider it.
Let’s be completely honest. Cam Akers was absolutely awful through Week 12 last year and looked like he was set up to be one of the worst draft picks in 2022. Akers had an ADP of 34 (RB18) last season. Through Week 12, Akers did not have a weekly finish (PPR) higher than RB30 — truly horrendous.
Yet, Akers turned it on starting in Week 13. I believe his close to the 2022 season should give you some hope for this season.
WEEKS 13 THROUGH 18
With his kryptonite, Darrell Henderson Jr. out of the picture, Akers was able to prove his worth. As the Rams’ feature back from Weeks 13-18, Akers averaged just over 18 PPR points per game on roughly 17 carries per game. This performance placed Akers as the RB4 in this time frame.
While this is a fairly small sample size, just take a look at these splits:
While this level of full-season production will not happen, these numbers are certainly promising for what Akers can do as a feature back.
Outside of overall performance, some additional metrics from this six-week span are encouraging. He averaged 4.9 yards per attempt and 50 percent of his yards came after contact. Additionally, Akers ranked eighth in evasion rate, (missed tackles + broken tackles per attempt) creating a broken or missed tackle on 18 percent of rush attempts. While this metric does not directly translate into fantasy success, it shows Akers has the ability to be a quality running back who can create big plays for himself.
OFFENSIVE PRODUCTION
Akers was able to have dominant fantasy production at the end of 2022 despite playing on a terrible offense. All I really need to say is that Baker Mayfield was under center during Akers’ explosion and that should get the point across.
However, let’s take a look at some team stats. The Rams ranked 27th in scoring offense, 26th in total passing offense, and 28th in total rushing offense. To make matters worse, the Rams were seventh in blown block percentage on rushing plays. The Rams’ offensive line was not exactly helping Akers, but he was still able to succeed. Thankfully, the Rams added Steve Avila in the second round of the draft, which should benefit Akers and the run game.
In 2023, the Rams’ offense will profit from the return of Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp. Ideally, it will significantly improve as a whole and the offense can return to its 2021 form, where they ranked eighth in scoring offense and ninth in total offense. An improved offense will allow Akers to see more touches and more opportunities in the red zone. During the six-week span in 2022 that we discussed, Akers had 18 rezone carries. This shows that the Rams are willing to rely on him with important touches. Akers will compete with Kupp for red zone touches next season, but I believe he will have the opportunity to make a significant fantasy impact.
THE FINAL TAKE
Akers is set up to be the feature back for the 2023 Rams. I don’t believe Kyren Williams or rookie Zach Evans pose serious threats to Akers. From Weeks 13-18, Williams saw just 16 carries, while Akers saw 104.
Sean McVay has also shown that he has no issue giving a heavy workload to one running back. It wasn’t too long ago that McVay made Todd Gurley a fantasy superstar with ridiculous volume. Additionally, McVay recently expressed his excitement and hope for Akers to pick up where he left off. The third-year back is just 23 years old and is entering a contract year. Given Akers’ current circumstances, McVay’s vote of confidence, and Stafford’s health situation, I expect Akers to be a candidate for massive volume.
With an improved offense, strong potential to be a feature back, and a track record that shows he can produce, I believe Akers can have a strong 2023 campaign. Akers currently has an ADP of RB23 and is slotted in the same spot on The Wolf’s 2023 Fantasy Rankings. With his current mid-round price, I believe Akers could be one of the biggest steals of 2023.