2015 Fantasy Football Outlook for St. Louis Rams Stars
The 2015 fantasy outlook for the St. Louis Rams is tied to a new stadium more than any football-related factor. Jared Cook, Kenny Britt and Tre Mason might not get a lot of help if the Rams’ future location is still up in the air come the opening of free agency.
Missouri governor Jay Nixon made the most recent move in the Rams relocation saga, promising to streamline construction costs while keeping deadlines in the $900-plus million project due to open in 2020.
The biggest setback is Rams owner Stan Kroenke is not yet on board. In fact, Kroenke has a stadium proposal of his own…in Los Angeles.
Head coach Jeff Fisher wasn’t able to attract another offensive coordinator from outside the organization after Brian Schottenheimer left for the same position at the University of Georgia.
Instead, Fisher promoted Frank Cignetti and Rob Boras from within, according to Albert Breer of NFL.com via Twitter.
"Rams name QBs coach Frank Cignetti offensive coordinator, TEs coach Rob Boras asst HC/offense. Cignetti calls play. Boras runs the run game.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) February 12, 2015"
Fisher hasn’t overseen a top-10 scoring offense since 2003 with the Tennessee Titans, according to Pro Football Reference.
Neither Cignetti or Boras called plays previously at the NFL level, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Both come from a Rams offense ranked 25th, 21st and 21st over the past three seasons, according to Pro Football Reference—St. Louis ranked 25th in standard fantasy scoring in 2014.
Fisher said Cignetti and Boras were targeted for promotion from the start because he wanted to tweak the offense, not overhaul it, according to R.B. Fallstrom of The Kansas City Star.
"We are going to change, but change is good. This change is going to be very, very good for our offense. We need to do it better, we need to execute, we need to minimize mistakes. We need to reduce the amount of information that we're giving to the players and go out and execute.
"
If St. Louis’ lineup of potential fantasy stars don’t produce, Fisher’s job is likely to be in jeopardy after his fourth year with the Rams.
Honorable Mention
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Isaiah Pead, RB
Pead is a candidate for salary-cap relief, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post Dispatch. The Rams took Pead out of Cincinnati—Go Bearcats!—in the second round of the 2012 draft.
All Pead did is touch the ball 31 times for 169 yards in three seasons, according to Pro Football Reference. An ACL tear ended his 2014 season before it started.
If Pead isn’t released—nobody claimed him off waivers before he transferred to the Rams' injured reserve—he’ll compete with Trey Watts for the RB4 spot behind Tre Mason, Benny Cunningham and Zac Stacy.
Trey Watts, RB
Watts finished his rookie season fourth on the running-back depth chart as an undrafted free agent out of Tulsa—Go Golden Hurricane!
At this point, his biggest claim to fame is he’s the son of the former Oklahoma and CFL star J.C. Watts.
Chris Givens, WR
Givens production dropped drastically from a promising rookie season in 2012. The fourth-rounder out of Wake Forest—Go Demon Deacons!—put up 42 catches for 698 yards and three touchdowns that season, per Pro Football Reference.
By 2014, Givens lost his starting gig and managed just 11 catches for 159 yards and a touchdown. He’s another potential cap casualty, per Thomas.
Whether he sticks with the Rams or is released, Givens should be avoided for fantasy purposes in 2015.
Lance Kendricks, TE
Kendricks outscored Jared Cook five touchdowns to three in 2014. But the 2011 second-rounder out of Wisconsin played out his rookie contract without an extension. He isn’t a likely franchise-tag candidate, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com.
St. Louis is in bad shape versus the salary cap, ranked fourth-worst with just $1.3 million to spare, according to Over the Cap. The Rams will likely allow the backup tight end to test the market, promoting Corey Harkey, Justice Cunningham or finding a replacement in the draft.
Kendricks could be a sleeper in 2015 on a better offense.
Zac Stacy, RB
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Expectations were high for Stacy to build on his 973-yard, seven-touchdown rookie outburst, according to Stacy’s No. 11 rank on ESPN.com’s 2014 Average Draft Position tracker.
But those expectations didn’t materialize as Stacy dropped below rookie Tre Mason and Benny Cunningham on St.Louis’ depth chart early in the season.
Stacy responded responsibly when Jeff Fisher praised him for his patience, according to Joe Lyons of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
"It’s a unique situation, a very strange situation. But at the end of the day, it’s a business—some players tend to forget that—but I’m still here, obviously, and I’m fortunate to have this opportunity to play in the league.
It doesn’t matter if you’re first string or fifth string, you just have to be professional about yourself in terms of preparation.
"
Pro Football Focus graded Stacy tops among his running mates, but Jeff Fisher and his staff clearly saw it differently.
The 2013 fifth-rounder out of Vanderbilt doesn’t deserve a spot on your fantasy bench if he can’t get off St. Louis’.
Austin Davis, QB
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Davis “Wally Pipped” opening-day starter Shaun Hill after Hill left the opening game with a thigh injury.
The relative-unknown out of Southern Mississippi—Go Golden Eagles!—earned Kurt Warner comparisons while throwing for 937 yards and six touchdowns to only two interceptions over the next three games.
Brett Favre—who also quarterbacked for Southern Miss—weighed in via ESPN’s Ed Werder.
"Austin can definitely play at this level. Not to sound off my rocker, but [Davis]—in my mind—can be the next Tom Brady or Kurt Warner. [Brian] Hoyer as well. Austin, like those mentioned, just needed a legit opportunity.
"
Those comments came after Davis and the Rams shocked the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, 28-26 in Week 7. His 85.7-percent completion rate ranked first of all time for any QB against the defending champion, according to ESPN.com .
Unfortunately for Davis and the Rams, 2014 would not be like 1999. Just three weeks later, he returned to the pines after losing three fourth-quarter turnovers against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 10, according to Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk.
Hill wasn’t impressive, but he held the QB1 spot for the rest of the season.
Davis is a restricted free agent expected to return to St. Louis to compete with Hill and Sam Bradford if either or both are retained. He carries little fantasy relevance even if he wins the starting job in 2015.
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Shaun Hill, QB
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Hill became the unexpected regular-season starting quarterback when Sam Bradford tore his ACL for the second time in as many years. The 10-year veteran then injured his thigh and lost the starting gig to Austin Davis for the next eight games.
Davis committed too many errors, thus handing the job back to the journeyman, according to Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk.
"Davis has shown flashes of talent, but he has also made some big mistakes, including three fourth-quarter turnovers in Sunday’s loss to the Cardinals. Fisher wants a veteran he can trust not to make game-changing mistakes, and Fisher thinks Hill is the guy. At least for now.
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Hill played it conservatively—as expected—never topping 290 yards, two touchdowns or two interceptions in his final seven starts of 2014, according to Pro Football Reference.
Now it’s up to general manager Les Snead, Fisher and Frank Cignetti to solidify the critical position for 2015. Fisher named his favorite in the budding quarterback competition, according to Dan Hanzus of NFL.com.
"It could be a veteran, it could be a draft choice, it could be a combination of that. It could be Austin, it could be Shaun.
We're counting on [Bradford], I'm betting on him, and if that doesn't happen, then we'll win games with someone else.
"
There might be competition for Hill’s services if the Rams don’t re-sign the unrestricted free agent by March 10. Even so, Hill is just a QB2 by NFL standards, meaning he renders no fantasy value in 2015.
Benny Cunningham, RB
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Cunningham stepped up his role as the Rams change-of-pace back with 111 touches for 598 yards and four touchdowns, according to Pro Football Reference.
The 2013 undrafted-rookie out of Middle Tennessee State—Go Blue Raiders!—excelled in the passing game, rating fifth among running backs according to Pro Football Focus.
Cunningham will likely reprise his role as the passing-down option in 2015, limiting his usage—and fantasy value—in a deep backfield.
Sam Bradford, QB
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Bradford is on the trading block, according to CBS Sports.com’s Jason La Canfora via Twitter.
"Sam Bradford has permission to seek a trade. Finding compensation to Rams' liking will be difficult. But his agent can speak to other teams
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) February 18, 2015
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Les Snead denied the report even though the franchise quarterback is recovering from back-to-back ACL tears, according to Will Brinson of CBS Sports.com.
"Contract wise, we'll deal with him and his agents on that. I think it'll work out. We want a healthy Sam Bradford. It's great to talk about. I like to look at the part where if he's good for some team he's good for us.
We just need to … insure the position. Have options in case we get the worst of the luck. I go back to Phil Simms career. He spent seven years banged up, Year 8 he wins the Super Bowl.
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Snead summarized the point when pressed, according to NFL.com’s Connor Orr.
"If some team was interested I certainly don't blame them. But I'll stick to what I said earlier: Deleting him is not the answer. There's stones out there, but once you turn them over, there's nothing underneath them.
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Bradford will make a risky QB add no matter where he ends up. Be sure to stock up plenty of insurance if you’re counting on the injury-prone sleeper in 2015.
Stedman Bailey, WR
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Bailey began 2014 suspended thanks to a performance enhancing drug violation, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport via Twitter.
"The @NFL is suspending #Rams WR Stedman Bailey for 4 games for violating the league’s policy on performing enhancing substance, source says
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 12, 2014"
The 2013 third-rounder out of West Virginia finished the second half strong with 25 catches for 375 yards and a touchdown, according to Pro Football Reference. If you extrapolate those last seven games over an entire season, he would have led the team with 57 receptions and 857 yards.
Bailey surpassed teammate and fellow Mountaineer Tavon Austin—31 catches, 242 yards and zero touchdowns—despite missing four games. Bailey and the Rams also benefited from Austin’s higher profile while orchestrating a stunning special teams misdirection against the Seattle Seahawks.
Bailey’s playing time could suffer if the Rams make good on a promise to get Austin more involved in 2015. Sock him away as a cheap-dynasty sleeper for now and watch how things develop for St. Louis.
Tavon Austin, WR
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St. Louis is still waiting for Austin to achieve the potential that inspired them to move up eight places to take the West Virginia star at No. 8 in 2013. (Buffalo took EJ Manuel and Kiko Alonso with the Rams’ first- and second-round picks).
Austin’s playmaking ability is a focal point of Frank Cignetti’s first year as an NFL offensive coordinator, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Jim Thomas via Twitter.
"And yes, Cignetti says he plans to get Tavon Austin more involved.
— Jim Thomas (@jthom1) February 13, 2015"
Brian Schottenheimer used Austin less at receiver in 2014, down to 31 catches and zero touchdowns from 40 and four, according to Pro Football Reference. The tradeoff became his involvement in the running game, up to 36 carries for two touchdowns from nine and zero in 2013.
Austin graded No. 1 in rushing among wide receivers, according to Pro Football Focus.
Cignetti’s charge will be to get the 5’8”, 176-pound blur out in space—rushing and receiving—where he can do the most damage.
If the marriage works, Austin will merit some flex-appeal as he racks up the touchdowns on offense and special teams in 2015. Just don’t draft him until the later rounds in case it doesn’t.
Brian Quick, WR
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Quick’s production blew up in the first four weeks of 2014. The 2012 second-rounder out of Appalachian State—Go Mountaineers!—caught 21 passes for 322 yards and three touchdowns through that stretch, according to Pro Football Reference.
His season ended as abruptly as it began when a torn rotator cuff landed him on injured reserve after Week 8. Quick would have led St. Louis given the numbers he put up in his six completed starts—64 catches, 973 yards and eight touchdowns.
Quick said the recovery from shoulder surgery is progressing slowly, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
"I’m doing range of motion right now, just trying to get that strength back. I’m using a little weight right now, a three-pound weight just to try and get that strength back up. So we’re moving forward with everything.
"
Thomas added, “Jeff Fisher indicated that Quick might not return until training camp.”
If Quick fully recovers he has the size—6’3”, 218—to become a highly ranked fantasy receiver. Keep him on the sleeper list for now and monitor his progress in camp.
Jared Cook, TE
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Cook is a maddeningly inconsistent fantasy performer at a position full of ups and downs. He finished 15th among tight ends in fantasy scoring (75), according to ESPN.com.
The 2013 free-agent signee from the Tennessee Titans is currently the fifth-highest-paid player on the cash-strapped Rams roster, according to Over the Cap. His average salary of $7.2 million per year ranks seventh among tight ends, which is not always consistent with his performance and demeanor.
He finished third in Pro Football Focus’ dubious tight end drop-rate metric, flubbing five out of 57 catchable balls. Still, Cook’s 52 receptions marked a career high, according to Pro Football Reference.
St. Louis values Cook’s versatility—run-blocking tight ends that can contribute in the passing game rare. Cook tied for 11th in run-blocking at his position per Pro Football Focus.
But run-blocking doesn’t score points in fantasy. Cook will make a decent touchdown-dependent TE2 in 2015, just like 2014…and 2013…and…
Kenny Britt, WR
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Britt once again flashed the talent that prompted Jeff Fisher’s Tennessee Titans to take him in the first round of 2009. He caught a career-high 48 passes for 748 yards and three touchdowns on a one-year contingency with the Rams.
Rotoworld’s Evan Silva ranks Britt seventh in a loaded free-agency class at wide receiver. Pro Football Focus ranks him fifth among receivers that took at least 50 percent of their team’s snaps.
These rankings are important because the receivers above Britt—Demaryius Thomas, Dez Bryant, Randall Cobb, Jeremy Maclin, Torrey Smith—will probably be re-signed or franchised by March 10, according to Gregg Rosenthal and Marc Sessler of NFL.com.
Britt’s open-market value boosts when compared to the likes of Michael Crabtree, Cecil Shorts III and Eddie Royal.
Still, Britt says his goal is to return to St. Louis, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
"I definitely want to come back here. This is a young team. It’s a great young team. They’ve just scratched the surface on what their abilities could be. They’re growing each day, and they’re growing each year.
I’ve only been here one year, so to see how they’ve grown from OTAs to now is just amazing. So I want to see ’em grow even more. I hope I can be a part of that.
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Britt could be an every-week flex in St. Louis or elsewhere in 2015.
Tre Mason, RB
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Zac Stacy started his rookie campaign slowly before averaging 69.5 yards per game in 14 appearances—12 starts per Pro Football Reference. Mason started his rookie campaign similarly, building up to a 63.8 yards-per-game average in 12 appearances—nine starts per Pro Football Reference.
Mason’s emergence relegated Stacy to third string behind Benny Cunningham. The third-rounder out of Auburn joined Cincinnati’s Jeremy Hill as the top rookie running backs per the Pro Football Writers of America, Sports Illustrated.com and NFL.com
Jeff Fisher emphasized St. Louis’ depth at running back, according to James Crepea of the Montgomery Advertiser.
"I think everybody needs a couple of backs, we've got three-plus. We drafted Tre because we felt Tre had something special. It took Tre some time to learn how to play without the football, once he did he got a chance to play and we played him to make plays.
Zac was especially unselfish during this process. Glad we've got both of them. We've got Benny as a change and he's in our third-down role. I think we're in good shape at that position.
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Make no mistake: Mason will be the No. 1 back heading into Rams training camp. He’s an obvious top-20 running back with top-10 potential for the 2015 fantasy season.
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