Beanie Wells Expected to Start, Will Propel Cardinals to Victory

Beanie Wells is expected to start in Week 9 despite a sprained knee, and I think the star running back will lead his team to victory Sunday afternoon.

After being listed as questionable all week, ESPN's Adam Schefter is reporting that Wells will likely start against the St. Louis Rams.

If he is anywhere near 100 percent, Wells will dominate the Rams and their weak run defense. The third-year running back is having the best season of his career and is on pace of 1,000 yards.

He's already racked up 506 yards through six games this season. He's averaging 4.5 yards per carry and his 7 rushing touchdowns is tied for third most in the NFL.

Last week he ran for 83 yards and one touchdown against the terrifying Ravens defense, despite playing with his gimpy knee.

Today, he faces a much less fearsome St. Louis defense. The Rams are allowing a ridiculous 165.5 rushing yards per game, which is dead last in the NFL.

The Cardinals will be relying heavily on Wells, as they will likely be starting second-string quarterback John Skelton. Skelton was 2-2 in four starts last season, but completed just 47.6 percent of his passes.

The Rams front four will be wreaking havoc on Skelton all day long, so a heavy dose of Wells will be necessary. Last week, St. Louis tormented Drew Brees, sacking him six times and intercepting two of his passes.

This will likely be an ugly game, as matchups between two 1-6 teams are rarely pretty.

Expect a few turnovers from each squad, plenty of Beanie Wells rushing yards, and ultimately, a Cardinals victory.

Final Prediction: Cardinals 24, Rams 17