Is Kyren Williams in danger of losing his starting workhorse role for the Los Angeles Rams?
Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams has been one of the most productive running backs in the NFL over the last two seasons, with consecutive 1,000-yard seasons in 2023 and 2024. However, heading into a contract season, his job long-term might not be safe. While Williams has stated his desire to remain in Los […]
Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams has been one of the most productive running backs in the NFL over the last two seasons, with consecutive 1,000-yard seasons in 2023 and 2024. However, heading into a contract season, his job long-term might not be safe.
While Williams has stated his desire to remain in Los Angeles, the Rams' rushing attack has been so stale and unexplosive with Williams as the lead back that it has prompted plenty of questions about how much meat is being left on the bone when the Rams run the ball behind their stellar offensive line.
The Athletic's Jake Ciely went through every NFL team's backfield to find which starters are most likely to lose their jobs. He ranked the Rams as the fifth-most likely backfield to see a change this season, given the Rams' string of drafted running backs and Williams' play and frequent injuries.
"Death. Taxes. The Rams draft running backs. So, you could argue that Williams’ role is in jeopardy or that Les Snead and Sean McVay are doing what they always do. The “Williams is a risk” camp will point to Williams’ inefficiency, ranking 35th of 37 running backs with 150+ touches in yards per touch (4.2). Only Kareem Hunt (4.1) and Rhamondre Stevenson (4.0) were lower, and we covered Stevenson losing his gig already. Williams wasn’t great in yards per carry either (4.1, which was 28th), but he was in line with Joe Mixon and just 0.1 behind Breece Hall and Alvin Kamara. The truth is Williams is much like Mixon — reliant on volume for Top 10 value — but that doesn’t mean Hunter or Corum is taking his job without advertising an upgrade in performance. Corum averaged just 4.1 YPT and 3.6 YPC last year, and Hunter is a lot like Michael Carter or Chase Edmonds. If Williams falters early, McVay could pull the plug, as he has done before with Cam Akers and Darrell Henderson, but I don’t believe Williams is at risk from Day 1. If anything, how McVay treats his lead running back merely points to Corum and/or Hunter being great bench stashes if Williams gets hurt or loses his grasp on the lead role because of prolonged struggles."
While I wouldn't necessarily call Williams "inefficient" as a runner, there's a larger point here.
Rams' general manager Les Snead loves using baseball terms to describe football, so I'll use one here.
Williams is a consistent singles and doubles hitter, but lacks that top-end explosive power to hit more than that. He's smart, physical, and always falls forward trying to pick up additional yards. While that certainly has value, it's understandable why the Rams are reluctant to pay him a good chunk of change on his next contract.
If the Rams are churning out a 1,300-yard 2024 and a 1,144-yard 2023 with a player who isn't overly explosive, what could they do with a player who can hit those marks? That's why they traded up to draft Jarquez Hunter in the 2025 NFL Draft.
While I don't think Kyren Williams is in any danger of losing his starting job as the workhorse for the Rams this season, he has been injured every season. His long-term outlook is in jeopardy with the team.