The St. Louis Rams finally have a reliable receiver after trading a late-round draft pick for Brandon Lloyd. With his Pro Bowl breakout season last year, Lloyd was already a popular player for fantasy football this year. He was also a disappointment thanks to Denver's woeful offensive situation. The switch to Tim Tebow all but doomed his fantasy football prospects. Now the question is what kind of fantasy football impact he might have with the Rams.
Landing with the Rams and reuniting with Josh McDaniels is probably the best possible outcome for Lloyd. He found success in the NFL, finally, under McDaniels, who coaxed a 1,400+ yard season out of him. By default, Lloyd will be the top receiver for the Rams, and he already knows the offense.
The Rams are passing on approximately two-thirds of all offensive plays. Quarterback Sam Bradford has seen his receivers drop ball after ball and fail to get in position to make a grab. Lloyd will get the targets.
Exactly how the offense works with Lloyd remains to be seen. Danario Alexander has seen more snaps than most of his counterparts lately, despite his atrocious catch rate of just some 40 percent. He and Lloyd could give the Rams a pair of downfield options to pair with their two-tight end formations. Or, he could see a number of snaps with Greg Salas in the slot and two tight ends on the field.
The fantasy minds over at Pro Football Focus project Lloyd to be the Rams' leading receiver. They project him to lead the team in targets and receptions from here on out, catching 41 of 74 passes. That's a 55 percent catch rate. He currently has a 58 percent catch rate, and last year he caught 51 percent. PFF also projects him to catch three touchdowns. Those are not exactly the numbers of your best fantasy football wide receiver, but they are serviceable.
You might want to wait on Lloyd this week. Sam Bradford is unlikely to play with a high ankle sprain.