2015 Fantasy Football: Rams Roster Fantasy Predictions

Welcome back to another fantasy football season.

This is the first of what will be many articles over the next six months. We will continue to review the best waiver wire pickups early each week as well as possible over and underachievers based on weekly rankings. I will also have a DFS section listing weekly bargains. Finally, we will review the Rams' weekly fantasy projections.

In the next few weeks, I will reveal my top 200, the best fantasy draft bargains, the major reaches and a variety of fantasy football content throughout the preseason to get everyone ready for their drafts. Please hit me up on Twitter or in the comments below with any questions or requests going forward.

In our first 2015 look, we will break down who at this point I see as the top three Rams fantasy performers as well as three guys who I think will not make much of a season impact.

Top 3 Rams Fantasy Options

Rams D/ST

With the additions and another year under Rams Defensive Coordinator Gregg Williams, the sky should be the limit for this group. They have to avoid the slow start like last year in the sack and turnover categories and should have a schedule that solves that issue. They should be a top 10 fantasy defense especially when including special teams, but I would tend to avoid this group against heavy passing teams if your league gives negative points for yards and ppg until they prove they can keep teams like that under wraps.

Tre Mason

This is probably not the Rams RB you thought you would see, but I think he is a nice mid-late round target in fantasy drafts as he should get the bulk of the carries for at least the first eight games. The schedule is not great, but with his volume and big play ability, I see him getting around 650 total yards and five TDs in the first half of the year going over 1,000 and seven TDs for the season.

Jared Cook

The fantasy TE position is very weak this year outside the top three or four. I can see him being a being a safe target for new Rams QB Nick Foles leaning on quick throws being needed with the inexperience of the OL. Cook also seemed to be singularly pumped about Foles which may increase his effort for those 50/50 balls which we have not really seen often. I am seeing about 60 catches, 800 yards and five TDs which puts him in the bottom of the top 10 among fantasy tight ends.

Bottom 3 Rams Fantasy Options

Todd Gurley

He will be drafted in middle of most drafts based on his draft position as well as college highlights.  I think there are better players available to play right away in his draft position.  He is less than a year off of his torn ACL and unless you are Adrian Peterson, this mean the players needs at least a calendar year to fully rehabilitate. Even then, that player might not be back to 100% until the next season.  I can see him going on the PUP to be safe; even when back, 10-12 carries a game in a job share with Mason and lesser extent Benny Cunningham seems possible.  I am projecting 500 total yards and three TDs.

Nick Foles

His career has been a tale of two seasons.

The first was ahistorical when he was new to the league as well as having all-pro talent around him and a healthy and experienced OL.  Last year, his production dropped off due to talent leaving as well as OL injuries.  With the Rams' very inexperienced OL, I can see a very safe and conservative offense. Add in his injury history, and I am projecting 13 games, 3200 yards, 21 TDs and 15 INTs.  These stats are not those of a top tier starting fantasy football QB.

Tavon Austin

According to Rams Offensive Coordinator Frank Cignetti, he is looking at him as purely a WR. The interesting thing is, his production per play as a RB is close to what he gives as a WR. I just do not see the volume on offense to make him relevant for fantasy purposes.  I am projecting 500 total yards and two TDs on offense.

Thank you for reading and looking forward to a great fantasy football season!

Fantasy Mike