Top Rams players from the 2022 season, No. 5: Cam Akers

The 2022 Los Angeles Rams season featured a lot of changing parts. Franchise cornerstone Andrew Whitworth retired after the Super Bowl. 2021 mid-season trade acquisition Von Miller went east and joined the Buffalo Bills. Robert Woods was traded to the Tennessee Titans. And Odell Beckham Jr went unsigned as he recovered from an ACL tear. From Week 1, the Rams started losing starters to injuries. This forced new names into more prominent roles.

In continuing the countdown list of the 2022 Los Angeles Rams top 15 individual performers, let’s take a quick look first at the current list.

#15 - Van Jefferson, WR

#14 - Tutu Atwell, WR

#13 - Matthew Stafford, QB

#12 - Ernest Jones, ILB

#11 - Michael Hoecht, EDGE

#10 - Tyler Higbee, TE

#9 - Decobie Durant, CB

#8 - Rob Havenstein, RT

#7 - Aaron Donald, DL

#6 - Leonard Floyd, EDGE

The first name in the top five is the Rams season leading rusher…

#5 - Cam Akers, RB

No player had the lowest low and the highest high for the Rams this season than Cam Akers. The third year running back started off the season being called out by Sean McVay, telling reporters that he needed to see more urgency from his starter.

In the first five weeks, Akers carried the ball 51 times for 151 yards (2.9 yard/carry). Prior to week six, McVay announced that Akers would be stepping away from the team because Akers and him had philosophical differences of the offense’s direction/running game approach. The team subsequently placed Akers on the trade block before the NFL trade deadline, attempting to find a suitor that would be willing to give them draft compensation. The Rams even tried to include Cam Akers in a trade to the Carolina Panthers for Christian McCaffery. However, the Panthers declined that offer and opted to accept the San Francisco 49ers trade package. After finding no takers before the deadline, the Rams tried to mend fences with Akers. He returned to the team in Week 9 but was still used in a committee approach with Darrell Henderson.

Things began to change in Week 11 for Cam Akers. In the final eight games, Cam Akers returned to being the Rams feature running back. He saw double digit carries in every game except Week 12 @ Kansas City. But it was the three-game stretch to finish the season that gave hope for 2023. Akers rushed for 100+ yards in each game (118, 123, and 104) and averaged 5.5 yards per carry. It was the first time that a Rams running back had rushed for three straight 100-yard games since Todd Gurley in 2015. What was even more impressive was that Akers production came behind an offensive line consisting of Ty Nsekhe, Matt Skura, Coleman Shelton, and Chandler Brewer. Akers best game came against the Denver Broncos on Christmas Day. The starting RB led the offense with 23 carries, 118 yards, and three touchdowns while also catching two passes for 29 yards. After starting the season with a 50.5 PFF grade against the Buffalo Bills, Akers finished with the Rams second highest season PFF grade (80.7) on offense by season’s end.

The surge in run production has Sean McVay rethinking his approach in the 2023 offseason. He has been interviewing offensive coordinators and his intent is to find someone that will bring a strong run game presence, something the team has lacked under McVay since 2018.