Rams QB Matthew Stafford threw for just 157 yards with 1 TD and 1 INT in Sunday's win over the Chargers. it was his second straight game of less than 200 yards and third in a row under 225. That span started with the Week 6 contest in which WR Davante Adams left early with a hamstring injury.
What They're Saying
Nate Atkins of The Athletic: "Matthew Stafford looks like he doesn't trust anyone he's throwing to who isn't Puka Nacua. He's just dirting balls rather than taking the risk of a contested catch while nobody is getting open."
Blaine Grisak, Rams content creator for SI.com: "Not Matthew Stafford's best day, but did enough. Rams need to get him another weapon before the trade deadline. The passing game remains condensed and one-dimensional. ... Matthew Stafford is very clearly not comfortable with his WR options outside of Nacua. Looks very unsettled in the pocket."
Injuries Expose Thin Depth Chart
The Rams seem to be in good shape at receiver when everyone's healthy, with Nacua and Adams dominating opportunities. But Adams has missed two games and is expected to sit out at least four more.
TE Terrance Ferguson has exacerbated the issue by going missing since Week 3 with an ankle sprain. It's not yet clear when he'll return.
The past two games -- since Adams went down -- have found all non-Nacua Rams WRs combining for just 3 catches on 9 targets.
2026 Fantasy Football Impact: You Can Probably Do Better Than Stafford Next Two Weeks
L.A. gets bad pass defenses from Washington and Arizona the next two weeks, matchups that should make Stafford an attractive fantasy play.
The veteran QB did get there with TDs before Sunday's contest, finishing top-13 among fantasy QBs in three straight weeks before the Chargers matchup.
But Week 8 revealed how flimsy that reliance on TDs can be, and the Rams have proved willing to go run-heavy when facing an overmatched opponent.
Expect Stafford to land outside the top 12 QBs in our weekly rankings the next two weeks. That doesn't mean you'll need a replacement if Stafford's typically been your starter, but you should at least check to see if better options sit available.
We'll see about the health of his pass-catching corps and Stafford's recent numbers on the other side of the Week 11 bye.
