What You Need to Know:

• Akers tore his right Achilles while training last July.
• That injury typically costs players 9-12 months, which would have had Akers out for the entire 2021 season. But he crushed that timeline and returned for the regular-season finale on January 9 – less than 6 months after the injury.
• Akers played 13 snaps in his first game back, carrying 5 times for 3 yards and catching 3 of 3 targets for 10 yards.
• His playing time ramped up during the Rams’ 4-game run to the Super Bowl.
  • Akers registered snap rates of 53%, 81%, 39% and 57%.
  • He totaled 67 carries (55.8% share)
  • He saw 10 targets (7.0% share)
• Akers was inefficient over that 4-game stretch. He didn’t top 3.7 yards per carry in any game and finished the playoffs with 2.6 yards per carry.
• Akers tallied a 41.1 Pro Football Focus rushing grade in the playoffs. That would have ranked dead last by a wide margin among 50 qualifying RBs during the regular season.
• But …
  • He was just 6 months removed from a significant injury that often sidelines players a full year.
  • He faced a tough slate of run defenses. The Cardinals, Buccaneers, 49ers and Bengals all finished top 13 in Football Outsiders’ 2021 rush defense DVOA.
  • The Rams running game struggled in general during the playoffs, with RBs Sony Michel, Darrell Henderson and Jake Funk combining for 2.9 yards per carry.
• Akers was the 52nd overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft after totaling 2,875 rushing yards, 486 receiving yards and 34 total TDs across 3 seasons at Florida State. The 5’10, 217-pounder earned an 88th percentile Relative Athletic Score at the Combine.
• Akers dealt with rib and ankle injuries as a rookie while sharing the backfield with RBs Darrell Henderson and Malcolm Brown.
• He finished the regular season with a 145-625-2 rushing line and 11-123-1 receiving.
• Among 47 RBs with 100+ carries in 2020, Akers ranked 36th in PFF rushing grade and 32nd in Elusive Rating.
• He took over as the Rams’ feature back late in his rookie season. Over his final 6 games (including playoffs), Akers averaged 22.0 carries and 2.3 carries per game.
  • His scoring averages in those games would have ranked 13th among RBs in PPR points and 8th in non-PPR during the regular season.
• So, over his last 10 games (omitting his return in Week 18 last year), Akers has registered the following snap rates and total opportunities (carries + targets):

• HC Sean McVay called Akers a "3-down back" and a "very special player" in February 2021.
• McVay also talked up Akers’ ability in the passing game last offseason, before the Achilles tear:
  • “He’s obviously a great runner, but he’s got ability as a pass-catcher coming from the backfield, and we can displace him and put him in the slot or the outside receiver location. There’s not any limitations, but we’ll see how it comes to life.”
• The Rams did not re-sign Sony Michel, who led the team last year with 208 carries. They return RB Darrell Henderson and spent a 5th-round pick on Notre Dame RB Kyren Williams.
• The 2021 Rams ranked just 23rd in rushing attempts, 25th in rushing yards and 28th in rushing TDs. But they finished top 10 in rushing TDs in each of HC Sean McVay’s first 4 seasons; top 10 in rushing attempts and yards in 3 of those 4.
• The 2021 Rams ranked 11th in Pro Football Focus’ run-blocking grades and 6th in Football Outsiders’ Adjusted Line Yards.
• The Rams lost LT Andrew Whitworth to retirement and RG Austin Corbett to Carolina in free agency.
  • Joe Noteboom, who has just 672 career snaps at LT, is expected to replace Whitworth.
  • 3rd-round rookie Logan Bruss is penciled in at RG.
  • This unit might take a significant step back after ranking 13th in PFF pass-blocking grades last year.

Draft Sharks Bottom Line:

Kudos to Akers for making it back to the field last year just 6 months after tearing his right Achilles. That’s an injury that usually takes 9-12 months to return from.

So it’s not surprising or very concerning that he struggled during the Rams’ Super Bowl run. The big question now is whether Akers will be back at least close to pre-injury form for the 2022 campaign.

If he is, there’s clear RB1 upside. This should again be a strong offense. And it’s clear that the Rams want Akers to be their feature back.

Akers is worth the gamble if you can get him in the 3rd or 4th round of your fantasy draft.