Akers OUT for Week 6

Rams RB Cam Akers is out for Sunday's game vs. the Panthers for personal reasons, HC Sean McVay said Friday. McVay wouldn't provide any other details and declined to say whether Akers will rejoin the team going forward, per The Athletic's Jourdan Rodrigue. We'll update the situation as we learn more. Akers' absence leaves Darrell Henderson as Los Angeles' lead back. Don't expect efficient play in a struggling Rams running game, but Henderson should see enough volume to put up RB2 numbers this weekend. Malcolm Brown will be the Rams' #2 RB.

Rams RB Cam Akers ran for 123 yards on 19 carries in Sunday's loss to the Chargers. That marked his 2nd straight game of more than 100 yards rushing but just the 2nd time all season that a Rams RB has exceeded 65 rushing yards. Unfortunately, RB Malcolm Brown claimed the team's lone TD. Akers closes out the season with a Seattle defense that hit Week 17 as the 2nd-best scoring matchup for RBs by adjusted fantasy points allowed.

Rams RB Cam Akers racked up 118 yards and 3 TDs on 23 carries in Sunday's beatdown of the Broncos. The numbers mark big jumps over his previous season highs. Akers has scored 6 rushing TDs over his past 4 games, though, and topped 5.0 yards per carry in 2 straight games. He now looks much more attractive as a Week 17 fantasy football option at the Chargers than we would have expected even heading into Week 16. RB Malcolm Brown added 19 yards on 2 carries. RB Kyren Williams rushed 6 times for 18 yards.

Rams RB Cam Akers led the team in both rushing and receiving in Sunday's loss vs. the Packers. The third-year back posted 12 carries for 65 yards on the ground in addition to reeling in all 3 of his targets for 35 yards in the receiving game. The only other Ram of note from this game is TE Tyler Higbee, a player who found the end zone on top of his 4 catches on 5 targets for 27 yards. At this stage of the fantasy season, it is tough to trust any Rams player (RB, WR, TE, or otherwise) with playoff hopes on the line in Week 16. The Broncos' defense ranks in the bottom 12 in adjusted fantasy points allowed to both RBs and WRs this season. Akers might be a decent flex option at best, but that's about it as far as the Rams are concerned.

Rams RB Cam Akers easily led Sunday's backfield in the loss to the Seahawk, rushing for 60 yards and 2 TDs on 17 attempts. Kyren Williams handled the only 3 other RB carries for the team. He watched his lone target fall incomplete. Akers added a catch for no gain as he beat Williams 19-11 in routes, according to Pro Football Focus. This backfield remains wildly inconsistent and near-impossible to predict for fantasy use. The Rams do get an upside matchup, though, with the Raiders on Thursday night.

The Rams started RB Darrell Henderson in Sunday's loss to the Saints, as usual. But he logged just 4 snaps for the game. That gave way for RB Cam Akers to lead in carries (14) and rushing yards (61). Rookie RB Kyren Williams followed with 7-36 rushing and saw the only 2 RB targets. He caught 1 for 8 yards. We'll see if HC Sean McVay offers any insight into this prize-less Whac-a-mole game that is the Rams backfield.