The biggest relationship drama in the NFL isn’t whether Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift are dating, but whether Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay and running back Cam Akers are going through a breakup.
The Rams did Akers inactive for the team’s Week 2 game against the San Francisco 49ers. Akers is healthy and will miss the game by coach’s decision. Other teams believe Akers is on the trade block, according to Jay Glazer of Fox.
Akers doesn’t seem to know what’s going on and takes to social media to say he’s confused.
I’m just as confused as everyone else. Although I am blessed 🤷🏾♂️
— Cam akers (@thereal_cam3) September 17, 2023
It’s another disappointing development between Akers and the Rams. Akers and McVay have had a complicated relationship over the past year. Questions arose early in the 2022 NFL season when Akers caught just three carries in Week 1. He got more work in the next four games, but found himself inactive in Weeks 6 and 8 amid rumors that the Rams wanted to trade him.
That deal never materialized. Akers returned to the Rams in Week 9 and had some solid games down the stretch. The Rams did little to address the linebacker position in the offseason, and Akers was expected to get plenty of work in 2023.
Fantasy managers assumed that and took Akers in the fifth or sixth round in most Yahoo Sports leagues.
Akers got a lot of work in Week 1 and finished the week tied for the NFL lead with 22 carries. But the workload was deceptive. When the game was close, Akers was beaten and passed by Kyren Williams. Akers got most of his drives when the game was decided late in the fourth quarter.
As a result, Williams saw a huge increase in fantasy numbers on Yahoo Sports. Williams entered the 2023 season in 5% of fantasy teams. That number jumped to 53% after his Week 1 performance. Williams gained 52 yards on 15 carries and found the end zone twice in a 30-13 win over the Seattle Seahawks. With Akers out, Williams will likely handle most of the carries for the Rams in Week 2.
Akers, meanwhile, will wait to see what happens. This isn’t the first time he’s been rumored to be on the trading block. No trade happened the last time Akers was reportedly available, and it’s hard to imagine the Rams getting a ton back since this is the second time the team has reportedly considered trading him.
That might not matter at this point. McVay and the Rams seem intent on going in a different direction at running back. Akers will have to hope the change of scenery leads to better production. Once again, Akers’ time in Los Angeles appears to be over.
