For the first time this season, the Los Angeles Rams will be without both Puka Nacua and Davante Adams when they face the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. They've missed both receivers at different points this season, but never in the same game; Nacua missed Weeks 2 and 3, while Adams has been out since Week 7.
With Nacua and Adams on the shelf, the Rams will deploy an unheralded and unproven group of receivers this week. Konata Mumpfield, Tutu Atwell, CJ Daniels and Xavier Smith will lead Los Angeles' wideouts against Arizona, entering this game with a combined 18 catches for 261 yards and one touchdown on the year.
Whether you have Nacua and/or Adams in fantasy football or not, you might be wondering which Rams receiver to start this week. That's
a great question, and also one that's extremely difficult to answer.
Which Rams wide receiver should you start in fantasy?
Ideally, you won't have to start any of them this week. But if you're in a deeper league with 12-14 teams, you might not have a choice – especially if your team has been bitten by the injury bug.
When it comes to the Rams' receivers, there's no such thing as a "safe" option this week, but one of them is safer than the others. That player is Konata Mumpfield.
He's played the most snaps, has the most receptions and yards, and has a skill set that fits best with what the Rams are looking for from a true No. 1 receiver. He's not an outstanding blocker like Mumpfield, but he's willing to put his face on defenders and clear lanes for his running backs. That's crucial in an offense like the Rams' where 13 personnel is a staple. He should be the receiver on the field in those packages, therefore giving him the highest floor.
Atwell isn't a very good blocker, Smith is small but willing, and Daniels is a rookie. That makes Mumpfield the best of the bunch.
And as a true receiver, Mumpfield stands above the rest. Adams has praised his route running, praising him for "killing" the Rams' corners with his routes last year as a rookie in practice. That allows him to create separation, and without Nacua on the field, Matthew Stafford will have no choice but to look Mumpfield's way.
If you want a higher ceiling, Atwell might be the choice. He won't see a high volume of targets, but he's capable of scoring a 40-yard touchdown. That's useful in fantasy, but there's also a chance he catches 2 passes for 20 yards and barely scores any fantasy points, especially since he's not much of a red zone threat.
Then there's Daniels. Stafford complimented the sixth-round rookie this week for doing a "hell of a job" in practice and standing out on film. Stafford said he's "excited" to work with Daniels, indicating he could get his first real chance to contribute after playing only six snaps in the first nine games.
Sean McVay also said there's "no question" Daniels will get more snaps moving forward.
“He's going to get that," McVay said of Daniels getting more involved. "He's done a great job. I don't know that I could really say any areas of improvement until he gets truly his opportunity. With the way that he's worked consistently, the way that he shows up day in and day out. I think if you asked a lot of our ‘DBs’ [Defensive backs] about him they give you a bunch of positive feedback because of the looks, the challenges. He has a lot of maturity for a young guy like I've talked to you guys about. He is a guy that, no question about it, will get an opportunity to play more snaps moving forward.”
If you're desperate and in need of a miracle, go for Atwell or Daniels in fantasy. But if your floor is already on the higher side, Mumpfield will be the safer option.
Really, though, you don't want to be starting any of these receivers this week. The Rams are likely to lean on the run and their tight ends in a game where they're heavy favorites over the Cardinals.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Which Rams WR should you start in fantasy football this week?
