Overnight, news broke that Cooper Kupp (ankle) is unlikely to play in Week 7. Instead, Matthew Stafford will be left with the likes of Tutu Atwell, Jordan Whittington, Tyler Johnson, and Colby Parkinson as his primary targets. It’s a must-win game against the Raiders, and if McVay wasn’t confident his game plan without Kupp could get the job done, he’d be out there.
A lot of Rams fans expected this; even without Kupp, the Rams are favored by a touchdown on DraftKings Sportsbookat home. There is, also, of course, the speculation that they might be resting Kupp so as to preserve his health for a possible trade. Speculations abound.
Regardless, alongside this came the news that rookie wideout Jordan Whittington (shoulder), who is coming off a seven reception for 72 yard performance in Week 6, is likely to suit up.
We know Stafford spreads the ball out, but we also know how he likes to choose a deputy of sorts in his wide receiver group to count on in high-leverage situations.
Tomorrow’s entire game constitutes a high-leverage situation. I think either Whittington or Atwell is going to be the prime beneficiary of Cooper Kupp’s potential absence. But which?
Analysis
Tutu Atwell always seems to be there for Matthew Stafford when he needs a receiver to make a big, unlikely play, doesn’t he? In the 2024 season, Atwell is averaging 16.5 yards per reception. And that’s about what it feels like on film. Atwell makes big plays—explosive plays, really, if we want to use analytics parlance—for the Rams when they need it.
Which is to say, I think he’s a fine flex for tomorrow. The Raiders rush defense is among the worst in the league, so we know Kyren Williams and Blake Corum should eat. But, in deeper leagues, I think you can consider Atwell a decent shot at a high-upside target in a situation where his team will need the flavor of big plays that he provides.
If we’re talking your standard leagues or DFS contests, I think I’m leaning towards spending on Whittington. I wrote about him two weeks ago and compared his route trees to that of Puka Nacua’s during Nacua’s first five games as a rookie.
Let’s focus on one in particular, in which Nacua logged seven receptions for 71 yards on 11 targets (Week 5 against PHI). A fairly similar line to Whittington’s in Week 5 against Green Bay in 2024, no? Even eerier: Nacua ran 41 routes in this game against the Eagles—same number Whittington ran Sunday against the Packers.
Here’s Puka’s route chart in that game:
Now, here’s Whittington’s from the Packers game:
It’s not exactly a reach to say that the Rams have Whittington working the same part of the field, and, in some cases, running the same routes on Puka’s tree. Whittington has had a few more opportunities in the backfield, and has more hitches incorporated here than Nacua did against the Eagles. But that might just be because Stafford in 2024 doesn’t have the time that 2023 Stafford might have had behind a better offensive line.
Even if Kupp was playing today, I expected Whittington to be running a similar tree. And, seeing as this pattern has led to Whittington garnering 18 targets across the last two games, I expect this production to continue tomorrow.
Bottom Line
It’s a little bit of a bummer! Cooper Kupp is one of the NFL’s legacy marquee players that makes watching the game enjoyable. It would be great to see him on the field, but it sounds like we’ll have to wait until at least Thursday night against the Vikings for him to suit back up.
There’s paths to production for both players, here, but I think we’re going to see a lot of Kyren Williams and Blake Corum in this game. Whittington will benefit from that, as he’ll be Stafford’s security blanket across the middle. Atwell, on the other hand, will break loose for an explosive play or two. But that might mean he ends the day with two receptions for 46 yards.
There’s some touchdown dependence for Atwell, I think, in tomorrow’s game that Whittington’s route and increased opportunities avoid.
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is thegreatdansby9) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
Dan Johnson has been an editor, writer, and analyst for DraftKings and DraftKings Network since 2024. He’s previously held editorial posts at The Paris Review, Macmillan Publishers, Bedford/St. Martin’s Press, ASSIGNMENT Magazine, and FantasySixPack. You can find his various editorial work & writing (sports-related and non-) at all of the above.
Disclaimer
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is thegreatdansby9) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skills and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
