The Rams got a big win over the Lions on Sunday despite losing star receiver Davante Adams to a hamstring injury. The team is on a short week as they visit the Seahawks this Thursday, and Adams’ potential absence opens up fantasy value for other pass-catchers on the roster, including Tutu Atwell.
Can Atwell step up as a fantasy football sleeper on Thursday Night Football? Who else gets a boost from Adams injury? How likely is it that Adams misses this week’s contest? We’ll take a look at the answers to these questions in this post!
Davante Adams injury update
Adams was already dealing with a hamstring issue in advance of each of the Rams’ past two games, but he left Sunday’s win against the Lions early after aggravating the injury in the fourth quarter. Adams went to the locker room and was announced as questionable to return but never made it back to the field.
After the game, coach Sean McVay said that Adams is unlikely to play Thursday, though McVay “wouldn’t rule (Adams) out quite yet.” McVay said on Tuesday that Adams would not practice with the team in their only on-field work before Thursday’s matchup, but that the veteran receiver would still be given “every chance” to play.
It seems most likely that Adams gets a questionable tag and is ultimately ruled out, but it’s still uncertain how the situation will play out. It’s a huge game for the Rams’ season and a win would be huge for their playoff position, likely giving Adams time to recover more fully before the postseason.
Who would get an upgrade without Adams?
While Puka Nacua is obviously the team’s go-to option with Adams a close second, the rest of the receiver room is very unclear. In Week 15, Tutu Atwell and Jordan Whittington each only played four snaps (6%) while Konanta Mumpfield played 32 snaps (44%).
Mumpfield only got one target in all those snaps, though, and didn’t haul it in. The second-year receiver from Pitt has played 14 games this season with five catches on nine targets for 42 yards and this touchdown in Week 7 in London.
Even though Mumpfield played more snaps, Tutu Atwell caught one of his two targets for nine yards. Atwell had missed the last six games due to a hamstring injury, so he may not be ready for a full role yet, but the fact that he only played four snaps and got two targets shows how much he has the trust of Matthew Stafford.
He’s only played seven games this season and has five catches for 173 yards and a touchdown, which came in Week 4 against the Colts.Atwell could be a key replacement for Adams, but he’s high-risk since he was so limited in his return from injury.
Jordan Whittington could also be in the mix, but he only has one catch in the last three weeks, and seems to have fallen behind Mumpfield on the depth chart when both are healthy.
Colby Parkinson’s Productive Position
Besides those three receivers getting more work, tight end Colby Parkinson could also get some more attention, putting him in a smash spot against his former squad in Seattle.
Parkinson was one of my top waiver wire pickups for this week, and he has become a top option, especially near the end zone. He has scored six touchdowns in the last six weeks with multiple catches in each contest.
He had five catches for 75 yards, two touchdowns, and a season-high 24.5 fantasy points against the Lions this week.
He will be in a favorable matchup for tight ends this week as he faces his former team, the Seahawks. Seattle has allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to tight ends this season and Parkinson had a touchdown against them in Week 11.
The Bottom Line
If Adams is out against Seattle, Parkinson locks in as a top starting option this week in all standard-sized leagues. Atwell would be the most likely receiver to get more work, but he remains boom-or-bust due to his potential limitations. Mumpfield would also be a sleeper you could consider in very deep leagues.
Since the matchup is on Thursday, the Rams are not on the main slate but are still featured in the showdown slate, highlighted by the NFL Showdown $1.25M Thursday Night Showdown [$300K to 1st] (LAR @ SEA). Atwell has a salary of only $3,400 in a FLEX spot and would be a great value, while Mumpfield is even cheaper at $2,000.
Parkinson is $5,400, which is cheaper than the backup QBs, and he is only $8,100 if you build around him as your Captain’s Pick, which would make sense given how productive he has been lately and how juicy the matchup is against the Seahawks.
