The Rams earned their first victory of the season last week, beating the 49ers 27-24. Matthew Stafford’s ($5,600) fourth-quarter heroics got all the headlines, but Kyren Williams ($7,300) was Los Angeles’ MVP. The third-year running back scored a career-best three touchdowns, accumulating 116 yards from scrimmage.
LA will look to continue their momentum in the Windy City, taking on a 1-2 Bears team with plenty of problems on offense. While preseason rookie of the year candidate Caleb Williams ($5,600) has struggled out of the gate, the Bears defense has stepped up, allowing the third-fewest yards per game. Keeping that in mind, Sunday’s over/under of 41 points suggests that scoring won’t be easy to come by.
So, should we expect another visit to the end zone for Kyren?
They might be difficult to score against, but offensive issues have prevented the Bears from holding a lead for most of the season. Los Angeles has spent most of the year playing from behind as well, leading to plenty of passes for Stafford. In spite of all the factors going against a running back, Williams has produced, putting up 222 yards from scrimmage and a league-leading four touchdowns.
In this matchup, the biggest advantage the Rams have is on the ground. According to NFL’s Next Gen Stats, Chicago’s defense has allowed 39 rush yards over expected, 11th worst in football. Although Los Angeles has only rushed for a mediocre 3.4 yards per carry this season, that average is skewed by a Week 2 blowout in Arizona. Head coach Sean McVay has schemed up numerous top-ten rushing offenses in the past, so I’d expect LA to get it going on the ground sooner rather than later.
It’s no secret that Los Angeles’ offense runs through its star running back. Due to injuries and poor play, the Rams have often been forced to abandon the run, but Sunday should be different. In a game that has the makings of a grind-it-out affair, I’d expect a heavy dosage of Kyren.
While a Williams anytime touchdown at -155 is a steep price, playing first touchdown at +425 or two touchdowns at +380 makes sense this weekend.
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