PAST PRODUCTION
During his three seasons at Florida State, Cam Akers rushed for 2,875 yards and 27 TDs, adding 69 receptions for 486 yards and seven TDs through the air. Akers was the focal point of his college offense. As a junior, he accounted for 39.8% (90th percentile) of his team’s yards and TDs while commanding a 10.4% target share (78th percentile). Akers did average a pedestrian 5.0 YPC across his college career, but most attribute this to abysmal offensive line play.
After his junior season, Cam Akers declared for the 2020 NFL Draft. He measured in at 5’ 10”, 217 lbs., and, with a 4.47 40-yard dash, he registered an impressive 89th-percentile speed score. The Los Angeles Rams selected Cam Akers in the second round of the NFL Draft to pair with Darrell Henderson and Malcolm Brown.
Akers got off to a bumpy start as a rookie. After suffering a rib injury in Week 2, Akers failed to make much of an impact until Week 12 when he rushed nine times for 84 yards and a TD against the 49ers. Starting in Week 13, Cam Akers seized control of the Rams’ backfield. He played at least 61% of the offensive snaps in each of the team’s last six games, rushing 132 times for 561 yards and three TDs and adding 147 yards on 11 receptions.
2021 OUTLOOK
Based on his usage down the stretch in 2020, Cam Akers appears to have a firm grip on the Rams’ backfield heading into 2021. Darrell Henderson will return in a change-of-pace role, while Malcolm Brown has signed with the Miami Dolphins.
In 2020, the Rams were seventh in rush percentage, running roughly 45% of the time. As early NFC favorites, they should see enough positive game scripts to maintain a high rush percentage in 2021. The Rams have also ranked in the top eight in plays per game for three straight seasons. These two factors–a high overall play count and a high rush percentage–combine to create a fantastic situation for Cam Akers.
In 2017 and 2018, the Rams were top three in scoring. With Matthew Stafford at the helm, we could see that prolific offense make a return. Efficiency will improve. More drives will end in TDs. And Stafford has never been shy about targeting the RB, either. Theo Riddick and Joique Bell combined for six seasons of 60+ targets during his time in Detroit, while D’Andre Swift was targeted 57 times in just thirteen games in 2020.
I believe that Cam Akers is primed for a massive breakout in 2021 and, according to Underdog Fantasy’s Best Ball ADP, the public seems to agree. Akers is currently being drafted as the twelfth overall player and ninth running back off the board. He’s in the same range as Ezekiel Elliott, Nick Chubb, and Austin Ekeler, which is right where he belongs.
DYNASTY ANALYSIS
Cam Akers was a dominant college running back. He has prototypical size and a three-down skillset. He will be tied to a prolific offense for the duration of his rookie contract and, by the way, he still has not turned 22 years old. For these reasons, Cam Akers deserves to be treated as a top-5 dynasty RB. He is an excellent player to target for rebuilding and contending rosters alike, especially if you can use the brand equity of older RBs like Alvin Kamara, Dalvin Cook, or Ezekiel Elliott to get a little extra in return
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