6 Rams I’m excited to watch as team expected to rest starters

Jimmy Garoppolo expected to start in place of Matthew Stafford in Week 18

The 2024 regular season is all but over for the Los Angeles Rams. LA has wrapped up the NFC West division and expected to rest starters in their final matchup against the Seattle Seahawks. There is still playoff seeding on the line, and it remains to be seen which opponent they will host at SoFi Stadium in the wildcard round.

Even if the outcome of Week 18 does not bear significance for the Rams, this game itself is still important for many—especially those that will see more playing time while the starters rest.

These are the six Rams I’m excited to see in an expanded role against the Seahawks:

Jimmy Garoppolo, QB

Sean McVay’s offense has revived careers of multiple quarterbacks in recent years. Baker Mayfield’s short stint in 2022 paved the path for him to start with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2023 and receive a major contract extension prior to this season. Carson Wentz will also start in place of Patrick Mahomes this weekend for the Kansas City Chiefs.

Jimmy Garoppolo could be the next in line for a bigger opportunity after a rehabilitation stint in LA, especially if a branch off the McVay coaching tree lands a head coaching or play calling role on a team that needs a new signal caller. There’s no question this is an audition for Garoppolo. It could be his last chance to earn a starting role in the NFL, if that’s something important to him personally.

Blake Corum, RB

It’s been disappointing that Corum hasn’t earned a larger role behind Kyren Williams this season. Entering this year it seemed the pair were on a trajectory to form a two-headed monster in the Los Angeles backfield; however, Williams has largely been a workhorse back. We also didn’t see much of Corum in the preseason, as Ronnie Rivers and Zach Evans carried the bulk of the load in the exhibition games.

This matchup against the Seahawks will be the longest look we have of Corum in a Rams uniform, and this will inform our expectations of him for the playoffs and into 2025.

Tyler Davis, DT

He’s flown under the radar, but over the last eight weeks one of the most impressive rookies on the Rams roster is Tyler Davis. The former Clemson Tiger has breakout games in Week 10 against the Miami Dolphins and Week 11 versus the New England Patriots. He had PFF pass rushing grades of 84.3 and 78.4 in those matchups, respectively.

With Kobie Turner and Braden Fiske likely to be on the bench, we could see a full game from Davis. The rookie has yet to play more than 34 defensive snaps on the season.

Emmanuel Forbes, CB

Los Angeles claimed Forbes, the former 16th overall pick in 2023, off waivers from the Washington Commanders. We’ve yet to see him on defense for the Rams, but it’s likely he will play in place of veteran Darious Williams.

Even if Forbes performs admirably against Seattle, it’s unlikely he can carve out a role on the 2024 team in the playoffs. This is mostly an audition for 2025, but this is still an important opportunity nevertheless.

Brennan Jackson, OLB

Jackson was considered a draft day steal amongst EDGE defenders after LA selected him in the fifth round out of Washington State. The rookie missed the first two preseason games and didn’t make his debut until the third and final exhibition.

While his opportunities have been limited, Jackson has played well when he’s been on the field for the Rams. On 20 defensive snaps this year, Jackson has a 70.4 PFF defensive grade. He played nine snaps in Week 7 versus the Las Vegas Raiders and six against the Patriots. He also played a few snaps against the Dolphins and Arizona Cardinals.

Can Jackson continue to play well in an expanded role? If so, he could push Michael Hoecht for his role into 2025 given that Hoecht is set to hit free agency. You can never have too many pass rushers on your roster.

Jordan Whittington, WR

Jordan Whittington outproduced his sixth round draft status early in the season while both Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp were out with injuries. He caught six passes for 62 yards against the Chicago Bears and then posted seven catches for 89 yards the following week against the Green Bay Packers.

But it’s been quiet for the rookie ever since Nacua and Kupp returned. He’s been relegated to the fifth receiver role behind Tutu Atwell and Demarcus Robinson, though to Whittington’s credit he’s been a standout performer on special teams. He recently downed a punt at the opponent’s goal line and recovered the game-winning fumble versus the New York Jets.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Whittington is the focal point of the passing game this weekend against the Seahawks. The 53-man roster doesn’t allow you to rest all key players like you can over the preseason, so he will likely compete against Atwell, Robinson, Tyler Johnson, and Xavier Smith for opportunities at receiver.

Still, Garoppolo could look Whittington’s way early and often as he’s shown to be a capable pass catcher when given the chance.