ESPN projects Rams players' 2025 stats: Minimal rookie contributions, big year for Puka

With the bulk of free-agent signings and the NFL draft now in the rearview mirror, the Los Angeles Rams' roster for 2025 is pretty much set. They could still sign additional veterans or trade for a starter before the season begins but we've gotten a clear picture of what the team will look like in the upcoming season.

ESPN's Mike Clay projected season stats for the Rams' top contributors, both on offense and defense. This is primarily for fantasy purposes as he attempts to predict who will be the top players in fantasy football this season.

Clay notes that most players top out at 15 games played simply to account for injury rates across the NFL and that these numbers are strictly for the regular season, excluding playoffs. So, how are things looking for the Rams?

For starters, their rookie class isn't expected to have much of an impact based on Clay's projections. When it comes to Matthew Stafford and Kyren Williams, their numbers are in line with the last couple of seasons. And Davante Adams is projected to have a 1,000-yard season in his first year with the Rams.

Quarterbacks

• Matthew Stafford (15 games): 340-for-519, 3,935 yards, 25 TDs, 11 INTs
• Jimmy Garoppolo (2): 45-for-67, 541 yards, 4 TDs, 2 INTs

Those numbers for Stafford are just about on par with what he's had in recent years with the Rams. Only throwing 25 touchdown passes would be slightly disappointing but it'd still be his highest since 2021 when he threw 41 touchdown passes. He's also averaged 3,864 yards in the last two seasons so this projection would be consistent with Stafford's usual output.

Running backs

• Kyren Williams (14): 266 carries, 1,174 yards, 11 TDs (36 catches, 239 yards, 2 TDs)
• Blake Corum (14): 97 carries, 412 yards, 3 TDs (9 catches, 64 yards)
• Jarquez Hunter (14): 38 carries, 164 yards, 1 TD (4 catches, 30 yards)

Clay's projections for Williams are on track with what he's had in recent years, averaging 272 carries and 1,222 yards with 13 touchdowns in the last two years as the starter. Clay doesn't seem to think the Rams will be taking much off his plate, still giving him 266 carries in the 14 games he's projected to play.

Corum had just 58 carries for 207 yards last season, so this would be an uptick in production for the second-year running back.

Hunter doesn't look to be very involved in Clay's projections, carrying it just 38 times for 164 yards in his rookie season. The Rams don't often lean heavily on rookie running backs, so it's possible they'll lean on Williams and Corum in the immediate future.

Wide receivers

• Puka Nacua (15): 144 targets, 99 catches, 1,312 yards, 6 TDs (13 carries, 77 yards, 1 TD)
• Davante Adams (15): 126 targets, 79 catches, 1,080 yards, 8 TDs
• Tutu Atwell (15): 68 targets, 43 catches, 538 yards, 2 TDs
• Jordan Whittington (15): 45 targets, 30 catches, 365 yards, 2 TDs
• Xavier Smith (15): 11 targets, 7 catches, 82 yards

It's clear Clay expects Nacua to be the No. 1 wide receiver still, even with Davante Adams coming aboard. Both are projected to have great seasons, each topping 1,000 yards with 14 combined touchdowns, but it's Nacua who puts up better numbers. If they can each stay healthy, the Rams' passing attack is going to be dangerous.

Atwell has had 483 yards and 562 yards in the last two seasons, so Clay's projections are on track with his recent performance. For a $10 million receiver, though, the Rams would love for him to have a true breakout season.

Whittington is projected to be the No. 4 receiver with Smith primarily being a gadget player and return specialist. Notably, Clay doesn't have Konata Mumpfield, the Rams' seventh-rounder, making the 53-man roster.

Tight ends

• Tyler Higbee (15): 69 targets, 49 catches, 453 yards, 4 TDs
• Terrance Ferguson (15): 22 targets, 16 catches, 161 yards, 1 TD
• Colby Parkinson (15): 17 targets, 12 catches, 115 yards, 1 TD
• Davis Allen (14): 5 targets, 4 catches, 36 yards

Clay expects Higbee to remain the top tight end, catching 49 passes for 453 yards in his first full season since 2023. Behind him is Ferguson, who has some disappointing projected stats from Clay with only 161 yards on 16 catches.

As the Rams' top pick, those would be underwhelming numbers for the rookie tight end, who's a terrific athlete and might be the best pass-catcher at the position.

Defensive linemen

• Kobie Turner: 804 snaps, 65 tackles, 6.1 sacks
• Poona Ford: 590 snaps, 39 tackles, 3.1 sacks
• Braden Fiske: 579 snaps, 41 tackles, 5.2 sacks
• Tyler Davis: 375 snaps, 31 tackles, 1.1 sacks
• Desjuan Johnson: 129 snaps, 10 tackles, 0.8 sacks
• Ty Hamilton: 96 snaps, 7 tackles, 0.4 sacks

It's clear who the Rams' top three defensive linemen are, and they're expected to play the majority of the snaps up front. Turner is poised for another big year, as is Fiske. Ford will be more of a run defender for the Rams as their new nose tackle, but 39 tackles and three sacks would be solid for a player at that position.

Hamilton is another rookie with poor projected numbers from Clay, making just seven tackles with nearly half a sack in ESPN's projections.

Edge rushers

• Jared Verse: 804 snaps, 62 tackles, 7.9 sacks
• Byron Young: 793 snaps, 58 tackles, 6.0 sacks
• Josaiah Stewart: 375 snaps, 25 tackles, 3.2 sacks
• Brennan Jackson: 161 snaps, 11 tackles, 1.5 sacks
• Keir Thomas: 107 snaps, 7 tackles, 0.8 sacks

Verse and Young were outstanding in their first season together last year, combining for 12 sacks. Verse only had 4.5 due to the fact that he had a few called back by penalties and he missed tackles on a handful of occasions, so he should trend up with closer to 10 sacks in 2025, if not more.

Stewart is a promising rookie and Clay expects him to be the most impactful player from the Rams' draft class. As the No. 3 edge rusher, he could approach five sacks for Los Angeles in his first season. Michael Hoecht had three sacks last season as the third edge rusher.

Linebackers

• Troy Reeder: 911 snaps, 118 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 0.7 INTs
• Nate Landman: 536 snaps, 77 tackles, 0.6 sacks, 0.3 INTs
• Omar Speights: 193 snaps, 28 tackles, 0.3 sacks, 0.2 INTs
• Chris Paul Jr.: 21 snaps, 3 tackles, 0.0 sacks, 0.0 INTs

Here's where things get really confusing. Reeder was viewed as more of a depth signing by the Rams this offseason, mostly as insurance behind the other three linebackers on the team. However, Clay projects him to be the starter despite the fact that he was essentially benched after getting injured last season.

Speights and Landman have a much better chance to play most of the snaps at linebacker, with Reeder not even being certain to make the team.

And as for Paul, it's really tough to see a scenario where he only plays 21 defensive snaps given the lack of proven talent ahead of him on the depth chart. No one should be surprised if he's a starter by the end of the year.

Cornerbacks

• Quentin Lake: 1,019 snaps, 105 tackles, 0.8 sacks, 1.0 INT
• Darious Williams: 943 snaps, 60 tackles, 0.0 sacks, 1.7 INTs
• Cobie Durant: 697 snaps, 43 tackles, 0.2 sacks, 1.4 INTs
• Ahkello Witherspoon: 375 snaps, 24 tackles, 0.1 sacks, 0.9 INTs
• Derion Kendrick: 161 snaps, 12 tackles, 0.0 sacks, 0.3 INTs
• Josh Wallace: 54 snaps, 4 tackles, 0.0 sacks, 0.1 INTs
• Emmanuel Forbes: 32 snaps, 3 tackles, 0.0 sacks, 0.1 INTs

The cornerback group has a lot to sort out but in all likelihood, some combination of Williams, Durant and Witherspoon will be the starters on the outside with Lake as the nickel defender again. Kendrick, Wallace and Forbes have paths to playing time if they can stand out in camp but it'll be an uphill climb.

Trading for Jalen Ramsey or another veteran cornerback could shake this group up but until that happens, this is the collection of players the Rams will likely roll into the season with. There's a lot of potential but also a fairly low floor.

Safeties

• Kamren Curl: 1,019 snaps, 86 tackles, 0.8 sacks, 2.7 INTs
• Kamren Kinchens: 804 snaps, 83 tackles, 0.1 sacks, 2.5 INTs
• Jaylen McCollough: 214 snaps, 23 tackles, 0.3 sacks, 0.6 INTs

Lake could also be considered a safety in base packages because he plays every snap when healthy, but these are the three true safeties expected to contribute this season. Curl is another every-down player like Lake and should have an even better season in 2025, though projecting him for nearly three interceptions when he has none in the last four years is ambitious.

Kinchens and McCollough are entering Year 2 in the NFL and should play meaningful snaps again. Both were key contributors as rookies in 2024.

Special teams

• Joshua Karty: 28-for-33 FGs, 41-for-43 PATs
• Ethan Evans: 62 punts, 2,903 yards, 46.5 average, 25 punts inside 20

Karty made 29 of his 34 field goal attempts last season, good for an 85.3% make rate. That's about where this projection has him, so it's consistent with his rookie performance.

Evans was one of the top punters in 2024 and should remain as such this season.

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This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams 2025 season: Projected player stats from ESPN