ESPN projects 2022 stats for Rams players: How many yards for Stafford and Kupp?

[theramswire.usatoday.com] ESPN projects 2022 stats for Rams players: How many yards for Stafford and Kupp?


Cameron DaSilva
June 10, 2022 10:57 am PT


Projecting any player’s stats in a given season is incredibly difficult. ESPN’s Mike Clay, as he does every year, undertook the task of projecting numbers for just about all of the starters in the NFL, including the Rams’ top players.

Sorted position by position, Clay shared his projections for players such as Matthew Stafford, Cam Akers, Cooper Kupp, Allen Robinson, Aaron Donald and others. He doesn’t see Kupp topping his historic numbers from last season, but Clay still expects the Rams receiver to produce another 1,300-plus-yard season with double-digit touchdowns.

Below is a breakdown of Clay’s projections for key players, with the full breakdown available here.

Passing
Matthew Stafford: 382-for-576 (66.3%), 4,356 yards, 32 TDs, 14 INTs, 35 sacks
This would be a slight regression for Stafford, although it would also be three fewer interceptions than he threw in 2021. Last season, he had 4,886 yards and 41 touchdowns on 601 attempts, so Clay is expecting Stafford to throw the ball less, and in turn, put up milder numbers.

Still, the Rams would take 4,356 yards and 30-plus touchdowns, though he seems poised to top those projections.

Rushing
Cam Akers: 269 carries, 1,097 yards, 8 TDs
Darrell Henderson Jr.: 90 carries, 397 yards, 3 TDs
Could this be Akers’ first season of being fully healthy and leading the backfield? It should be. And if he is able to stay available for all 17 games, he should easily top 1,000 yards rushing. Henderson’s durability is a much bigger question, but he fits nicely as a change-of-pace back behind Akers, as well as a fill-in if Akers gets hurt.


Receiving
Cooper Kupp: 156 targets, 115 receptions, 1,355 yards, 10 TDs
Allen Robinson: 120 targets, 72 receptions, 924 yards, 6 TDs
Van Jefferson: 84 targets, 48 receptions, 704 yards, 5 TDs
Tutu Atwell: 42 targets, 26 receptions, 321 yards 2 TDs
Tyler Higbee: 72 targets, 52 receptions, 504 yards, 5 TDs
It’s really hard to fathom Kupp eclipsing the 145 catches and 1,947 yards he put up last season. It’s not impossible, but that was one of the best seasons ever by a wide receiver. Even 115 catches and 1,355 yards would be a great campaign for Kupp, which is where Clay has him finishing.

Robinson should see a healthy share of targets as the No. 2 receiver, especially if the Rams don’t bring back Odell Beckham Jr. Only six touchdowns feels a little low for him, given his size and catch radius as a red zone threat.

Clay expects Atwell to get much more work than he did as a rookie, while Higbee once again leads the tight ends with his usual 50-catch, 500-yard season.


Defense
Aaron Donald: 76 tackles, 10.9 sacks
Greg Gaines: 58 tackles, 4.3 sacks
Leonard Floyd: 65 tackles, 8.8 sacks
Bobby Wagner: 158 tackles, 1.3 sacks, 1.1 INT
Ernest Jones: 76 tackles, 0.9 sacks, 1.0 INT
Jalen Ramsey: 76 tackles, 2.8 INT
Troy Hill: 74 tackles, 0.8 INT
Taylor Rapp: 82 tackles, 1.6 INT
Jordan Fuller: 100 tackles, 1.3 INT
Clay projects another 10-sack season for Donald, as well as nearly nine sacks for Floyd. They’re going to be the primary sources of pressure for the Rams and they’re both expected to play a ton of snaps.

Gaines will once again be the starting nose tackle and Clay pegs him for about four sacks and 58 tackles – a solid year, but maybe not enough to get him to the Pro Bowl.

At linebacker, Wagner and Jones will both make major contributions. Wagner is projected to put up big numbers in the Rams defense, and there’s no reason to believe he won’t – especially with so much attention paid to Donald.

Ramsey and Hill will combine for about three or four picks and 150 tackles, according to Clay, with Rapp and Fuller remaining the two starting safeties. That’s still to be determined, though, with Nick Scott vying for Rapp’s role.