5 Rams to watch in Week 4 vs 49ers…

5 Rams to watch in Week 4 vs. 49ers

[theramswire.usatoday.com]

Skyler Carlin

Following a road win over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 3, the Los Angeles Rams will have another NFC West matchup on the road in Week 4 against the San Francisco 49ers. The game will take place on Monday Night Football, so the rivalry will be on full display for the entire world to see.

The Rams will enter Monday’s showdown with a 2-1 record, which is currently good enough to be in the top spot in the NFC West. Meanwhile, the 49ers are 1-2 after narrowly losing 11-10 to the Denver Broncos on Sunday Night Football in Week 3.

Ahead of what should be an exciting game between two teams that don’t like each other very much, here are a handful of players to watch from the Rams.

Cam Akers

At the start of the season, it appeared that Darrell Henderson was the lead back for the Rams after dominating the snaps in the backfield versus the Buffalo Bills. Cam Akers would then receive more touches in Week 2 against the Atlanta Falcons before looking like the more explosive running back in Week 3 versus the Arizona Cardinals.

Outside of a goal-line fumble last week, Akers looked like the best version of himself we’ve seen in quite some time. The third-year running back would rush for 61 yards on 12 carries against the Cardinals while scoring his first touchdown of the season.

The Rams have lacked a consistent run game in recent years, but if Akers can run like he did in Week 3, the offense should have loads of success against the 49ers.

Joe Noteboom

The offensive line of the Rams has looked much better in the past two weeks compared to their Week 1 blowout loss to the Bills. Joe Noteboom has been a big part of the improved offensive line play in recent weeks, however, Los Angeles will be tested in Week 4 versus San Francisco.

Noteboom specifically will have to spend the majority of the game trying to keep Nick Bosa off of the back of Matthew Stafford. Bosa is one of the premier edge rushers in the NFL and he’s gotten off to a blazing start this season, notching four sacks and four tackles for loss in the first three weeks.

Slowing down Bosa is easier said than done, but if Noteboom can put together a stellar performance against the Pro Bowl pass rusher on Monday night, it’ll be another step in the right direction for his development.

Ben Skowronek

The Rams have been trying to add some more layers to their offense to begin the season and Ben Skowronek has given them some versatility at multiple positions. After logging most of his snaps in Week 1 at the wide receiver position, the second-year wideout has seen some snaps at fullback in recent weeks.

Sean McVay’s decision to deploy Skowronek at fullback has worked wonders as it’s added a new element to the team’s offense. The big-bodied wide receiver has displayed his blocking ability, along with his ability to run routes and make plays out of the backfield.

Being able to utilize Skowronek at fullback and other positions should be perfect in what should be a physical game between the Rams and the 49ers.

Leonard Floyd

The Rams need more from their group of edge rushers this season following the departure of Von Miller in the offseason. Leonard Floyd has gotten off to a slow start in the sack department as he’s yet to record a sack this season.

The former first-round pick has still been stout against the run, but this is a perfect week for him to make some noise in the passing game. With Trent Williams expected to miss multiple weeks for the 49ers, Floyd should see plenty of Colton McKivitz on Monday night.

McKivitz has started in only four games in his first three seasons in the NFL, so Floyd will need to take advantage of his matchup this week. If Floyd and the other edge rushers on the Rams can create constant pressure on Jimmy Garoppolo, Los Angeles should be able to seize control of the game.

Bobby Wagner

The Rams certainly went out and signed Bobby Wagner in the offseason simply due to him being a premier player at his position. At the same time, this week’s game should go to show that it benefits to add a player of Wagner’s caliber, especially when they are accustomed to facing a certain opponent.

Before joining the Rams, the All-Pro inside linebacker spent 10 seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, so playing the 49ers isn’t a new experience for him. Wagner understands that San Francisco wants to play a physical style of football and he’s ready to match that level of physicality on the defensive side of the ball.

The 32-year-old linebacker has also been utilized differently since joining the Rams as Raheem Morris has been blitzing him more, resulting in two sacks (only three away from a career-high mark). Look for Morris to continue using Wagner in a variety of ways against the 49ers in Week 4.