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    Is Kyren Williams or Cam Akers a Waiver Wire Add in Week 13?

    Should fantasy football managers add Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams or Cam Akers off the waiver wire to play against the Seahawks in Week 13?

    The Los Angeles Rams are looking to exact some revenge against their NFC West foe, the Seattle Seahawks, in Week 13. Fantasy football managers can’t ignore the opportunity to add talent before the fantasy playoffs begin in the coming weeks. Also, with most trade deadlines either passed or coming up on Wednesday, the window to make a deal is limited.

    Two playmakers who could prove to be a valuable addition are Rams running backs Kyren Williams and Cam Akers. We’re on top of all angles in this matchup for fantasy managers and bettors alike. Let’s dive into whether you should add Williams or Akers off the waiver wire and start them against the Seahawks.

    Kyren Williams or Cam Akers: Who Should You Add From the Waiver Wire?

    The Rams continue to put us in uncertain positions when it comes to how to play their running backs in fantasy football. The surprising release of Darrell Henderson Jr., and the continued usage of Akers, who was thought to be an outcast just one month ago, has put us in a strange situation, where we are unsure of how to proceed.

    Akers has carried the ball at least eight times over the last two weeks. However, he only played 30% of snaps in Week 12 after playing 39% of the snaps in Week 11. The Rams’ matchup this week with the Seahawks is much more favorable than last week’s against the Chiefs, but Akers is far from a sure thing to be considered to start.

    With only one touchdown on the ground this season, playing Akers is truly a roll of the dice. Though it makes sense that he would become the goal-line back due to his size and playstyle, with a favorable matchup against Seattle, LA’s running game is simply not good enough to fully trust. Some of that is due to Bryce Perkins being the starting quarterback.

    The Rams have invested more into Williams recently than they have Akers, considering the latter was on the roster bubble not long ago. Williams was the fifth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, but he didn’t log his first carry until Week 10 against Arizona. Even then, he has only 19 rushing attempts on the season and played 21% of snaps in Week 12.

    MORE: Fantasy Football Cut List Week 13

    Ronnie Rivers and Henderson were more consistent and trustworthy backs for fantasy purposes. Unfortunately, with those two out of the picture, we are left to choose between two who do not have the full trust of the staff despite their talents.

    If you can’t get Akers on the waiver wire, consider adding him to a weekly Best Ball tournament on Underdog Fantasy, where thousands of dollars are up for grabs in prizes every week.

    The running game itself has not been effective. Akers is averaging only 3.3 yards per carry, even after he’s been over 4.36 ypc over the last two weeks. Williams has just 4.2 yards per carry on a very small sample size. He carried the ball 11 times for 35 yards with three receptions for another 25 yards against the Chiefs.

    While Akers logged more snaps last week, I think Williams is the stronger play. In a neutral game script, Williams was the preferred option for Sean McVay to unleash. We also get some receiving upside with Williams.

    Perkins is really the driving force of the uncertainty here because we don’t know if he’ll want to checkdown throughout the game, or if he’ll be missing pre-snap checks that would give running backs more opportunities.

    Ideally, we would have a clear lead that entering this game, the Seahawks are the third-worst defense against running backs in terms of fantasy scoring allowed per game. They have allowed 116.6 yards per game on the ground and another 48.6 receiving yards to backs. They also allow more than one touchdown per game to the position.

    But unless you’re truly desperate for a Flex option, or even worse, an actual starting back on your roster, I would avoid picking up either of these players to start Week 13. If you need one, however, Williams is the better player, I think. The volume that he gains will help your team more than a slight upside of a touchdown from Akers.

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