The Los Angeles Rams offense produced on the most heavily utilized running backs in the league last year, with Kyren Williams emerging as a fantasy league winner in 2023.
Yet, after the team invested Day 2 NFL Draft capital at the running back position this offseason, how should dynasty managers value Williams heading into the 2024 NFL season?
Kyren Williams’ Dynasty Outlook
Let’s start by addressing the elephant in the room. Head coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead spent a third-round pick on Michigan RB Blake Corum in the 2024 NFL Draft, which certainly clouds Williams’s dynasty outlook moving forward.
Corum was an outstanding workhorse back for the Wolverines’ offense in 2023. His 1,245 rushing yards and 27 rushing TDs (which led all FCS backs last season) helped lead Michigan to a National Championship.
Corum rushed for 3,737 rushing yards over his four years at Michigan while finding paydirt on 58 occasions in a Wolverines uniform. However, his pass-catching production left a lot to be desired in Michigan’s run-heavy scheme, as he caught just 16 passes in 15 games in 2023.
Corum plays with great leverage, vision, and physicality as a ball carrier, which certainly makes his addition to the Rams’ backfield one that shouldn’t be completely ignored by Williams’ shareholders.
Yet, Williams’s 2023 numbers were nothing short of outstanding. To give you an idea of how great he was last year, he trailed only San Francisco 49ers’ RB Christian McCaffrey in fantasy points per game in full-PPR formats.
Speaking of McCaffrey, Williams was the only running back in the NFL with more total touches (carries and receptions) per game than CMC. For some exact figures, Williams averaged 21.7 touches per game to McCaffrey’s 21.2.
Pure volume was far from the only reason Williams was an elite fantasy producer in 2023.
No player averaged more broken tackles per game than Williams last season. So, when you combine that stat with his 791 rushing yards before contact in 2023– which trailed only McCaffrey — with his ability to make people miss consistently, you have the recipe for a fantasy star.
MORE: PFN’s Consensus Dynasty Fantasy Football Rankings
His 1,350 total yards and 15 total touchdowns in just 12 games last year have him in elite territory. Williams topped the century mark on the ground, handled 20+ carries, and caught a minimum of three passes in half of his games last season. Those are elite usage metrics by any standard.
However, that usage hasn’t come at the expense of his efficiency. Williams averaged a staggering 5.02 yards per carry (YPC) in his second NFL season. McCaffrey was the only other running back with a 5+ YPC mark, with 200+ opportunities on the ground last year.
The question now becomes, will Williams continue to see a similar usage rate in 2024, or will he be working in tandem with Corum in something that resembles a 50/50 split?
To me, Williams does a lot better than Corum, which could make it hard to get him off the field. Williams is the better pass-catching option and was an exceptionally effective runner on high volume last year. Corum, who was running behind one of the best offensive lines in the country, averaged just 4.8 yards per carry. That isn’t a terrible mark by any stretch, but it’s hard to say Corum will be the more effective or efficient back.
I still consider Williams a top-10 running back in dynasty formats. Quite frankly, I’m having a really hard time not putting him in my top five.
If you aren’t a believer in Williams’ prospect profile or simply like to sell young running backs after a big season to collect future assets due to the volatility of the RB position, then, by all means, sell high. Your return on investment should be massive right now.
However, Williams has shown us fantasy brilliance at the age of 23 with two years left on his rookie deal in an offense that has proven they can produce league-winners at the RB position. Williams was exactly that in 2023. I would need a massive haul to move off of Williams in dynasty formats.
Williams’ Dynasty Ranking
Where does Williams rank in the dynasty RB landscape going into the 2024 offseason? Here are Tate’s latest dynasty rankings, featuring Williams’ ranking in comparison to other top names at the position.
1) Bijan Robinson | ATL
2) Breece Hall | NYJ
3) Jahmyr Gibbs | DET
4) Christian McCaffrey | SF
5) Jonathan Taylor | IND
6) Travis Etienne Jr. | JAX
7) Saquon Barkley | PHI
8) Kyren Williams | LAR
9) Rachaad White | TB
10) Isiah Pacheco | KC
11) James Cook | BUF
12) De’Von Achane | MIA
13) Kenneth Walker III | SEA
14) Trey Benson | ARI
15) D’Andre Swift | CHI
16) Josh Jacobs | GB
17) Alvin Kamara | NO
18) Tyjae Spears | TEN
19) Javonte Williams | DEN
20) Jonathon Brooks | CAR
Should You Trade Williams in Dynasty?
Are you considering trading Williams? Our PFN Trade Analyzer allows you to find the best trades to make in seconds! It also allows us to see trending searches, which we’ve compiled a few of the most popular below.
In my opinion, Williams is actually a great buy at this exact moment because of the team’s decision to draft Corum. Fantasy managers are likely a bit weary of his leading-back status in 2023, which means you could get a 23-year-old exceptionally productive fantasy back at a discount.
MORE: Dynasty Rookie Rankings 2024
I would not be trading Williams off of my dynasty roster unless I received top-5 dynasty running back value in return for a trade.
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