According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Cam Akers saga took another twist on Tuesday when the Los Angeles Rams traded their fourth running back to the Vikings in exchange for 2026 draft picks.
Akers’ rollercoaster time with the Rams is coming to an end, and fantasy managers who invested in Akers are now hoping they get a satisfactory return on their investment. Meanwhile, Alexander Mattison’s stakeholders must be at least a little nervous that Akers could reduce Mattison’s workload or perhaps take over the starting role.
Rams trade Cam Akers to Vikings
Akers’ three-plus seasons with the Rams were eventful, to say the least.
Akers, a second-round pick out of Florida State in 2020, split the workload with Darrell Henderson and Malcolm Brown in 2020 and finished with 145-625-2 rushing and 11-123-1 receiving.
Akers tore his Achilles tendon during practice in July 2021, but was able to return for the final game of the regular season and was the Rams’ Super Bowl leader that season, although his playoff numbers weren’t great (67-172-0 rushing , 8-76-0 receiving in four games).
It seemed like Akers was ready for a big role in 2022, but he played behind Darrell Henderson for most of the season. When Henderson was injured in November, Akers resurfaced and was the RB4 in PPR fantasy scoring with half a point in the final six games of the season. He ran for over 100 yards in each of the Rams’ final three games of 2022 and led the NFL in rushing yards during that span.
Again, it was widely assumed that Akers would take over as the Rams’ lead in 2023, but Kyren Williams passed him in the first half of the Rams’ Week 1 win over the Seahawks, 26-4. Akers had 22 runs in that game, but only because he got the ball repeatedly in the fourth quarter as the Rams blew an easy win. Those 22 carries produced just 29 yards. By Week 2, Akers was a healthy backup and the Rams used Williams as a workhorse.
We may never know why Akers failed to maintain contact with the Rams after his comeback from his Achilles tendon injury. In 2022, during Henderson’s tenure as the Rams’ primary defensive lineman, he was briefly away from the team, so Akers and Rams head coach clearly didn’t see eye to eye.
Now Akers is getting a much-needed change of scenery. He will play for Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell, who coached Akers as the Rams’ offensive coordinator in 2020 and 2021. This familiarity with O’Connell’s system should help Akers get up to speed quickly in Minnesota. The question is what role he will play.
Mattison didn’t perform well in the first two weeks of the season, going 19-62-0 rushing and 6-21-1 receiving. O’Connell and other members of the Vikings leadership expressed their confidence in Mattison throughout the summer. But the team also brought Kareem Hunt in for practice at one point before ultimately deciding not to sign him. That suggested the Vikings were still considering possible additions to their backcourt.
The Vikings’ acquisition of Akers hasn’t affected Mattison’s fantasy value yet, but it certainly makes Mattison a less attractive (and less tradeable) asset. If his production doesn’t arrive soon, he could find himself on a committee — or perhaps even a replacement role. His dynasty value has dropped significantly in the last two weeks. At this point, you probably couldn’t trade Akers for a second-round rookie pick in 2024.
Akers’ role with the Vikings remains to be determined, but this certainly increases his value for 2023 and also for the dynasty. The advice for fantasy managers is obvious: hold on to it and see what happens.
There are also consequences for some other players. Vikings RB Ty Chandler is draftable in newly drafted leagues. He is no longer Mattison’s obvious handcuff and has no apparent fantasy value.
Kyren Williams’ role as the Rams’ RB has solidified. If you have Williams on your roster, you feel great about this move.
It appears that Ronnie Rivers, not sixth-round rookie Zach Evans, is Williams’ primary replacement. Williams is 5-9 and 195 pounds, so he will need help from the bullpen at some point. Rivers, a former undrafted free agent out of Fresno State, is an interesting speculative addition in deeper leagues and dynasty leagues.
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