Running back is a critical position for the Los Angeles Rams and has been since Todd Gurley’s reign of terror early in Sean McVay’s tenure. It’s why the Rams drafted a running back every year from 2017 to 2025, breaking that streak this year.
They’ve found the perfect pairing with Kyren Williams and Blake Corum, but with both players being so productive and effective, it remains to be seen how the Rams will divvy up their carries and snaps. Rams beat reporter Nate Atkins of The Athletic reported earlier this offseason that it could be closer to a 50-50 split this season, indicating that Corum will get more snaps than he had last year.
With training camp coming up, here’s a preview of the running back position in Los Angeles.
Roster locks
Williams and Corum will be the Rams’ top two backs again this season, in that order. Williams signed an extension last offseason to stay in Los Angeles a little while longer, and Corum is entering the all-important third season in the NFL.
There’s no chance either player gets cut this summer, as they make up one of the best backfields anywhere in the league. The Rams will use this two-headed monster to their advantage, keeping both players healthy and fresh for the duration of the season.
Likely to make it
We can’t quite call either of these players locks to make the team, even with Hunter being a 2025 fourth-round pick. He wouldn’t be the first player to be cut in his second season after being a fourth-round pick, but he’s more likely than not to make the 53-man roster.
Hunter never saw the field on offense as a rookie last year, receiving zero carries or targets, and playing zero offensive snaps. That was a surprise, even with the way Sean McVay takes things slowly with rookies – particularly at running back.
Rivers, meanwhile, was the No. 3 back, but he didn’t play much, either. He carried it nine times for 46 yards in the regular season and saw a handful of snaps in the NFC title game, of all games.
On the bubble
It’s hard to see either of these players making the team, especially if the four guys ahead of them are all safe. Waters spent last year on the practice squad after signing as an undrafted rookie, so he’s entering his second season in L.A.
Connors was signed as an undrafted free agent this offseason after a strong finish to his college career at Houston in 2025. With all the depth the Rams have at other positions, there simply isn’t room for more than four running backs on the roster.
Position battle to watch
Williams vs. Corum is somewhat of a position battle on its own but it’s hard to imagine a scenario where the Rams start Corum over Williams. The bigger question is how each player’s snap share will look in 2026 after it was about 67-33% last season.
Perhaps the more intriguing battle is at RB3 where Hunter and Rivers will be competing for not only that role on the depth chart, but potentially a spot on the team. Hunter has more upside with his combination of power and speed, but Rivers is more experienced and has looked shifty when given opportunities.
Potential sleeper
There was a lot of excitement about Hunter coming out of Auburn in 2025 but he didn’t do enough in practice to earn snaps in games. He’s a big, powerful runner who can break off big plays after being one of the most explosive running backs in college two years ago.
If he can grasp the offense better this season and earn the trust of the coaching staff, he could play a role on offense for the first time. Even if he gets a handful of carries a game, those touches could have the potential to go the distance and create a big play for the offense.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams training camp preview: Any change to RB rotation in 2026?
Reporting by Cameron DaSilva, Rams Wire / Rams Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Cameron DaSilva, Rams Wire | USA TODAY Network
