The Los Angeles Rams have done remarkably well to surround Matthew Stafford with a strong supporting cast. It helps when you hit on players like Puka Nacua and Kyren Williams on Day 3 of the draft, but they’ve also signed Davante Adams and Colby Parkinson in free agency to bolster the skill positions.
Heading into the 2026 season, the Rams’ group of playmakers is undeniably among the most impressive in the NFL. With Nacua, Adams, Williams, Parkinson and others, Stafford has no lack of help at wide receiver, running back or tight end.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell ranked each team’s offensive playmakers for the upcoming season and the Rams came in at No. 2. The only team ahead of them is the Detroit Lions, led by Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs and Sam LaPorta.
In Barnwell’s rankings, wide receivers are weighted more heavily than the other positions, and the focus is “on elite players and a team’s top five contributors.”
Here’s part of what Barnwell wrote about the Rams’ skill players.
The rivalry between the Rams and the Seahawks might have been matched only by the battle between their two star wide receivers in 2025. And just as the Seahawks narrowly claimed the NFC West crown and, eventually, the conference title, Puka Nacua finished just behind Seattle’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the race as football’s best wideout. Nacua makes the Rams’ offense work with his ability to block and all the play-action concepts that open up as a result, but he hit new heights as a receiver in 2025, particularly working downfield. He also added 105 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground for good measure. Nacua is the most complete receiver in the game.
Nacua is the engine of the Rams offense, dominating the share of targets and yardage coming from the wide receiver position. He led the NFL in total receptions and receiving yards per game last season despite missing one game and parts of two others, seeing a career-high 166 passes thrown his way.
Adams led the league in touchdown catches in just 14 games, while Williams scored 13 total touchdowns of his own to go with 1,533 yards from scrimmage.
Whether Stafford is dropping back to pass or handing the ball off, he has a bevy of playmakers around him. And that’s without even mentioning the remarkable depth Los Angeles has at tight end with Parkinson, Tyler Higbee, Terrance Ferguson, Davis Allen and rookie Max Klare.
Elsewhere on Barnwell’s list, the Seahawks ranked 11th, the Cardinals were sixth and the 49ers came in at No. 5. Needless to say, the NFC West is rich with playmakers.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams’ offensive playmakers ranked as NFL’s 2nd-best by ESPN analyst
Reporting by Cameron DaSilva, Rams Wire / Rams Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Cameron DaSilva, Rams Wire | USA TODAY Network
