Los Angeles Rams stock up, stock down

NFL training camps are a little more than two months away, a perfect time to take stock of each team's trending players going into the season. This is stock up and stock down for the Los Angeles Rams. 

Stock Up

Cam Akers, running back. Akers came on strong down the stretch for the Rams and was one of the team's few bright spots in a disappointing 2022 season. While his final numbers do not really stand out and scream "star," it was not until the second half of the season that he really started to turn it on.

He finished the regular season with three consecutive 100-yard games and figures to be a key part of the offense from the start of this season. The returns of a healthy QB Matthew Stafford and WR Cooper Kupp should also help open things up for him and the running game. A 1,000-yard rushing season should not be out of the question. 

Aaron Donald, defensive line. While the injuries on offense got most of the headlines and held the 2022 Rams back the most, Donald missing six games and not playing to his normal level of dominance also played a huge role in the Rams' five-win season. 

He might be 32 years old, but that extra time off and rest in the second half should help him be extra fresh and rejuvenated for the start of the 2023 season. He should still be a disruptive force in the middle of the defense. 

Stock Down

Matthew Stafford, quarterback. The big source of optimism for a Rams bounce-back this season centers on the return of a healthy Stafford. If they are going to succeed, they need their franchise quarterback to be healthy and productive. 

But is that likely? Stafford's 2022 season was ravaged by injuries, and he has taken a beating throughout his career, especially during his time with the Detroit Lions. He is going to be 35 by opening day and was not terribly effective during the 2022 season when he played. 

Tyler Higbee, tight end. Higbee has been excellent for the Rams over the years and is another player who should theoretically benefit from the return of a healthy Stafford. While he caught a career-high 72 passes a year ago, he also had the second-lowest yards per catch average (8.6) of his career and is going to be 30 by opening day.

He has a lot of hits and miles on his tires and already showed some decline in his big-play ability this past season. That could continue into this season.