Eyes of the Guru IDP Info, Part 4: Los Angeles Rams

Quick Links: Arizona | LA Rams | San Francisco | Seattle

Overview

The 2024 Rams were below average in most defensive categories. That was not the case in 2025 when this group stepped up nicely. The run defense finished 12th in yards and allowed a league-low of eight scores. Their 47 sacks were tied for 7th, and the Rams' 26 takeaways were the 4th-most in the league. The pass defense was far from horrible. They allowed the 12th-most yards but ranked 11th in yards per attempt.

DON'T MISS OUT: Pre-Order the 2026 Footballguys Draft Guide before they are all gone.

It was a solid unit by any standards. Many organizations would have focused on other areas, but not the Rams. They made just a few personnel changes, but boy, were they big ones. The pass defense got a boost with the additions of Jaylen Watson, who is a quality starter, and Trent McDuffie, who is one of the league's outstanding cover men. Then they landed arguably the best edge defender in the game by trading for Myles Garrett. The window remains open for the Rams, and they are doing everything possible to bring home another Lombardi trophy. There is so much excitement surrounding this team that Aaron Donald has hinted about playing again just to be part of it.

Defensive Linemen

Even with the retirement of Donald, the future Hall of Famer, the Rams' defensive line was exceptional in 2025. Poona Ford anchors the run defense from the nose tackle position, while Kobie Turner and Braden Fiske started at the tackles, with Tyler Davis rotating in. Not only does this quartet set the tone against the run, but they also accounted for 13 sacks.

They performed admirably as a unit, but the IDP production from this group fell way short of expectations in 2025. Turner and Fiske were targeted as quality starters last draft season in tackle-required leagues. Fiske turned out to be a huge disappointment, largely because he rotated out more often than anticipated. Fiske totaled 542 regular-season snaps while Davis tallied 475. Davis even managed slightly more fantasy points, though neither player averaged more than a disappointing four per game.

Turner, who had the highest expectations, came out of the gate agonizingly slow. By week eleven, his totals were 10 tackles, 12 assists, and 1.5 sacks. At that point, nearly everyone had given up and cut him. Then the light came on. Over the final seven games, Turner produced 26 stops, 5.5 sacks, 2 turnovers, and 2 batted passes. From week twelve through the end of the season, Turner was second only to Jeffery Simmons at the position.

There is no reason to expect a big rebound for Fiske or significant production from Davis, but whatever caused Turner to stumble through the first ten games has apparently been fixed. It certainly helps that he does not come off the field as much. Turner logged 750 regular-season snaps in 2025. I was very high on him going into last year. With Turner's second-half surge, my confidence is restored. I'll be targeting him as my DT1 this summer.  

In what was probably the biggest blockbuster trade of the offseason, the Rams acquired Myles Garrett from Cleveland. The tandem of Garrett and Byron Young will give offensive coordinators and quarterbacks alike nightmares.

How good are these guys? Let the numbers tell the story. Garrett comes off a record-setting 23-sack season, in which he also totaled 60 combined tackles, including 43 solo. All Young did was lead all edge defenders in solo tackles with 45, total stops with 82, while adding 12 sacks of his own. From the fantasy perspective, they were the number one and number four edge defenders in 2025.  

As fantasy managers, we have to keep things in perspective. This is an elite edge tandem with both players destined to be selected among the first five off the board at the position. That said, what are the chances they will repeat, or even come close to repeating, last year's numbers? History tells us the odds are not good. On the other hand, they don't have to match those numbers to be considered among the elite fantasy options.

Young recorded 61 and 62 combined stops in his first two seasons, respectively, and 15 sacks between those two years. Even if he falls back a bit in the tackle columns, the presence of Garrett should help him reach the double-digit sack mark again. Garrett's best sack total before last season was 16. He hit that mark twice, in 2021 and 2022. He has never played with a supporting cast like the one he has now. Likewise, he has never had much competition for sacks. Expect both players to come back to earth a bit.

There is one other important factor that adds to the value of these two can't-miss prospects. The Rams don't involve a bunch of situational players. Young and Jared Verse both logged over 80% of the snaps in 2025. The only other edge defender to see action for the team was Josiah Stewart, who played 366 snaps during the regular season.

• DT Kobie Turner – DT1 with elite upside
• DT Braden Fiske – Depth with upside if he gets more snaps
• DT Poona Ford – Marginal impact
• DT Tyler Davis – The ability is there, the opportunity is light
• DT Ty Hamilton – Injury sleeper at best
• Edge Byron Young – Solid edge ED1
• Edge Myles Garrett – Elite tier ED1, first off the board at the position
• Edge Josaiah Stewart – Injury sleeper 
• Edge Desjuan Johnson – No impact 

Linebackers