Fantasy Fallout: Davante Adams to the Rams

The tampering seal wasn’t technically legal to be broken yet, but the Rams skirted around the new year rule by acquiring Davante Adams on Sunday night, since he was let go by the Jets and free to sign prior to Monday's tampering start. Despite telling Cooper Kupp (31) he’d be traded for being too expensive and old, the Rams added 32-year-old Adams on a two-year deal worth $46 million.

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Davante Adams the Player

We’ve seen over 1,000 receiving yards from Adams in six of the last seven seasons, with him reaching 997 in the one outlier (2019). He’s been magnetic in the target department, as Adams has consecutively been among the top 5 in WR targets per contest in the last seven seasons, with four of those years checking in as the WR1 or WR2 in that category. All that volume has produced five fantasy WR1 campaigns in half-PPR points per game, with his last two seasons ending as a WR2.

Adams hasn’t had the QB play usually required for those numbers in a few seasons, as his last solid QB situation was Aaron Rodgers' final MVP year in 2021. Since then, the balls thrown his way have been courtesy of Derek Carr, Jarrett Stidham, Jimmy Garoppolo, Aidan O'Connell, Gardner Minshew, and the 40-year-old version of Rodgers.

Although Matthew Stafford is longer in the tooth like Adams, he’s still throwing the ball well enough, plus the WR hasn’t had a coach quite like Sean McVay since his time in Green Bay. The Rams’ HC simply knows how to free WRs which Adams seems to make happen with ease in the middle of the field.

What Does the Adams Signing Mean for Fantasy Football?

We have to assume Cooper Kupp will be donning a different uniform in 2025, leaving Puka Nacua, Adams, Tutu Atwell - who re-signed with the team for $10 million last week - and rising sophomore Jordan Whittington as their primary WR corps. While Atwell has proven himself in splash play scenarios and Whittington showing some promise in his first season, Nacua and Adams are far and away the best WRs in the room.

Nacua will remain a fantasy WR1 due to his volume and YAC prowess, and he’s currently the WR4 in early Underdog drafts with an ADP of 6.7. While it’s somewhat disappointing that Adams didn’t land in a situation as a team’s clear WR1, he should be in line for high-end fantasy WR2 status and could even end as a WR1 if things shake out well for Stafford and the Rams.

Underdog drafters who’ve already been in the lobbies likely got themselves a deal, as Adams’ current ADP is WR28 at spot 49.4 which should climb following Sunday’s signing. Whittington and Atwell remain as later-round guys, with Whittington the preferred when making Rams stacks with a current ADP of 165.7 as the WR70.

Bottom Line

• The Rams could forego the legal tampering period and sign Davante Adams to a two-year deal on Sunday night since he was free after being released by the Jets earlier this offseason.
• Adams has been a fantasy WR1 in half-PPR scoring on a per-game basis in five of the last seven seasons, with the other two checking in as WR2 campaigns, despite not ideal QB play from 2022-2024.
• He now gets an upgrade in not only the player under center, but also in coaching as Sean McVay is a whiz at scheming plays to free up WRs.
• Adams has the floor of a high-end WR2 in his new home, and is currently a bargain on Underdog as the WR28 (ADP: 49.4). Puka Nacua is still a WR1 and could even benefit from another elite pass-catcher that teams will have to defend. His ADP is 6.7 as the fourth WR drafted in early best ball leagues.