LA Rams secondary may be the NFL’s primary pass defense once more

After showing up as the top-ranked defense in the NFL in 2020, the presumption is that the LA Rams defense may not be as effective in 2021. Or, stated more accurately, be ranked as highly in the NFL this year. After all, the team’s defense lost multiple players via the NFL Free Agency market and did not add any veterans to help the depth chart.

Meanwhile, the defensive side of the coaching staff was cannibalized by other teams hoping to graft some of the LA Rams’ instant defensive prowess into their own team. The team lost cornerbacks’ coach Aubrey Pleasant, linebackers’ coach Joe Barry, and rookie defensive coordinator Brandon Staley in just one year. So of course the defense has all of the reason in the world to regress a bit this year.

But what if it didn’t?  I mean, the LA Rams still have some incredibly talented position coaches who remained on staff. The team still boasts the All-Pro tandem of Jalen Ramsey and Aaron Donald. The team has just added veteran outside linebacker Leonard Floyd to a new multi-year deal. And perhaps most of all, the Rams anticipated veteran defections this year, and have already stockpiled young talented players who can step up in 2021.

What if the Top-Ranked NFL defense got better?

What if, and I admit many of you won’t buy in immediately, this defense is actually better in 2021? Seriously, what if the LA Rams, from a fantasy football perspective, is actually better than 2020? Well, if you were not aware, NFL ranked defenses are graded a bit differently in the world of Fantasy Football, and the LA Rams may be set up to perform even more robustly in ways that are scored move favorably this season.

Los Angeles Rams

The LA Rams defense was a very stingy lot in 2020. But the offense was a more ball-control-inspired strategy, and the Rams were less effective offensively than many teams (at scoring). So the Rams defense benefited in theory from longer rests, closer scoring games, and a more conservative offensive opposition. But the Rams offense will not be trotting in 2021, but rather will be aiming to put up far more scoring using a much more explosive offensive effort.

As a result, teams will take their own shots downfield in an attempt to keep pace. More passing, and longer routes, will allow the LA Rams far more chances to score defensively for their Fantasy Football owners.  For starters, more passing attempts mean more quarterback sack opportunities, and Aaron Donald will be delighted to lead the charge on each and every pass-thrower he faces.  But it also creates more opportunities for interceptions, and the Atlanta Falcons defense in 2020 (with a less talent group), fell short of the Rams turnovers by just one.

Top Fantasy Football defense?

Now, if the LA Rams are suddenly protecting leads, the team will have a much greater chance of creating turnovers.  In 2020, the Rams defense was ranked 11th in the NFL in that department. What if the Rams were able to be nearly as stingy in yards allowed, points allowed, but ended up among the NFL’s Top-Three defenses in takeaways?

Sound a little too far-fetched? Well, it’s a thought that is gaining traction among many Fantasy Football ranking predictions. Thegamehaus.com has the LA Rams defense projected tops for 2021. ProFootballNetwork.com projects the LA Rams defense at number one for 2021 as well. NBCSports.com has the LA Rams ranked number one as well.

They understand that the LA Rams have two elite defenders, and that plays a large part in the overall defense’s performance. Now, with defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, the Rams will pivot from frustrating offenses in 2020, into attacking offenses more aggressively in 2021. Ultimately, the Rams’ secondary will become the NFL’s primary (top-ranked) pass defense. How can I be so sure?  Well nobody can be this early in the NFL season.

But the Rams are certainly viewed as one of the best and most complete defenses in the NFL, and with a full offseason training program and with so many young talented contributors, there are plenty of logical reasons to be bullish on them once more. Perhaps the most compelling is the simplest reason of all. Never bet against Jalen Ramsey or Aaron Donald.