Can LA Rams WR Cooper Kupp’s 2022 season outdo 2021?

LA Rams’ wide receiver room is filled with untested players

The LA Rams have a very established veteran in Cooper Kupp for the season opener. But thanks to the early season injury to teammate wide receiver Van Jefferson, Kupp is the only player who was available throughout the entire 2021 season’s campaign who is suiting up for Week 1 in 2022.

That is not to say that the LA Rams receivers are a bunch of scrubs. Quite the contrary, to be honest. On paper, the LA Rams have three wide receivers who could all end up breaking 1000 receiving yards this season: Cooper Kupp, Allen Robinson, and Van Jefferson. Behind that trio, the Rams have talented young receivers whose aggregate could result in significant production as well. The Rams welcome back Ben Skowronek, will slide special team standout Brandon Powell into the offense, and are eager to embrace TuTu Atwell and rookie Lance McCutcheon on the offense as well.

But, of the lot, Cooper Kupp remains the shiny star.

LA Rams running game may not be as effective as hoped

While the shroud of mystery about the LA Rams’ running game has been cleverly disguised throughout the offseason, the team’s ability to dominate at the line of scrimmage and gain huge chunks of yards on the ground is a bit dubious.

It could be that the Rams have remained so protective over their running game to protect the fact that it is effective. But everything so far has been on a practice field or on a whiteboard. As such, the Rams will need to be deceptive when running, not dominating. That forces the passing game into the main offensive engine and elevates Kupp to the status of a key offensive weapon.

Very similar to that of 2021, I might add.

LA Rams face a very competitive schedule

While I don’t believe that the LA Rams team plays down to the competition, it is an established fact that if the LA Rams pile up an insurmountable lead on an opponent, Rams head coach Sean McVay will not hesitate to bench starters and finish up the game with the reserves. That is not likely to happen in 2022.

Iron sharpens iron. With a schedule of what could be a fiercely contested outcome each week, the Rams will not have much room for a breather. That means that the team will need to put up their A game week after week, a level of competition that certainly dictates plenty of targets at Cooper Kupp.

The LA Rams know what it takes to win. You don’t need a Ph.D. to know that means the Rams will rely heavily upon Cooper Kupp until other players are established and reliable in this offense.

Okay, so what does that all mean for Cooper Kupp’s 2022 season?

Targets: 170+
Catches:130+
Yards: 1700+
Touchdowns: 18+

You heard it here first. It may not outdo the raw numbers of 2021, but the performance will be enough to anchor his legacy among the NFL greats of All-Time.