How well will LA Rams K Brett Maher perform in Week 5?

If you are one of the Fantasy Football general managers who was savvy enough to draft LA Rams kicker Brett Maher to their fantasy team roster. So far, Maher has been the poster child of consistency, connecting on three field goals per game in each of the first four games this season, plus tacking a perfect eight of eight extra points, that have come as few as one extra point in Week 3, to three extra points in Week 1.

So far, you would expect the LA Rams to be delighted with their last minute addition to the 53-man roster. But not everything is perfectly aligned just yet. Well, not in the manner that you might consider the optimal outcome for the LA Rams so far this season.

The LA Rams were never supposed to rely upon a veteran placekicker this season. After all, the Rams signed rookie kickers Christopher Dunn from North Carolina State and Tanner Brown from Oklahoma State to set up a kicker competition through OTAs and training camp. Both of the Rams rookie kickers had established themselves to be covered prospects from the rookie class of 2023.

Unfortunately, the Rams never had the chance to benefit from what was expected to be a fierce competition for the starting kicker role. Christopher Dunn was released rather early in the process, leaving the job solely in the hands of rookie Tanner Brown.

Rams divest rookie kickers, sign veteran Brett Maher.

But Tanner Brown was a bit disappointing in preseason games for the Rams, which resulted in the Rams releasing him for the 53-man roster cuts. That left the Rams entering the 2023 NFL season without a kicker.

Fortunately for the Rams, the Denver Broncos had just released a veteran established kicker in Brett Maher. While he was not expected to be in the Pro Bowl level of former Rams kicker Matt Gay, he certainly had enough forte and experience to hold down the position well enough for the Rams to get them into the 2023 NFL season. But, just to be safe, the Rams did not sign Maher to the 53-man roster initially.

In short, Maher had to prove his worth to the LA Rams in order to earn that roster spot.

After all, this has not been a steady path for the prolific kicker. Rather, it's been a bit of a herky-jerky ride so far. You see, the Rams had to opt for a kicker so quickly that the team initially signed veteran placekicker Brett Maher.

LA Rams kicker Brett Maher's roller coaster ride so far

1. Maher's leg warrants a roster slot
2. Maher can't put Rams over the top in Week 4