Rising stocks of these 3 Rams newbies may play huge role in Week 1 outcome

(2) - Star defensive back Quentin Lake

Newbie? Perhaps not in the strictest sense. But this third-year player has seen action in just 18 games for the Rams defense, and just four starts. Even more to the point, he has played in just 516 defensive snaps in his first two seasons on the team. I expect that he will play 600+ defensive snaps in 2024.

While the LA Rams secondary was not a strength of the team in 2023, at least not at critical moments, the team got plenty out of a group that was one of the least expensive secondaries in the NFL. And DB Quentin Laike is one of the reasons why. Perhaps the most dependable defensive back from last season, Lake allowed just 62.7 percent of passes targeting his receiver to find their mark. Part of the reason for his stinginess was the fact that he broke up six passes.

Lake excelled at more than simple pass coverage. In just 453 defensive snaps, he chaulked up 53 tackles, one fumble recovery, one tackle for a loss, and a quarterback pressure. Lake is the son of former Pittsburgh Steelers All-Pro defensive back Carnell Lake, and possesses that same plug-and-play anywhere in the secondary legacy that his father made so famous.

Best of all, Lake is just getting warmed up. His rookie season was hampered by injury. In 2023, he finally flexed his skillsets in finding a niche role that he could flourish at. This year, he will share defensive captain duties with NT Kobie Turner. That may seem like quite a leap from a young man with only four starts under his belt. But don't let the pass fool you. Quentin Lake is ready to have a breakout season in 2024.

With a bit of regression at the inside linebacker position, Quentin Lake will be far more involved in leading the team in tackles in 2024. But, he will find stiff competition from the next player on our list: