Rams have a 2026 fantasy football breakout RB just waiting for his chance to explode

Los Angeles Rams running back Blake Corum followed a no-show as a rookie with an impressive second-year bounce-back. The 2024 third-round pick more than proved he belongs in the NFL — and fantasy football managers' minds — heading into his third campaign.

The Rams gave Corum a larger slice of the backfield pie to keep starter/Sean McVay favorite Kyren Williams fresh for the playoffs, which paid dividends. His 87.0 Pro Football Focus (PFF) rushing grade ranked fifth out of 55 qualified tailbacks in 2025. He didn't offer much standalone value in a change-of-pace role, though there were signs of a looming breakout, perhaps as soon as 2026.

Corum turned 145 attempts into 746 yards and six touchdowns last season, averaging an elite 5.1 yards per tote. He produced a 59.3-percent rushing success rate, which was good for second in the league, only trailing his aforementioned teammate. Take a late-round flier on him in drafts this summer as a strong bench stash with RB1 potential.

Rams' Blake Corum is quietly waiting for his shot to be a 2026 fantasy football breakout RB

From Week 7 on, Corum's 11 explosive (10-plus yard) runs were tied with Baltimore Ravens star Derrick Henry and Green Bay Packers stalwart Josh Jacobs. His 20 forced missed tackles were in line with San Francisco 49ers All-Pro Christian McCaffrey and the Chicago Bears' D'Andre Swift. He was ninth out of 65 backs with at least 20 carries in breakaway percentage (38.8), ahead of Philadelphia Eagles and Buffalo Bills standouts Saquon Barkley and James Cook, respectively.

Evidently, the advanced numbers clearly indicate that Corum has the talent to become a household name; he merely needs a chance to show it. The Rams got proof of concept when they made a more concerted effort to include him in the game plan. There's no putting that genie back in the bottle, even if Williams isn't going anywhere.

Nevertheless, where Corum must improve to truly launch himself into the upper echelon of backs when called upon is as a pass-catcher. He leaves much to be desired in that department, to put it mildly, posting 15 receptions for 94 scoreless yards since entering the pros. The lack of receiving involvement caps his upside, though a sky-high rushing ceiling in an explosive Rams scoring unit makes him a possible statistical outlier.

Mike Clay of ESPN's latest positional rankings has Corum listed as the RB40 in point-per-reception (PPR) formats. Of course, Williams' presence is the biggest roadblock, but don't let that scare you from taking a low-risk, high-reward swing.

Note: Metrics courtesy of PFF's premium stats ($).