Rams running backs poised to accomplish something not seen since 2009

Despite all of the noise about the Los Angeles Rams need for wide receivers, perhaps one of its strongest attributes is staring everyone in the face. Los Angeles rushed for an average of 126.6 yards per game, good enough to top all NFC West division competitors and to land as the seventh-best rushing offense in 2025.

And it's just getting started.

2025 was Year 1 of LA's new running back-by-committee approach. Starter Kyren Williams carried nearly 50 fewer times, but his production did not plummet. Instead, he leveraged rest to jump from 4.1 yards per carry (2024) to 4.8 yards per carry (2025). And he still scored 10 rushing touchdowns.

Where it gets good is that Blake Corum, a non-factor in 2024, burst onto the scene with 746 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns last season. What a promising debut. And he did it on just 145 carries. With 50 more carries, he stood to break 1000 rushing yards last season. That would be the first time the NFL has witnessed two running backs rushing for over 1000 yards from the same backfield.

In 2009, Carolina Panthers running back D'Angelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart both rushed for over 1000 yards. LA is threatening to do so in 2026, and yet, nobody is talking about it.

Rams offense has plenty of horsepower for 2026

The LA Rams running back room is very much like a dog team readying for the brutal Iditarod race across the frozen tundra of Alaska. Unfortunately, the razzle-dazzle use of 12- and 13- personnel innovations by 2025's top-scoring offense has distracted NFL analysts from the action. Let's pivot to the Rams rushing offense and celebrate its mastery for just a moment.

Despite the superhuman heroics of veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford, LA's offense starts with the running game and play-action passing. Unfortunately, NFL defenses have not had to respect the running game consistently. Let's break down Stafford's production vs. LA's rushing:

Year - Passing Yards | TD - Rushing Yards | TDs
2021 - 4,893 yards | 41 TDs = 1,683 yards | 10 TDs
2022 - 3,506 yards | 16 TDs - 1,681 yards | 15 TDs
2023 - 4,300 yards | 26 TDs - 2,043 yards | 18 TDs
2024 - 4,096 years | 22 TDs - 1,765 yards | 16 TDs
2025 - 4,707 yards | 46 TDs - 2,152 yards | 17 TDs

While the offense has oscillated a bit, the fundamental relationship between a strong running game and a strong passing game is trending. That is not only due to the effectiveness of a strong rushing attack, but also to the need to be more vigilant in protecting Stafford as he matures.

In short, the less that falls on the girl-dad quarterback, the brighter he shines.

The offense passed 598 times and rushed 465 times in 2025. Both numbers are up from 2024. The key to an effective offense for the Horns is balance. And that is not just the relationship between passes and rushes, but also the number of carries running backs must manage.

After William and Corum proved to be an effective 1-2 punch in 2025, the next step is to set up the pair as a 1A-1B punch this season. Earmarking approximately 225 rushes for Kyren Williams and 200 rushes for Blake Corum in 2026 will not only set up both rushers to smash 1000 rushing yards this season, but it will also go a long way to optimize Stafford's success in an offense that is built for his success.

As always, thanks for reading.

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Rams offense has plenty of horsepower for 2026

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