The pinball in the trenches: How Braden Fiske can wreck the Saints’ front five

Amid a reshaped and youthful Los Angeles Rams defensive front, Braden Fiske is the kind of player who quietly defines games.

The former Florida State standout isn’t the flashiest name on a line loaded with talent like outside linebacker Jared Verse, defensive end Kobie Turner, and outside linebacker Byron Young. But that’s precisely what makes him so dangerous. In Week 9 against the New Orleans Saints, Fiske could be the difference-maker the Rams need to disrupt a struggling offensive line that ranks fourth-worst in pressures allowed this season.

From the jump, Fiske’s game is built on chaos. At 6-foot-3, Fiske operates with explosive burst and relentless leverage, operating in the middle of the defensive line like a pinball, ricocheting off blocks and penetrating the backfield with suddenness.

Whether lined up inside or sliding into hybrid spots along the front seven, his instincts and physicality allow him to exploit gaps before they fully materialize.

Braden Fiske is the frosting on the Rams pass rush pastry

On a Rams front already stocked with high-profile pass rushers, Fiske tends to go unnoticed -- until the moment the quarterback is suddenly staring at him in the chest.

The Rams’ young front is evolving into one of the NFL’s most versatile units. Alongside second-year core contributors like Young and 2024 Defensive Rookie of the Year in Verse, Fiske gives coordinator Chris Shula a disruptor capable of creating chaos without needing spotlight coverage or double teams.

Against New Orleans, his skill set is particularly critical. The Saints’ offensive line has struggled to protect the quarterback consistently, no matter who's been under center, surrendering pressure at a rate that ranks among the league’s worst. That alone provides a perfect stage for Fiske’s explosive style.

A former transfer out of Western Michigan to Tallahassee, Fiske's path to impact is straightforward: he thrives in penetration and disruption. Aaron Donald’s retirement left the Rams with holes in their interior pass rush, but players like Fiske and Turner have stepped up to rotate seamlessly, keeping offenses off-balance and signal-callers guessing.

While he may not carry the name recognition of other defensive stars on the Rams’ front just yet, Fiske embodies the kind of high-impact, versatile player capable of flipping games in a single series.

In Week 9, against a vulnerable Saints line, he’s poised to turn that potential into tangible disruption - quietly, explosively, and decisively.