Analyze Blake Corum's matchup for week 7
Sit Corum; the rookie is buried in a committee, still learning pass-pro and the Rams’ wide-zone scheme, and a neutral Week 7 draw won’t give him the volume or red-zone work needed for trustworthy fantasy production.
Los Angeles enters Week 7 using its typical backfield committee, so Corum’s snap share will hinge on game script and passing-down duties he hasn’t fully earned yet. The offensive line is healthier than it was in September, but the outside-zone still needs time to gel, limiting explosive runs. The opposing defense sits in the middle of the pack against RBs (roughly 4.3 YPC and only five rushing TDs allowed), so there’s no plus-matchup juice to elevate a part-time rookie. Unless an in-game injury vaults him into 15-plus touches, Corum profiles as a touchdown-dependent flex whose ceiling is capped by low volume and the Rams’ tendency to abandon the run when trailing.
Corum’s first six NFL weeks have shown the usual rookie RB arc: flashes on early-down zone runs, a drop in pass-pro that keeps him off the field on third down, and only one game above 10 carries. His yards-after-contact have climbed each week, but so have the Rams’ negative game scripts, depressing total opportunities.
Rookie runners historically need until mid-season to feel NFL game speed, and Corum’s Michigan film won’t spare him that adjustment. Through six weeks he’s averaged 7.3 carries and 2.2 targets, numbers that scream “handcuff” more than “starter.” The Rams’ offensive line has returned both guards, but center and right-tackle injuries earlier in the year stunted outside-zone timing; those creases are only now re-forming, giving Corum slightly more room on stretch plays. Still, Los Angeles ranks in the bottom third of rush-rate when trailing, and their defense has allowed 27-plus points in three of the last four, creating negative scripts that funnel work to the pass-catching back—presently not Corum. Week 7’s opponent sits 18th in fantasy points allowed to RBs and has surrendered just two runs longer than 20 yards all season; they rarely blitz, keeping seven defenders in coverage and daring offenses to execute methodical drives. That style suppresses big-play upside, the one path by which a 9-touch Corum could pay off. Add in red-zone usage that, so far, has favored the veteran change-of-pace back and short-yardage quarterback sneaks, and Corum’s touchdown probability remains low. Unless your league is 14-plus teams or you’re desperate for an RB3 because of byes, keep him stashed. The profile points to a potential league-winning stretch in Weeks 15-17 if the Rams ever consolidate touches, but for Week 7 the risk outweighs the reward.