Rams rookie running back Todd Gurley is not expected to play in Week 2, but his return looks like it will come sooner rather than later. What will his impending debut mean for the Rams offense?
In the beginning, it may not mean much. Clearly St. Louis is very high on the Georgia product and for good reason; he was arguably the most talented player in the entire draft class. But he has a quality running back sharing the backfield with him in second-year rusher Tre Mason, who is raring to go.
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Mason missed Week 1 with a hamstring strain but practiced in full on Wednesday and expects to start on Sunday. In fact, he thought about pushing himself last week despite the injury.
"I was close," Mason said. "I wasn't 100 percent. I'm not going to lie. I was pretty close. I feel like it was a smart decision to sit that week out so I didn't miss more time. So it was a very good decision."
Mason averaged 4.3 yards per carry last season as a rookie, rushed for 765 yards and scored four touchdowns. He played in 12 games and made nine starts. Those numbers might not set the world on fire, but they don't serve as a red carpet for Gurley to roll in and take his place.
Gurley is no model of durability. For all his talent, his numbers in college paled in comparison to those of fellow rookie Melvin Gordon, who now plays for the Chargers. He has only reached 1,000 yards rushing once in three college seasons; he did it as a freshman, when he also registered a career-high 17 touchdowns. He made just 16 starts in his next two seasons, and ended his junior year with a torn ACL.
With all that said, he could play. Gurley was also a full participant in practice, and coach Jeff Fisher was evasive on the topic. "I'll have an injury report for you guys on Friday like we normally do," Fisher said. "Then we'll just wait and see, yeah."
Fantasy owners should move forward as if Mason is the bell cow for Week 2 against the Redskins. Gurley owners must sit tight because the Rams are going to be patient with the 10th overall pick. Even if they're being bitten by the injury bug, Gurley has far too much upside to lose patience with.
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