Los Angeles Rams 2026 NFL season preview, analysis and predictions
Although the Seattle Seahawks are the reigning Super Bowl champions, the talk of the town in the NFC West this offseason has been the Los Angeles Rams.
LA began their offseason frenzy by trading for All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie from the Chiefs in March, and they kept going by acquiring reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns in June. It’s safe to say that it’s Super Bowl or bust for a Rams squad that also features the reigning MVP, QB Matthew Stafford, and the 2025 league leader in receptions and receiving touchdowns, WRs Puka Nacua and Davante Adams.
After winning the Super Bowl in 2021, the Rams missed the playoffs in 2022 before making the Wild Card in 2023, the Divisional Round in 2024, and the Conference Championship in 2025. These trends would put the Rams back in the Super Bowl this season, but can Sean McVay’s squad ignore the outside noise?
There’s plenty to break down, so let’s get into my Los Angeles Rams preview.
Don’t forget to check out Sports Interaction’s complete list of NFL game odds and NFL futures.
Los Angeles Rams NFL futures
Here are the major markets you can bet on related to the Rams this season:
- Win the Super Bowl (+550)
- Win the NFC (+300)
- No. 1 seed in the NFC (+305)
- Win the NFC West (+100)
- Make the playoffs (-450)
- Regular season wins – Over 11.5 (-125) | Under 11.5 (+115)
LA has the shortest odds to win the Super Bowl and NFC, and they also have various players near the top of the odds board for multiple awards:
- Matthew Stafford to win MVP (+1400)
- Puka Nacua to win Offensive Player of the Year (+1200)
- Aaron Donald to win Comeback Player of the Year (+850)
Los Angeles Rams squad strengths
I’m sure you can already tell from the introduction that this Rams squad has MULTIPLE strengths. In fact, it’s hard to identify just one, but I anticipate this offence to be one of the NFL’s best once again. Stafford threw for a career-high 46 TDs last season and tied his career-best completion percentage at 67.2 per cent. Although the 38-year-old had health concerns entering last season, it didn’t seem to affect him one bit as he captured the league MVP for the first time. He will have Adams and Nacua to target once again as well as TEs Tyler Higbee, Terrance Ferguson, and Colby Parkinson.
The other focal point of this Rams offence is their backfield. RBs Kyren Williams and Blake Corum combined for 1,998 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns last season, and Williams fumbled just twice while Corum was 100 per cent clean with the football. The Rams ran 331 plays in 13 personnel last season, more than twice as many as any other squad in the NFL, and it makes complete sense when Stafford has a duo like Williams and Corum to go with elite TE play. LA’s biggest strength this season will once again be their offence, and I expect them to be in the top-five of the league in yards and scoring.
Los Angeles Rams squad weaknesses
Los Angeles’ biggest weakness last season was their defence, and it’s the only weakness I see again this year. The Rams allowed 20.4 PPG (10th in the NFL), which doesn’t seem bad, but they allowed 31.0 PPG in their six losses, including 38 and 31 PPG in their two defeats to the Seahawks. Although their defence is their biggest weakness, the Rams have done everything to turn it into a strength.
McDuffie will bring a new level to the Rams’ secondary, but they also signed CB Jaylen Watson to a three-year, $51 million deal. Garrett obviously elevates LA’s front seven, and OLB Byron Young is playing in the final year of his rookie contract. Additionally, it’s rumoured that Aaron Donald could even return after the Rams acquired Garrett. If he does, he will be able to produce in a limited capacity, and they will get pressure on opposing QBs at will.
The only weakness I can identify is LA’s secondary depth. Behind McDuffie and Watson, LA has Josh Wallace, Emmanuel Forbes Jr., and two undrafted rookie cornerbacks. If either of those two stars go down, this secondary will definitely struggle.
Los Angeles Rams 2026 NFL season prediction: Davante Adams Over 9.5 regular season receiving TDs (+105)
Adams enters his 13th season in the league, which is a slight concern, but there’s no denying his production after he hauled in 14 TDs in just 14 games last season. Adams has averaged 12.0 receiving TDs when he’s started at least 14 games, which he’s done in nine of his 12 seasons. Additionally, he has hauled in 10+ receiving TDs in seven of the nine years when starting 14+ games, and the two seasons he didn’t were when he was playing for the Raiders and Jets.
It’s safe to say that Adams will be Stafford’s main red-zone target once again, so I expect him to catch 10+ touchdowns in the regular season.