Hardly unknown and quite dynamic. That’s the Rams in 2026, the Super Bowl favorites who may have had the fewest position battles of any offense in the NFL entering Week 1.
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Although star wide receiver Puka Nacua has come with off-the-field distractions – something he said during training camp that he hopes doesn’t rear its ugly head during the regular season or in the future – the dynamic wideout has continued to prove himself as one of the league’s best targets.
With Davante Adams in his second season with the Rams and quarterback Matthew Stafford, 38, coming off an MVP campaign, coach Sean McVay has plenty of room to dream with his offense.
Nate Scheelhaase, a rising star in the coaching industry, is in his first year as an offensive coordinator with the Rams, after McVay promoted him from passing game coordinator. If the Rams, who had the top-scoring offense a season ago, remain healthy and can continue to get the best out of Stafford’s veteran excellence, then the Super Bowl is well within sight. Scheelhaase could also be on the fast track to becoming an NFL head coach as well.
Health is likely the biggest thing to watch for the Rams during the 2026 season.
Can Stafford stay healthy? Will the offensive line take hits beyond their initial depth injuries that will begin the season?
Compared to last season, at the very least, Stafford isn’t nursing a back ailment and appears set for Week 1 in Melbourne, Australia. Nacua dealt with a psoas issue during the preseason, but all signs so far point to a healthy season opener, all around.
Here’s a preview of the Rams’ offense entering 2026:
Quarterback
Starter: Matthew Stafford
Backups: Stetson Bennett IV, Ty Simpson
Stafford, the reigning MVP, is entering his 18th season in the league. McVay has yet to properly name a backup – but whether it’s Bennett or Simpson, the Rams’ first-round selection in April, both got ample preseason action and played well.
Running back
Starter: Kyren Williams
Backups: Blake Corum, Ronnie Rivers.
Williams continued to be the Rams’ best running back and will be the “starter,” but Corum emerged a season ago to become a true second head of the dragon. Expect the pair to get more than the brunt of carries, while Rivers lurks as the emergency tailback should Williams or Corum become unavailable.
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Wide receiver
Starters: Puka Nacua, Davante Adams, Jordan Whittington
Backups: Xavier Smith, Konata Mumpfield, CJ Daniels, Tutu Atwell
Throughout the offseason, the Rams pondered trading Adams after one successful year with the veteran wideout. They opted to keep him – and pair him alongside Nacua again after they combined for more than 2,500 receiving yards last season.
Daniels, the Rams’ sixth-round pick, played his way onto the roster even after the Rams traded to welcome back the ever-speedy Atwell in the days leading up to the 53-man roster reveal. Smith and Whittington have become known quantities on the Rams, while Mumpfield appeared sporadically last season but found footing across last season. Look for Mumpfield and Whittington to split reps as the Rams’ third option at wideout.
Tight end
Starter: Tyler Higbee, Colby Parkinson
Backups: Davis Allen, Terrance Ferguson, Max Klare
McVay sure loves his tight ends. The Rams added another in rookie Max Klare in the second round of the 2026 NFL draft – a decision that unsurprisingly points to more 12- and-13 personnel lineups across the season.
Higbee still leads the group and Parkinson trails slightly behind in pure impact – but along with Allen and Ferguson, the latter of whom will be used as a red-zone target for Stafford with regularity, the tight end room has continued to prove itself as a strength of the Rams. Ferguson said earlier this season that he’s improved his run blocking, a development that could see him crawl up the snap count rankings into increased playing time.
Offensive line
Starters: Alaric Jackson, Steve Avila, Coleman Shelton, Kevin Dotson, Warren McClendon
Backups: David Quessenberry, Beaux Limmer, Dylan McMahon, Bill Murray
For the sake of the Rams, the continuity across the offensive line is a genuine bright spot on the team – despite rookie Keagen Trost and depth option Justin Dedich already being on the injured reserve to start the season.
The biggest question mark will come to Alaric Jackson’s status – as with last season – and whether he faces a suspension for violating league policy during the offseason for a domestic violence incident in which he was not charged. If so, it would be his second suspension and he could be out for a long period. With Trost injured for the near future, Quessenberry appears to be next up as the veteran represents the reserves group as a backup swing tackle.
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