LOS ANGELES — The confetti has barely been swept from the NFC Championship loss to Seattle, but the post-mortem in Los Angeles is already screaming one uncomfortable truth: The Rams ran out of gas. Despite Matthew Stafford’s defiance of Father Time and Puka Nacua’s historic 1,715-yard campaign, the offense hit a wall when it mattered most. Why? Because you can’t win a Super Bowl with two wide receivers and a rotation of tight ends masquerading as a passing attack.
The ‘13 Personnel’ Trap
Sean McVay is a wizard, but this season he was forced to pull a rabbit out of a hat that didn’t exist. The shift to 13 personnel (1 RB, 3 TEs) wasn’t a tactical revolution; it was a survival tactic. With Tutu Atwell sidelined for chunks of the season and eventually fading from the rotation, McVay effectively abandoned the 11 personnel identity that built his legacy.
The result? Puka Nacua commanded a suffocating 30% target share. While Davante Adams proved he is still an elite red-zone assassin at 33, the drop-off after those two was a canyon. When defenses doubled Nacua and bracketed Adams, Stafford had nowhere to go but the check-down. With Stafford’s retirement clock ticking and Adams entering his mid-30s, the Rams cannot afford to run their engine this hot again. They need a third spark plug, and they need it on a rookie contract.
“We asked Puka to carry the world. He did it, but that bill comes due in January. We gotta get 9 more help. We can’t play 2-on-11 forever.”
— Matthew Stafford, Rams Quarterback (via Post-Game Presser)
The Fix: 3 Late-Round Gems Who Fit McVay’s Scheme
The Rams don’t need a superstar. They need a stabilizer. The third round of the 2026 NFL Draft is the sweet spot for value, and three names are flashing on the radar.
1. The Technician: Antonio Williams (Clemson)
If you want a clone of the “Robert Woods role” that McVay misses dearly, look at Clemson’s Antonio Williams. At 5-foot-11, 190 pounds, he isn’t physically imposing, but his tape screams NFL readiness. Williams is a route surgeon. He operates in a phone booth, creates separation instantly, and has the reliable hands Stafford demands. He ran a projected 4.45 40-yard dash, meaning he isn’t just a possession guy; he can scoot. He’s the perfect “safety valve” receiver who plays 10 years and moves the chains on 3rd-and-6.
2. The Bully: CJ Daniels (Miami)
McVay loves receivers who block like linebackers, and CJ Daniels fits the profile. After transferring from Liberty to LSU and finally anchoring Miami’s offense in 2025, Daniels proved he is a chameleon. Standing 6-foot-2, 205 pounds, he thrives in the screen game and doesn’t shy away from contact. His zero-drop season at LSU in ’24 is the kind of stat that gets you drafted. He isn’t a burner, but in a heavy 13-personnel hybrid scheme, Daniels acts as a “big slot” who can crack a safety in the run game and then box them out for a first down.
3. The Nitro Boost: Deion Burks (Oklahoma)
If the Rams let Atwell walk, they lose their only vertical stretcher. Enter Deion Burks. The Oklahoma speedster (formerly Purdue) is a pure adrenaline shot. At 5-foot-9, he’s small, but his 4.43 speed forces safeties to back up, clearing out the intermediate zones for Nacua and Adams. He’s one-dimensional compared to Williams, but that one dimension—taking the top off a defense—is exactly what the Rams lacked against Seattle’s secondary.
Playoff Implications / What’s Next
The NFC West is an arms race. Seattle’s defense is young and fast, and San Francisco isn’t going anywhere. If the Rams roll into the 2026 season relying solely on Nacua and Adams to generate 80% of their passing offense, they are flirting with disaster. General Manager Les Snead has found gold in the mid-rounds before (see: Nacua, Kupp). Striking gold on one of these three receivers isn’t just a luxury; it’s the prerequisite for giving Stafford one last legitimate shot at the Lombardi.
