Regardless of rating sixth in speeding yards final season, Kyren Williams solely obtained an “honorable mention” on a latest top-10 operating backs listing at ESPN, an order decided by a survey of execs, coaches, and scouts. But it surely might be much less of an indictment on Williams and extra of a credit score to the Rams offensive line. Williams did rush for 1,252 yards and solely 5 backs had extra in 2025, however the offensive line ranked first in a key stat.
The L.A. Rams ranked first in Adjusted Line Yards by a large margin, per FTN Fantasy:
What are adjusted line yards and the way do the try and separate OL contributions within the run recreation from operating backs?
Adjusted Line Yards (ALY) is a speeding metric created by Soccer Outsiders to estimate how a lot credit score (or blame) an offensive line deserves for a staff’s speeding manufacturing, quite than merely taking a look at yards per carry.
The core concept is that not all speeding yards belong equally to the offensive line. The road has far more affect on the primary few yards of a run than on a 50-yard landing, the place the operating again’s imaginative and prescient, velocity, and damaged tackles matter far more.
The method weights speeding yards like this:
Portion of run and Credit score given to offensive line”- Losses are 120% (additional penalty)- 0-4 yards are 100% credited to OL- 5-10 yards are 50% credited to OL- 11+ yards are 0% credited to OL
Suppose a operating again has 4 carries:
-2 yards3 yards8 yards30 yards
Adjusted Line Yards would calculate:
-2-yard run: counts as -2.4 (120%)3-yard run: counts as 38-yard run: first 4 yards rely totally (4), subsequent 4 rely half (2), complete = 630-yard run: first 4 yards rely totally (4), subsequent 6 rely half (3), remaining 20 rely 0, complete = 7
Though the again rushed for 39 precise yards, the offensive line receives credit score for under:
-2.4 + 3 + 6 + 7 = 13.6 Adjusted Line Yards
It limits an explosive again’s capability to over-credit an offensive line as a “great” run-blocking offensive line based mostly solely on complete speeding yards, which most individuals do. Which one factor we learn about Kyren Williams…
What this implies for Kyren Williams
Everybody is aware of that Kyren isn’t probably the most explosive again, which is why he was drafted within the fifth-round as a substitute of the second or the third. It could additionally assist clarify why some followers suppose that Williams’ 1,252 yards and 4.8 yards per carry is possibly even slightly underwhelming given the offensive line he has in entrance of him.
Right here’s what an NFL coordinator stated about Williams:
“Really underrated. Productive, tough as s—, runs hard, brings the juice, has improved as a pass catcher and really good in protection. Just doesn’t have the high-end traits of some of the others.” — NFL coordinator
Including Blake Corum in 2024 and Jarquez Hunter in 2025 has been Sean McVay’s try so as to add traits to the backfield. We noticed Corum break off some huge runs in 2025, so giving him extra makes an attempt in 2026 is believable.
Will the offensive line be pretty much as good?
The Rams have the benefit of continuity, with one exception.
Though all 5 starters are again in 2026, A.J. Jackson is dealing with a probable suspension to start out the season. Even so, Steve Avila, Coleman Shelton, Kevin Dotson, and Warren McClendon are all again. The Rams additionally added Keagan Trost within the third-round.
Most significantly, a very powerful coach is again — Sean McVay — in addition to the offensive teaching workers, except Mike LaFleur, No offense to LaFleur, however he’s type of just like the Kyren of offensive coordinators:
Individuals haven’t been giving him as a lot credit score due to his environment.
So sure, the offensive line must be pretty much as good. There might be a slight drop-off when Jackson is out, if he’s out, and that’s extra necessary than the supply of any operating again.
