Can Rams' Van Jefferson Step Up Behind Cooper Kupp?

Receiver Van Jefferson struggled on the injury-plagued Los Angeles Rams last season

When their top receiver goes down, the WR2 is expected to take on the role as the quarterback's primary target. When the WR2 goes down, the third man is supposed to fill in.

When former Rams WR2 Robert Woods went down in 2021 with a torn ACL, WR3 Van Jefferson filled the hole, recording 50 receptions for 802 yards and six touchdowns. Jefferson was a big factor in taking extra defensive pressure off of All-Pro WR1 Cooper Kupp.

After the Rams' Super Bowl-winning season, Woods was traded to the Titans and Jefferson was expected to be the full-time WR2. However, a knee injury during training camp would sideline him until Week 7 of 2022.

In 2022, All-Pro receiver Cooper Kupp suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Week 10. Just when Jefferson was expected to take on the WR1 role, quarterback Matthew Stafford suffered a season-ending spinal cord injury the following week.

Jefferson finished the 2022 season with just 24 receptions for 369 yards and three touchdowns in nine games.

However, now that Kupp and Stafford are healthy again, Jefferson hopes to play even better than his 2021 moving-up ceremony. He just never got a real chance to prove himself last season.

For an NFL team to be successful, their WR2 should have at least 650 receiving yards by Week 18, as every playoff team accomplished this last season except for the Giants.

Now entering his fourth season in the NFL, Jefferson is capable of accomplishing this feat once again.

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