Atwell had three receptions off of four targets for 48 yards in Sunday's 41-10 loss to the Cardinals. Atwell bounced back from a no-catch performance in Week 1, finishing as the Rams' second-leading receiver following Cooper Kupp's (ankle) early departure. With the team already down Puka Nacua (knee), Atwell could find himself in an increased role for Sunday's upcoming tilt against the 49ers.
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Status
ACTIVELatest Tutu Atwell news
Team
Los Angeles Rams
Birthdate
10/7/1999 (24)
Status
Active
HT/WT
5'9", 165 lbs
Draft Info
2021: Rd 2; Pk (LA)
Birthplace
Miami, FL, USA
Position
WR
College
Louisville
Experience
4 seasons
Career History
Los Angeles Rams
2021-Present
(4 seasons)
Atwell had three receptions off of four targets for 48 yards in Sunday's 41-10 loss to the Cardinals. Atwell bounced back from a no-catch performance in Week 1, finishing as the Rams' second-leading receiver following Cooper Kupp's (ankle) early departure. With the team already down Puka Nacua (knee), Atwell could find himself in an increased role for Sunday's upcoming tilt against the 49ers.
Atwell played six snaps and didn't record a target during Sunday's 26-20 overtime loss to the Lions. Despite being held out through the entire preseason, Atwell barely took the field on Sunday, even after Puka Nacua (knee) left the game. Tyler Johnson (5-79-0) took over as the tertiary wideout and was on the field for 51 snaps, which signals that he'll likely step in as the No. 3 wide receiver behind Cooper Kupp and Demarcus Robinson if Nacua misses time. Atwell's role seems set as a depth option for head coach Sean McVay and an increased workload seems unlikely against the Cardinals in Week 2.
Atwell is competing with Demarcus Robinson for the No. 3 WR role but may ultimately fall further down the depth chart, Cameron DaSilva of Rams Wire reports. Atwell lost said role to Robinson down the stretch last season, despite starting the year strong while Cooper Kupp was sidelined by a hamstring injury. Atwell had 246 receiving yards Weeks 1-3, and then just 237 yards over 13 subsequent regular-season appearances (though he did score a 38-yard TD on his lone target in a playoff loss to Detroit). The 2021 second-round pick now seems likely to land in a depth role for the final year of his rookie contract, with some risk of falling behind not only Robinson but also sixth-round pick Jordan Whittington.
Atwell's role actually shrunk considerably compared to his typical usage, as he only took the field for around a third of the contest; less than starters Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua and notably Demarcus Robinson, as well. Despite the stark drop in playing time, Atwell was actually the most productive of the Rams' wideouts, with a game-long 42-yard catch on the Rams' first drive, and his 76 receiving yards were more than Kupp (3-18-0), Nacua (4-27-0) and Robinson (2-13-0) combined, The reduced snap count may just be a blip on the radar given Atwell's quality play, but a repeat performance may be a tall task in Week 13 against a Browns defense allowing a league-low 142 passing yards per game.
The speedster saw as many targets in this contest as he had in his last three games combined, but with Brett Rypien under center instead of Matthew Stafford (thumb), Atwell posted his lowest yardage total since Week 5. The Rams have a bye week next on the docket in Week 10, which will give Stafford time to heal his sprained thumb. If Rypien is still starting for the Rams in Week 11 against the Seahawks, it'll be hard for fantasy managers to trust any Rams pass catcher, let alone Atwell, who hasn't produced more than 31 receiving yards in a game since all the way back in Week 3 against the Bengals.
Atwell's biggest contribution in the passing game was a leaping 20-yard catch on third down late in the second quarter, which extended a drive that led to a Royce Freeman touchdown. The wideout later threw a pass to Matthew Stafford on a successful two-point conversion attempt early in the third quarter, which would prove to be Stafford's last action of the game. Backup Brett Rypien would only target Atwell once the rest of the contest, and the biggest contribution for the speedster from that point on was an eight-yard rush. Rypien doesn't have the arm to stretch the field like Stafford does, and any missed time for the veteran signal-caller would further depress Atwell's already downward trending stock.