The Los Angeles Rams saw how quickly one injury can change the way a receiver’s season looks on paper.
That provides important context for Sports Illustrated’s ranking of the NFL’s best No. 2 receivers, as the outlet placed Davante Adams fourth, behind George Pickens, Tee Higgins and Jameson Williams.
The placement becomes understandable when looking at the yardage totals.
Pickens produced 1,429 yards, Williams reached 1,117 and Higgins finished with 846. Adams recorded 60 catches for 789 yards, ranking 34th across the league in receiving yards.
Adams’ season ended early, however.
He aggravated a hamstring injury against the Detroit Lions in Week 15 and missed the final three regular-season games.
But he still led the NFL with 14 touchdown catches while playing 14 games, giving the Rams a scoring threat alongside their clear No. 1 receiver.
The injury makes his No. 4 placement less of a slight and more of an incomplete evaluation.
Adams did not produce the same yardage as the receivers above him, but he also lost three opportunities to close the gap.
Adams’ Injury Changed the Final Numbers
GettyLos Angeles Rams wide receiver Davante Adams
Puka Nacua solidified his spot in the receiving order of Los Angeles by leading the NFL with 129 receptions, finishing second with 1,715 yards and adding 10 touchdowns.
Adams gave Matthew Stafford an alternative when the field became smaller.
Nearly one-quarter of Adams’ receptions ended in the end zone.
Twelve of his 14 touchdown catches came in the red zone, where his ability to release against press coverage and create separation made him one of the Rams’ most valuable offensive pieces.
Stafford also benefitted.
The veteran quarterback led the league with 4,707 passing yards and 46 touchdowns before winning the Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player award.
The Rams averaged an NFL-best 30.5 points per game, with Adams supplying the finishing touch to many of their best drives.
His late-season absence prevented those numbers from growing.
Adams caught four passes for 71 yards against Detroit before the hamstring issue ended his regular season.
Maintaining roughly that production over the final three games would have pushed him close to 1,000 yards while giving him more chances to add to his touchdown total.
Healthy Adams Remained a Difference-Maker in January
GettySEATTLE, WASHINGTON – JANUARY 25: Davante Adams #17 of the Los Angeles Rams catches a pass in front of Josh Jobe #29 of the Seattle Seahawks during the third quarter in the NFC Championship game at Lumen Field on January 25, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Adams returned when the Rams needed him most.
He caught five passes for 72 yards in the wild-card victory over the Carolina Panthers, including two receptions during the game-winning drive.
He followed that performance with a toe-tapping 12-yard catch in overtime against the Chicago Bears that helped extend the possession before the Rams kicked the winning field goal.
Adams then delivered his best performance of the postseason on its biggest stage, catching four passes for 89 yards and a touchdown in the NFC Championship Game against the Seattle Seahawks.
The Rams fell 31-27 to the Seahawks, but his performance reinforced the value of having an experienced receiver capable of winning against playoff coverage.
That is the balance behind Adams’ fourth-place ranking.
The receivers above him produced more yards, making their placements defensible, but Adams led all of them in touchdowns and had impactful postseason numbers despite dealing with injury.
Granted, their teams didn’t make the playoffs, but there’s something to be said for a 33-year-old receiver who’s still a big-time player.
The Rams don’t need him to overtake Nacua in receptions or yardage.
They need him available for third downs, red-zone possessions and playoff moments that can decide a championship run.
A healthy finish might have given Adams the statistics required to move higher on the list.
But his first Rams season showed that a receiver’s place on the depth chart matters less than whether he delivers when the biggest stages arrive.
LA Rams’ Davante Adams Gets Complicated NFL Verdict After 14-TD Season