Cam Akers

24-Year-Old Running BackRB

Minnesota Vikings

Injury Achilles

Est. Return 2/12/2024

2023 Rush/Rec Stats

ATT

YDS

167

YDS

Rest-of-Season Projections

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YDS

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2023 Fantasy Outlook

Akers is talented enough to suffice as a lead runner, and at times he has been exactly that. The Rams intended to make a starter out of him when they took him in the second round of the 2020 draft, and the team appeared committed to him when he rushed back from a summer Achilles tear in 2021 to suit up for the playoffs. It was bizarre to see that change at the beginning of 2022, when the Rams started Darrell Henderson the first five weeks. This understandably upset Akers, who demanded a trade and even looked like he might be released while sitting out the next three games. The Rams continued to waste time with Henderson and even the likes of Malcolm Brown, Kyren Williams and Ronnie Rivers even after Akers returned to the team Week 9, but Sean McVay finally came to his senses and went back to Akers as the main back from Week 13 onward. To the coach's credit, the Rams fed Akers well those final six weeks, a span in which he ran for 549 yards (5.3 YPC) and six touchdowns. The 24-year-old should be the lead runner again in 2023 after the Rams settled for sixth-round pick Zach Evans as their offseason addition, but potential complications include the history of conflict with McVay and the quality of players surrounding him after a rough offseason for the Rams. Read Past Outlooks

RANKS

#57.17

ADP

Overall

Running Back

Bye Week 13

Height 5'10"

Weight 217

DOB 6/22/1999

College Florida State

Drafted 2nd Rd 2020 #52 Overall

Officially moved to IR

RBMinnesota Vikings

Achilles

November 8, 2023

The Vikings placed Akers (Achilles) on injured reserve Wednesday.

ANALYSIS
Akers is done for the 2023 season due to a torn left Achilles' tendon suffered during Sunday's win over the Falcons. Previously, Akers was forced to miss most of the 2021 season after rupturing his right Achilles' tendon, but he's now dealing with an issue on the left side. Akers impressed in his brief time with Minnesota, rushing 38 times for 138 yards and a touchdown while securing 11 of 12 targets for 70 yards in six appearances following his acquisition from the Rams. Now that he's rehabbing a career-threatening injury for the second time in his career, Akers could have to wait awhile before signing with a team during the upcoming offseason, when he's scheduled for free agency.

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NFL Stats

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Fantasy/Red Zone Stats

See red zone opportunities inside the 20, 10 and 5-yard lines along with the percentage of time they converted the opportunity into a touchdown.

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Advanced NFL Stats

How do Cam Akers' 2023 advanced stats compare to other running backs?

This section compares his advanced stats with players at the same position. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that metric and it would be considered average. The longer the bar, the better it is for the player.

Broken Tackle %
The number of broken tackles divided by rush attempts.
Positive Run %
The percentage of run plays where he was able to gain positive yardage.
% Yds After Contact
The percentage of his rushing yards that came after contact.
Avg Yds After Contact
The average rushing yards he gains after contact.
Rushing TD %
Rushing touchdowns divided by rushing attempts. In other words, how often is he scoring when running the ball.
Touches Per Game
The number of touches (rushing attempts + receptions) he is averaging per game
% Snaps w/Touch
The number of touches (rushing attempts + receptions) divided by offensive snaps played.
Air Yards Per Game
The number of air yards he is averaging per game. Air yards measure how far the ball was thrown downfield for both complete and incomplete passes. Air yards are recorded as a negative value when the pass is targeted behind the line of scrimmage. All air yards data is from Sports Info Solutions and does not include throwaways as targeted passes.
Air Yards Per Snap
The number of air yards he is averaging per offensive snap.
% Team Air Yards
The percentage of the team's total air yards he accounts for.
% Team Targets
The percentage of the team's total targets he accounts for.
Avg Depth of Target
Also known as aDOT, this stat measures the average distance down field he is being targeted at.
Catch Rate
The number of catches made divided by the number of times he was targeted by the quarterback.
Drop Rate
The number of passes he dropped divided by the number of times he was targeted by the quarterback.
Avg Yds After Catch
The number of yards he gains after the catch on his receptions.
% Targeted On Route
Targets divided by total routes run. Also known as TPRR.
Avg Yds Per Route Run
Receiving yards divided by total routes run. Also known as YPRR.

Broken Tackle %

31.8%

Positive Run %

54.5%

% Yds After Contact

106.9%

Avg Yds After Contact

1.4

Rushing TD %

4.5%

Touches Per Game

0.0

% Snaps w/Touch

0.0%

Air Yards Per Game

-2.1

Air Yards Per Snap

-0.14

% Team Air Yards

-0.5%

% Team Targets

3.0%

Avg Depth of Target

-1.3 Yds

Catch Rate

91.7%

Drop Rate

0.0%

Avg Yds After Catch

7.3

% Targeted On Route

26.7%

Avg Yds Per Route Run

1.56

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2023 NFL Game Log

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2022 NFL Game Log

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2021 NFL Game Log

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Snap Distribution / Depth Chart

Snap Counts

Snap %

Vikings 2023 RB Snap Distribution See more data like this | See last season's snap counts

A.Alexander Mattison

C.Cam Akers

T.Ty Chandler

K.Kene Nwangwu

#% of Team Snaps

48263%

10514%

10013%

30%

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#4 RB

Vikings

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Receiving Alignment Breakdown

See where Cam Akers lined up on the field and how he performed at each spot.

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2023 Cam Akers Split Stats

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Measurables Review View College Player Page

How do Cam Akers' measurables compare to other running backs?

This section compares his draft workout metrics with players at the same position. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that metric and it would be considered average.

Height

5' 10"

Weight

217 lbs

40-Yard Dash

4.47 sec

Vertical Jump

35.5 in

Broad Jump

122 in

Bench Press

20 reps

Hand Length

9.00 in

Arm Length

30.63 in

Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Cam Akers See More

Backfield Breakdown: RB Usage Report & Week 13 Waivers Preview

Yesterday

Roschon Johnson took over the lead role Monday night, but it's unclear if that will hold after a Week 13 bye.

Backfield Breakdown: RB Usage Report & Week 12 Waivers Preview

8 days ago

AJ Dillon struggled in a lead role earlier this season, but he's played better recently and now gets another chance to replace an injured Aaron Jones as Green Bay's starting running back.

NFL Game Previews: Broncos-Bills Matchup

20 days ago

Erik Siegrist previews the Monday night matchup as Russell Wilson and the Broncos travel to Buffalo for a date with the Bills.

NFL Waiver Wire: Week 10 Deep Dive

21 days ago

Dan Marcus goes deep into the free-agent pool to find upside adds who could pay off down the road, if not this week.

Weekly Rankings: Week 10 Value Meter

21 days ago

Keaton Mitchell is a tough player to rank this week because of the Ravens' timeshare at RB and the tough opponent this week.

Past Fantasy Outlooks

2022

2021

2020

A torn Achilles tendon suffered while working out last summer appeared as though it would cost Akers the entire year, but he made a semi-miraculous return by the final week of the regular season and mostly handled the lead role in the Rams backfield during the postseason. Prior to the injury, Akers had been a top breakout candidate, after closing out his rookie year with 221 rushing yards and two TDs in two playoff games. There was no sign of that form when the 2020 second-round pick returned from his Achilles tear for last season's playoffs, as he averaged 2.6 yards on 67 carries without a single run of more than 15 yards. Further complicating the picture, Henderson used his extra opportunities last year to establish himself as a useful option in the Los Angeles offense when he was able to stay healthy alongside Sony Michel. While Michel is now out of the picture, Henderson lingers as a threat to poach both carries and targets, with fifth-round rookie Kyren Williams a dark horse to get involved if Akers really struggles to regain the form he displayed at the end of his own rookie year.

It took until Week 12 for Akers to seize the lead role in the Rams backfield last year. After doing little with 14 carries in Week 1, the rookie took a back seat to Malcolm Brown and Darrell Henderson the next couple months, never seeing more than 10 touches or 20 offensive snaps in a game. When Akers turned nine carries into 84 yards and a TD against the 49ers in late November, coach Sean McVay finally handed him the reins and the second-round pick never looked back. A powerful runner with a three-down skill set, Akers has 4.47 speed to turn a small crease into a big gain, and he showed it last season with runs of 61, 46, 35 and 25 yards. He finished with a modest 4.3 YPC despite the quartet of long gains, but any inconsistency seemed to be hammered out by season's end, as Akers ran for 221 yards and two TDs in two playoff games. As the 2021 campaign approached, Akers was headed toward a true featured role, but a torn Achilles' that he suffered in July derailed that outcome.

Akers was essentially a one-man show in a moribund Florida State offense during his college career, but that experience may have prepared him well for a three-down role in the pros. A strong, compact runner at 5-10, 217, with the power to be an asset in short-yardage situations, Akers ran a 4.47 40 at the combine, showing he can be more than just a grinder. His good vision makes him dangerous in the open field, though he seems to prefer running through tacklers rather than slipping by them. Akers is also a capable receiver, catching 30 of 42 targets for 225 yards and four scores last season. With Todd Gurley off to Atlanta, Akers has an opportunity to make an immediate impact. A backfield committee wouldn't be surprising, though, with holdovers Darrell Henderson and Malcolm Brown also looking for touches. But of the trio, Akers' skill set makes him the most likely to secure a true lead role.

More Fantasy News

MRI confirms torn Achilles

RBMinnesota Vikings

Achilles

November 6, 2023

Head coach Kevin O'Connell said Monday that Akers underwent an MRI that confirmed he sustained a torn left Achilles' tendon in Sunday's 31-28 win over Atlanta, Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

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Achilles' injury feared

RBMinnesota Vikings

Achilles

November 5, 2023

Coach Kevin O'Connell relayed after Sunday's 31-28 win over the Falcons that the Vikings believe Akers has an Achilles' injury, Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com reports.

ANALYSIS
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