As the best team in the NFL, the Los Angeles Rams are likely to send at least a handful of players to the Pro Bowl this season. They're loaded on offense with superstars such as Matthew Stafford, Davante Adams and Puka Nacua, but the defense is ranked No. 1 in points allowed and features some under-the-radar contributors who casual NFL fans may not know just yet.
Pro Bowl voting opened on Thursday, which means it's time for fans to start campaigning for their favorite players to be selected. There are a number of strong candidates from the Rams this year, led by these nine players who are having standout seasons.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThey all deserve at least some Pro Bowl consideration, with many of them likely to be chosen.
QB Matthew Stafford
He's the MVP frontrunner and the best quarterback in football right now. Why wouldn't he be a Pro Bowler, too? Shockingly, he's only been named to the Pro Bowl twice in his career, but it's a virtual certainty that he'll make it this season. With 30 touchdown passes and only two interceptions, there's no quarterback putting up better numbers than Stafford right now.
WR Puka Nacua
Nacua missed a little bit of time with an injury, which caused him to fall behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the receiving yardage race. However, he's still fourth with 80 receptions, fourth in yardage (947) and third in yards per game (94.7). While Adams is the one scoring touchdowns, Nacua is the guy helping the Rams get into the red zone on seemingly every other drive right now.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWR Davante Adams
Adams is the only player in the NFL with double-digit touchdown receptions, racking up score after score from inside the red area. He's borderline unguardable inside the 5-yard line, especially with how sharp Stafford has been throwing him the ball. He may only be 26th in receiving yards but he's blowing everyone else out of the water in touchdown catches.
RG Kevin Dotson
It's time for the annual campaign to get Dotson to the Pro Bowl. He's never made it despite being one of the best guards in the league year after year, continuing that trend this season. According to PFF, he's the third-highest overall grade among all qualified guards this season at 82.4. His run-blocking grade of 85.2 is also the third-best at his position, and he's allowed just 14 pressures and one sack all year. It's time for him to make the Pro Bowl.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementOLB Jared Verse
Among qualified edge rushers, Verse has the ninth-best defensive grade (84.1) at Pro Football Focus. His 54 pressures are the sixth-most at his position and he's made 24 stops, also sixth-most. He may not be racking up the sacks like his teammate Byron Young, but he still has six of them and is starting to heat up. He'll be a two-time Pro Bowler after just two seasons in the NFL.
OLB Byron Young
Young has enjoyed a breakout season for the Rams this year, sitting tied for seventh with nine sacks. He has 43 pressures and has been outstanding against the run, too, something Sean McVay always points to when discussing how well Young has played this season. It's conceivable the Rams could have two edge rushers in the Pro Bowl, and no one should bat an eye if it happens.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementLB Nate Landman
From veteran minimum to Pro Bowler? Landman is having the season of his life after signing a cheap deal with the Rams this past offseason, parlaying it into a $22.5 million extension this month. He's tied with Joey Bosa and Aidan Hutchinson for the most forced fumbles in the league with four, more than any other non-pass rusher in football. Landman has changed the Rams' defense in a big way and deserves to be recognized for how well he's playing.
DB Quentin Lake
Even though he got hurt and may not return until the playoffs, Lake should be a Pro Bowler. He's a do-it-all defender who can cover deep, match up with receivers in the slot, stop the run, rush the passer and do just about anything else asked of him. His elbow injury is unfortunate but he was playing like one of the best slot defenders in football before getting hurt.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementP Ethan Evans
Evans' punt against the Seahawks preserved the Rams' lead and just about won them the game, but he's been awesome all year. He only has one touchback and 18 punts downed inside the 20, regularly pinning opponents deep with booming kicks that flip field position.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Pro Bowl voting: 9 Rams players who deserve to be selected
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