Jordan Whittington is on the rise in the Rams' wide receiver room

WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. – When Rams sixth-round rookie wide receiver Jordan Whittington caught 11 passes for 126 yards in two preseason games, many suspected general manager Les Snead had struck another late-round gem. What was unexpected was how quickly Whittington got the opportunity to showcase that value during the regular season, due in part to injuries to his position group.

Well, it wasn't a surprise to everyone.

“When I saw Puka Nacua for the first time, I knew he was special. I felt the same way for Jordan,” wide receiver Tutu Atwell said.

With Nacua and Cooper Kupp injured, Whittington led the Rams in both scores (eight) and receptions (six) against the Bears on Sunday, rushing for 62 yards in his fourth career game. He played the most offensive snaps (59) of anyone on the team, with the exception of quarterback Matthew Stafford and the starting offensive line, who played all 61 snaps.

Whittington's total targets, catches and yards have increased in every game he has played this season as the eye test and advanced metrics continued to confirm that he can be an impact player at the professional level. Additionally, he is an influential run blocker that fits the Rams' offensive identity. Without Kupp and Nacua, Whittington's role could continue to increase for the foreseeable future.

“We ask him a little bit more every week as far as the running game and the passing game … and he handles it well,” offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur said. “He’s going to stay in this league for a long time.”

The Texas rookie ranks fifth among qualified rookies in yards per route run (2.07) according to Pro Football Focus and has the 16th-best run-blocking grade of all receivers in football. He also ranks third among qualified rookies and 26th overall in better-than-expected catch percentage (10.2%), according to Next Gen Stats. This statistic is measured by models that use player tracking data to estimate the catch percentage of certain passes based on previous games with similar circumstances.

That means Whittington isn't just making the plays expected of him as a sixth-round replacement for injured superstars. He catches passes that the average NFL player doesn't catch.