The Los Angeles Rams just added Myles Garrett to a roster that already had Matthew Stafford coming off an MVP season. That tends to change how people talk about you.
ESPN’s panel of insiders ranked every team’s projected starting lineup for 2026, and the Rams landed at No. 1. The Garrett trade pushed them over the top, but analyst Mike Clay pointed out that the real engine here is still the quarterback. Stafford threw for 4,707 yards and 46 touchdowns last season while finishing fourth in QBR. He turns 38 this year. The Rams drafted Ty Simpson in the first round as his backup.
Clay said picking just one strength on this roster is tough. Edge rusher, cornerback, wide receiver, both lines — they all stand out. But he wrote that the Rams’ Super Bowl hopes basically hinge on Stafford’s health and him keeping up that level of play. “With the league’s best roster around him, Stafford is set up for another elite season,” Clay wrote.
The one spot that might be a problem
If there’s a weak link, it’s tight end. The Rams have Tyler Higbee, Colby Parkinson, Davis Allen, Terrance Ferguson, and Max Klare on the depth chart. Clay basically admitted none of them looks like the clear answer.
ESPN’s Seth Walder flagged something else as the team’s X-factor: the health of Stafford and receiver Davante Adams. Both guys have injury histories. “The Rams are the best team in football, but they have a couple of Achilles’ heels they must protect,” Walder wrote.
Los Angeles went 12-5 last season and finished second in the NFC West. They open the 2026 season on September 10 against the San Francisco 49ers. The expectations are high. The roster backs them up.
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