Nobody’s Talking About These Two Rams — and That Could Change the NFC West by October

The Los Angeles Rams spent this offseason doing what the Rams do best: making noise. Myles Garrett arrived in a blockbuster trade. Trent McDuffie got added to a secondary that needed help. Ty Simpson got drafted in the first round as the eventual heir to Matthew Stafford.

But if you look at how deep playoff runs actually happen — not how they’re forecast in March — it’s rarely the headliners who carry a team through January. It’s the guys who weren’t supposed to be on the field in the first place.

Two names worth watching as the Rams push for another title: linebacker Omar Speights and wide receiver Jordan Whittington.

The linebacker nobody saw coming

Omar Speights entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of LSU. Two years later, he’s on track to be one of the most productive linebackers on a defense that suddenly looks terrifying.

Speights played through a high-ankle sprain for much of the 2025 season and still managed 85 tackles in over 660 snaps. The numbers are solid. The tape is better. He processes run fits quickly, takes direct angles to the ball carrier, and rarely gets caught guessing.

But the real story is what’s happening in front of him. Kobie Turner and Braden Fiske have turned into a wrecking crew on the interior. Myles Garrett is, well, Myles Garrett. When offensive linemen have to account for that kind of disruption at the line of scrimmage, the second level becomes a lot more fun for a linebacker who reads and reacts well.

Speights is the kind of player who benefits from chaos he doesn’t create. If he stays healthy, 110 tackles is realistic. According to team insiders, the coaching staff views him as a potential every-down linebacker — and that’s a role that rarely stays anonymous for long.

The receiver ready to step out of the shadows

Jordan Whittington has been the kind of player fans notice during preseason games and then forget about once the regular season starts. That might change in 2026.

Tutu Atwell is gone. That opens up a role in an offense that has historically turned unheralded receivers into reliable producers. Whittington has already shown the traits that matter most in Sean McVay’s system: he understands leverage, runs precise routes, and rarely makes mental mistakes.

Matthew Stafford has always gravitated toward receivers who show up in the right spot at the right time. Cooper Kupp built a Triple Crown career on that skill. Whittington doesn’t have Kupp’s ceiling, but he does have the same approach to spacing and timing.

The presence of Davante Adams and Puka Nacua means defensive coordinators will tilt coverage toward the perimeter. Safeties will shade toward Adams. Cornerbacks will get help over the top against Nacua. That leaves room over the middle — exactly where Whittington does his best work.

He doesn’t need to post 1,000 yards to become valuable. He just needs to convert third downs and keep drives alive. The Rams have not confirmed any specific role expansion, but the roster math suggests an opportunity is there.

Why this matters for the Rams’ Super Bowl hopes

Los Angeles has one of the most talented rosters in the NFC. Stafford can still sling it. Garrett changes the math up front. The secondary has a new anchor in McDuffie. But championship teams are almost always defined by someone who outplayed their draft slot or their contract.

Speights and Whittington may not be household names today. If the Rams make a deep run in January, they probably will be by February.