Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay is "optimistic" that running back Darrell Henderson will be ready for Week 1 after dealing with a hamstring injury. If so, McVay will get the three-headed backfield committee -- Cam Akers, Malcolm Brown and Henderson -- he desires to kick off the 2020 campaign against the Dallas Cowboys.
"If he is (healthy), that's a three-back rotation that you feel really good about," McVay said Monday, via the L.A. Daily News. "Exactly how those carries will be distributed is something we'll determine really as the week progresses and as the game unfolds."
McVay has insisted all offseason he hopes to ride a committee backfield after years of having a workhorse in Todd Gurley.
From an outside perspective -- and of more importance to the Fantasy Football Community -- Akers seems like the most likely to slide ahead and take the majority of snaps. But McVay poured a bit of cold water on the rookie's expectations, at least early in the season.
"Cam is continuing to get better," McVay said Monday. "You forget sometimes he's a young player. We are going to ask a lot of him."
As the season wears on, Akers could earn a bigger role as McVay becomes more comfortable with the rookie, and the back proves he can pass block. Until then, expect all three backs to see snaps and touches to open the year.
"I think as the season unfolds, that might give us some clarity if someone separates themselves," McVay said. "But we're going to go into it with three different backs, three different skill sets, that present a change of pace and different dynamic that they can present to defenses.
"I think that can help keep people off-balance as well."
We'll see if McVay's plan to shuffle backs keeps the Cowboys defense off balance in primetime Sunday night to kick off the season.