After three uneven seasons with the Los Angeles Rams, wide receiver Tutu Atwell enters 2025 not just with urgency—but with growing expectations. CBS Sports’ Chris Trapasso recently named Atwell his No. 1 breakout candidate among players in a contract year, citing steady improvement, elite speed, and a prime opportunity in Sean McVay’s evolving offense.
“After being surprisingly selected by the Rams at No. 57 overall in the 2021 draft, which immediately was followed by an injury-plagued rookie season, the tiny speedster from Louisville has quietly improved his efficiency as a receiver the past two seasons,” Trapasso writes.
Atwell’s catch rate has climbed steadily from 51.4% in 2022 to 59.1% in 2023, and then jumped to 68.9% in 2024. His yards per route run surged to 2.24 last season on 259 routes—up from 1.67 as a rookie.
Los Angeles Rams’ Tutu Atwell Poised for Breakout in Contract Year, Says CBS Sports’ Chris Trapasso
Atwell’s trajectory is especially intriguing given the Rams’ shifting offensive dynamics. With Cooper Kupp gone and veteran Davante Adams joining breakout sophomore Puka Nacua, defenses will key in on the Rams’ top two targets. That could free Atwell to exploit mismatches in an 11-personnel-heavy scheme that has long favored quick burners.
“That’ll leave Atwell as a beneficiary of minimal over-the-top safety help, which is bad news for defenses given his 4.39 speed,” Trapasso notes. “He’ll perfectly complement Los Angeles’ uber-efficient superstar receivers not known for their pure speed.”
While Atwell has struggled to secure a consistent role, he’s flashed big-play ability—posting the Rams’ four fastest in-game ball-carrier speeds in 2022, per Next Gen Stats. With Matthew Stafford under center and McVay at the helm, Atwell’s blend of speed and improved reliability may finally translate into consistent production.
It is unclear why he has never distinguished himself among the Rams pass catchers. In 2021, it was easy to see his potential. But it has never manifested, and as McVay moves more and more toward heavier personnel packages it becomes less clear as to what the role will be. McVay has repeated vowed to get him more involved, but that has never been seen on the field regularly enough.
Stafford tends to hone in on one receiver rather than spreading the ball around, and that receiver is often the one that is the most open. Both Kupp and Nacua are excellent at getting and finding space. So it could be chalked up to Stafford.
The Rams are eyeing a second straight NFC West title, and every contributor matters. For Atwell, 2025 isn’t just about making plays—it’s about proving he belongs.
