As it sits right now before next month’s NFL Draft, the Los Angeles Rams’ pass catching corps remains almost entirely unchanged. They lost Tutu Atwell in free agency to the Miami Dolphins but every other player who had a meaningful role a year ago returns. It was time for the Rams to move on from Atwell and his departure was wholly unsurprising.
It’s clear that Los Angeles either needs to add another receiver through the draft or trade, or they could bet on one of their young pass catchers taking a major step forward in 2026.
Who is most likely to break out onto the season? Let’s take a look at Terrance Ferguson, Jordan Whittington, and Konata Mumpfield.
Terrance Ferguson, TE
Sean McVay asserts that Ferguson can play any tight end or receiver role in his offense. That’s high praise and could in part explain why the learning curve was steep for the rookie tight end.
Ferguson played only 30 or more snaps one time prior to Week 14, which came in Week 7 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He scored his first career touchdown (31 yards) in this game. His snap totals increased drastically in Week 14 and thereafter:
- Week 14 at Cardinals: 45
- Week 15 vs Lions: 56
- Week 16 at Seahawks: 70
- Week 17 at Falcons: 32
- Divisional at Bears: 23
- NFC Champ at Seahawks: 36
Ferguson earned a full-time role by the end of the season. In a mild surprise, he finished with PFF grades in run and pass blocking of 73.1 and 76.9. In total he finished with 12 catches on 31 targets (38.7% completion) for 250 yards and three scores. The catch rate must improve as Matthew Stafford and Ferguson left a lot of meat on the bone last season; however, that also suggests there is a lot of room for growth with relatively minor adjustments.
We should be bullish about Ferguson’s prospects in 2026.
Jordan Whittington, WR
Despite Whittington’s snap count increasing from 301 as a rookie to 493 in his second season, he finished with fewer targets by four, receptions by three, and yards by 99. Whittington posted three games with more than 60 yards as a rookie with two even breaking the 80-yard mark. His highest game total in 2025 was only 42 yards.
Part of the explanation is that Whittington is stylistically Puka Nacua’s backup. Nacua missed time in 2024 but remained healthy for most of the season in 2025. Whittington aligns from the slot on 49.8% of his career snaps so far. He’s not a true outside threat which is really what the Rams need most in 2026.
Konata Mumpfield, WR
Inversely Mumpfield played just 23.1% of his snaps in the slot as a rookie. He’s an outside receiver and the primary backup to Davante Adams, if not his potential heir apparent. Adams missed the final stretch of the regular season and in turn Mumpfield’s opportunities increased greatly. The rookie received a season-high eight targets in Week 16 against the Seahawks; however, he caught only three passes for 40 yards in a losing effort.
On the year Mumpfield finished with a 48.1% catch rate and went 13 of 27 on passes thrown his direction. He caught just one of seven contested catch opportunities.
Those aren’t exactly numbers that make you feel optimistic about an outside receiver. Players can make sizeable jumps from their first season to their second.
Xavier Smith, WR
An honorable mention goes to Xavier Smith, who returns in spite of his costly and major special teams blunder in the NFC Championship game.
It’s clear the Rams are being intentional about improving in the third phase. I’d say at this point it’s unlikely that Smith handles punt return duties for this team in 2026, although his upgrade may not currently be on the roster. That could mean Smith is in store for a larger receiving role for the upcoming season. He can fill Atwell’s role at a fraction of the cost even if he’s not a high-volume target.
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