Jordan Whittington’s Breakout Season: Can He Outshine Cooper Kupp and Become Playoff X-Factor

Sometimes the right decision can also be the most difficult. Over much of the last six years, wide receiver Cooper Kupp has been the heart and soul of the Los Angeles Rams offense. There’s a reason why some believe that had Kupp not gotten hurt in 2018, that the Rams beat the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. There’s a reason why Kupp won the Triple Crown in 2021. When the offense struggled to move the ball in the Super Bowl, Kupp was the player that got things going on the final drive. It was Kupp that won the Super Bowl MVP.

It’s fair to recognize everything that Kupp has done and that he has a special place in Rams history. Moving Kupp into a smaller role may not be easy and the Rams may have too much respect for him to do that. At the same time, it may also be what’s necessary.

Kupp went catchless for the first time since 2019 in the team’s win over the San Francisco 49ers. In the Rams’ win against the Arizona Cardinals two weeks later, Kupp had one reception. There will certainly be a narrative that quarterback Matthew Stafford locks on to certain receivers. With that said, Kupp has an overall receiver score of 21 according to ESPN analytics. That’s 17 points less than any other wide receiver on the Rams. His open score of 35 is the worst of his career. ESPN’s Open Score assesses the likelihood a receiver would be able to complete a catch, conditional on if he were targeted.

Additionally, Kupp has a -0.2 catch rate over expected which is worse than both Jordan Whittington and Puka Nacua who play similar roles. His separation score via Fantasy Points Data is also lower than Nacua, Whittington, and Demarcus Robinson. Separation score identifies situations where a receiver is asked to create separation against a defense.

Again, the necessary decision isn’t always the easiest and the Rams face that type of decision heading into Monday Night’s wild card game against the Minnesota Vikings. Following the performance last week, an argument can be made that Jordan Whittington should have a larger role in the offense. Whittington had three catches for 86-yards including a 50-yard reception. For the first time in a while, a Rams wide receiver outside of Puka Nacua showed explosiveness and creativity after the catch.