Rams May Have Found Their Own Christian McCaffrey in Dean Connors

One of the top priorities for the Los Angeles Rams on Monday was getting running back Dean Connors back on the practice squad. While the Rams cut Connors to get the roster down to 53 players, he was undoubtedly a player they wanted back. Connors scored three receiving touchdowns during the preseason and added a dynamic playmaker to the backfield.

While some would have preferred the Rams to keep Connors on the 53-man roster, keeping him on the practice squad was just as important. Connors officially became part of the 17-player practice squad when the team announced the list on Monday afternoon.

There is still plenty of room for growth with Connors at this stage in his career. Right now, he hasn’t shown that he can provide much value on special teams. He played 19 total special teams snaps during the preseason and 13 of those came in the opener against the Kansas City Chiefs.

According to Pro Football Focus, he also only played in 10 ‘blocking’ snaps on offense, accounting for only 15.2 percent of his snaps. Among players with at least 10 blocking snaps, that was the third-lowest rate in the NFL. His 64.1 pass-blocking grade ranked 14th out of 39 players. He still has room to grow in that regard.

Dean Connors Brings a Dynamic Receiving Skill Set

With that said, there is still plenty to be excited about with Connors. He scored three receiving touchdowns during the preseason, which was tied for the second-most. His three receiving touchdowns were the most for a running back since at least 2013.

Dean Connors' great preseason:

26 Carries
96 Rush Yards
7 Rec
53 Rec Yards
3 Rec TDs pic.twitter.com/j8mfiJl9ko
— Dynasty Nerds (@DynastyNerds) August 28, 2026

When Connors was signed as an undrafted free agent, his receiving skill set was part of what made him intriguing. As The Athletic’s Dane Brugler wrote, “Connors is at his best in the screen game or when he finds an outside track to show off his short-area quickness and open-field acceleration.”

In his final year at Houston, Connors only had 34 receptions for 254 yards. However, during his final season at Rice, Connors’ 62 receptions and 485 yards ranked second on the team. At Rice, he set career running back records for receptions and receiving yards.

Connors made his biggest impact as a receiver. Among running backs in 2024, he was tied for the most receptions in the nation and his 485 yards ranked third. Only receiving backs such as Cam Skattebo and Eli Hendenreich from Navy were ahead of him.

Dean Connors Makes His Mark During the Preseason

It’s no coincidence that where Connors made his biggest impact for the Rams was also as a receiver. During the preseason, Connors’ 84.3 receiving grade ranked third among running backs via PFF and his 1.83 yards per route run ranked 10th. The Rams didn’t get him in space often, but when they did, Connors scored. For a running back, his hands were very impressive.

.@RamsNFL rookie RB Dean Connors sheds tackles to get six.

LARvsKC on @NFLnetwork
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/9ComLfN8D2
— NFL (@NFL) August 15, 2026

At 5’11, 208 pounds, Connors does have an average frame, but there’s no doubt that he runs hard. During the final preseason game, Connors got an extended look in the run game and did well. Against the Los Angeles Chargers, Connors had 10 carries for 59 yards through three quarters. It was only after the Rams were obviously running out the clock in the fourth quarter that his yards per carry dropped. Connors finished with 18 carries for 69 yards.

Among running backs with at least 13 carries during the preseason, Connors forced seven missed tackles, which was tied for the eighth-most. While he only averaged 3.7 yards per carry, he also rushed for 10 first downs.

Here's the Dean Connors cut-up you requested: https://t.co/PqjEkxmSY4 pic.twitter.com/urf7LTnLZd
— Jacob Gibbs (@jagibbs_23) August 30, 2026

Dean Connors Could Fill a Missing Role for the Rams

Connors adds a dynamic to the running back room that the Rams don’t have. Kyren Williams has shown some upside as a pass-catcher, but the Rams have never consistently used him that way. Blake Corum’s hands have been inconsistent during the first two years of his career.

While Connors starts on the practice squad, this is where he could eventually make an impact. If he can improve in pass protection, Connors becomes a player that can be used as a change of place player and on passing downs.

“He's a little like McCaffrey,” said quarterback Ty Simpson. “It helps us a lot. You saw him do it all preseason. He can do it all from you know, from running downhill to running out wide, to running routes. He talks about Christian all the time. I know he works out with him, but it helps us because we can do so many things.”

Could Dean Connors Become a McCaffrey-Like Weapon?

It may seem like a stretch to compare Connors to McCaffrey, but the two are actually built similarly. Coming out of college, Connors and McCaffrey were similar in size and both ran in the mid-4.4s. Connors is slightly more explosive, while McCaffrey is more agile, but their skill sets are also very similar.

Christian McCaffrey-Dean Connors RAS Comparison | MathBomb

That’s not to say that Connors is the next Christian McCaffrey or as dynamic. It would be unfair to put those types of expectations on Connors. However, it might be fair to call him a McCaffrey-lite. Both have the ability to contribute as runners while creating mismatches as receivers in the passing game.

Another more realistic comparison may be Tevin Coleman who also had success in a Kyle Shanahan-style running game as a third-down back. Connors and Coleman are also built very similarly.

Tevin Coleman-Dean Connors Comparison | MathBomb

There’s still a long way to go for Connors to get there. However, the practice squad is a big first step, and the Rams can work on developing him. If he can become more reliable in pass protection and carve out a role on special teams, he may find his way onto the roster by the end of the season.

Ever since Todd Gurley was cut, the Rams haven’t consistently had a running back who could be used as a receiving threat in the offense. It may have only been the preseason, but Connors showed that he has that in his toolbox. Calling Connors the Rams’ version of McCaffrey might be hyperbolic. However, if he continues to develop, it’s possible the Rams found their own version of that type of offensive weapon as an undrafted free agent.

Add us as a preferred source on Google