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Rams insider predicts who the team's WR3 will be in 2026
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- Rams insider predicts who the team's WR3 will be in 2026
The Los Angeles Rams ' third wide receiver spot behind Puka Nacua and Davante Adams looks headed for a committee approach rather than a single clear winner, according to The Athletic 's Nate Atkins.
The competition includes Konata Mumpfield , Jordan Whittington and Xavier Smith , with sixth-round rookie CJ Daniels also in the mix. None of the group has separated itself statistically.
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Mumpfield, a seventh-round pick in 2025, finished his rookie season with 10 receptions for 92 yards and a touchdown across 17 games. Whittington posted 18 catches for 171 yards and no touchdowns in his second season, a step back from the 293 receiving yards he put up as a rookie in 2024. Smith caught 24 passes for 303 yards and doubled as the Rams' primary punt returner, logging 251 punt return yards last season. Daniels, while turning heads this offseason , is still just a rookie.
Atkins noted that "If the Rams wanted something more, I think they would have gone after a higher-octane receiver either in free agency, trades or the draft." There were rumors the Rams would draft USC receiver Makai Lemon at No. 13, but chose Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson instead. L.A. also reportedly "had eyes" on Ole Miss receiver De'Zhaun Stribling before the 49ers scooped him up at No. 33 .
The lack of a standout and clear WR3 doesn't mean one doesn't exist, though. Atkins wrote that there will be "a couple of clear hierarchies" when it comes to the WR3 roles: "Mumpfield is the backup on the perimeter if Davante Adams were to get injured, and Whittington is the backup in an inside-outside role if Nacua were to get hurt."
He added that Whittington and Smith bring after-the-catch ability in different ways and will be active on game days largely because of their special teams value — provided Smith wins the punt return job outright entering the season. Additionally, Atkins believes the tight end position and role will also effectively serve as Matthew Stafford 's third pass-catching option. The Rams have a few solid options, from Terrence Ferguson and Colby Parkinson to 2026 second-round pick Max Klare.
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Nacua and Adams combined to dominate the receiving workload in 2025 — Nacua led the NFL with 129 catches for 1,715 yards and 10 touchdowns, while Adams led the league outright in touchdown catches with 14 on just 60 receptions. That leaves a thin slice of targets for whoever wins the No. 3 job, and Atkins expects the Rams to lean on specialization rather than a featured role.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams insider predicts who the team's WR3 will be in 2026
