Rams RB Todd Gurley is expected to begin training camp on the non-football injury list.
That's not a surprise for anyone who has been paying attention, and it's not at all a sign of a setback in his recovery from a torn left ACL. Landing on the NFI list means the Rams can activate him whenever they see fit with no real restrictions. In other words, when they deem Gurley healthy, he can return to the field.
Gurley said at the end of organized team activities that he hopes to do some individual drills in the early parts of camp and ease his way into full team drills after that. Those still seem like possible goals, and if he stays on that track he could still theoretically be ready for the start of the season. The Rams don't intend to rush him back, but predictions of holding him out until after the bye week are too far flung.
Barring a setback, Gurley will likely return sooner than later. When he does, it's safe to assume Gurley will quickly become a focal point of the offense.
Gurley ranks 25th on our RB list putting him as a low-end RB2 already. He could climb the list a bit, assuming he shows signs of getting healthier as camp progresses. The story assumes he will be a big part of the team's rushing attack, and considering where he was drafted, we agree. That spells bad news for Tre Mason owners of a year ago who thought they found a pretty good RB option. We project Gurley for just over 200 rushes with Mason getting about 100.
