Tutu Atwell may not have put up huge numbers for the Los Angeles Rams in the last four years, but the team still rewarded him with a one-year deal worth $10 million this offseason – a contract that’s fully guaranteed, too.

Sean McVay has a vision for the small but speedy receiver, committing to him for at least one more season in L.A. He’s coming off his best year yet in 2024, catching 42 passes for 562 yards, both of which were career-highs.

Heading into 2025, Atwell has a clear path to playing time behind Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. He’s penciled in as the No. 3 receiver on the depth chart, which in McVay’s 11 personnel-heavy offense means a lot of playing time.

It could put Atwell in position for the breakout year everyone’s been waiting for. CBS Sports’ Chris Trapasso picked Atwell as one of five players in the NFL who are in a contract year and primed for a breakout, sharing high praise for the Rams receiver.

Every coach on the Kyle Shanahan coaching tree wants a small burner to threaten vertically — and even on jet sweeps — within the offense — the Rams didn’t make Atwell a top 60 pick four years ago for no reason. The overwhelming majority of attention will be paid to Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, and rightfully so. 

That’ll leave Atwell as a beneficiary of minimal over-the-top safety help, which is bad news for defenses given his 4.39 speed. In his final year of his rookie deal, Atwell will move into more of a prominent role in the Rams’ 11 personnel-heavy attack and continue his upward trajectory as a niche asset who’ll perfectly complement Los Angeles’ uber-efficient superstar receivers not known for their pure speed. 

Trapasso noted improvements in Atwell’s catch rate (51.4% to 59.1% to 68.9% since 2022) and yards per route run (2.24 in 2024) as reasons he’s on track for a bigger year in 2025. It helps that much of the attention on offense will be paid to Nacua and Adams, leaving Atwell in one-on-one situations more often than not.

With his speed, Atwell doesn’t need to be a high-volume receiver to rack up the yards. He runs a lot of downfield routes where if he gets behind the defense, he could be gone for 50 yards and a score.

As the No. 3 receiver, it shouldn’t be too difficult for him to set a career-high in yards this season.

Follow Rams Wire on X, Facebook and Threads for more coverage!