During the Rams' Week 3 matchup against the 49ers, they needed a hero. Wide receivers Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua were sidelined with injuries, the offensive line was banged up and L.A. trailed by seven with less than three minutes remaining.
Wide receiver Tutu Atwell was that hero.
On the first play of the drive, quarterback Matthew Stafford motioned Atwell from the left to the right side. Cornerback Charvarius Ward backed off the line of scrimmage and toward the sideline, and Atwell used his momentum to blow past Ward, who was covering the deep third.
"Once the DB was (playing) out(side) leverage, I already knew (where it was going)," Atwell said.
He hauled in a 50-yard bomb from Stafford at the five-yard line, which set up the game-tying touchdown shortly thereafter. That play added 17.5% to the Rams' win probability, via nflverse data, and rookie kicker Joshua Karty would hit the game-winning field goal on the ensuing offensive possession.
In 2024, Atwell reached new career highs in receptions, yards, success rate, yards per route run (YPRR) and catch rate. He served as a productive starter while Kupp and Nacua were sidelined from Weeks 3-7, and contributed in a complimentary capacity throughout the rest of the season. Atwell benefited greatly from the Rams' motion-heavy offensive scheme and a heavy dose of intermediate, single-break routes.
Career Stats
All table data courtesy of Pro Football Reference except YPRR, courtesy of Pro Football Focus (* = career-high).
| Season | Receptions | Yards | Success Rate | YPRR | Catch Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 18 | 298 | 40% | 1.67 | 51.4% |
| 2023 | 39 | 483 | 47.8% | 1.28 | 58.2% |
| 2024 | 42* | 562* | 59.7%* | 2.24* | 67.7%* |
2024 Improvements
Over half of Atwell's routes during the 2024 season were in- or out-breaking routes (35.8%), or static routes (17.5%), defined as curls, comebacks or hitches that involved coming back to the ball. Atwell was among the most efficient receivers in the league on both types of routes, ranking top seven among qualified receivers in YPRR for both, according to Fantasy Points Data.
Atwell's elite speed means he's always a vertical threat. But this season, he broke more affectively to get open in short and intermediate areas higher rates. Defenders were always aware of his top end speed, evidenced by his dusting of Ward in the 49ers game, but he really improved on the nuances of his route running to produce in a more versatile way this season.
In a shootout against the Bills in Week 14, Atwell picked up a crucial fourth-and-five on an 11-yard dig route going against cornerback Christian Benford. It was a perfect example of Atwell's value as a complimentary receiver, as he wasn't the first read in Stafford's progression, but he found Atwell between defenders as he worked back to the middle of the field. Three plays later, Los Angeles scored a touchdown to go up 44-35 with less than two minutes remaining.
"It was a great route," said head coach Sean McVay. "It was a good, subtle route. (He had a) good set at the top."
As a former high school quarterback, Atwell is keenly aware of defensive schemes and leverage, and he uses that knowledge advantageously. That helped him take advantage of defenders when he motioned, as Atwell ran 104 routes after a pre-snap motion (18th) and accumulated 386 yards on those plays (fourth), via Next Gen Stats.
"Tutu's a very smart dude," said offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur. "... Yeah, we're (putting him in motion) because he can fly off the ball and (we're) getting him that access, but he also understands how to do it and why we're doing it."
Atwell's 3.7 YPRR on motion routes ranked eighth among qualified receivers. Motions not only gave an already speedy Atwell momentum into his routes, but it also enabled him to use his knowledge of defensive tendencies and movements to get open using his brain rather than his legs.
Atwell has come through for Los Angeles in some key moments throughout his young career, and that continued in the final year of his rookie contract. Now, Los Angeles has a decision to make on whether they will bring him back for 2025.
"I wouldn't say I'm surprised," McVay said of Atwell’s 93-yard performance in Week 3. "It makes you realize he probably should have gotten other opportunities. He's always been called upon and he's always kind of delivered."
