7 players to watch in Rams' preseason game vs. Chiefs

For the first time since January, the Los Angeles Rams will play a football game, which has everyone excited about Saturday's matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs. Of course, it's just the preseason, but it'll be fun to see the Rams on the field in a game setting. The young talent on their roster makes this an even more intriguing afternoon for the Rams. With the team's starters and main backups getting the preseason off, the attention turns to rookies and guys fighting to make the 53-man roster. Here are seven players to keep an eye on this Saturday when the Rams take on the Chiefs. QB Ty Simpson Stetson Bennett will get the start but all eyes will be on Simpson. After making just 15 starts in college, these next three weeks could be the only game action Simpson gets until next summer, so every rep will be important. Things to watch are his arm strength driving the ball down the field, his pocket presence when defenders are bearing down and his accuracy. There's a lot of excitement about the Rams' first-round rookie, as there should be. He's by far the franchise's highest-drafted quarterback since Jared Goff in 2016. With very little to lose, hopefully he lets it rip and plays freely without trying to protect against costly mistakes. RB Jarquez Hunter The pressure is on Hunter to perform. In addition to Kyren Williams and Blake Corum, Rivers is also likely to get the preseason off, given the experience he's accumulated in his career. That leaves Hunter as the lead back for the Rams, giving him a golden opportunity to prove he's deserving of a roster spot. He's an explosive, powerful back with breakaway speed, but he has to display better vision at the line in order to find space at the second level. If he struggles, he could be in danger of getting cut by the Rams. WR CJ Daniels McVay already said Jordan Whittington and Konata Mumpfield won't play in the preseason, which will give Xavier Smith and Daniels increased opportunities. Daniels should make the team but in the preseason, he'll have a chance to turn some heads and make plays on offense. The Rams could use a receiver with his ability to come down with contested catches, something Mumpfield struggled with last season. Daniels excels in that department and that should be on display Saturday against the Chiefs. OL Keagen Trost Rookies are expected to play a lot this preseason, and that includes third-rounder Keagen Trost. Although he's listed at right tackle on the depth chart, it'll be interesting to see how the Rams deploy him. Will he exclusively play tackle? Will he get any chance to play guard? Will he get a shot to play left tackle if David Quessenberry is held out as expected? Trost was one of the best tackles in college football last season and he'll try to prove he can hold up against NFL edge rushers on Saturday. DL Ty Hamilton Hamilton didn't play much as a rookie last season and he'll need a good preseason to secure a roster spot for Year 2. The Rams added Tim Keenan III at nose tackle in the draft and while he's also on the bubble, Hamilton has higher expectations as a second-year player who the Rams traded up for in 2025. The Rams could use some depth behind their top four defensive linemen, which could turn into a top five if Aaron Donald returns. Hamilton must show improvements after a quiet rookie year. OLB Wesley Bailey Bailey is an undrafted rookie who has already earned first-team reps in practice. The Rams like to rotate their edge rushers, especially in an attempt to keep Byron Young and Myles Garrett healthy, so it's not as if the team views him as one of the top outside linebackers on the team. However, he's a terrific athlete with an NFL-type frame. And he must be doing something well enough in practice to get snaps with the starters. Keir Thomas has been a preseason standout multiple times for the Rams, and now it could be Bailey's turn to stand out this summer. He could make a real push for a roster spot with a strong performance over the next three weeks. CB Cam Lampkin Lampkin could be a breakout star of the preseason for the Rams. After going up against Los Angeles' receivers in practice all summer, he'll have an opportunity to cover other wideouts on Saturday in Kansas City. He has the frame and skill set to be an NFL cornerback and given the question marks Los Angeles has on the outside, he could be someone who steps up behind Emmanuel Forbes Jr. as a key backup. Look for Lampkin to make at least a couple of plays on the ball Saturday and throughout the team's three preseason games. This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: 7 players to watch in Rams' preseason game vs. Chiefs