The Los Angeles Rams suffered a brutal blow at the running back position. Second-year halfback Cam Akers, the Rams’ leading rusher last season, tore his Achilles while training. Akers will miss the entire 2021 campaign.

As a rookie, Akers began the year in a running-back-by-committee backfield. He shared carries primarily with Darrell Henderson and Malcolm Brown, with the latter signing with the Miami Dolphins this offseason. By the end of 2020, Akers had earned the starting job and an every-down role. His best performance came in Week 14 when he rushed for 171 yards in a blowout victory over the New England Patriots.

A second-round pick (52nd overall) in the 2020 NFL Draft, Akers rushed 145 times for 625 yards and two TDs. He also caught 11 passes for 123 yards and another score in 13 contests (five starts) during his first pro season. He shined during the Rams’ two postseason contests. In the Rams victory over the Seattle Seahawks in the Wild Card Round, he darted for 131 yards and a TD and hauled in two passes for 45 yards. In the Divisional Round defeat to the Green Bay Packers, Akers gained 90 yards on the ground with a touchdown.

With Akers out of the picture, Henderson is now the presumptive starter. Their backfield also includes Xavier Jones, Raymond Calais and rookie Jake Funk. Jones and Calais are second-year backs, neither of whom received a single carry last year.

The Rams reportedly have no current plans to add a veteran running back via free agency, but they should look into it. Let’s look at some of their best options on the open market.

5. Frank Gore

The NFL’s third-leading rusher of all time, Frank Gore has yet to call it quits on his career. The five-time Pro Bowler spent the 2020 season with the New York Jets, appearing in 15 games (14 starts) and rushing for a team-best 653 yards with two TDs.

Gore holds the NFL record for most games played (241) by a running back. He has started a whopping 218 games, also the most by a tailback.

The 38-year-old mustered just 3.5 yards per carry last season, potentially a red flag for the Rams in their halfback pursuit.

4. Adrian Peterson

The fifth-leading rusher in NFL history, Adrian Peterson is not finished with football just yet. The 36-year-old wants to play in 2021, which would be his 15th season in the league.

Peterson accumulated 604 rushing yards on 156 attempts (3.9 yards per carry) and seven touchdowns with the Detroit Lions in 2020. If Peterson joins the Rams, it would be his fifth different team since leaving the Minnesota Vikings.

3. Todd Gurley

Could the Rams reunite with Todd Gurley? The 2017 Offensive Player of the Year, Gurley played his first five NFL seasons with the Rams. He earned three Pro Bowls in his tenure and helped the club reach Super Bowl LIII, a loss to the Patriots.

The Rams released Gurley following the 2019 season. Gurley spent the 2020 campaign with the Atlanta Falcons, rushing 195 times for 678 yards and nine touchdowns.

While Gurley’s 3.5 yards per carry were underwhelming, he is still relatively young for a running back. He turns 27 in August and could be productive if healthy — a major question mark.

2. Le’Veon Bell

As hard as it may be to believe, Le’Veon Bell is just two years removed from signing his massive four-year, $52.5 million contract ($35 million guaranteed) with the Jets. Bell lasted just 17 games with the Jets, being released after appearing in two contests in his second season with the club.

After being cut by the Jets, Bell latched on with the Kansas City Chiefs. He was a nonfactor with the Chiefs, however. Bell played in just nine games (two starts) with 63 carries for 254 yards and two TDs. To make matters worse, Bell was active for just one of the three Chiefs’ postseason contests.

Bell claimed that he’d rather retire than play for Chiefs head coach Andy Reid again.

A three-time Pro Bowler, Bell has played eight NFL seasons. The 29-year-old has registered 48 total touchdowns (40 rushing) in his career.

1. Duke Johnson

Dual-threat halfback Duke Johnson is still a free agent. A pass-catching specialist, the 27-year-old spent the previous two seasons with the Houston Texans. Prior to last year, the 2015 third-round pick had suited up in all 16 games in each season of his career.

Johnson played for the Browns from 2015-18, with his best season coming in 2017. He posted seven total touchdowns (four rushing) with a career-best 693 receiving yards that season.

Rams head coach Sean McVay could use Johnson’s versatility to his advantage in a backfield searching for answering in the wake of Akers’ season-long absence. Johnson is not an every-down back, but that should work fine for the Rams, who will reportedly roll with Henderson as the RB1 entering 2021.

We'll see if the Rams make a move.