News: The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that following the draft, the Rams starting receivers are Brian Quick and Chris Givens with rookie Tavon Austin in the slot. Fellow rookie Steadman Bailey is No. 4 on the depth chart.
Analysis: Givens has the chance to play well this season, especially if he remains a starter. In 2012, his rookie year, Givens posted moderate stats with 42 catches for 698 yards and three touchdowns, but he played well during the five games Danny Amendola was out, which was Weeks 6-8 and 13-14. Givens had at least eight Fantasy points in four of those five games and benefitted from the increased targets. He should be considered a late-round flier in all leagues this season.
News: Rams wide receiver Chris Givens only made two catches in the Week 17 regular-season finale at Seattle. Givens, a deep-ball threat for quarterback Sam Bradford, led the Rams receivers with 54 yards as he had a long catch of 37 yards in the game. He did not score for St. Louis in the season finale. Givens was targeted three times overall.
Analysis: Givens has been an excellent deep-ball threat this season for Bradford. The rookie out of Wake Forest scored three touchdowns this season and just missed another as he broke free on a pass in the Week 17 game and was pulled down at the last moment. Givens had one 100-yard game and showed the ability to grow alongside Bradford. That said, he's probably just a low-end target heading into next year for Fantasy owners.
News: Rams rookie wide receiver Chris Givens has a very tough matchup ahead of him for the Week 17 regular-season finale at Seattle Sunday. The Seahawks have been excellent against the pass, especially of late this season. In fact, no team has allowed fewer points per game to opposing wide receivers than have the Seahawks this year. They have allowed just 1,881 receiving yards and nine touchdowns to the position and only two of those touchdowns have come in the last five weeks.
Analysis: Givens put together a solid rookie year for the Rams and quarterback Sam Bradford. He has three touchdown catches and one 100-yard game on the year. Givens faced Seattle Week 4 and had one catch but it went for 52 yards. He could once again be a big-play threat Week 17 against Seattle, but we wouldn't go trusting him in Fantasy circles at this late juncture of the season.
News: In Danny Amendola's second game back from a foot injury, fellow wide receiver Chris Givens again wasn't a significant contributor Week 16 at Tampa Bay, catching just three passes for 38 yards. He now has less than 40 receiving yards in three straight games. His five targets tied Lance Kendricks for second-most on the team, though, giving him more than Brandon Gibson, who had led the team in receiving each of the last two weeks.
Analysis: On a day when quarterback Sam Bradford threw for only 196 yards, 38 was good enough for second on the team, which puts Givens' performance in a completely different context. While last week, he appeared to be behind both Amendola and Gibson in the pecking order, this week he finished with more receiving yards than Amendola and more targets than Gibson. Givens still isn't reliable enough to trust in most Fantasy leagues for Week 17 at Seattle, but he's not completely useless in deeper formats.
News: Rams wide receiver Chris Givens heads into Week 16 at Tampa Bay mired in a three-game scoring slump, which is his second-longest slump of his rookie season. Wide receivers average 219.1 receiving yards and 27.7 Fantasy points per week against Tampa Bay, which is the highest average in the NFL. Receivers have also totaled 16 touchdowns against the Bucs.
Analysis: Givens had a stretch of games Week 12 through Week 14 where he was very visible to Fantasy owners because of Danny Amendola's absence from the lineup. Amendola returned to action Week 15 and Givens' role was greatly reduced again. He managed just one catch and was targeted four times. When Amendola is healthy, Givens becomes more of a downfield threat for St. Louis and his opportunities are reduced. Despite the favorable matchup Week 16, Givens is just a low-end Fantasy option in deep formats.
News: With Danny Amendola back in the lineup after missing two games with a foot injury, Rams wide receiver Chris Givens wasn't a big part of the passing game Week 15 against the Vikings. He had just one catch for 22 yards on a day when quarterback Sam Bradford completed a career-high 35 passes for a career-high 377 yards. He was targeted four times on the day. By comparison, Amendola had 12 targets and Brandon Gibson had eight.
Analysis: Givens has been the Rams' big-play threat for much of this season, but he got a chance to play a more reliable role while Amendola was out. Now, though, he appears to be back to getting just a handful of targets every week, meaning when he doesn't break a long one, he doesn't make a worthwhile Fantasy contribution. Provided the Rams don't juggle the depth chart again at some point, Givens doesn't look like he'll be a particularly valuable Fantasy option with Amendola back in the lineup. You can consider dropping him for Week 16 at Tampa Bay.
News: Rams wide receiver Chris Givens -- who thrived in the first two games teammate Danny Amendola was limited by a foot injury, catching 16 passes for 207 yards and a touchdown in Weeks 12 and 13 -- was limited to just three catches for 25 yards last week at Buffalo. He'll look to get back on track Week 15 against the Vikings, who rank 18th against the pass, allowing 236.7 yards per game, and have surrendered nine touchdowns to wide receivers in their last seven games.
Analysis: Givens' performance in Week 15 will depend somewhat on Amendola's availability for the contest, but for most of this season, Givens has been more of a deep threat while Amendola has stuck to the underneath routes. In other words, with a favorable matchup like this one, the Rams' passing game might be able to support both. Givens is a viable flex option to begin with. If Amendola is sidelined for this game, Givens will go from being a borderline starter to a probable one in 12-team leagues.
News: Rams wide receiver Chris Givens was expected to continue his solid play with Danny Amendola out in Week 15 against the Bills, but it was another Rams receiver who stepped up. Givens was the team’s top target in the passing game, as Sam Bradford looked his way 10 times in the game. Unfortunately, Givens was able to bring in just three of those passes for 25 yards. On the opposite side of the field, Brandon Gibson went for six catches and 100 yards, while scoring a game-winning touchdown in a 15-12 win. Givens did add a two-point conversion after that score, on a reception from Bradford.
Analysis: Givens had totaled over 200 yards over the previous two games, so it was a surprise to see him barely factor with Amendola out. Givens has had an up-and-down rookie season, so he will try to bounce back in the team’s next game against the Vikings. Opposing wide receivers average 20.0 Fantasy points on 151.6 receiving yards per game against the Vikings. Fantasy owners should consider Givens just a low-end Fantasy option for Week 15.
News: Rams rookie wideout Chris Givens is coming off the best two-game stretch of his young career, with 20 targets, 16 receptions, 207 yards, and a touchdown in Weeks 12 and 13. Givens, who averaged 13 Fantasy points over the two-game stretch, now looks like a legitimate target for Sam Bradford, but his value may depend on the health of Danny Amendola, who was inactive Week 13 with a foot injury.
Analysis: Givens was on a roll earlier in the season, with five games of 50 or more yards in Weeks 4-8. But after the bye he was declared inactive for a violation of team rules and followed up that game with a 19-yard performance against the Jets. So there's some minor concern with inconsistency here, which is just exacerbated if Amendola is healthy. Givens' mid-season surge came with Amendola out (in Weeks 6-8) and he had at least eight Fantasy points in those three games. The Bills -- St. Louis' Week 14 opponent -- have allowed wide receivers to score a touchdown in three consecutive games, and have given up 15 on the season. With all the factors worked in, Givens is still best used as a flex, but could be bumped up to WR2 if Amendola is out.
News: Rams wide receiver Chris Givens had another outstanding performance in the Week 13 overtime win over the 49ers Sunday. Givens was solid all afternoon but came on strong in the extra frame as he finished with a game-high 11 catches for a team-high 92 yards. The only thing Givens didn't do in the game was score. He was targeted 14 times overall by quarterback Sam Bradford.
Analysis: Givens had a great day on Sunday against the 49ers, one week after going for 115 yards with a touchdown at Arizona. Givens has certainly become a reliable option for the quarterback Bradford in the passing game. He has three touchdowns on the year and seems to be playing his best football right now. That said, he's at best a flex option for Week 14 at Buffalo.
News: Rams wide receiver Chris Givens is ready to pick up the slack again heading into Week 13 at home against the 49ers. With Danny Amendola still in a walking boot and not practicing, Givens could be in for more targets. He had his best game of the season as he posted 115 yards on five catches and a touchdown against the Cardinals in Week 12. He'll face a San Francisco defense that has allowed four touchdowns to opposing wide receivers in the last three weeks. Givens was inactive in Week 10 against the 49ers due to a violation of team rules.
Analysis: After a slow start to the season, Givens has turned it on and has taken advantage of the time that Amendola has missed as he has found the end zone three times in his last six games. That said, Givens has posted three catches or less in eight of his first 10 games this season and is still searching for some more targets moving forward. Opposing wide receivers are averaging 16.3 Fantasy points per game against the 49ers this season, which is the third-fewest allowed in the league. He has proven during his rookie campaign to be a big play threat and should be viewed as a low-end flex option, if Amendola is inactive heading into Week 13.
News: With Danny Amendola limited due to a foot injury, Rams wide receiver Chris Givens picked up the slack in Week 12 against the Cardinals. He was the only player on his team to record more than one grab as he finished with five catches for 115 yards -- both career highs -- and a touchdown in the 31-17 win. He also had a 1-yard run. Givens posted 56 yards receiving in the first half and scored on St. Louis' first drive after halftime, hauling in a 37-yard touchdown from quarterback Sam Bradford. Givens, who was targeted a team-high six times, averaged 23 yards per receptions while leading the Rams in receiving.
Analysis: Givens has proven during his rookie campaign to be a big play threat and he burned the Cardinals again Sunday. He now has three touchdown grabs on the year -- with two coming against Arizona -- and should see his role on offense increase going forward. Owners should keep an eye on Amendola's status leading up to Week 13 against the 49ers as it will likely affect his value in Fantasy. Givens did not play when the division foes met earlier in the year as he was suspended for violating team rules but owners in deeper formats should consider getting the 23-year-old active against San Francisco.
News: Rams wide receiver Chris Givens gained just 19 yards on four catches in his last game and could be in for another slow performance in Week 12 against the Cardinals. Arizona ranks fifth in the league in pass defense, giving up under 205 yards per contest, and has allowed an average of 21.4 Fantasy points to opposing wideouts.
Analysis: Givens hauled in a 51-yard touchdown grab against the Cardinals in Week 5 but after his benching two weeks ago, the rookie does not have the biggest of roles with the Rams at this point. He has shown flashes of being a viable option in Fantasy and is averaging a solid 20.7 yards per grab thus far so keep an eye on his progress going forward. Heading into Week 12, however, leave Givens for the deepest of Fantasy formats.
News: St. Louis wide receiver Chris Givens tallied four receptions for 19 yards during the Rams' 27-13 loss to the Jets in Week 11. Givens, who returned to the lineup after being inactive for last Sunday's game because of a violation of team rules, collected seven targets from quarterback Sam Bradford. He also made an impact on special teams and amassed 127 yards on five kickoff returns, including a long run of 48 yards.
Analysis: Despite landing in trouble last week and missing the first game of his career, Givens tallied the second-most targets on the Rams behind Danny Amendola (11). He has now racked up at least five looks in five consecutive games while recording two touchdowns in that span. He will continue to pitch in on special teams, but should be viewed as a low-end option in deeper Fantasy formats at this point.
News: The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports Rams wide receiver Chris Givens and cornerback Janoris Jenkins practiced Wednesday after being deactivated Sunday against the 49ers for a violation of team rules. Coach Jeff Fisher said they will play Week 11 vs. N.Y. Jets, but wouldn't commit to either player starting.
Analysis: Danny Amendola returned to action Week 10 after missing a few games with a collarbone injury. That is bad news for Givens, who benefited from Amendola being sidelined. Givens will now likely going back to being a deep threat for St. Louis. He is not a recommended Fantasy option heading into Week 11.
News: Rams wideout Chris Givens and defensive back Janoris Jenkins were listed among the inactives for Week 10 against the 49ers. According to multiple sources, both were deactivated for a violation of team rules.
Analysis: Coach Jeff Fisher said earlier in the week that he would like to get Givens more involved in the offense but this is an obvious setback in his Fantasy value. Keep an eye on the situation going forward as all of the details about his violation will likely come out in the coming days. Givens is averaging a solid 25.6 yards per reception on the year and has two touchdown grabs but given the recent developments, keep him reserved in deeper formats for Week 10.
News: Rams wide receiver Chris Givens enters Week 10 against the 49ers with just 13 catches so far through his first eight games in the NFL. He is averaging 25.6 yards per grab, however, and coach Jeff Fisher said Tuesday that he wants to get the rookie more involved in the passing game going forward. “He’s made the big plays for us,” Fisher said, per the team's official website. “We’d like to continue to get him more involved. We’re thinking that the big plays should create opportunities for him underneath as well. Thirteen catches is not a lot of catches but when you take into consideration the long ones, he’s been productive. But like the rest of the group, we want to get him more involved in the offense.” San Francisco enters Sunday ranked second in the league in pass defense, giving up 184 yards per game, and has limited opposing wideouts to an average of 14.5 Fantasy points.
Analysis: Givens has caught 10 passes for 272 yards with two touchdowns in the last four games and gives the Rams someone who can stretch the field. While Fisher would like to get him more involved, Sunday might not be the time to do it. The 49ers have surrendered just two touchdowns to wide receivers thus far and have not allowed over 200 yards receiving since the season opener. Consider Givens as more of a flex option in deeper Fantasy formats for Week 10.
News: Rams wide receiver Chris Givens made an impact on the Week 8 game in London against the Patriots before leaving with an injury. Givens caught a 50-yard touchdown bomb from quarterback Sam Bradford before leaving the game with a left toe injury. Givens was able to return to the game just before halftime after hobbling to the locker room earlier. Unfortunately, it was all Patriots after his TD and the Rams lost 45-7. Givens finished with three catches for 63 yards on four targets in the game.
Analysis: Givens made his impact on the game in London before leaving and now has at least one catch of 50 yards or more in five straight games, which constitutes an NFL rookie record. The rookie out of Wake Forest has two touchdowns over that stretch and is definitely becoming a major weapon in the deep passing game for Bradford and the Rams. Fantasy owners should seriously consider adding Givens in deeper formats. That said, he should be avoided in all leagues for Week 9 as the Rams are on bye. They return Week 10 at San Francisco and he should be completely healthy by that time.
News: The Rams announced Thursday they made a mistake on Wednesday's injury report. Wide receiver Chris Givens did not sit out with an illness. It was wide receiver Brandon Gibson, who returned to practice Thursday. St. Louis is playing New England in London Week 8. The Patriots are yielding 26.1 Fantasy points and 174.9 receiving yards per game to wide receivers in 2012. Receivers have also totaled 11 touchdowns in seven games against New England.
Analysis: It's good news to hear Givens isn't dealing with any illness heading into Sunday's matchup. He has been a great deep threat for St. Louis, averaging 27 yards per catch. However, he has just one touchdown and doesn't have more than three catches in any game this season. He relies on the big play and if he doesn't get it, then it's usually a poor Fantasy performance. Givens has a favorable matchup Week 8, but he is just a low-end Fantasy option in the deepest of formats.
News: Rams wide receiver Chris Givens (illness) was unable to participate in practice Wednesday due to an illness and was listed as questionable for Week 8 against the Patriots in London. Givens will look to get back on the field in the coming days to be ready for Sunday's game. The Patriots can be thrown on and are allowing the ninth-most Fantasy points per game to opposing wide receivers on the year.
Analysis: Givens has had four consecutive solid performances with at least 50 receiving yards in each. He's been a deep ball threat for quarterback Sam Bradford and has gone over 70 yards the last two games. The Patriots just gave up 175 combined receiving yards to Jeremy Kerley and Stephen Hill of the Jets last week so we think Givens could certainly perform well, if active. We don't know if this illness will keep him out, however, so owners will have to check back. Givens is a worthy option in deeper Fantasy formats at the flex position for the Week 8 game in London, if healthy.
News: One week after picking up a career-high 85 receiving yards on only three catches, Rams rookie wide receiver Chris Givens again did a lot with a little Week 7 against the Packers. Again, he had only three catches, but thanks to a wide receiver screen that he turned into a 56-yard gain early in the fourth quarter, he finished with 73 yards through the air. He also had a 14-yard run. Givens now has a 50-yard catch in each of his last four games even though he has a total of eight catches during that stretch.
Analysis: Givens, who also returns kicks, clearly has big-play potential, but even with Danny Amendola sidelined, he's having trouble getting more than three or four touches on offense. His five targets were third-most on the team, so the Rams at least seem to be trying. Because his value depends so much on the big play, though, Givens is a risky option for what looks to be a tough matchup Week 8 against the Patriots.
News: Though he was targeted seven times in the team's first game without Danny Amendola, Rams wide receiver Chris Givens hauled in only three passes Week 6 at Miami. He made them count, pulling down a 65-yarder at one point to give him 85 yards on the day, but chances are he'll need a few more catches to put up similar numbers against the Packers in Week 7. The Packers currently rank 18th against the pass, allowing 230.2 yards per game. They've surrendered the 12th-most Fantasy points to wide receivers this season.
Analysis: While Givens was targeted seven times in Week 6, teammate Brandon Gibson was targeted nine times, finishing with seven catches for 91 yards. The Rams' passing game won't be able to sustain both most weeks -- quarterback Sam Bradford just happened to throw for a season-high 315 yards in Week 6 -- so sooner or later, one of these two has to emerge as the go-to guy in Amendola's absence. So far, Gibson has the edge, but Givens' big-play potential makes him an intriguing option in his own right. Until he has that breakout game, though, he's better left for deeper Fantasy leagues.
News: For the third game in a row, Rams wide receiver Chris Givens posted a catch of 50-plus yards Sunday against the Dolphins in Week 6. He was able to add to that this week, though, as he finished with three catches for 85 yards in a 17-14 loss. Both the catch and yard totals represented career highs for the rookie, who was targeted seven times in the game.
Analysis: Givens clearly has some serious speed, as he is averaging a robust 28.1 yards per catch. The key for him now will be developing his receiving skills further. For the time being, he will likely remain just a deep threat for the Rams, but he is turning into quite a nice one. Givens has some upside, and could make an impact once again in Week 7 against the Packers, who have been vulnerable against the pass. However, his limited track record makes him just a low-end Fantasy sleeper in most formats for Week 7.
News: Rams rookie wide receiver Chris Givens has made little impact through the first five games of his career. Givens has a 50-yard catch in each of the last two games, but has just four catches on the season so far. He may have a chance to step up in Week 6 against the Dolphins, with St. Louis’ number one receiver, Danny Amendola, almost certainly out with a shoulder injury. “Danny going down just opens the door,” quarterback Sam Bradford told reporters Wednesday. “It gives an opportunity to some of our other receivers to step up and make plays.”
Analysis: Givens certainly has the ability to make plays, as evidenced by a 28-yards-per-catch average so far. He streaked past Cardinals defensive back Patrick Peterson in Week 5 for a 51-yard touchdown, the first of his career. The Rams selected Givens with a fourth-round pick in last year’s draft, after a final season at Wake Forest that saw him average 16.0 yards on 83 catches. He has excellent speed and could emerge as a real playmaker in the offense, but Givens’ lack of track record makes him just a flier in deep Fantasy formats for Week 6 against Miami.
News: Rams wide receiver Chris Givens made the most out his lone catch during Thursday's contest against the Cardinals in Week 5. Sam Bradford found Givens deep for a 55-yards touchdown strike in the fourth quarter to break the game open and secure a 17-3 victory. Givens was targeted a team-high five times but finished with one catch for 55 yards. His workload could increase after Danny Amendola went down with a broken collarbone, which could keep him out for several weeks.
Analysis: Givens found the end zone for the first time this season and has just four catches for 116 yards on 15 targets. His numbers have been increasing slightly as the season progresses and could grow even higher now that Amendola is hurt. Givens could be a low-end option in Fantasy for owners in deeper formats that are dealing with injuries or players that have an upcoming bye week. He'll likely take the backseat behind Brandon Gibson and should serve as Bradford's second option in a weak passing game moving forward. Owners might want to keep monitoring his production before he becomes a reliable option in Fantasy.
News: Rams wide receiver Chris Givens was held to one catch for 52 yards Week 4 vs. Seattle. He was targeted three times. He came into the game with two catches for 9 yards.
Analysis: Givens was mostly used as the Rams' deep threat Week 4, which seems to be a role that is developing for the rookie receiver. But Givens still has a long ways to go to becoming a reliable Fantasy option, so leave him off all rosters heading into Week 5 vs. Arizona.
News: Rams rookie wide receiver Chris Givens had two catches for nine yards on Sunday against the Bears. He was targeted four times.
Analysis: Givens benefited from fellow rookie Brian Quick being declared inactive for the game and the four targets were the fourth-most on the team. While there isn't much going on ahead of Givens on the depth chart -- outside of Danny Amendola -- he is best left to the waiver wire in nearly every format.
News: The Rams picked wide receiver Chris Givens of Wake Forest in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL Draft. The 5-foot-11, 198-pound Givens amassed 2,473 receiving yards on 163 receptions in his career. Last season, Givens set a school single-season record with 1,330 yards on 83 passes and nine touchdowns. He also did work as a kick and punt returner.
Analysis: A former running back and track star, Givens has good speed and can change direction quickly, but his hands are considered good, not great. Combine that with his size and you can see why he lasted until Day 3. But with the Rams' receiving corps thin, he could compete for playing time in camp and potentially find the field on offense as well as on special teams. He's worth a late flier in the deepest of seasonal leagues (not in your typical 10-or 12-team league), a late pick in dynasty/keeper leagues and a mid-to-late pick in rookie-only drafts.
