The Chargers’ running game did not have any juice in the early going of the preseason opener against the Rams. That was until RB Larry Rountree III stepped on the field.
Rountree, the sixth-round pick, succeeded Justin Jackson and Joshua Kelley and made the most of his playing time by rushing eight times for 63 yards, including a carry that went for 25 yards, which was the longest of the game for either team.
The former Missouri product displayed explosiveness, burst, smooth footwork and second-level vision.
Rountree’s performance was so impressive that he earned the second-highest grade by any offensive rookie in the first week of preseason play (87.7), which came behind Titans tight end Miller Forristall (91.1).
Top-5 @PFF grades for rookies on offense this week:
1. Titans TE Miller Forristall, 91.1
2. Chargers RB Larry Rountree, 87.7
3. Colts WR Tyler Vaughns, 87.4
4. Patriots RB Dhamondre Stevenson, 86.3
5. Cardinals WR Rondale Moore, 84.0— Kyle Odegard (@Kyle_Odegard) August 16, 2021
I expected that yards after contact would be coming — and they sure did,” offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi said about Rountree. “It was kind of what I was hoping for and kind of what I expected. There were high expectations, so I was very pleased with what he did in the game.”
As it currently stands, Rountree is still competing for the third spot with Kelley. But if he continues to perform like how he did this past weekend, he could garner a decent amount of snaps, especially with Jackson drawing durability concerns again.
Larry Rountree III too quick ⚡️ @chargers
📺: #LACvsLAR on NFL Network (or check your local listings) pic.twitter.com/mIbWFcwcRJ
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) August 15, 2021
