Austin Ekeler

Perhaps Ekeler has lost a step, but it's difficult to tell strictly from 2023. Badly as Ekeler's numbers declined, regression would have been predictable if one knew ahead of time that Ekeler would suffer a high-ankle sprain early in the year and that QB Justin Herbert would miss four games and play many of the others with a broken finger on his throwing hand. The Chargers offense collapsed, and it fell hard on Ekeler in particular. Now in Washington on a two-year, $8.4 million contract, Ekeler should have better circumstances in 2024, though it's not clear to what degree. Not just that, but Ekeler is 29 years old now, so even if physical decline wasn't one of the main causes of his 2023 struggles it could still happen any time now. He should stay a little more spry with Brian Robinson and Chris Rodriguez taking most of the power-rushing workload in Washington under new offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, perhaps opening the door for Ekeler to recapture some of his magic as a pass catcher for rookie QB Jayden Daniels. The days of fantasy dominance are likely gone, with Ekeler not even assured of getting goal-line carries despite his established TD-scoring prowess.

Ekeler is back in Los Angeles for at least one more year despite requesting a trade in March, ultimately accepting an amended contract (more incentives) shortly after his 28th birthday in May. It may not be what he wants or deserves in terms of pay, but he's at least well positioned to pile up numbers again with the help of Justin Herbert, who douses his running back in targets. Ekeler is among the two or three best pass catchers at his position, and he's proven as an efficient, medium-volume runner now that he's coming off back-to-back seasons with least 4.4 YPC on slightly more than 200 carries. He's also coming off back-to-back seasons leading the league in touchdowns, with his combination of tough, clever running (25 rush TDs) and quick, precise route-running (13 receiving TDs) making the 200-pounder one of the best red-zone weapons in the league. It does seem the Chargers hope to use Ekeler a bit less this year, at least in the passing game, with OC Kellen Moore and rookie wideout Quentin Johnston brought in to help Herbert stretch the field. On the other hand, Ekeler caught at least 4.4 passes per game each of the past four seasons, and the Chargers still don't have good backfield depth or any reason to turn away from their star RB near the goal.

Ekeler stayed healthy last season after missing six games in 2020, and the result was an ascent to stardom. He finished the year by finding the end zone in eight straight games, and his 20 total touchdowns not only tied Jonathan Taylor for the league lead but also matched Priest Holmes' record for an undrafted running back. Ekeler topped 1,500 scrimmage yards for the second time in his career thanks to a career-best performance on the ground, with Taylor and Najee Harris being the only running backs to pile up more total yards. Ekeler is as shifty as they come, and his elusiveness and agility combined with surprising power make him tough to bring down - a skill set that allowed him to be highly effective on 48 red-zone carries last year (second most in the league) even though he's only 200 pounds. He's also one of the NFL's best pass-catching backs, averaging at least 40 receiving yards per game three years running, and working with QB Justin Herbert will be conducive to continued efficiency through the air. Ekeler should also get a little more help from his offensive line after the Bolts spent a first-round pick on Zion Johnson, and there's room for another huge year even if Sony Michel, Joshua Kelley or Isaiah Spiller spells Ekeler on some early downs.

Last year Ekeler got a chance to prove he could be a bell cow after Melvin Gordon departed for Denver, but instead he may have created more doubt about his small frame holding up under that kind of workload. Lower-body injuries cost him six games, but when he was in the lineup he produced, maintaining good efficiency on the ground with increased volume and still shining as a receiver. Ekeler runs with surprising power and his low pad level makes him tough to bring down, but elusiveness is his best asset, helping to make up for his lack of breakaway speed. Justin Herbert's emergence last year kept defenses from keying on Ekeler, but poor offensive line play prevented him from fully exploiting the emptier fronts he saw. The Chargers brought in a new coaching staff this offseason, and offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi has a lot of experience feeding a dynamic pass-catching back from his time featuring Alvin Kamara for the Saints. With Joshua Kelley, Justin Jackson and sixth-round rookie Larry Rountree representing his backfield alternatives, Lombardi figures to depend on Ekeler, so long as the 26-year-old holds up physically.

Melvin Gordon's holdout last season opened the door for Ekeler to show what he could do in a consistent lead role, and he racked up 490 scrimmage yards and six touchdowns in the first four games before Gordon slunk back on to the roster. Ekeler's usage fell after that, but he still had moments to shine later in the year, including a 213-yard eruption against the Jaguars in Week 14. Heading into his fourth NFL season, the undrafted rookie out of Western State Colorado seems set as the Chargers' new No. 1 back with Gordon now a Bronco, giving Ekeler his chance to dispel the notion - once and for all - that he's only a passing-down specialist. His agility and low pad level have always made him difficult to bring down on first contact, and his broken tackle rate was 14th in the league among backs with at least 100 carries - comparable to bulky runners like Derrick Henry and Mark Ingram. Ekeler may need to find extra production on the ground, however, as Philip Rivers' departure for Indianapolis will give the Bolts offense a different look this season. The scheme won't change with offensive coordinator Shane Steichen returning, but Rivers' penchant for flipping passes to his backs is legendary - something that neither Tyrod Taylor nor Justin Herbert is likely to match. Ekeler will hope to make up for it with additional rushing volume and potentially more snaps, taking the lead over Justin Jackson and rookie fourth-round pick Joshua Kelley in the Chargers backfield.

Ekeler continued to impress for the Chargers in 2018, finishing just shy of 1,000 scrimmage yards despite missing two games late in the season with a concussion. He gets typecast as a scatback due to his size, but Ekeler has more than proven himself on the ground --- he posted at least 5.2 YPC in both his NFL campaigns thanks to a low center of gravity and strong leg drive through contact. Ekeler has plus elusiveness and balance as well, allowing him to find extra yards in traffic even if he doesn't have breakaway speed. His 3.8 yards after contact per carry ranked second in the league to Nick Chubb's 4.3. Ekeler is not a natural receiver when it comes to running routes, but he has soft hands and any back with some skill will see plenty of targets from Philip Rivers. Ekeler is entrenched in the No. 2 spot behind Melvin Gordon, but with Gordon playing 16 games only once in his career, odds are good that Ekeler will find himself in a starting role at least a couple times in 2019. Those odds improved a step further when Gordon decided to hold out from training camp, hoping to gain leverage in negotiations for a contract extension. As a result, Ekeler and Justin Jackson are handling first-team reps during the early portion of training camp.

If there's one thing Philip Rivers likes, it's an undersized receiving back. Over the last decade, players like Darren Sproles and Danny Woodhead have built their careers running wheel routes around frustrated linebackers and providing a security blanket for the quarterback. Last year it was Ekeler's turn to fill that role, and while it took the undrafted rookie a while to earn Rivers' trust, by Week 10 he was an integral part of the Chargers' attack, catching 12 of 13 targets for 171 yards and two touchdowns over a four-game span before a broken finger cut short his productive run. At 5-10, 200, Ekeler isn't going to supplant Melvin Gordon on early downs, but he runs with some surprising power for his size and can contribute a bit on the ground, even if his bread-and-butter will always be catching passes and making defenders miss in space. The team drafted Justin Jackson in the seventh round to provide extra depth in the backfield, but if Ekeler stays healthy his role should only grow.

An undrafted rookie out of Division II Western State, the 195-pound Ekeler surprisingly survived roster cutdown day in early September, slotting in behind Melvin Gordon and Branden Oliver on the initial depth chart. The Chargers might still add more talent in the backfield, but if not, Ekeler could get some touches early in the season.