After a lengthy injury layoff, Los Angeles Chargers running back Austin Ekeler had a promising return. With the fantasy playoffs just around the corner, what can we expect for the remainder of the season?
There were high hopes amongst many in the fantasy community for Chargers running back Austin Ekeler coming into this year, after taking over the starting role from Melvin Gordon. And after a fairly serious hamstring injury, Ekeler looks to have returned to a promising situation for fantasy managers.
Ekeler’s upside was clear to see in the opening few games of the 2019 season when Gordon was in a contract dispute with the team. The undrafted back amassed almost 400 total yards and six touchdowns in the four games without Gordon and there was hope he would become a more integral part of the Chargers offense in 2020.
The former Western Colorado running back had a solid start to this season, taking the majority of carries – although rookie Joshua Kelley did eat into his workload somewhat. However, since suffering an injury in week 4, none of the remaining backs have been able to take over the leading role.
And upon returning, Ekeler saw a healthy workload, receiving a total of 25 touches versus the Buffalo Bills for 129 yards. Even after a fairly serious injury, Ekeler saw a 63.6% running back rush share, clearly demonstrating his importance to the team.
Ekeler’s target share in particular should excite fantasy managers. Against the Bills Ekeler received 16 targets, accounting for over a 30% share of the team’s targets. It also represented his joint-highest number of targets in a game. And while he has only played in three full games with rookie Justin Herbert at quarterback, his usage looks encouraging. In total, he has seen 31 targets in those three games, which, although it is a small sample size, does show that Herbert has regularly looked to connect with him when they are both on the field.
And one of the most promising aspects of Ekeler’s outlook is the fact he is returning to an explosive offense. Justin Herbert’s fantasy production has remained strong since taking over in week 2 – throwing an average of 301.5 yards per game. With Herbert moving the ball at will, there should be plenty of opportunities for Ekeler to continue to produce in the coming weeks.
The schedule also looks fairly manageable, with a particularly enticing looking matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders, who allow the fourth-most points to running backs in half-PPR scoring, according to FantasyData. This coming Sunday Ekeler and the Chargers face the New England Patriots, who have not been the fearsome defense seen in recent years.
