Austin Ekeler

Week 2 at Tennessee Titans

Austin Ekeler was a fantasy force to be reckoned with in Week 1. In other breaking news, water is wet. Ekeler rushed 16 times for 117 yards and a touchdown while adding another 47 yards on four receptions. Ekeler managed 24.4 Half PPR points and trailed only Aaron Jones among fantasy RBs in Week 1. Worryingly, he was unable to finish the game due to an ankle injury. At the time of writing, his status for Week 2 is unknown.

If he is able to go and is healthy, then Ekeler remains an elite fantasy option, despite the Titans presenting one of the tougher matchups for fantasy running backs this week. He should be considered a mid-tier RB1, but his status should be watched carefully.

Fantasy Upside
Austin Ekeler wanted to be paid like one of the best running backs in the league. At $6.125 million per year, he wasn't close to the top 10. Ekeler requested a trade in March, but come May he agreed to a revised contract that added $1.75 million in incentives for 2023, the final season of his current deal. With his contract status settled for the short term, Ekeler brings the Chargers (and fantasy managers) high-end value as a dual-threat back that few players not named McCaffrey can touch. He's a PPR godsend; his career-high 107 receptions tied CeeDee Lamb for fifth among all players in 2022. Even if you don't expect him to crack 100 ever again, he's averaged a little more than 80 catches per year in his four seasons as the Chargers' featured back (2019-22). Ekeler accounted for more than a quarter of the team's yards from scrimmage last year, so Los Angeles would have a terrible time trying to replace that production, now or later. There's no need to worry about Joshua Kelley or Isaiah Spiller taking away too many of Ekeler's carries.

Fantasy Downside
Ekeler has more touchdowns than any other player in the NFL over the last two seasons. Regression is coming. Of course, it should have come last year. Still, he scored 18 total TDs after finding the end zone 20 times in 2021.

2023 Bottom Line
As 4for4's John Paulsen reminds readers, Ekeler was the fantasy RB1 last year after finishing as the RB2 in 2021, gaining a total of 3,195 yards with the aforementioned 38 touchdowns in the process. We should see more of the same from Ekeler in 2023. It not hard to make the argument for him being our top running back this year.

Week 16 at Indianapolis Colts

Austin Ekeler had an eventful game against the Titans in Week 15. He carried the ball 12 times for 58 yards, only the second time he's eclipsed the half-century mark since Week 5. Ekeler also tied a season-low with two receptions for 12 yards, the fewest yards he's gained through the air in any game this season. Ekeler did seem to suffer an injury during the game, but he was able to return and gut it out. Ekeler notched up 14.0 Half PPR points and finished the week as the RB17.

Ekeler had a scan that revealed no issues early this week, so we can assume he will see his full workload against the Colts. His volume has masked a slight dip in efficiency this season, with Ekeler averaging a career-low 5.1 yards per touch. The Colts rank 27th in aFPA to running backs this season and have allowed the sixth most receptions to tailbacks in the entire league. Ekeler projects as a high-end RB1 this week.