Week 16 vs. Oakland Raiders
In Week 15, Austin Ekeler out-snapped Melvin Gordon 30 to 25 but they both finished with 12 touches. Ekeler had seven rushing attempts for 19 yards, five receptions for 62 yards, and was the half PPR RB24. Ekeler and Gordon continue to split snaps and touches but they both continue to be playable on a weekly basis.
Oakland’s defense is third-worst against running backs, per our signature schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed metric. 4for4 rankings expert, John Paulsen, has Ekeler ranked as a low-end half PPR RB1. Ekeler is a safe start in a plus matchup for fantasy championships.
Week 15 vs. Minnesota Vikings
Austin Ekeler out-snapped Melvin Gordon 31 to 29 but Gordon out-touched Ekeler 17 to 12. In Week 14, Ekeler finished with eight rushing attempts for 101 yards, four receptions on five targets for 29 yards, and was the half PPR RB1. Congratulations to those who took the risk and started Ekeler on DraftKings and received the rare double bonus for having 100+ rushing yards and 100+ receiving yards.
The Vikings are better at defending the run than the pass. They are a good example of a pass funneling defense. They are fourth-worst against wide receivers but eighteenth best against running backs, as shown by our signature schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed metric. 4for4 rankings expert, John Paulsen, has Ekeler ranked as a high-end half PPR RB2. The Chargers will continue to use a running back by committee approach but Ekeler’s rushing and receiving usage provide a high ceiling on a weekly basis.
Week 14 at Jacksonville Jaguars
The blueprint to beating the Jaguars is through the running game. The Jaguars are the third-worst defense against running backs, as shown by our signature schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed metric. 4for4 rankings expert, John Paulsen, has Ekeler ranked as the half PPR RB18. On paper, the matchup looks better for Melvin Gordon but Ekeler continues to be involved on the ground and through the air.
Week 13 at Denver Broncos
Points might be limited in this game because it has the second-lowest over/under (38.5) of the week. The Broncos are seventh-best against running backs, as shown by our signature schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed metric. Since Gordon’s return to the field in Week 5, he has out-touched Austin Ekeler 118 to 80, out-snapped Ekeler 263 to 241, but Ekeler has outscored him in half PPR scoring 90.6 points to 85.1. 4for4 rankings expert, John Paulsen, has Ekeler ranked as a low end half PPR RB2.
Week 11 vs. Kansas City Chiefs (Mexico City)
In Week 10, Ekeler was out-snapped by Melvin Gordon 48 to 35 and out-touched 23 to 8. Ekeler finished with six rushing attempts for 19 yards and two receptions for 29 yards and a touchdown. He was the half PPR RB13. Over the last three games, Gordon is averaging 18.7 touches per game and Ekeler is only averaging 9.7 touches per game.
The Chief’s defense is much better against the pass than the run. They are a good example of a run funneling defense. They are second-worst against running backs but seventh best against wide receivers, as shown by our signature schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed metric. Gordon’s increased usage continues to be a concern but Ekeler is still involved in the passing game and could benefit from this game turning into a shootout. This Monday Night football game has the highest over/under (52.5) of the week. 4for4 rankings expert, John Paulsen, has Ekeler ranked as a middle of the pack half PPR RB2.
Week 10 at Oakland Raiders
Ekeler was out-snapped by Melvin Gordon 45 to 24 and out-touched 23 to 16. However, he was still able to finish as the half PPR RB25 with twelve rushing attempts for 70 yards (5.8 YPC) and four receptions on four targets for 23 yards. Gordon’s usage was noticeably higher than previous weeks but new play-caller, Shane Steichen, showed he wants to continue using Ekeler as a runner and a receiver out of the backfield.
Oakland’s defense is much better against the run than the pass. They are a perfect example of a pass funnel. They are 11th against running backs but third-worst against wide receivers, as shown by our signature schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed metric. Ekeler continues to be a receiving threat and may see increased usage if the Chargers fall behind early or the game turns into a shoot out. A shoot-out is possible with a decent over/under (48.5). 4for4 rankings expert John Paulsen has Ekeler ranked as a low-end half PPR RB2 in Week 10.
Week 9 vs Green Bay Packers
In Week 8, Ekeler was out-snapped by Gordon 25 to 24 and was out-touched 10 to five. He had three rushing attempts for three yards and two receptions on three targets for 19 yards and one touchdown. We will continue to monitor snaps and carries closely because offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt was fired after the game. Shane Steichen will take over the play-calling duties.
Green Bay is much better against the pass than the run. They are a good example of a run funneling defense. They are eighth-worst against the running back position but eighth-best against wide receivers, as shown by our signature schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed metric. 4for4 rankings expert, John Paulsen, has Ekeler ranked as a high-end half PPR RB2.
Week 8 at Chicago Bears
Ekeler out-snapped Gordon 38 to 34 but was out-touched 12 to 18. He had five rushing attempts for seven yards and seven receptions on eight targets for 118 yards and one touchdown. This is a good time to remind everyone a running back reception in half PPR scoring is worth about three times the value as a rushing attempt and four times the value in full PPR leagues, per Sharp Football Analysis.
He could have had a second touchdown but his last-minute touchdown was questionably overturned by the replay booth. The Chargers stubbornly did not run a quarterback sneak within the one-yard line, which led to Melvin Gordon fumbling the game away. Ekeler has been the more efficient running back and deserves more opportunity but Head Coach, Anthony Lynn, appears to think otherwise. This isn't surprising considering the Chargers do not have a single analytics person on staff.
Chicago is the sixteenth best defense against the running back position, as shown by our signature schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed metric. 4for4 rankings expert, John Paulsen, has Ekeler ranked as the half PPR RB19 and the PPR RB14 this week.
Week 8 at Chicago Bears
Gordon out-snapped Ekeler 37 to 28 and out-touched him 11 to 8. Continue to monitor the snaps and touches on a weekly basis to get a better idea of the Charger’s game plan with their running back by committee. Also, keep in mind, a running back reception in half PPR scoring is worth about three times the value as a rushing attempt and four times the value in full PPR leagues, per Sharp Football Analysis.
Tennessee is the ninth-best defense against the running back position, as shown by our signature schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed metric. 4for4 rankings expert, John Paulsen, has Ekeler ranked as the half PPR RB21 this week. Touchdowns might be few and far between because this matchup has the third-lowest over/under (41) of the week.
Week 6 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
The Chargers tried to force feed Melvin Gordon until they found themselves down by 17 points at halftime. Partially due to the negative game script, Ekeler out-snapped Gordon 46 to 32 and out-touched him 18 to 16. Gordon had 12 rushing attempts and four receptions while Ekeler had three rushing attempts and 15 receptions. Monitoring snaps and touches on a weekly basis will be key to solving this running back by committee going forward. After one week, it looks like Gordon will be the primary runner, while Ekeler is the pass catching back. However, it is important to avoid putting too much emphasis on a small sample and approach this backfield was with a fluid mindset.
Also keep in mind, a running back reception in half PPR scoring is worth about three times the value of a rushing attempt and four times the value in full PPR leagues, per Sharp Football Analysis.
Pittsburgh is the seventh best defense against the running back position, as shown by our signature schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed metric. 4for4 rankings expert, John Paulsen, has Ekeler ranked as a half PPR RB17 this week. For reference, Ekeler and Gordon are back-to-back in Paulsen’s half PPR rankings at 17 and 18, respectively.
