Fantasy Index

header banner img
OUR FANTASY BASEBALL MAGAZINE IS BACK! PRE-ORDER NOW
Win here.

Around the NFL

Austin Ekeler

Top running back in the fold

Breathe easy, fantasy football fans. Austin Ekeler won't be traded, and won't be holding out. He'll return to the Chargers offense that he's been putting up huge numbers in for at least another season.

That's the word from ESPN's Adam Schefter. Ekeler had been seeking a new contract earlier in the offseason, and then he wanted to be traded. But the Chargers have come through with some additional incentive money, presumably easily achieved, that will keep him in Los Angeles for at least one more year.

Ekeler was fantasy's top running back last season (PPR), and he was No. 2 in 2021. In his four years as a starter, he's finished lower than 4th just once, in 2020 (when he missed six games). But in the 10 games he did play, he was pretty awesome.

Over the last four seasons, Ekeler has averaged over 16 fantasy points (PPR) per game in all of them. On that basis, he's had three of the 12 best seasons (among running backs who played at least 10 games) and a fourth in the top 35 across that four-year period.

RUNNING BACK FANTASY POINTS PER GAME, 2019-2022
YearPlayerGRunNoRecTDPPRFF/G
2019Christian McCaffrey, Car.161387116100519471.229.5
2020Alvin Kamara, N.O.159328375621377.825.2
2020Dalvin Cook, Min.1415574436117343.824.6
2022Austin Ekeler, LAC1791510772218378.722.3
2021Jonathan Taylor, Ind.1718114036020377.122.2
2021Austin Ekeler, LAC169117064720349.821.9
2019Dalvin Cook, Min.1411355351913296.421.2
2020Derrick Henry, Ten.1620271911417337.121.1
2022Christian McCaffrey, 2TM1711398574113356.721.0
2019Derrick Henry, Ten.1515401820618300.620.0
2019Aaron Jones, G.B.1610844947419318.819.9
2019Ezekiel Elliott, Dall.1613575442014315.719.7
2019Austin Ekeler, LAC165579299311313.019.6
2022Josh Jacobs, L.V.1716535340012330.319.4
2022Derrick Henry, Ten.1615383339813308.819.3
2019Saquon Barkley, NYG131003524388244.118.8
2020Aaron Jones, G.B.1411044735511258.918.5
2021Leonard Fournette, T.B.148126945410255.618.3
2021Joe Mixon, Cin.1612054231416289.918.1
2021Alvin Kamara, N.O.13898474399234.718.1
2020James Robinson, Jac.1410704934410252.418.0
2019Alvin Kamara, N.O.14797815336250.717.9
2020David Montgomery, Chi.1510705443810266.817.8
2022Saquon Barkley, NYG1613125733810284.017.8
2021Najee Harris, Pitt.1712007446710300.717.7
2020Nick Chubb, Cle.1210671615012209.717.5
2019Leonard Fournette, Jac.151152765223261.417.4
2021James Conner, Ariz.157523737518257.717.2
2022Joe Mixon, Cin.14814604419239.517.1
2020Jonathan Taylor, Ind.1511693629912254.817.0
2020Myles Gaskin, Mia.10584413885168.216.8
2022Nick Chubb, Cle.1715252723913283.416.7
2020Austin Ekeler, LAC10530544033165.316.5
2019Mark Ingram, Balt.1510182624715246.516.4
2019Nick Chubb, Cle.161494362788261.216.3
2021D'Andre Swift, Det.13617624527210.916.2
2021Dalvin Cook, Min.131159342246210.316.2
2019Chris Carson, Sea.151230372669240.616.0
2020Josh Jacobs, L.V.1510653323812235.315.7
2020Chris Carson, Sea.12681372879187.815.7

Ekeler just turned 28, which is the age that people start thinking about pushing running backs off the stage these days, but his style of play, more receiver than grinding runner, makes it seem he'll be pretty likely to keep things going for at least another season. Somehow he slipped to the 10th spot in our Experts Draft last week, perhaps with some worried about the contract situation. Looks like people can stop worrying, and draft him in the top 3-4 players with confidence.

--Andy Richardson

Fantasy Index