The end can come quickly for running backs. And with Austin Ekeler, I’m pretty sure we’re at the end. Not of his career, but I don’t think he’s got another top-15 season in him.

It’s been a tough season for him. He’s averaged more than 3.5 yards per carry in only three of his 11 games. There was the embarrassing play at Green Bay, where he busted into the clear for a 37-yard gain but got ran down awfully quickly. “Wait a minute, didn’t this guy used to be fast?”

Ekeler is small; they’ve got him listed at 5-foot-10 and 200 pounds, but he looks even shorter and lighter. And he’s going to be 29 in May.

The Chargers will have a new coach and GM coming on, and I am confident the offseason adjustments will include bringing in a second viable back – not a fourth-round stab on a flyer who may or may not play much. They need a guy who’s going to play at least as much as Ekeler next year.

Ekeler is a neat pass catcher. At this point in his career, it would make a lot of sense to shift him into more of a change-of-pace and third-down role. He’s not a full-time starter kind of guy anymore.

Which brings us to this week’s dynasty offering. If one were adjusting their roster in a dynasty league, wouldn’t now be a good time to unload Ekeler (assuming you could find a trading partner willing to take him off your hands)?

I’m dropping Ekeler out of my top 20 at the position. I would like to move him even lower, but he’s a good pass catcher, and those guys tend to finish better statistical than you would think in PPR formats (and that’s what I’m assuming here). And there’s the added possibility that maybe I’m wrong, with Ekeler having one more season as a starter in him. But my leaning is that it’s time to move on to something new.

I think it’s fair to wonder whether Ekeler (in a dynasty format) is a better choice than some rookies who have a lot more ball left in front of them. Tyjae Spears, Keaton Mitchell, Roschon Johnson, Zach Charbonnet. Chase Brown (the biggest climber this week) has popped some plays in his last two games; I think he can fairly be weighed against Ekeler.

I turn my attention to dynasty leagues each Saturday, rotating between the four notable positions. I’m posting the list a day early this week because six teams are playing tomorrow (I want the list to be up for at least a few hours before it looks hopelessly dated.)

Rookies are tagged with black dots. I’m assuming a 12-team league with PPR scoring, with teams allowed to control the rights to players indefinitely. So I’m looking at not just 2023 and 2024, but long-term (although is there such a thing as a long-term running back?) To see previous lists at other positions, use the “past issues” navigation box.

Last week: Quarterbacks

Next week: Wide receivers

DYNASTY RUNNING BACKS
RkTmPlayerAge
1.ATL• Bijan Robinson21.9
2.NYJBreece Hall22.5
3.JACTravis Etienne24.9
4.INDJonathan Taylor24.9
5.SFChristian McCaffrey27.5
6.DET• Jahmyr Gibbs21.7
7.NYGSaquon Barkley26.8
8.LVJosh Jacobs25.8
9.MIA• DeVon Achane22.2
10.LARKyren Williams23.3
11.DENJavonte Williams23.6
12.KCIsiah Pacheco24.8
13.TBRachaad White24.9
14.SEAKenneth Walker23.2
15.DETDavid Montgomery26.5
16.NERhamondre Stevenson25.8
17.WASBrian Robinson24.7
18.PHID'Andre Swift24.9
19.DALTony Pollard26.6
20.CLENick Chubb28.0
21.LACAustin Ekeler28.6
22.PITJaylen Warren25.1
23.TEN• Tyjae Spears22.5
24.BUFJames Cook24.2
25.BAL• Keaton Mitchell21.9
26.CINJoe Mixon27.4
27.CARChuba Hubbard24.5
28.PITNajee Harris25.8
29.CHI• Roschon Johnson22.9
30.SEA• Zach Charbonnet22.9
31.TENDerrick Henry29.9
32.ARIJames Conner28.6
33.NOAlvin Kamara28.4
34.MIARaheem Mostert31.7
35.HOUDevin Singletary26.3
36.CIN• Chase Brown23.7
37.ATLTyler Allgeier23.7
38.BALGus Edwards28.7
39.CARMiles Sanders26.6
40.MINAlexander Mattison25.5
41.HOUDameon Pierce23.8
42.CHIKhalil Herbert25.7
43.CLEJerome Ford24.3
44.NO• Kendre Miller21.5
45.GBAaron Jones29.0
46.WAS• Chris Rodriguez23.2
47.CHID'Onta Foreman27.6
48.INDZack Moss26.0
49.NYJ• Israel Abanikanda21.2
50.SFJordan Mason24.6
51.BALJ.K. Dobbins25.0
52.MINTy Chandler25.6
53.DALRico Dowdle25.5
54.CLEKareem Hunt28.4
55.WASAntonio Gibson25.5
56.SFElijah Mitchell25.6
57.LVZamir White24.2
58.DEN• Jaleel McLaughlin23.3
59.GBAJ Dillon25.6
60.ARIMichael Carter24.6
61.JAC• Tank Bigsby22.3
62.NYJDalvin Cook28.3
63.KCClyde Edwards-Helaire24.7
64.PHIKenneth Gainwell24.8
65.DENSamaje Perine28.2
66.CLEPierre Strong25.0
67.GB• Emanuel Wilson24.6
68.MIASalvon Ahmed25.0
69.JACD'Ernest Johnson27.8
70.NYG• Eric Gray24.1
71.LACIsaiah Spiller22.4
72.KCJerick McKinnon31.6
73.SEA• Kenny McIntosh23.8
74.LAR• Zach Evans22.5
75.NEEzekiel Elliott28.4
76.BUFDamien Harris26.8
77.DAL• Deuce Vaughn22.1
78.LACJoshua Kelley26.1
79.MIAJeff Wilson28.1
80.UFATyrion Davis-Price23.1

—Ian Allan