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Austin Ekeler 2022 NFL Player Outlook: Consensus Top-3 Pick In 2022
3 years agoThis season, the Los Angeles Chargers are a niche pick for the Super Bowl. If they plan on finally getting over the hump and the Kansas City Chiefs, Austin Ekeler will have to be a significant reason. The Chargers have a loaded offense with an elite young quarterback in Justin Herbert and a good receivers group headed by Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. In 16 games in 2021, Ekeler logged 206 rushing attempts. The 26-year-old doesn't carry a heavy workload like Derrick Henry or Dalvin Cook, but he is an all-around running back. Ekeler caught 70 passes on 94 targets for 647 yards and eight touchdowns while rushing for 911 yards and 12 touchdowns through the ground. The Chargers used a fourth-round draft pick in the 2022 NFL draft on running back Isaiah Spiller out of Texas A & A&M. Spiller is the favorite to win the Chargers RB2 role, although he might not see steady volume right away, the rookie running back could see enough touches to threaten Ekeler's workload. While this may seem like a challenge for Ekeler, I do not see it this way. Ekeler has never been the full-time back in the offense. Whether it be Justin Jackson or Melvin Gordon III, there has always been a second back taking some touches from Ekeler. Spiller and his similar skill set to Ekeler is an insurance policy for a team hoping to make a late run this season. Not to mention the running backs, much like the quarterbacks, were severely pushed down this draft season, and the value of Spiller was too good to pass up. Williams will continue to be the downfield threat, and Allen will feast in the slot. But with the tight end position being a mystery, Ekeler will be the dump-off weapon for Herbert. Something he has excelled at in his career. Along with his 200-rush potential, this fact makes him an exciting running back for fantasy. A first-round lock in fantasy drafts, Austin Ekeler, can go as high as number two or three with no hesitation. Johnathan Taylor should be the consensus No. 1 pick. But after Taylor, all bets are off. Derrick Henry, Dalvin Cook, Christian McCaffery, and Alvin Kamara come with risk. In a pile of elite but worrying backs, Austin Ekeler could be the safest of the group.
