The Chargers offseason brought with it a multitude of changes, some of which could bring a positive impact to those who play fantasy football.
Among the players who should have owners licking their chops is running back Austin Ekeler.
Ekeler enters his fifth season with new offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi calling the shot. One things about Lombardi is that he has historically gotten his running backs involved more than any other coach in the league.
During his time with the Saints, Lombardi utilized backs like Reggie Bush and Darren Sproles, but the most notable was Alvin Kamara, who recorded at least 1,500 yards from scrimmage and 13 touchdowns three times in his first four seasons.
It just so happens that Ekeler has a very similar skill set to Kamara, considering the two are ultra-refined runners and deadly pass-catchers, both out of the backfield and in the slot.
In each of his seasons, Ekeler has put up big numbers. He put up 933 yards from scrimmage while missing six games during the 2020 season, but had 1,550 during an injury-free 2019 campaign.
Ekeler shouldn’t have to worry about touches being taken because there’s still no clear cut No. 2 and 3 option, with Justin Jackson, Joshua Kelley and Larry Rountree III fighting for those spots.
In addition, Ekeler will be playing behind the best offensive line he’s had since coming into the league.
Heading into Year 5, should he stay healthy, Ekeler could be looking at his best campaign to date.
If I’m drafting, the multi-dimensional Ekeler is going to be selected with my early second-round selection in both standard and points per receptions (PPR) formats, and I am confident that he can finish as a top-5 running back when all is said and done.
Projection: 815 Rush Yds | 4 Rush Tds | 88 Rec | 801 Rec Yds | 7 Rec Tds