Tag: Austin Ekeler

Commanders RB wins ‘Angry Runs’ but it’s not who you think

The Commanders win their first “Angry Runs” scepter.

For the first time, a Washington Commander running back has won the “Angry Runs” scepter from “Good Morning Football.” It’s just not who you think.

On Tuesday morning, Kyle Brandt revealed the latest nominees for the Week 2 edition of “Angry Runs:”

  • Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson
  • Ravens TE Derrick Henry
  • Commanders RB Austin Ekeler

Henry is a regular winner of “Angry Runs.” The future Hall of Famer has won the award six times, so other finalists are always an underdog when going up against Henry.

Heading into Week 2, the Commanders were the only team not to win a scepter. That changed Tuesday when Brandt named Ekeler as the winner.

Ekeler won the award for this play, a 27-yard-catch-and-run in the fourth quarter of Washington’s 21-18 win over the New York Giants.

Ekeler’s catch and run put the Commanders in position to tie the game. Check out what he did to both Giants’ defenders at the end of the play.

Ekeler finished the game with eight carries for 38 yards and three receptions for 47 yards.

We believed Brian Robinson Jr. would be dominated for “Angry Runs” this week after his 133-yard performance, specifically this run.

Robinson has been a finalist multiple times. Maybe this will be his year.

 

Some encouraging numbers from the Commanders’ Week 2 win

The penalties and red-zone woes were ugly, but there were several positive numbers for the Commanders.

The Washington Commanders won their first game of the season Sunday, defeating the New York Giants 21-18 at Northwest Stadium. Amazingly, Washington won the game without scoring a touchdown, while the Giants scored three touchdowns and lost.

It was an ugly win for the Commanders. Washington had 10 penalties, including five procedural penalties in the red zone, which stalled multiple scoring drives.

However, despite the ugly win, there were some encouraging signs from Sunday’s victory.

Let’s look at some of those numbers:

  • No turnovers
  • Tress Way did not punt one time
  • Commanders had 425 total yards
  • Averaged 6.2 per offensive play
  • Finished with 215 rushing yards
  • Averaged 6.1 yards per rushing attempt
  • Possessed the ball for over 37 minutes
  • Kicker Austin Seibert made all seven field goal attempts
  • Jayden Daniels completed over 79% of his attempts

These are the good numbers. Not scoring in the red zone and committing 10 penalties are the ugly numbers. However, these are signs of progress for a new offense with a rookie quarterback. Penalties and red-zone issues are fixable.

The Commanders are trying to build an offensive identity. Sunday’s performance made it clear that this identity centers around the running game, led by quarterback Jayden Daniels and running backs Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler.

It’s sometimes easy to focus on the negative, but there were clear signs of encouragement from Sunday’s game.

Watch: Commanders QB Jayden Daniels amazingly escape potential sack vs. Giants

Jayden Daniels showing off his escapability here.

On their first drive against the New York Giants, Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels and the offense were on the field for nine minutes and 36 seconds before ending the drive with a short Austin Seibert field goal to take an early 3-0 lead.

It was a disappointing drive that began with an Austin Ekeler kickoff return for a touchdown, which was called due to linebacker Nick Bellore’s holding penalty.

On the first drive, Daniels completed all six of his passes. The drive almost stalled early when the Giants pressured Daniels, but somehow, he escaped.

Here is Daniels escaping what would have been a huge loss.

We aren’t sure why the flag-happy officials didn’t tack on 15 yards for Bobby Okereke’s hit at the end. That was a clear miss.

A bold prediction for the Commanders running backs in 2024

A prediction for Washington’s running back tandem in 2024.

There is a lot of mystery surrounding the 2024 Washington Commanders, specifically on offense. Under offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, the Commanders didn’t show much in the preseason. With a new quarterback, coordinator, and offensive scheme, it’s to Washington’s advantage not to reveal anything in the preseason.

There is significant excitement about rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. The 2023 Heisman Trophy winner had a terrific offseason, impressing teammates, opponents (in the joint practices), and fans.

How will Washington’s offensive line hold up protecting Daniels? Who will be Daniels’ favorite target outside of Terry McLaurin?

While there are questions about the Commanders’ offensive playmakers, people shouldn’t be sleeping on Washington’s backfield behind Daniels.

Brian Robinson Jr. enters his third NFL season and is ready for a breakout. Robinson was outstanding last season when he received opportunities, but former offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy did not like running the ball. The positive was that it allowed Robinson to show his ability as a receiver.

Joining Robinson is veteran Austin Ekeler. The league’s top pass-catching running back for years, the Commanders signed Ekeler to a two-year deal in March, and many have questioned how much he has left.

In his annual surprise predictions for all 32 NFL teams in 2024, ESPN’s Dan Graziano offered the following:

Don’t be surprised if … Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler combine to catch more than 100 passes.

What I’m hearing: The Commanders are fired up about rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels and believe he can have a big season as a thrower and a runner. But there are questions about the offensive line and the receiver group behind Terry McLaurin. While rookie receiver Luke McCaffrey and rookie tight end Ben Sinnott work to get up to speed, expect Daniels to try to get the ball into the hands of his running backs and let them try to make plays with it. Robinson and Ekeler had 36 and 51 catches, respectively, last season.

Graziano’s prediction is based on various things, including his visits to training camps and his calls and texts with various sources.

In the preseason, we saw Kingsbury calling plays to limit how long Daniels held the ball. That’s by design with the Commanders’ questions on the offensive line. Getting rid of the ball that quickly often leads to more opportunities for the running backs to impact the passing game. That bodes well for Robinson and Ekeler.

If what we saw from Ekeler in training camp is any indication, he hasn’t lost a step.

 

Former Commanders RB Antonio Gibson calls his former team ‘a struggling organization’

Antonio Gibson says the Commanders are “a struggling organization.”

The Washington Commanders spent a third-round pick on running back/wide receiver Antonio Gibson in the 2020 NFL draft. As a rookie, Washington immediately made Gibson a full-time running back and handed him the starting job. Gibson proceeded to rush for 795 yards and 11 touchdowns.

The future looked bright for Gibson.

In 2021, Gibson started 16 games for the Commanders, rushed for 1,037 yards and seven touchdowns, but struggled with fumbles. He fumbled six times in 2021.

The Commanders brought in Brian Robinson Jr. in 2022, who would overtake Gibson as the starter, allowing Gibson to be more of a receiving option out of the backfield.

This offseason, Gibson departed. Gibson’s fumbling issues and poor coaching derailed a once-promising career in Washington. Neither head coach Ron Rivera nor Gibson’s offensive coordinators (Scott Turner and Eric Bieniemy) knew how to use him best.

Gibson signed a two-year deal with the Patriots in March.

In his first training camp with the Patriots, Gibson had some parting words for his former team, calling them “a struggling organization.”

This should go over well with Washington’s fans. The comments were all over Gibson, asking him if he “fumbled his words.”

In all seriousness, Gibson isn’t wrong. The Commanders were a struggling organization while he was there. And maybe the Patriots do things completely differently, but so does Washington — now.

Rivera and his staff are gone. From the top on down, the Commanders are much different, and everyone is raving about the changes. So, sure, Gibson may remember things one way, but that’s not how things are these days.

Gibson was used incorrectly in Washington. If he had a clean slate and time left on his contract, perhaps new offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury could help maximize his skillset. Both sides needed a change, and the Commanders signed Austin Ekeler, while Gibson gets a chance to restart his career.

 

Commanders RB Austin Ekeler: ‘I have no intentions of slowing down’

Austin Ekeler sees big things for himself in Kliff Kingsbury’s offense.

Remember when the Washington Commanders signed veteran running back Austin Ekeler to a two-year deal in the early moments of free agency in March? Many reacted that Washington overpaid Ekeler. We aren’t sure how giving Ekeler a two-year deal worth up to $11.43 million is a bad deal.

Ekeler had a down year for the Chargers in 2023. However, the Chargers, much like the Commanders, had a horrible season playing out the string with a lame-duck head coach. Additionally, Ekeler was dealing with a nagging injury that he played through for most of the season.

Washington, with new offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, had a plan for Ekeler. His signing with the Commanders reunited Ekeler with his first NFL head coach, Anthony Lynn. Washington hired Lynn as the running backs coach/run game coordinator in the offseason. The Commanders believe a backfield consisting of Ekeler and Brian Robinson Jr. can be one of the NFL’s best.

Ekeler, who has been the NFL’s best pass-catching back for several seasons, can also be a safety valve for rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels.

Ekeler still believes he has plenty left to give Washington.

“It’s been great,” Ekeler told Scott Abraham of ABC 7 in Washington. “I think every year is the same type of adjustment minus this year for me the location. What I mean by that is coming in, establishing yourself, establishing your role, being a leader at the position I’m at, and continue to bring everyone along and push yourself at the same time.”

Ekeler then discussed his motivation entering year eight of his career.

“I think it’s just really something that’s been built into my journey. I’ve come from what I call the bottom and took the stairs. And have no intentions of slowing down. So, for me, it’s continue to push myself because I want to see how far I can take my capabilities.”

Ekeler seems excited about his role in Kingsbury’s offense.

“To put the right plays in place and put players like myself, I’m all over the field, I’m in the slot, I’m out wide,” Ekeler said.

Washington believes it has two starting running backs, Robinson and Ekeler. Both will be on the field at the same time at times.

Rich Eisen believes the Commanders will be one of the NFL’s top sleepers in 2024

Playoffs? Eisen thinks it’s a possibility for the Commanders in 2024.

The Washington Commanders aren’t expected to be a playoff team in 2024. Considering Washington went 4-13 last season, that’s not a surprise. However, there is a lot of goodwill and excitement surrounding the Commanders after the franchise underwent massive changes this offseason.

One person who thinks the Commanders have a chance to be good is Rich Eisen. On a recent edition of the “Rich Eisen Show,” Eisen named his top five sleeper teams for 2024. The Commanders came in at No. 2.

“I like the Washington Commanders to really wake up, guys,” Eisen said. Jayden Daniels, despite what the coach is saying that we need to see something before we name him the starter, he’s going to be your starting quarterback. Terry McLaurin is as good as they come in the National Football League. And I love Austin Ekeler with Brian Robinson Jr., and you know how DQ, Dan Quinn, can rile some people up. This team is going to be good this year, folks. I think they can make the playoffs.”

It’s difficult to go from four wins to the playoffs in one offseason. It’s been done before. Remember how bad the Houston Texans were in 2022? Like Washington, Houston selected a quarterback with the second overall pick in the draft and went from worst to first.

While the Texans remain more of an outlier right now, that can’t be ruled out. With many questions surrounding the Dallas Cowboys, there’s a chance the NFC East will take a step back this year.

Can the Commanders make the playoffs? The defense will be much better. That’s a guarantee. Two things that will help determine Washington’s season are rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels and the offensive line. If both things go in the Commanders’ favor, watch out.

Where do Commanders rank among all NFL 32 teams in skill position talent?

How good are Washington’s skill positions heading into the 2024 season?

A quick glance at the Washington Commanders’ offensive roster and some names stand out. Wide receivers Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson, tight end Zach Ertz and running back Austin Ekeler.

But with those questions are some concerns.

Ertz is 33 and coming off a couple of injury-shortened seasons. Ekeler is 29 but is coming off a disappointing season. McLaurin is a star and always reliable. Dotson was expected to be a breakout star last summer, but that didn’t happen for multiple reasons — some within his control, others not so much.

The most significant offensive change for Washington in 2024 is under center. Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels brings excitement to the Commanders. How good can Daniels be as a rookie? Does Washington have enough around him?

We know there are concerns about the offensive line. What about at the skill positions? In addition to the aforementioned names, the Commanders have third-year running back Brian Robinson Jr., rookie wide receiver Luke McCaffrey and rookie tight end Ben Sinnott.

How does Washington’s group of skill talent compare to the rest of the NFL?

ESPN’s Bill Barnwell recently ranked every NFL team’s skill players (running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends). Washington ranked 26th.

We’re firmly in the tier of teams that have one commanding wide receiver and a shrug of the shoulders for everything else behind that wideout on the roster. In Washington, the main man is Terry McLaurin, who has spent his entire career in quarterback hell. If he had racked up 91 more receiving yards as a rookie, he would be able to boast of five consecutive 1,000-yard campaigns while catching passes from 10 different quarterbacks. As bad as Commanders passers have been over his career, they’ve posted a 41.1 QBR with their star wideout on the field and a staggeringly bad 30.4 mark without him.

I’m willing to believe McLaurin is a top-15 wide receiver in a vacuum, but there isn’t much around him. Jahan Dotson, a first-rounder in 2022, failed to build upon his rookie campaign and had just 158 receiving yards in eight games during the second half of the season. Curtis Samuel departed and was replaced by rookie Luke McCaffrey. Logan Thomas has been swapped out for 33-year-old tight end Zach Ertz, who was a catch-and-fall guy last season. No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels will need McCaffrey or rookie tight end Ben Sinnott to grow into a second option behind McLaurin.

Barnwell was optimistic about Washington’s running backs, specifically Robinson. He also likes Ekeler’s pass-catching skills, even if he has lost a step.

Is Barnwell too high or low on Washington’s skill talent?

For now, it’s fair to rank the Commanders in the 20s. There is talent in the building, but also question marks. If Dotson lives up to his first-round billing, Robinson’s career takes off, and the rookies (Sinnott and McCaffrey) are immediate contributors, this list will look much different after the season.

 

Fantasy Football Top-10 Repeatability: Running Backs

Take a step back and see how the Top-10 RBs change from year to year.

A Top-10 running back is a difference maker because not they score among the highest fantasy points of any position, and do so with great consistency.  The position has fallen in value over the last several years and the reliance on a workhorse back wanes each season. But – there is still an undeniable advantage to owning a Top-10 fantasy running back.

Also see: Quarterback | Wide receiver | Tight end

Below are all running backs that produced a Top-10 finish in any of the past five seasons, and what they did in the other years. This shows the volatility of the position and how rarely backs actually return to the Top-10 the following season, despite the fact we all draft like they are going to repeat.

Chance of repeating Top-10 = 20%

Running backs have been on the decline for many years while backfields become more fragmented and workloads spread over more “specialists.” That’s accelerated greatly for the last two seasons, and it is not just injuries shaking up depth charts.

Consider that in the last two years, 18 running backs made the Top-10. Only Joe Mixon and Derrick Henry logged back-to-back Top-10 seasons. And both have changed teams for 2024. The volatility of the top players is dramatic and unlike any other position. Six of the 2023 Top-10 were no better than No. 33 in 2022. Austin Ekeler and Josh Jacobs were in the Top-2 for 2022 and yet fell to No. 24 and No. 27 respectively. That’s a high draft pick last year that did no better than a fantasy RB3 for your team.

The disturbing part of this is not so much the tremendous turnover at the top, but that the new batch of elite fantasy scorers are almost all coming from deep in the rankings for the one year. The position has become the host for the annual Cinderella’s to show up and then stumble the next year.

The 2023 Top-10 running backs are very well represented in fantasy drafts with seven of them again drafted in this year’s Top-10 (Christian McCaffrey, Breece Hall, Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs, Travis Etienne, Kyren Williams, and Derrick Henry). The only Top-10 backs who fell out of the Top-10 in drafts so far have been Rachaad White (No. 14), Joe Mixon (No. 17), and Raheem Mostert (No. 32).

Hard to argue against waiting on running backs. Very hard.

Let’s make this even worse. Consider how well the Top-10 of 2021 fared just two years later.

Joe Mixon was the only running back to be Top-10 in 2021, and then again two years later. Half of the 2021 backs failed to place better than No. 33 just two seasons later.

For better or for worse: Evaluating Chargers offense ahead of training camp

A quick rundown of each position on offense and whether the Chargers are better, worse or neutral at that spot.

The Chargers lost some key starters from last season but added a few in correspondence via free agency and the draft.

But how do they compare from the end of the 2023 regular season to now?

Let’s break it down by position, starting with the offense.

Quarterback

Offseason moves: Re-signed Easton Stick.

Summary: The Chargers are locked in with Justin Herbert. Herbert is coming off a down year, as he was hit with injuries to both hands, with his throwing hand being season-ending. Another year, another offense for Herbert, marking his fourth in five seasons in the league. Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman want to run the football, so it’ll be enticing to see how they design this offense to accomplish that and allow Herbert to flourish as a passer. They brought back Stick to serve as Herbert’s backup. Stick was the backup with zero experience as a starter until last season when Herbert was sidelined with his finger injury. Stick went on to start the final four games and finished with 1,129 passing yards, three touchdowns and one interception while adding 144 rushing yards and a score on 27 carries.

Verdict: Same

Running Back

Offseason moves: Lost Austin Ekeler (signed with the Commanders). Signed Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins (previously with the Ravens). Drafted Kimani Vidal (sixth-round pick)

Summary: After playing with the Chargers for seven seasons, Ekeler departed and eventually reunited with former head coach Anthony Lynn, who is now Washington’s running backs coach. With the vision of the offense pounding the rock and wearing defenses on the ground, Los Angeles went out and got guys familiar with Roman’s gap/power scheme. Edwards is coming off a year where he set career highs in rushing yards (810) and touchdowns (13). Dobbins has struggled to stay healthy, but his most productive season came under Roman in 2020 when he rushed for 805 yards, nine scores and 6.0 yards per carry. Vidal was productive at Troy, rushing for 1,661 yards and scoring 14 touchdowns on 295 carries.

Verdict: Better

Wide Receiver

Offseason moves: Traded Keenan Allen (Bears). Lost Mike Williams (signed with the Jets). Drafted Ladd McConkey (second round), Cornelius Johnson and Brenden Rice (seventh round). Signed D.J. Chark (previously with the Panthers).

Summary: Once a strength of the Chargers, now the wide receiver room lacks top-end talent after the losses of Allen and Williams. Joshua Palmer has the most experience in the group, and he is expected to take a big step in his contract year. McConkey, who Los Angeles traded up for to get in Round 2, is expected to be a significant contributor in his rookie season. He and Herbert have already started to develop a rapport. The team is hopeful that Quentin Johnston can shake off his rough rookie campaign and provide the offense with a legitimate yards-after-the-catch threat. Chark hasn’t had a productive season since 2019 with the Jaguars when he earned Pro Bowl honors. He offers elite speed to serve as a vertical threat. Johnson and Rice will compete for roster spots.

Verdict: Worse

Tight End

Offseason moves: Lost Gerald Everett (signed with the Bears). Signed Will Dissly (previously with the Seahawks) and Hayden Hurst (previously with the Panthers).

Summary: In two seasons as a Charger, Everett was vital in the passing game with his yards-after-the-catch ability and clutchness on money downs. They found their replacement for Everett with Hurst, who played under Roman for two seasons in Baltimore. Hurst offers the upside as a receiver but can also block. In a new offense where blocking tight ends are integral, they signed one of the best in that department in Dissly. The offense hasn’t had a good blocking tight end since 2020. Parham returns for another season and should be reliable in the red zone with his 6-foot-8 frame.

Verdict: Better

Offensive line

Offseason moves: Lost Corey Linsley (likely to retire). Drafted Joe Alt (first round)

Summary: The Chargers felt the loss of Linsley throughout last season when he was sidelined with his heart issue. Filling Linsley’s void was arguably the most critical offseason move. They did so with Bozeman, who has seven years of starting experience and is familiar with Roman’s scheme, having played under him for four seasons. Los Angeles struck gold with Rashawn Slater. They hope they do the same with Joe Alt, who will start opposite Slater. Alt should make a difference in the run game from Day 1. Now it’s just a matter of how he holds up against NFL pass rushers. With Alt sliding in at right tackle, Trey Pipkins will move inside to right guard. Despite never playing the position, Pipkins has the athleticism, length and football IQ to make the transition seamless.

Verdict: Slightly better