The Chargers have a handful of great players on both sides of the ball. But they have some great ones that still don’t get the credit that they deserve.
Pro Football Focus recently recognized the most underrated player on each team in the league this season.
For Los Angeles, you could make the case for a few, but to them, running back Austin Ekeler was the clear-cut player that is worthy of having that label.
Here is what PFF’s Anthony Treash had to say about Ekeler.
The best running back on the Chargers’ roster, Austin Ekeler has been just as good as the so-called MVP candidate, Christian McCaffrey. Ekeler has seen 70 targets and has produced a PFF receiving of 94.1 on those, leading all running backs. His production on a per-route basis has been astounding, as he’s averaged the most yards per route run (2.61) and generated the position’s highest passer rating (129.0). No running back has produced more explosive receiving plays than Ekeler (14), and there’s only one other running back tied with him in broken tackles after the catch (17 – tied with Dalvin Cook).
Since showcasing his big-time playmaking ability upon entering the league as an undrafted player out of Western Colorado in 2017, Ekeler raised eyebrows from the get go.
Playing behind running back Melvin Gordon in 2017 and 2018 and still thriving on a weekly basis, Ekeler was given the opportunity to get the spotlight after Gordon decided to holdout due to contract disputes.
There were concerns that he wouldn’t be able to flourish in the bell cow role, primarily due to his lack of size. But he shined in that role for the first six weeks of the season before Gordon returned and has still been dominant since then as the No. 2 RB.
Through 11 games, Ekeler has rushed for 364 yards on 95 carries, but he has earned his money as a pass-catcher, whether that be out of the backfield or lined up out wide, showcasing his speed and elusiveness when he gets the ball in his hands. Ekeler has amassed 65 receptions for 667 yards and six touchdowns.
It took a few weeks to get into a rhythm for Gordon, but he has finally found his flow and because of it, Ekeler and Gordon have regained their status as one of the best backfield tandems in the league.
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