Austin Ekeler
#1 RB,
Chargers
ACTUAL 2022
373 FPTS
RANK: 1
2023 SEASON
308 FPTS
RANK: 2
AGE
27 yrs
HEIGHT/WEIGHT
5'10'' / 200 lbs
COLLEGE
Western Colorado
| SEASON | GP | FPTS | RANK | RUATT | RUYD | RUTD | RUAVE | RECPT | REYD | RETD |
| 2023 | 16 | 308 | 2nd | 199 | 862 | 8 | 4.3 | 88 | 638 | 4 |
| 2022 | 17 | 373 | 1th | 204 | 915 | 13 | 4.5 | 107 | 722 | 5 |
| 3yr Ave | 14 | 271 | 7th | 151 | 666 | 5 | 4.41 | 72 | 681 | 6 |
Staying in LA with new incentives
Latest Headline: Published 2023-05-23
Ekeler is expected to remain with the Chargers for 2023 after they added $1.75 million in incentives for the final season of his contract, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Ekeler requested a trade earlier this offseason, and while a minor adjustment to his current contract isn't exactly what he wanted, it'll apparently be enough to keep him in Los Angeles for one more year without a holdout. The 28-year-old led the NFL in touchdowns each of the past two seasons, scoring 38 times in 33 games while averaging 96.8 scrimmage yards. Ekeler figures to be busy again this season given the questionable backfield depth behind him, though Justin Herbert is expected to push the ball downfield more with the help of new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore and rookie first-round wideout Quentin Johnston.
Weekly Stats 2022
Stats not availablePerformance Splits: 2020 to 2022
| Fantasy Points | Rushing Averages | Receiving Averages | ||||||||||||||||
| LOCATION | STADIUM | GP | GS | GM | TOUCH | RANK | YD | TD | AVE | YAC% | 10+ | 20+ | 50+ | REC | YD | TD | ||
| Home | Outdoor | 22 | 22 | 22.5 | 1.26 | 1st | 59 | 0.8 | 4.8 | 49% | 1.5 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 5.5 | 45 | 0.3 | ||
| Away | Outdoor | 14 | 14 | 16.0 | 0.97 | 7th | 50 | 0.2 | 4.2 | 41% | 1.4 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 4.8 | 37 | 0.3 | ||
| Away | Dome | 3 | 3 | 18.0 | 1.02 | 12th | 53 | 0.3 | 4.1 | 54% | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 4.7 | 40 | 0.3 | ||
| Away | Retractable Dome | 4 | 4 | 27.0 | 1.38 | 3rd | 49 | 1.3 | 3.9 | 36% | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 7.0 | 36 | 0.8 | ||
Career Stats by Season: 2017 to 2022
| Fantasy Points | Rushing Stats | Receiving Stats | ||||||||||||||||||
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | GP | GS | TOTAL | RANK | ATT | YD | TD | AVE | YAC% | 10+ | 20+ | 50+ | SHARE | REC | YD | TD | ||
| 2017 | 22 | LAC | 16 | 0 | 107 | 44th | 47 | 260 | 2 | 5.5 | 46% | 7 | 3 | 0 | 11% | 27 | 279 | 3 | ||
| 2018 | 23 | LAC | 14 | 3 | 169 | 25th | 106 | 554 | 3 | 5.2 | 63% | 19 | 4 | 0 | 27% | 39 | 404 | 3 | ||
| 2019 | 24 | LAC | 16 | 8 | 309 | 4th | 132 | 557 | 3 | 4.2 | 58% | 15 | 4 | 0 | 36% | 92 | 993 | 8 | ||
| 2020 | 25 | LAC | 10 | 10 | 165 | 26th | 116 | 530 | 1 | 4.6 | 49% | 15 | 2 | 0 | 25% | 54 | 403 | 2 | ||
| 2021 | 26 | LAC | 16 | 16 | 344 | 2nd | 206 | 911 | 12 | 4.4 | 48% | 22 | 3 | 0 | 49% | 70 | 647 | 8 | ||
| 2022 | 27 | LAC | 17 | 17 | 373 | 1st | 204 | 915 | 13 | 4.5 | 42% | 22 | 4 | 2 | 51% | 107 | 722 | 5 | ||
Not present for Day 1 of OTAs
Latest Headline: Published 2023-05-22
Ekeler wasn't present Monday for the first day of Los Angeles' OTAs, Jeff Miller of the Los Angeles Times reports.
Ekeler wanted an extension ahead of the 2023 campaign, which is the final year under his current four-year contract, but with no progress made, he requested and was granted permission to seek a trade. However, he still remains with the Chargers following the draft, and it's becoming more likely he'll have to stick in Los Angeles for at least one more year before testing the open market in 2024. Despite the offseason antics, head coach Brandon Staley has remained steady and expects Ekeler to be present for the mandatory offseason workouts in June.
Not at voluntary workouts
Latest Headline: Published 2023-05-15
Ekeler isn't present Monday for voluntary offseason workouts, Daniel Popper of The Athletic reports.
As expected, with no progress reported since Ekeler requested and received permission in March to seek a trade. He wants an extension as he heads into the final season of a four-year contract that he's easily outplayed, and his trade request seems to be an acknowledgement that the Chargers are unlikely to give him the deal he wants. There's a possible holdout brewing with the first mandatory team activities only a few weeks away, though it's still possible the team changes its mind on contract terms or finds a trade partner willing to give up a lot for Ekeler. The Chargers don't have much else in their backfield, with returning reserves Joshua Kelley, Isaiah Spiller and Larry Rountree thus far joined by only a pair of undrafted rookies (Elijah Dotson, Tyler Hoosman).
Could remain with Chargers
Latest Headline: Published 2023-04-05
Ekeler, who requested and received permission last month to pursue potential trade options, acknowledged Tuesday that he may remain with the Chargers in 2023, Nick Shook of NFL.com reports.
The star running back, who turns 28 in May, is in line to earn $6.25 million in the final season of his four-year, $24.5 million deal with Los Angeles. While Ekeler has stated "I want to be a Charger," his current trade request arrived after he was unable to make progress in extension talks with the team, thus prompting him to pivot toward looking for a franchise willing to make a long-term commitment to him. With that in mind, Ekeler noted "time will tell, and we'll see what happens after the draft," while adding that if things don't play out as he hopes in terms of securing a long-term pact, "the worst-case scenario right now out of all of it, I'll come back and I'll have to play for the Chargers for a year and bet on myself and then be a free agent next year."
Permitted to seek trade
Latest Headline: Published 2023-03-14
The Chargers have granted Ekeler permission to seek a trade, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
The report notes that the running back's request stems from a lack of progress in discussions regarding a new contract. Per Lindsey Thiry of ESPN, Ekeler is slated to earn $6.25 million in 2023, the final season of his current four-year, $24.5 million contract. It remains to be seen if his request leads to a trade, or alternatively results in an extension from the Chargers, but either way the star back appears to be angling for a payday more in line with his high level of production.
Reportedly seeking trade
Latest Headline: Published 2023-03-13
Ekeler is reportedly seeking permission to speak with other teams about a potential trade, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
Schefter suggests that the star running back's reported request stems from a lack of progress in discussions regarding a potential contract extension between the Chargers and Ekeler. It remains to be seen if the team is amenable to moving Ekeler, but under the current terms of his deal with the team, the 27-year-old is due $6.25 million in 2023, the final year of his deal with Los Angeles, per Schefter.
Scores twice in playoff defeat
Latest Headline: Published 2023-01-14
Ekeler rushed the ball 13 times for 35 yards and two touchdowns in Saturday's 31-30 wild-card round loss to the Jaguars. He added two receptions for eight yards.
Ekeler appeared to be in line for a massive game, as he reached the end zone twice in the first quarter from 13 and six yards away. However, he struggled significantly from an efficiency perspective, particularly in the second half when he had only five carries for zero yards. Perhaps most concerning was Ekeler's continues lack of involvement as a pass catcher, as he earned four or fewer targets in his final five contests. He'll enter the final year of his current contract with the Chargers in 2023 and will undoubtedly continue to serve as the team's lead back.
Nets 70 total yards in finale
Latest Headline: Published 2023-01-08
Ekeler rushed 11 times for 34 yards and secured all four targets for 36 yards in the Chargers' 31-28 loss to the Broncos on Sunday. He also lost a fumble.
Ekeler put together a largely pedestrian performance to close out the regular season, although of overriding importance was the fact he came out of the contest unscathed. Ekeler finished the 2022 regular season with three straight four-catch efforts to put the finishing touches on a 107-722-5 line through the air, and he also eclipsed the 900-yard mark on the ground for the second consecutive campaign. Ekeler is naturally slated to play a pivotal role in the Chargers' playoff fortunes beginning with next weekend's road wild-card road matchup against the Jaguars.
Runs through Rams
Latest Headline: Published 2023-01-01
Ekeler rushed the ball 10 times for 122 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday's 31-10 win over the Rams. He added four receptions for 39 yards.
Ekeler saw his lowest carry total since Week 13, though he did plenty of damage on limited touches. The highlight was a 72-yard touchdown run midway through the second quarter, which came five minutes of game time after Ekeler had found the end zone from 10 yards away. Though he did plenty of damage as a rusher, Ekeler also bounced back as a receiver, a positive sign given that he had only 24 combined receiving yards across his last two games. With playoff seeding potentially still in the balance, Ekeler could take the field for a Week 18 matchup against the Broncos.
Cleared for Week 17 action
Latest Headline: Published 2022-12-30
Ekeler (knee) doesn't carry an injury designation for Sunday's game against the Rams after practicing fully Friday.
Ekeler logged limited sessions Wednesday and Thursday, but the running back's return to a full session Friday paves the way for him to face the Rams on Sunday. Assuming no in-game setbacks, Ekeler -- who has logged a total of 16 TDs in 15 games to date -- should see enough carries and targets Week 17 to continue to maintain fantasy relevance as the Chargers' clear-cut top backfield option.
Logs another limited practice
Latest Headline: Published 2022-12-29
Ekeler (knee) was limited at practice Thursday.
Given that Ekeler was also listed as limited on Wednesday's practice estimate, the Chargers' top running back will presumably need to practice fully Friday in order to avoid an injury designation ahead of Sunday's game against the Rams. So far there's been nothing to suggest that Ekeler's Week 17 status is in danger, but if he's limited at all this weekend, Joshua Kelley would be next up for added backfield touches.