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Los Angeles Chargers running back Austin Ekeler has been a fantasy football machine over the past four seasons. The undrafted star out of Western Colorado has proven to be one of the NFL's most dominant and consistent RBs.
Ekeler led the team in targets and catches in 2022 and has shown to be Justin Herbert's go-to guy when there's nobody open down the field. Most importantly, the back has also been able to stay healthy, missing just one game over the past two seasons.
Ekeler finished as the overall RB1 in 2022 for both half-point PPR leagues and full PPR leagues. Can the Chargers' running back become the first to finish as the PPR RB1 in back-to-back seasons?
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How Good Was Austin Ekeler In 2022?
With a ridiculous 18.5% team target share in 2022, Ekeler led all backs in catches, targets, and total touchdowns. However, his 18 total touchdowns last season was a small downgrade from his 20-touchdown season in 2021, where he was tied for most among running backs.
Ekeler led all players in total PPR points for the 2022 season, excluding quarterbacks. Yes, he outscored the Offensive Player of The Year in Justin Jefferson.
He also had four weeks where he finished as the overall RB1 in PPR scoring, which was the most all year. No other back had more than two.
Should Austin Ekeler Be The First Overall Pick In 2023?
Something that is being overlooked is that Ekeler is in a contract year and scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in 2024. He has expressed frustration with his current contract and will undoubtedly look for a big payday in the offseason. Looking at how he's played over the past four seasons, this is a real possibility.
The Chargers have yet to add any running backs thus far in the offseason, making Johsua Kelley the only real competition in the backfield. In other words, expect Ekeler to continue getting this massive workload.
People might shy away from Ekeler, considering that Kellen Moore is coming from Dallas and expected to take on play-calling duties. Moore will ramp up the pace of the offense and will get the ball downfield more. He also knows how to utilize his explosive playmakers, as we saw this past season with Tony Pollard. Ekeler is in a great spot heading into the 2023 season and should be the first overall pick, specifically in half and full-PPR leagues.
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