The Washington Commanders wasted no time replacing the departed Antonio Gibson by grabbing Austin Ekeler as an upgrade for the new offense under OC Kliff Kingsbury. Ekeler spent seven seasons with the Chargers, and three of which produced Top-5 fantasy running back stats.
Ekeler signed a two-year deal worth up to $11 million. His production dropped last season with the change in offense and the eventual midseason firing of then-head coach Brandon Staley. His negotiating status dropped considerably from 2022 when he was the No. 1 fantasy running back.
The Commanders are entering the first season under HC Dan Quinn and the offense will be directed by Kingsbury. The new scheme is not expected to immediately be as pass-happy as his previous time with the Cardinals and last season helping the USC Trojans, but there’s still plenty of time left for the offense to be remade and acquire more players.
Ekeler joins a backfield that has the burly 6-1, 228-pound Brian Robinson Jr. as the primary rusher, and Ekeler’s expected to add mostly as a receiver in the committee approach. He turns 29 years old in May, and isn’t likely to see a heavy rushing load in Washington. Even with the Chargers, he had maxed out around 200 carries in the last two seasons and has durability concerns as he ages.
While the offense continues to evolve, the expectation is that Ekeler adds in a handful of carries to complement Robinson, and catches 60 to 70 passes as well. He’ll drop back from his typical first-round status of the last three seasons, but still offer consistent fantasy points in leagues rewarding receptions.
