Ahead of last season, Austin Ekeler made it clear he was not looking to be a three-down back. Signing with the Washington Commanders was perfect, as he could be the complement to Brian Robinson Jr. This worked out well for Ekeler, who saw a significant reduction in usage, but it also tanked his fantasy football value. What can we expect from the veteran in 2025?
Should You Draft Austin Ekeler in Fantasy?
From 2019 to 2022, Ekeler was mostly an elite RB1. That was never the plan, though. The Chargers never wanted Ekeler to be the type of back that pushes 300 touches. After Melvin Gordon left, they just couldn’t find that thunder to pair with Ekeler’s lightning. As a result, Ekeler was given more work than he or the team had planned.
In 2023, Ekeler started showing signs of decline. He hadn’t averaged any lower than 16.5 fantasy points per game since 2018 until he finished at 13.2 ppg. That marked the end of his time with the Chargers.
After the season, Ekeler indicated he wanted to go somewhere that wouldn’t need to give him 20 touches a game. The Commanders were the perfect spot, allowing him to return to his more natural satellite back role, with Robinson handling the between-the-tackles and short-yardage stuff.
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This did wonders for Ekeler’s efficiency. After averaging a career-worst 3.5 yards per carry in 2023, Ekeler rebounded to 4.8 ypc in 2024. That was his highest average since 2018. He also led all running backs with 6.5 yards per touch and 10.5 yards per reception. His 2.6 yards per route run was third.
Unfortunately, this also resulted in a significant reduction in volume for Ekeler, averaging a mere 9.8 opportunities per game. His opportunity share was 41%, 42nd in the league.
Happy 30th birthday, Austin Ekeler!
• 8 seasons (115 games)
• 4,722 rushing yards
• 4,250 receiving yards
• 73 total TDs
• 2024 all-pro pic.twitter.com/YaURmi8Wg1— NFL Stats (@NFL_Stats) May 17, 2025
As we know, volume is king in fantasy football. And we have no reason to project Ekeler’s volume to meaningfully increase while he’s on the same team and another year older. 2025 Ekeler should look an awful lot like 2024 Ekeler.
While Ekeler lacks upside, there is a solid floor here. He averaged 11.0 ppg last season, finishing as the overall RB29. This year, his ADP sits at RB47.
I understand why. Once we get into RB3 territory, fantasy managers want to take chances on guys that have the potential to produce RB2 numbers or better. Ekeler’s ceiling is probably in that RB24-30 range. Plus, he’s 30 years old.
At the same time, there’s value in getting an RB3 at an RB4 price. I have Ekeler ranked at RB40 for the same reason. But, again, rankings are linear. Drafting is not that rigid.
In fantasy drafts, it will come down to roster construction. Do you need someone safe because you’ve taken riskier backs or rookies? Take Ekeler. Do you need to swing for upside? Then draft someone ranked lower than Ekeler who has little to no standalone value, but much greater upside.
Frank Ammirante’s Austin Ekeler Fantasy Projection
Austin Ekeler showed that he still has some left in the tank last year, averaging 4.8 yards per carry and 10.5 yards per reception. The veteran back is a perfect fit for the Commanders, providing a terrific change-of-pace to Brian Robinson.
While rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt has made waves in camp, Ekeler can still play a role in this backfield.
The best spot to target Ekeler is in Best Ball, where he can act as a dependable contributor to round out your RB room. In this format, you don’t want to risk too many zeroes by taking handcuffs without standalone value as your RB4-RB6, so Ekeler makes some sense to keep your backs afloat.
Remember that the veteran had some usable weeks last year, including two touchdowns against the Steelers and eight catches vs. the Eagles.
As for redraft formats, Ekeler is a lot less appealing because it’s much more difficult to determine when to start him. With that in mind, focus on Best Ball as the platform to look in Ekeler’s direction.
