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Fantasy football 2021: 3 running backs going too high, too low

By Steven Lawson

Jan 3, 2021; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Los Angeles Chargers running back Austin Ekeler (30) runs the ball against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first half at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 3, 2021; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Los Angeles Chargers running back Austin Ekeler (30) runs the ball against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first half at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports /
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Fantasy Football, Austin Ekeler
Dec 17, 2020; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Los Angeles Chargers running back Austin Ekeler (30) runs the ball against Las Vegas Raiders inside linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski (44) during the second half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

1) Austin Ekeler RB/ LA Chargers ADP: 1.12

I actually like Austin Ekeler the player, but as a first-round pick?  I don’t think so.  When he is healthy the guy is a big-time producer, but that should be the tagline to his career.

When healthy he is good.

Ekeler seems fated to be a committee guy, Joe Lombardi is now the OC in LA, and as we saw with Alvin Kamara in New Orleans, committees are this guy’s jam.  I haven’t heard specific “committee language” yet, but with a new system and a build that lends itself to a more outside runner/pass catcher type of back, there will certainly be a thunder to Ekeler’s lightning.

If your next thought is something along the lines of, “Well Kamara did pretty great under this guy,” I ask if you feel Austin Ekeler is as good as Alvin Kamara?

I don’t want to make it seem like drafting him is a poor decision, but the ADP is scaring me off of him.  Josh Jacobs, Miles Sanders, Chris Carson, and David Montgomery are all going in the 3rd round.

Maybe pass on Ekeler here and take a guy like DeAndre Hopkins or Stefon Diggs instead.  Or take a guy like Cam Akers, who I predict will finish better in fantasy points than Ekeler.  Ekeler profiles as a top 15 guy to me, I feel that he is someone who is going to disappoint rather than surprise.  The RB position is deep this year, don’t get fooled into missing out on elite guys.

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