Austin Ekeler is moving across the country, taking his dual-threat abilities from L.A. to D.C.
The veteran running back has reportedly landed a deal with the Commanders after spending the first seven years of his career with the Chargers.
Ekeler is looking for a change of scenery following a disappointing 2023 season. The 28-year-old saw a massive regression in the touchdown department, finding the end zone just five times after leading the league in TDs the previous two seasons.
He was severely hampered by an ankle injury early in the season, though, and Justin Herbert's late-season injury severely limited the Chargers' offense down the stretch. Ekeler will look to get healthy in the offseason and bounce back with a new opportunity in Washington.
The Sporting News has you covered with Ekeler's contract details below.
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Austin Ekeler contract details
- Team: Washington Commanders
- Years: 2
- Value: $11.43 million
Ekeler has signed a two-year, $11.43 million deal with the Commanders. He will receive a $3 million signing bonus and can earn another $1.5 million in incentives in year one.
Ekeler is coming off of a four-year, $24.5 million deal he signed with the Chargers back in 2020. He was undrafted out of Western Colorado in 2017, so his rookie contract was only a three-year, $1.66 million deal.
With this new deal, Ekeler will rack up about $43.1 million in career earnings if he plays through the end of the contract and reaches incentives.
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Austin Ekeler stats
It didn't take long in Ekeler's career before he became a trusted change-of-pace back, and he really broke out in his third season, trailing only Christian McCaffrey in catches (92) and receiving yards (992) among RBs.
With Melvin Gordon departing in 2020, Ekeler got his chance to take over lead-back duties, and if not for hamstring and knee injuries limiting him to 10 games, he would've smashed his career high in rushing yards. He did just that the following season (911 yards), and he racked up 20 TDs in the process. He added another 18 TDs in '22 and once again set a career high in rushing yards (915) while playing every game.
Slowed by nagging injuries and an offense in upheaval last year, Ekeler turned in his worst season since 2020, averaging just 3.5 yards per carry. Ekeler is likely on the downslope of his career heading into his age-29 season, but the Commanders are betting the receiving ace still has at least a couple of productive seasons left under his belt.
| Year | Games | Carries | Rush yds | Y/C | Rec. | Rec. yds | Total TDs |
| 2017 | 16 | 47 | 260 | 5.5 | 27 | 279 | 5 |
| 2018 | 14 | 106 | 554 | 5.2 | 39 | 404 | 6 |
| 2019 | 16 | 132 | 557 | 4.2 | 92 | 993 | 11 |
| 2020 | 10 | 116 | 530 | 4.6 | 54 | 403 | 3 |
| 2021 | 16 | 206 | 911 | 4.4 | 70 | 647 | 20 |
| 2022 | 17 | 204 | 915 | 4.5 | 107 | 722 | 18 |
| 2023 | 14 | 179 | 628 | 3.5 | 51 | 436 | 6 |
| Total | 103 | 990 | 4,355 | 4.4 | 440 | 3,884 | 69 |
Washington Commanders RB depth chart
- Austin Ekeler
- Brian Robinson Jr.
- Chris Rodriguez Jr.
Austin Ekeler fantasy outlook 2024
Ekeler is an elite receiving back with a somewhat surprising nose for the end zone. At 29, he should still have at least one good season left in him, but he'll likely split carries with Brian Robinson Jr. in Washington, limiting his overall ceiling. The days of Ekeler finishing as the overall No. 1 or No. 2 RB in half-point PPR leagues, which he did in 2021 and '22, seem gone, but he can still be a productive RB1/2 depending on his usage. New OC Kliff Kingsbury's offense is known for being pass-happy, which isn't necessarily a bad thing given Ekeler's skill set. At the very least, a lot of plays will be run, and that's good for any offensive player.
Overall, Ekeler will have more value in PPR leagues than standard leagues, and he'll likely see a role closer to his early-career usage with the Chargers when he posted closer to 550 rushing yards. Just how much he'll be used in the receiving game — or around the goal line — remains to be seen, making Ekeler a true boom-or-bust pick in 2024 fantasy drafts. — Matt Lutovsky