Entering the 2023-24 season as one of the undisputed best running backs in the National Football League, Los Angeles Chargers veteran Austin Ekeler has struggled mightily since returning from injury in Week 6.
Chargers head coach Brandon Staley admitted on Wednesday that changes could be coming in the team's backfield.
“Competition for carries is going to be something that you can see happening,” he explained, according to ESPN's Kris Rhim. “We're going to keep exploring, making adjustments, so that we can find that rhythm that I've been talking about. That's certainly one way to do it.”
Staley still has faith in Ekeler's ability, but says he hasn't seen enough from the 28-year-old lately.
“We know that Austin is a good running back,” the head coach continued. “We just haven't found any rhythm in the last couple of weeks in the run game. Just need to keep after it and keep working hard in practice.”
Ekeler not the same since injury
Ekeler suffered a high-ankle sprain in Week 1, going down after dominating with 117 yards on the ground including a touchdown, as well as four receptions for 47 yards.
It's been a different story since, and especially in the last three Chargers games.
“Among running backs with at least 100 carries since Week 5, he has the fewest rushing yards (329) and yards per carry (3.0),” wrote Rhim on Wednesday. “He has 28 straight carries that have gone for 6 or fewer yards, tied for the second-longest streak by any player this season, only trailing his own 48-carry stretch from Weeks 1 through 8.”
The struggles were exacerbated in Sunday's Week 13 win over the New England Patriots; Ekeler saw 14 carries but turned it into just 18 yards, his lowest of the season.
“I gotta make sure that I do my part and make the plays. I can't give up the ball. I gotta make sure I'm playing at the standard I'm supposed to be playing at,” he lamented after the team's Week 12 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
With Ekeler to certainly play less against the Denver Broncos on Sunday, it opens the door for Joshua Kelley and Isaiah Spiller to earn more touches. The former has been Ekeler's backup for the past four campaigns, while the latter was a fourth-round pick by Los Angeles in the 2022 NFL Draft.
It's been a nightmare campaign for Austin Ekeler, who was looking to up his value in a crucial contract season but could be instead relegated to backup duties before the end of the season.
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