In the first week of free agency, the Los Angeles Chargers chose to sign Austin Ekeler to an extension, and Melvin Gordon departed for the Denver Broncos. Given that, Ekeler seems to have seized full control of the backfield in 2020.
Back in 2017, the Chargers signed Ekeler as an undrafted free agent out of Western State Colorado. Over the course of his first two seasons, fans got a glimpse of what Ekeler could provide as a running back.
Then, due to Gordon holding out, Ekeler received an opportunity to start for the first month of the 2019 season. While Ekeler was the featured back, the Chargers' offense was thriving, and he proved that he can be a dynamic weapon on offense.
After getting a few snippets of what Ekeler could instill in the offense, Los Angeles is moving forward with him as the starter in 2020. With that in mind, here are three bold predictions for Ekeler in the 2020 season.
100 Receptions
Amidst a season where he saw an expanded role in the offense, Ekeler was remarkable for the Chargers this past season. The third-year running back rushed for a career-high 557 yards and scored three rushing touchdowns.
While those numbers aren't overly impressive, Ekeler was extremely effective as a receiver. As a matter of fact, Ekeler finished the 2019 season with the second-most receptions (92) among running backs. At the same time, he garnered 993 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns.
What's most impressive about his receiving stats is that Ekeler was forced to share snaps with Gordon. Now, with Gordon no longer in the picture, Ekeler is going to eclipse 100 receptions in 2020.
15 Total Touchdowns
Besides Ekeler, the Chargers boast quite a few talented players on the offensive side of the ball. Regardless of who is under center next season, they'll be throwing to Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Hunter Henry, and Ekeler.
With Ekeler becoming the No. 1 back for Los Angeles, he should see an uptick in scoring opportunities. Despite sharing touches with Gordon in 2019, Ekeler still managed to find the end zone a total of 11 times.
Even if Justin Jackson or another running back is given a role behind Ekeler, the Chargers are going to want to get Ekeler heavily involved often. In light of that, the 24-year-old running back will amass a career-best 15 touchdowns in 2020.
2,000 Yards From Scrimmage
The reason why the Chargers sided with Ekeler over Gordon is due to Ekeler being an ideal fit in today's NFL. Along with being able to run the ball, Ekeler can cause mismatches as a receiving threat out of the backfield.
In his first season seeing an immense amount of action, Ekeler garnered 1,550 scrimmage yards in 2019. The 1,550 yards from scrimmage were eighth among running backs this past season despite starting in just eight games.
After signing an extension with Los Angeles, Ekeler figures to be a workhorse back for the Chargers moving forward. All that being said, Ekeler is going to exceed 2,000 yards from scrimmage for the first time in his career next season.
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