Los Angeles Chargers running back Austin Ekeler found himself on the injury report earlier this week because of a hamstring injury. Ekeler missed another practice on Thursday, so there was some doubt about his ability to suit up for Week 1 against the Washington Football Team. However, Ekeler returned to practice Friday, which is a good sign for his Sunday status.
Hamstring injuries, especially for a running back, are tricky. Let's hope Ekeler isn't rushing back in order to be ready for the season. The Chargers running back missed some time last year with hamstring and knee injuries, so there's some legitimate reason for concern in this situation.
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But if Ekeler is truly ready to go, that will be a boost for Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles offense. The Chargers have high expectations for Ekeler in his fifth season. In 10 games last year, the 26-year-old averaged 4.6 yards per carry and racked up 530 yards on the ground while also adding 403 receiving yards. In 2019, the running back fell just shy of 1,000 receiving yards, so he's a major weapon out of the backfield.
Los Angeles is hoping to take a step forward in 2021 under new head coach Brandon Staley. Herbert had a historic rookie season under center, so there's a lot of hope for the Chargers as they try to make their second playoff appearance since moving to L.A. Having Austin Ekeler healthy and playing at a high level would certainly help the cause for this franchise.
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