Austin Ekeler is Going Too Low in 2024 Yahoo ADP, Could Earn a Great Workload - Bleacher Nation (2024)

As of July 23rd,Austin Ekeleris being drafted as the 95th player in Round 8 Yahoo ADP. He isbeing draftedas the 31st player at the running back position.

*Check out the full Yahoo ADP at 4for4!*

Round 8Yahoo ADP:

According to current4for4 Half-PPR Rankings, these players are going too high in Round 8 Yahoo ADP:

Brian Robinson Outlook– There’s also the elephant in the room here, which is what the rookie quarterback will likely do with his legs.Our projectionscurrently have Daniels at 131 rush attempts, the fourth-highest mark at the position, narrowly trailingLamar Jackson,Jalen Hurts, andJosh Allen.

Even if there aren’t a ton of designed runs for Daniels (there will be), Robinson runs the risk of losing the target total that kept him afloat in 2023.

In addition to Daniels’ minuscule RB target rate over two years at LSU (12.7%), Robinson now also has to compete withAustin Ekeler, one of the most proficient RB pass-catchers of the last decade.

Christian Watson Outlook– We know Christian Watson has talent. In the 14 games over the last two seasons when he’s been healthy enough to play 70%+ of the snaps, he has averaged 3.6 catches for 61 yards and 0.79 touchdowns on 6.3 targets per game.

Throw in some carries, and he’s averaged 13.6 (half-PPR) fantasy points per game when getting that many snaps. That’s what Nico Collins averaged as last year’s WR13 on a per-game basis.

Watson has missed time in each of his first two seasons with hamstring injuries, but an offseason visit to a specialist in Madison revealed that there was an imbalance in the strength of his hamstrings which was causing the injuries. He has worked to cut the asymmetry in half, and continues to work to get the two muscles even closer in strength.

If this is able to keep his legs healthy, it could be a boon for fantasy managers who are drafting him as the WR41 off the board.

According to current4for4 Half-PPR Rankings, these players are going too low in Round 8 Yahoo ADP:

Austin Ekeler Outlook– Austin Ekeler was a fantasy disappointment in 2023, but considering he dealt with an obvious ankle injury all season long, the RB23 finish is not as bad as it’s been made out to be.

Depending on his return to full health, Ekeler will provide an upgrade over Antonio Gibson, bolstering the Commanders’ offense overall.

*Check out the full set4for4’s award-winning Half-PPR fantasy football Rankings, customized for your ESPN league here*

Why you should be drafting Austin Ekeler before Yahoo ADP in 2024 Fantasy Football Leagues

For about two hours in the news cycle for releases and free agency signings, Commanders’ running back Brian Robinson had a vast majority of the team’s rushing share in the palm of his hands.

Antonio Gibson had headed to the New England Patriots, and last year’s sixth-round selection, Chris Rodriguez, had handled only 51 rush attempts in his rookie season, pointing towards a massive workload for Robinson.

This was, of course, before the Chargers’ third-most proficient rusher in their storied history signed on later that afternoon.

Though nothing is set in stone at this point, it would surprise nobody if Robinson far out-carried his new teammate, but his moderate pass-game role is very unlikely to increase now that the team has one of the most prolific pass-catching running backs of the last decade.

On paper, the roles are clearly defined, as the 6’2”, 225-pound Robinson will operate as the short-yardage and goal-line back, as Ekeler will flex his elite-level receiving game as the third down back, assuming his ankle woes are behind him.

From 2019-2022, the Arizona Cardinals under Kliff Kingsbury targeted running backs on 16.1% of their 2,417 attempts, peaking in 2019 when they registered a 17.5% rate.

Comparing those numbers to 2023’s rates, they fall almost exactly in line with the league average, if a slight tick higher. That is plenty of wiggle room for Ekeler to produce if Kingsbury continues a similar play-calling style.

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Justin has been playing fantasy sports since he booted up a Sandbox Fantasy Football league on his Gateway computer in Middle School. After nearly two decades in the restaurant industry, he's focusing his attention on making a living in the sports industry.