Getty Images Should you start or sit Austin Ekeler this week?
The Los Angeles Chargers were very strange with the injury report this weekend. As the team is gearing up for an early one outside of the country, a surprise injury came up out of nowhere late on Saturday night. Apparently, Melvin Gordon suffered some sort of hamstring injury, which will keep him out of week seven’s game against the Tennesee Titans.
With Gordon surprisingly being out, Austin Ekeler becomes the next guy in line. It’s no secret that Ekeler could potentially serve your fantasy lineup well in the absence of Gordon. Considering Gordon’s constant struggle with nagging injuries, Ekeler becomes an excellent insurance policy to have on gamedays.
Ekeler has had his fair share of usage over the course of the season, despite being a backup to Gordon. With 41 carries, he has totaled for 263 yards with an impressive average of 6.4 yards-per-carry. Also, Ekeler has come up big in the passing game as well with 14 receptions for 207 yards and three scores.
Is Ekeler Worth a Play?
The Tennesee Titans have not fared well against the run all season. They are currently 27th in yards allowed on the ground in the NFL. This week’s game was most likely going to be a significant performance put on by Gordon, but now it’s going to be Ekeler’s time to shine. If he’s available, pick him up ASAP. If you already have him, do not hesitate to start Ekeler today.
The Chargers should be able to take care of the Titans this week, and Ekeler could potentially have his biggest game to date. It might not be all on the ground, but with three of his touchdowns being off of passes this season, it won’t even matter how he gets his points. But seeing how Tennesee’s defense has struggled against running backs at times this season, it should be a big week for Ekeler.