His big statistical season was needed, as he was a security option for quarterback Justin Herbert at many points throughout the year. Ekeler’s 1,637 scrimmage yards were his highest for a single season. Including the playoffs, he has scored 40 touchdowns in his last 38 games.
His ability to be effective on the ground and through the air is what makes Jones-Drew rank him so highly — something that both Ekeler and the player at the top spot share.
The unique skill sets of [Christian] McCaffrey and Ekeler — the fact that they are constantly producing in both the run and pass games for their respective offenses — is why they sit at Nos. 1 and 2 on this list.
While Ekeler took the No. 2 spot in the rankings, another member of the Bolts also made the rankings.
Running back Joshua Kelley, who started in Week 15 against the Titans, was No. 58 on Jones-Drew’s list, as his style of running was a great changeup to what Ekeler provides and showed promise as the Chargers second running back.
Kelley is a great complement to elusive playmaker Austin Ekeler, seeing how the third-year pro excels as a physical downhill runner for the Chargers. Though he didn’t post career bests in carries or rush yards, he was efficient in 2022 with a career-high yards-per-carry average (4.2).
Kelley ran for 287 yards and a pair of scores in 13 games in 2022.
To read Jones-Drew’s full rankings, click here.
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