Chargers' Austin Ekeler: Typical usage in Week 14

Ekeler carried the ball 10 times for 51 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 24-7 loss to the Broncos. He also caught five of his seven targets for 49 yards.

Despite coded comments from head coach Brandon Staley earlier in the week that left some speculating Ekeler would cede touches to Joshua Kelley and Isaiah Spiller, the multi-faceted back saw his usual workload while the aforementioned backups combined for nine carries and 25 yards. It's unclear if that's because the Chargers trailed from the jump and were put in an even more difficult situation after Justin Herbert left the game late in the second quarter with an injury to a finger on his throwing hand or if it was by design, but the end result is hardly surprising given the career credentials of Kelley and Spiller. Herbert's status could certainly affect Ekeler's upside come Thursday's Week 15 contest against the Raiders, but backup quarterback Easton Stick could also rely heavily on the pass-catching running back should Herbert sit out, making the Pro Bowl back a likely solid fantasy play regardless.