The running back market has been a major talking point in NFL circles this offseason.
Los Angeles Chargers star Austin Ekeler got the ball running by putting team owners on blast for the attitude they’ve had toward his colleagues, and it’s not like he was satisfied with his deal either.
However, advanced stats prove that Ekeler’s value isn’t just evident on the ground, so maybe he could look to switch positions and line out wide next season.
Per Nex Gen Stats, Ekeler led the league with +5.3 receptions over expected in 2022, nearly twice as many as any other running back (Leonard Fournette +2.8, Travis Homer +1.8, Tyler Allgeier +1.8, Justin Hill +1.8).
Austin Ekeler caught +5.3 receptions over expected in 2022, nearly twice as many as any other running back.
Ekeler was also a threat after the catch, gaining +95 YAC over expected last season (4th-most among RB).#BoltUp pic.twitter.com/Yx8otsV1ms
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) August 2, 2023
He also posted the fourth-most yards after the catch (95) among players in his position.
As pass-happy as today’s game is, there’s simply no way to have an efficient offense without a decent running game.
Moreover, dual-threat running backs like Ekeler aren’t exactly common, so they should be in a tier of their own when it comes to getting new deals.
Still, the way the league is structured right now, as well as the rules about franchise tags, makes it quite difficult for running backs to get decent value, market-wise.
Their value has dropped while most positions are getting all-time highs in their new deals, so it’s easy to understand their frustration as they’ve become somewhat expendable goods at this point.
Something will have to give eventually, or teams will have a very hard time trying to find newcomers looking to put their bodies on the line to play running back.
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