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When Los Angeles Chargers running back Austin Ekeler went down with an injury a few weeks ago, many analysts saw it as a potential opportunity for Justin Jackson to step up. However, Jackson was dealing with his own injuries, which opened up the door for rookie running back Joshua Kelley. Kelley had some nice runs but nothing to make it seem like he had the starting job locked up.
Jackson eventually came back from his short injury stint and put together a solid performance against New Orleans Saints in Week 5. In that particular contest, the former Northwestern running back had 71 yards on 15 carries along with five receptions for 23 yards. It was the perfect stat line for a player who could serve as your FLEX.
Fast forward to Sunday, where Jackson turned in a season’s best performance against the Denver Broncos. The 25-year-old running back had 89 rushing yards on 17 carries with three receptions for 53 yards.
Even though the Chargers lost, the outing from Jackson was encouraging to see as they look for someone to replicate Ekeler’s role in the offense. It can also be enticing for your fantasy team as he will certainly be one of the top RBs as high-priority waiver claims. As of now, Jackson is rostered in 55 percent of Yahoo! fantasy leagues.
Up next — LV, @MIA, NYJ, @BUF, NE