What to do with Austin Ekeler in Week 13 fantasy football

Game day update: Austin Ekeler vaults back into the RB1 spot in fantasy football after his 129 total yards performance last week against the Bills. He scored 12.9 fantasy points and should be able to do that again versus the New England Patriots on Sunday. This season, the Pats’ defense is giving up 4.3 yards per carry, nine touchdowns, and 18.4 fantasy points per game to opposing running backs. ESPN projects Ekeler to score 16 fantasy points.

Friday injury report update: Kalen Ballage is listed as questionable with an ankle injury. Even if he is able to play, Ekeler will remain the starter. Ballage playing would ding Ekeler’s ceiling, but he would remain a strong play in Week 13.

Austin Ekeler is back and the Chargers didn’t even consider easing him back into action, as they let him go full throttle against the Bills in Week 12. Ekeler receiver 14 carries for 44 yards and tallied 11 receptions for 85 yards. There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that Ekeler is the owner of this backfield now that he is healthy. Where does he find himself in the rankings heading into Week 13 and does he belong in your lineups? We break down the fantasy analysis below.

Fantasy Football analysis: Chargers RB Austin Ekeler

Austin Ekeler hasn’t seen the field since Week 4, but he returned with a vengeance in Week 12 and didn’t miss a beat. He was the go to guy for Justin Herbert all game and his high usage in the passing game makes him a PPR slam dunk. The Patriots are middle of the pack when it comes to defending the run. Regardless of his opponent, Ekeler has the talent to make a weekly impact and his workload makes him impossible to keep on the bench. Start him with confidence as an RB1 this weekend.

Fantasy Start/Sit Recommendation

Start Austin Ekeler as an RB1