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Austin Ekeler – Los Angeles Chargers

Ekeler played his first game since Week 4 as the Chargers made the long trip to Western New York and, while he did not light up the box score in another defeat for Los Angeles, it was a rewarding day for those who trusted him to make an impact upon his return from a long spell on the injured reserve list with hamstring and knee issues.

He ran the ball 14 times for just 44 yards but was an integral part of the passing game, catching 11 of his 16 targets from Justin Herbert for 85 yards. That translated to a score of 23.9 points in PPR leagues.

Ekeler is unlikely to receive such a high target share again this season, and his level of usage as a receiver was in part because the Chargers were playing from behind against a likely playoff-bound Bills team.

Yet this game was a showcase of how valuable Ekeler’s versatile skill set is to the Chargers and fantasy managers who have him on their roster, especially in PPR leagues.

Like Samuel, the floor is very high for one of the better all-around backs in the NFL, and fantasy owners should see increasing returns from Ekeler when the Chargers meet a vulnerable Patriots defense in Week 13.