Austin Ekeler Injury Update
Austin Ekeler’s week has been anything but a walk in the park. The Commanders RB showed up on the injury report Monday with a shoulder issue, and as of Tuesday, he’s still listed as a limited participant in practice. If you spend your fall combing through injury updates like a desperate fantasy owner, you know how these midweek tags go—sometimes it’s just NFL protocol, sometimes it’s a small red flag, sometimes it’s a dart thrown randomly into your fantasy plans. In Ekeler’s case, it’s a bit of all three. Washington just thumped the Giants and has the Packers looming—on a mega-short four-day turnaround that can trip up even the healthiest running back.
Here’s the vibe right now: Ekeler’s shoulder didn’t stop him from suiting up last week, but the team’s usage of its backfield felt like a random number generator. Rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt ran wild, Jeremy McNichols chipped in, and Ekeler, despite being “the guy,” logged just nine snaps. One of my friends texted me about Ekeler during the game, lamenting, “Remember when he’d give you 20 touches and a smiley tweet?” Honestly, vintage Ekeler would shrug this off—but he’s battled stuff like this before, missing eight games the last couple years. At age 30, every tweak kind of matters.
So, what happened to Ekeler? The shoulder injury is legit—the practice reports don’t lie—but he’s not listed as “out” or even “doubtful.” He’s still grinding, working with trainers, standing on the sideline shouting advice, judging by Commanders team cams. I read he told a local radio show, “We’ll use all our running backs this year.” That’s coach-speak, but it’s also a man who’s seen the grind up close, who knows that sometimes the competition in your own position group is tougher than anything Green Bay throws at you.
Will Austin Ekeler play? As of this moment, all signs say yes—unless there’s some surprise news drop on Thursday afternoon, he’s expected to suit up. Of course, NFL Thursdays have a way of going sideways, so always check in—your fantasy lineup deserves it. Ekeler hasn’t drawn any full “game status” warning in the latest team reports, and his projection for the matchup is a fairly normal 22 rushing yards and 20 receiving yards. No secrets, no drama—just the life of a versatile back sharing work with a rookie that’s hot out of the gate. I’ve seen Commanders fans joking that this running back situation is like those group projects in college—everyone shows up, but you’re never sure who’s actually doing most of the work.
If you’re playing fantasy, you’re probably crossing fingers, hoping Ekeler gets those checkdown throws he’s famous for. In the PPR world, he’s a safe flex, but those juicy RB1 days feel a bit distant this week. If he’s in your lineup, keep expectations reasonable. The team’s committee vibe means fewer guaranteed touches, but Ekeler’s knack for finding the soft spot in the defense can suddenly pop for a 12-point swing.
And, one last thing—knees up, all you fantasy hopefuls. Ekeler, shoulder or no shoulder, is still one of the savviest, toughest backs around. Photos of him on the sideline last game showed a dude fully locked in—if anyone can rehab quick and gut through a sore shoulder, it's probably this guy. Just don’t be shocked if Croskey-Merritt grabs some headline yards. The Washington backfield drama rolls on, and in some ways, that’s more fun (and unpredictable) for all of us than a straight-up bell cow situation.
