Who Should I Start? Aaron Jones Sr. or Austin Ekeler

Saturday, August 9, 2:53 PM

Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones is not expected to play Saturday against the Houston Texans. Jones was the starting running back for the Vikings in 2024, totaling over 300 attempts for 1,546 scrimmage yards and seven total touchdowns. At 30 years old, it's understandable why the Vikings are choosing to rest Jones, while 2024 first-round quarterback J.J. McCarthy will play. Jones was listed as the starting running back for the Vikings in their unofficial depth chart. However, head coach Kevin O'Connell has already mentioned that they will use a committee approach with newly signed running back Jordan Mason. While another 300-attempt season is unlikely, Jones should be drafted as a high-end RB3 in most fantasy football formats.

Tuesday, August 19, 10:23 AM

Washington Commanders running back Austin Ekeler is still viewed as a "key" piece of the offense, according to Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic. Earlier this week, reports suggested that the Commanders were actively looking to find a trade partner for running back Brian Robinson Jr. During training camp and the opening weeks of the preseason, rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt has flashed immense upside and appears to be in the running to take the starting job over Robinson. Last season, Ekeler served as the primary third-down running back in the offense. While he missed five games, he was rather productive when on the field. During his first 10 games in D.C., Ekeler averaged a solid 12.3 PPR points per game with solid 5.1 YPC. Even if Robinson were to stay on the Commanders, Ekeler would likely have a significant role on passing downs. He is worth a look as a late-round depth RB as he could even carve out a more substantial role if Robinson were to be traded.