Who Should I Start? Austin Ekeler or D'Andre Swift

Sunday, January 26, 6:46 PM

Washington Commanders running back Austin Ekeler tallied just 32 all-purpose yards during their loss in the NFC Championship game to the Philadelphia Eagles. Ekeler also lost a fumble. The Commanders were playing from behind throughout most of the contest, putting their rushing attack out of the game plan. However, even when Ekeler was given the ball through the air, he could not perform. He caught five of his seven targets but tallied just 17 yards. His seven targets tied him the second-most on the team, only behind tight end Zach Ertz. Throughout the season, the 29-year-old operated primarily as a change-of-pace option in the Washington backfield. Entering Sunday, Ekeler posted a strong 10.3 yards per catch and a 4.8 yards per carry. Ekeler will likely remain in this role next season as he enters the final year of his contract.

Wednesday, June 4, 12:39 PM

Chicago Bears running back D'Andre Swift wants his production to be "undeniable" as the team's lead back in 2025, and he's been putting in the work to be physically ready for a heavy workload, reports Marquee Sports Network's Scott Bair. Swift will need to improve on his 2024 campaign to hold off Roschon Johnson after averaging a career-low 3.8 yards per carry. The 26-year-old worked with new head coach Ben Johnson during their time together in Detroit, and Johnson called Swift a "fierce competitor." The Bears only added RB Kyle Monangai in the seventh round of this year's NFL draft, so Swift figures to open the 2025 season as the starter in Chicago's backfield. It's unclear exactly how the workload will be split up in Johnson's backfield, but based on volume alone, Swift should be in play as an RB2 in fantasy.