Who Should I Start? Austin Ekeler or Jaydon Blue

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.

Friday, July 18, 12:52 PM

In a recent Locked on Cowboys podcast appearance, former Dallas Cowboys coach Glenn Smith said that coaches with the Cowboys have expressed that rookie fifth-round running back Jaydon Blue is "borderline lazy" and that the team isn't happy with his work habits. Blue is expected to have a big role on offense and is very explosive, but it's not a great sign for him heading into training camp. The 21-year-old is also under 200 pounds and comes with ball-security issues from his college days. The Cowboys like Blue's speed and explosiveness, but he didn't work at all with the first-team offense in spring workouts, suggesting Dallas could open the year with a backfield consisting mostly of Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders. The Cowboys will be hoping that Blue can mature quickly, but he's also no lock to make the roster out of training camp.