Who Should I Start? Austin Ekeler or Justin Jefferson
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.0 | 33.7 | 0.3 | 1.2 | 9.9 | 0.1 |
Austin Ekeler News
Tuesday, February 10, 9:31 AM
Pending free agent running back Austin Ekeler signed a two-year deal with the Washington Commanders before the 2024 season, but has struggled with injuries since. The 30-year-old back managed fewer than 70 offensive snaps in 2025 before a devastating Achilles injury ended his season in Week 2. While his touchdown numbers have dropped precipitously from his fantasy glory days with the Chargers, he continued to prove himself a valuable part of the Commanders' passing game. With almost a full year of recovery before the start of the 2026 season and a work ethic second to none, it should come as no surprise if he signs a minimal short-term deal when free agency opens in March, potentially carving out a dedicated third-down role. While his RB1 days are clearly behind him, he could represent a next-to-nothing dynasty buy with the occasional spike week still in his future.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 9.0 | 91.8 | 0.6 |
Justin Jefferson News
Friday, March 13, 5:49 AM
Two-time All-Pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson is coming off the worst season of his career, his sixth with the Minnesota Vikings. Following a season of uninspired quarterback play from J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer, which led to career lows for Jefferson in terms of receiving yards and touchdowns, the team made a splash on Thursday by agreeing to a one-year deal with former first overall pick Kyler Murray. While Murray has never topped 4,000 passing yards in a season and has a spotty track record of supporting number one receivers, if he can reach anything approaching league-average quarterback play, Jefferson can thrive. A 31.4% target share in 2025 kept Jefferson afloat with some of the worst quarterback play in the league, while his lifetime average of 9.27 targets per game is a top-10 all-time number and one that Murray would be wise to continue bumping up if he wants to hit 2027 free agency on a high note.
Austin Ekeler vs. Justin Jefferson
Still trying to decide between Ekeler and Jefferson? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Austin Ekeler is projected to score 8.0 points this week while Justin Jefferson is projected to score 21.5 points.
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