Who Should I Start? Austin Ekeler or RJ Harvey


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Austin Ekeler News

Austin Ekeler 100 Percent Medically Cleared for Football Activities

Thursday, April 30, 9:22 AM

Veteran free-agent running back Austin Ekeler (Achilles) is 100% fully medically cleared for all football activities after suffering a torn right Achilles last September against the Green Bay Packers, a league source told Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Sports. Ekeler intends to play in 2026 and is expected to draw plenty of interest. The 30-year-old was one of the premier pass-catching backs in the NFL in his seven seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers before he signed a two-year deal with the Washington Commanders before the 2024 season. He appeared in 12 games (six starts) for Washington in 2024, carrying the ball 77 times for 367 yards and four touchdowns while catching 35 passes for 366 receiving yards. Ekeler missed some time due to a concussion that year before playing in just two games in 2025 before tearing his Achilles. Ekeler might not be the same shifty back in space after his season-ending injury, but he could still give a team some solid pass-catching depth out of the backfield as he nears the end of his career.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
10.0 29.7 0.3 2.6 18.8 0.2

RJ Harvey News

RJ Harvey Still Has Upside, But Workload Is Messy

Thursday, July 9, 11:24 AM

Denver Broncos running back RJ Harvey (shoulder) still has enough upside to draft, but managers should not treat him like a clean Year 2 breakout. Harvey scored 12 total touchdowns as a rookie, catching 47 passes for 356 yards while adding 540 rushing yards and seven scores on the ground. Denver has praised his route-running and playmaking with the ball in his hands, and that receiving role still matters in Sean Payton's offense. The problem is the backfield did not get simpler. J.K. Dobbins is back on a two-year deal after looking like Denver's best early-down runner when healthy, and the Broncos used a fourth-round pick on Jonah Coleman, a physical runner with third-down ability. Harvey is also coming off offseason shoulder surgery, so training camp matters. RotoBaller has him ranked RB35 across formats, which fits the risk. He is an upside bench pick in redraft and a dynasty hold, not someone to value like a locked-in lead back.


Austin Ekeler vs. RJ Harvey

Still trying to decide between Ekeler and Harvey? 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 0.0 points this week while RJ Harvey is projected to score 10.0 points.