Who Should I Start? Austin Ekeler or Zach Charbonnet
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
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Zach Charbonnet News
Monday, March 30, 7:15 PM
Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald mentioned that running back Zach Charbonnet (knee) is "part of the equation" for the 2026 season, which means the Seahawks are expecting him to return at some point during the upcoming season, per John Boyle of the team's official website. "Zach's a great player, he's not going to miss the whole year," Macdonald said. It's great news for a Seattle backfield that lost Kenneth Walker III in free agency after he was named Super Bowl LX MVP. The team still has George Holani and signed Emanuel Wilson on the open market, but when healthy, Charbonnet should have a leg up for the majority of the team's backfield touches as they look to defend their Super Bowl title. The 25-year-old had a bigger role in 2025 next to Walker, carrying the ball a career-high 184 times for 730 yards (4.0 yards per carry) and 12 touchdowns in 16 regular-season games, adding 20 catches for 144 yards on 24 targets. There's still a lot to like about Charb's long-term fantasy profile, but in single-year leagues, tempers should be tempered after he tore his ACL in January during the postseason. He is not expected to be fully ready for the start of the 2026 regular season.
Austin Ekeler vs. Zach Charbonnet
Still trying to decide between Ekeler and Charbonnet? 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 Zach Charbonnet is projected to score 0.0 points.
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