I like the look of Austin Ekeler. Not so much as a runner, but he’s going to catch a ton of balls, and that makes him look like a very safe choice at the running back position.

Ekeler was the 4th-best running back last year in PPR formats, and he did it despite sharing time with Melvin Gordon for most of the year. Gordon’s gone, so Ekeler should play more, handling the ball more often as a runner.

I don’t think Ekeler will be as effective as a receiver. He caught 92 balls last year, of course, and that’s setting the ball awfully high. They don’t have Philip Rivers anymore, and I don’t think Tyrod Taylor will complete as many of those throws. The team won’t be passing as often, and Taylor probably will bring a different mentality to the position – perhaps more often running around, looking for a downfield completion, rather than dumping it off.

But if we assume Ekeler will catch 70 passes (22 fewer than last year), he looks like a very safe choice.

In the last 20 years, 48 running backs have caught at least 70 passes and run for at least 400 yards. All but three of those guys have finished with a least top-12 overall numbers using PPR scoring.

In the chart below, there are 10 additional players who caught 70-plus passes but ran for fewer than 400 yards. James White, Theo Riddick, Tarik Cohen and others. I flagged them with black dots, because they don’t really apply. Ekeler isn’t just a third-down back, who going to run for only 300 yards – that’s not what he is.

Nor, in fairness, is a McCaffrey-Tomlinson monster who’s going to run for 1,300-plus yards. So note the players in bold. Those are guys who caught 70-plus passes and ran for more than 600 yards but less than 1,000 yards. Conservatively, I think we can put Ekeler in that group. Nine of those 11 players ranked in the top 11 in PPR production. Michael Pittman (not the receiver for the Colts but his dad) is the one disappointment. Twice he had one of those seasons but finished only 17th among running backs in PPR production.

To me, Ekeler looks like a safe choice. In PPR formats, he’ll be one of my first 10 backs.

RUNNING BACKS WITH 70-PLUS RECEPTIONS (last 20 years)
YearPlayerRun-TDNo-Rec-TDPPRRk
2019Christian McCaffrey, Car.1387-15116-1005-4471.21
2000Marshall Faulk, St.L.1359-1881-830-8459.91
2003Priest Holmes, K.C.1420-2774-690-0447.01
2003LaDainian Tomlinson, S.D.1645-13100-725-4444.12
2002Priest Holmes, K.C.1615-2170-672-3442.71
2001Marshall Faulk, St.L.1382-1283-765-9425.71
2006Steven Jackson, St.L.1528-1390-806-3419.42
2016David Johnson, Ariz.1239-1680-879-4413.81
2018Christian McCaffrey, Car.1098-7107-867-6388.01
2002LaDainian Tomlinson, S.D.1683-1479-489-1386.22
2018Saquon Barkley, NYG1307-1191-721-4385.82
2013Jamaal Charles, K.C.1287-1270-693-7382.01
2011Ray Rice, Balt.1364-1276-704-3376.91
2007Brian Westbrook, Phil.1333-790-771-5372.41
2014LeVeon Bell, Pitt.1361-883-854-3370.51
2018Alvin Kamara, N.O.883-1481-709-4354.24
2014Matt Forte, Chi.1038-6102-808-4350.63
2002Charlie Garner, Oak.962-791-941-4347.34
2017LeVeon Bell, Pitt.1291-985-655-2345.62
2013Matt Forte, Chi.1339-974-594-3341.32
2006Brian Westbrook, Phil.1217-777-699-4334.64
2018Ezekiel Elliott, Dall.1434-677-567-3331.15
2009Ray Rice, Balt.1339-778-702-1330.13
2000Ahman Green, G.B.1175-1073-559-3324.44
2017Alvin Kamara, N.O.728-881-826-5322.43
2015Devonta Freeman, Atl.1056-1173-578-3320.41
2016LeVeon Bell, Pitt.1268-775-616-2319.43
2019* AUSTIN EKELER, LAC557-392-993-8313.04
2000Curtis Martin, NYJ1204-970-508-2312.15
2010LeSean McCoy, Phil.1080-778-592-2299.23
2005LaMont Jordan, Oak.1025-970-563-2296.86
2000Tiki Barber, NYG1006-870-719-1296.58
2002Marshall Faulk, St.L.953-880-537-2289.010
2004Brian Westbrook, Phil.812-373-703-6278.57
2011Darren Sproles, N.O.603-286-710-7277.35
2018James White, N.E.425-587-751-7276.67
2006Reggie Bush, N.O.565-688-742-2272.79
2019Leonard Fournette, Jac.1152-376-522-0261.47
2019Alvin Kamara, N.O.797-581-533-1250.79
2015• Danny Woodhead, S.D.336-380-755-6243.13
2001Tiki Barber, NYG865-472-577-0242.29
2018Tarik Cohen, Chi.444-371-725-5240.011
2000Michael Pittman, Ariz.719-473-579-2238.817
2001Charlie Garner, Oak.839-172-578-2231.711
2017Christian McCaffrey, Car.435-280-651-5230.69
2013Danny Woodhead, S.D.429-276-605-6227.412
2003Michael Pittman, T.B.751-075-597-2221.817
2017• Duke Johnson, Cle.348-474-693-3220.111
2012• Darren Sproles, N.O.244-175-667-7216.113
2007Reggie Bush, N.O.581-473-417-2214.812
2013Pierre Thomas, N.O.549-277-513-3213.216
2019• James White, N.E.263-172-645-5202.618
2000• Richie Anderson, NYJ63-088-853-2191.626
2001• Larry Centers, Buff.160-280-620-2182.023
2015• Theo Riddick, Det.133-080-697-3181.019
2013• Darren Sproles, N.O.220-271-604-2177.423
2000• Larry Centers, Was.103-081-600-3169.328
2019• Tarik Cohen, Chi.213-079-456-3163.927

—Ian Allan