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Ekeler continues to practice in a limited capacity while wearing a red non-contact jersey. He has a chance to play on Monday night, but he is clearly hurting. Jacory Croskey-Merritt (groin) remains sidelined and Rachaad White (shoulder) has been downgraded to limited. It’s an ailing backfield.

Ekeler and Jacory Croskey-Merritt (groin) are both ailing, though the latter player sat out entirely. Rachaad White (shoulder) and Jeremy McNichols (quad) are both practicing in full. Croskey-Merritt is the only fantasy-relevant Commanders running back at this time, assuming he is good to go on Monday night.

Ekeler made his 2026 debut in London and immediately operated as the Commanders’ backup with Rachaad White out. The team did, however, give four running backs multiple touches in this game. Ekeler’s role could grow as he gets more reps under his belt this year, but he could just as easily be made inactive once White is healthy. He’s only worth stashing in the deepest of leagues.

Ekeler is fully recovered from a torn Achilles that ended his 2025 season after just two games. The 31-year-old running back returns to a familiar place in Washington and will sign to the 53-man roster, making him immediately eligible to play in Week 4. We expect him to have a bit of a ramp-up period before being active on game days, but Ekeler could end up having a meaningful role in a backfield that has struggled to get going through the first three weeks. Ekeler may be worth a stash in deeper leagues, but we’ll have to see what kind of role he has before we can consider putting him in lineups. Ekeler met last week with the Panthers about possibly joining their practice squad but a deal was never reached.

Ekeler worked out for the Panthers today. Kaye noted that the workout went well, so it’s possible Ekeler lands with the team in the future. With Jonathon Brooks (groin) on injured reserve, the Panthers need to make an addition or two at running back, even just for some extra depth. Regardless of who they sign, Chuba Hubbard is set for a workhorse role for the foreseeable future.

Carolina is in need of some backfield reinforcements after losing Jonathon Brooks to a core injury that will leave him sidelined for at least six weeks. AJ Dillon is set to fill in for Brooks while Chub Hubbard presumably continues as the team’s lead back. Ekeler, 31, who hasn’t played since injuring his Achilles last September, could be an emergency running back if Hubbard or Dillon go down with injuries in the coming weeks. First he’ll need to make the squad.

An MRI confirmed that Ekeler suffered a torn Achilles in Thursday’s game against the Packers. The 30-year-old running back will miss the remainder of the season. Jacory “Bill” Croskey-Merritt and Jeremy McNichols figure to handle the running back duties for the Commanders going forward with Chris Rodriguez now as the third running back active.

Ekeler will undergo imaging Friday to confirm whether there’s structural damage. The 30-year-old looked visibly upset after walking off following the injury, and it would be a surprise if his 2025 campaign isn’t over. Jacorey Croskey-Merritt will almost assuredly be the starting running back going forward, with Jeremy McNichols operating as his backup. This could also lead to more touches in the backfield from Deebo Samuel, as well, and it’s possible the Commanders will look at the trade market for a potential replacement.

Ekeler picked up the injury while trying to make a cut, and looked distraught when he made his way back to the bench. His status for Week 3 against the Raiders is very much up in the air, and it seems more likely than not that Jacorey Croskey-Merritt and Jeremy McNichols will handle the rushing attempts for that game against Las Vegas.

Ekeler popped up on the injury report with a shoulder issue earlier this week and was limited for all three practices. It looks like that was all maintenance as he doesn’t have an injury status heading into Thursday’s game. Ekeler earned six carries and three catches in Week 1, ceding 10 carries to rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt. Even a minor shoulder issue should keep a ceiling on how much work Ekeler sees, relegating him to the RB4 ranks for Week 2.

They conducted walkthroughs both days and the report is an estimation. Ekeler didn’t appear on the Week 1 report and did see noticeably fewer snaps in the second half against the Giants, so it is possible that it contributed to less Ekeler down the stretch. We’d still expect him to suit up for Week 2, perhaps with a role more similar to the one he had in the second half.

Ekeler saw nine total opportunities in the game, with seven of those looks coming in the first half. The veteran running back drew the start for the Commanders on Sunday and was rather efficient with his touches (6.3 YPT), but he played backup to rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt in the second half, with one carry to Croskey-Merritt’s six. Ekeler should continue to have a role in the passing game, as his age and injury history have long foreshadowed a third-down role for him in 2025. Croskey-Merritt’s performance on Sunday isn’t going to do anything to change that opinion. Ekeler will have some PPR upside in Week 2 against the Packers, but it would be surprising if he drew the start on Thursday night.

As Brian Robinson trade rumors circulate ahead of the regular season, and as rookie RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt gains steam as a potential lead back in the run-first Washington offense, Ekeler, 30, should remain the team’s primary pass-catching backfield option who could cut into Croskey-Merritt’s workload early in the season, along with Chris Rodriguez. Robinson was held out of Monday night’s preseason game against the Bengals. JCM and Rodriguez shined against Cincinnati; the rookie rumbled for 46 yards and a score on 11 attempts. Ekeler in 2024 led the Commanders backfield with 35 receptions for 366 yards. He could have some value in deeper PPR formats this season if Robinson is traded away.

Not a good ending to Ekeler’s age-29 campaign, as he lost a back-breaking second half fumble. It was inexcusable ball security as Ekeler tried to get up after falling down. Forced to settle for just $1.2 million guaranteed in free agency, Ekeler did bounce back from his horrendous final season for the Chargers, getting his yards per carry back near 5.0 and his yards per catch over 10.0. He was limited to 12 games by a scary Week 12 concussion, but performed pretty much exactly as expected when healthy. Although Ekeler’s three-down days are long gone, the Commanders could decide he’s a third-down back worth retaining at his currently scheduled $3 million salary. That being said, Washington is in the driver’s seat there with Ekeler due no guaranteed money for 2025.

Ekeler watched Brian Robinson and Jeremy McNichols combine for three rushing touchdowns, all of which came at the goal line. The lack of touchdown upside or a touch ceiling makes Ekeler an underwhelming fantasy asset, but his efficiency can flip drives for Washington. Including the postseason, the former Charger is now averaging 6.6 yards per touch as a Commander. He will be a high-risk DFS play for the Conference Championship slate.

Ekeler was the best of Washington’s running backs tonight, but that’s not really saying that much. The veteran picked up some key first downs and also made some solid blocks that helped Washington sustain drives, but he’s no longer an explosive playmaker. Given how ineffective Brian Robinson Jr. was tonight, we could see Ekeler’s role grow next week against the Lions.

Ekeler returned to the Commanders’ lineup after four games out due to a concussion. He retains his duties as the primary receiving back and totaled five touches for 32 yards. Jayden Daniels will take many of the rushing opportunities while Brian Robinson is mixed in as the main rusher, but Ekeler has carved out a sizeable role this season. He finishes the regular season with 77 carries to 35 receptions in 12 games. Ekeler will be useful as the Commanders’ satellite back in the postseason.

Ekeler has been on the shelf for the previous four games but will miss the minimum with a concussion sustained in Week 12. The Commanders have said they will approach Week 18 like any other week as they look to avoid the No. 7 seed out of the NFC, but time, and game environment, will tell if they keep their starters on the field late in the contest should they be playing with a comfortable lead.

Ekeler was designated to return from injured reserve earlier this week. He got in three full practices before being listed as questionable. He should be good to go for Week 18, but the Commanders have little to play for on Sunday. They secure the No. 6 seed with a win or a Green Bay loss but are already locked into a bottom-two seed regardless of the outcomes. They could be extra cautious with Ekeler’s return and hold him out another week anyway. He will be a risky RB4 bet if activated from IR ahead of Sunday’s game.

Speaking Monday on 106.7 The Fan’s Grant and Danny, Ekeler said when asked about a potential return for the Commanders’ playoff week, “This is one category it’s tough to talk about, just because you don’t want to say something and something else happens, so it’s kind of a week-to-week thing.” Ekeler wouldn’t go into any more detail regarding a potential return, but the team’s decision to designate him for return suggests he’ll have a good shot at returning at some point. A full practice on Wednesday keeps Week 18 on the table. The Commanders will have 21 days to activate him from injured reserve, but a Week 18 return may be too early for Ekeler, who suffered a brutal concussion in the team’s Week 12 loss to the Cowboys.