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Without Philip Rivers, will Austin Ekeler still provide the same kind of fantasy production?

Austin Ekeler was the sixth-highest scoring running back in half-point-PPR Yahoo fantasy football leagues last season. He took advantage of Melvin Gordon’s holdout and ran with it — literally. Ekeler did damage on both the ground and through the air, and it’s earned him an ADP in the mid to late second round.

But are fantasy drafters forgetting a crucial detail about the 2020 version of Ekeler?

Matt Harmon and Dalton Del Don discuss his outlook in the video above.

[Create or join a 2020 Yahoo Fantasy Football League for free today]

Dalton points out a fact that should be obvious: A major reason for Ekeler’s production in 2019 was his quarterback, Philip Rivers ... who is no longer a Los Angeles Charger.

With Rivers the new QB1 of the Indianapolis Colts, Ekeler is set to start the season lining up behind Tyrod Taylor and, eventually, first-round pick Justin Herbert. Can we count on either of them to help Ekeler reach his ceiling the way Rivers did with a plethora of short passes?

While Matt does recognize Dalton’s reasoning, he’s still high on Ekeler, calling him a “perfect back” for today’s NFL. His do-it-all skill set sets him up for success in an offense that is expected to be run-heavy in 2020.