Austin Ekeler has never rushed for 1,000 yards in a season; he’s only been a starter for two years. But anyone who plays fantasy football knows the man straight-up produces. 

He’s one of the premier run/receiver RBs in the NFL, and his 38 touchdowns over the last two seasons is a ridiculous 12 more than anyone else. But now the Los Angeles Chargers' six-year pro has requested permission to talk to other teams and seek a trade, a surprising turn of events for the AFC West contender. 

Bookies.com oddsmaker Adam Thompson has used his resources of NFL contacts developed over 20 years covering the league and the NFL Draft to create his hypothetical NFL futures odds on who Ekeler suits up for in the 2023 season. 

Austin Ekeler Team For 2023 Odds

This market is for entertainment purposes only and has been created by the Bookies.com team. It is not currently available on betting sites. 

Ekeler, 27, has one year remaining on his contract that has a $7.8 million salary cap hit. Talks of a contract extension have stalled, prompting Ekeler to seek permission to find a new team. 

His market value is estimated at $12.8 million – way more than what he’s slated to make in 2023. 

The Chargers don’t have to grant permission, however. For a team looking to make a deep run in the AFC Playoffs, losing Ekeler would be a huge blow to their chances. Promising-but-young RBs Joshua Kelley and Isaiah Spiller would be the next men up if Ekeler was traded. 

This could also be a contract year ploy to put pressure on the Chargers to get a deal done. The ball is in the team’s court. 

The good news for Ekeler is there are several teams that would love to acquire him and would likely pay a pretty penny to do so.  The bad news is, most of those teams are direct postseason contenders with the Chargers, who would be ill-advised to send a top player like Ekeler to any of their rivals. 

Where Will Ekeler Land?

The Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins each had a need at running back. But would the Chargers send their most-productive player to an AFC playoff rival? Buffalo has cap issues that all but take them out of the running. And the Dolphins recently inked Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson, their duo from last year, to new contracts.

The Carolina Panthers traded Christian McCaffrey yet the offense didn’t miss much of a beat with D’Onta Foreman and Chuba Hubbard. Foreman is a free agent and Carolina, which is expected to choose a QB with the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, could make it easier on the new signal-caller with an established RB next to him. 

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There are a couple of NFC teams that are in need, as well. The Philadelphia Eagles are likely to lose Miles Sanders to free agency. They acquired Seahawks RB Rashaad Penny to open free agency, but Ekeler would still be a prize; adding a dual-threat back like Ekeler would be a massive boost to a team looking to get back to the Super Bowl. 

The free-spending Chicago Bears need a replacement for David Montgomery. They have Khalil Herbert, but with the most cap space available, Chicago could add Ekeler and offer him the deal he wants. 

The Field includes teams that may not have RB atop their list of needs, but may look at Ekeler as a next-level type of player worth adding. The Atlanta Falcons, Arizona Cardinals and Washington Commanders fit that bill. 

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