Chargers RB Joshua Kelley the Favorite for Backup Duties

According to Daniel Popper of The Athletic, Los Angeles Chargers running back Joshua Kelley is “firmly in the lead” to backup starter Austin Ekeler.

Popper said on Tuesday’s practice, “Kelley was the first running back to catch a pass in seven-on-seven. He was the first running back on the field in the opening 11-on-11 period. He got the second carry, behind Ekeler, in the second 11-on-11 period…And Kelley carried out of shotgun on the opening rep of the red zone 11-on-11 period.”

A fourth-round pick of the Chargers in 2020, Kelley was widely expected to lose backup duties to rookie Isaiah Spiller. However, with Popper’s report, Kelley appears to be distancing himself from the former Aggies star.

Given Ekeler’s injury history and expectations of a lighter workload, the Chargers’ RB2 becomes an important role for fantasy purposes. As things stand, Kelley looks like the best bet and is worth selecting in the double-digit rounds. Spiller is also worth a late-round flier, hoping he eventually passes the former on the depth chart.

FanDuel Sportsbook currently has the Chargers holding the sixth-best Super Bowl LVII odds at +1400.