It is a crowded running back room behind Austin Ekeler, and for now, Kelley looks like the best bet to win the No. 2 job. Kelley took that job over down the stretch in 2022 and played at least one-third of the snaps in each of the Chargers' last six games. At the very least, Kelley is worthy of a late-round pick just in case something happens to the 28-year-old Ekeler, but there's also a possibility he carves out a bigger role if Kellen Moore decides to split touches more like he did in Dallas with Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard.
Chargers' Joshua Kelley: Could see uptick in playing time
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Head coach Brandon Staley suggested Wednesday that Kelley could see increased opportunities out of the Chargers backfield in the weeks to come, Daniel Popper of The Athletic reports. "Competition for carries is going to be something that you can see happening," Staley said. "We're going to keep exploring, making adjustments so that we can find that rhythm I've been talking about. That's certainly one way to do it."
Austin Ekeler has struggled badly since his Week 6 return from a high-ankle sprain, and he's averaging a career-low 3.5 yards per carry on the season, a full yard below his 2022 average. Kelley has seen just 5.1 carries per game since Ekeler returned to the lineup, but the Chargers badly need an offensive spark, and upping Kelley's usage could be a way to improve the overall efficiency in the run game.
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Chargers' Joshua Kelley: Continues limited role
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Kelley rushed six times for 16 yards and brought in two receptions for nine yards in Sunday's 6-0 win over the Patriots.
Neither Kelley nor starter Austin Ekeler could do much on the ground in a game mired by sloppy conditions. The 26-year-old has not recorded 30 or more snaps since Ekeler was hurt in Week 4, and he has only seen two red-zone carries in these last eight games. The rainy conditions in New England may have impacted Ekeler's sub-par performance, but Kelley's lack of production has been a common theme when he's sharing the field with the lead back.
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Chargers' Joshua Kelley: Diminished role in offense
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Kelley recorded three carries for eight yards and two receptions for six yards in Sunday's 20-10 loss to the Ravens.
Kelley tied his season low in snap count with 13 compared to starter Austin Ekeler's 53. The 26-year-old has struggled even more in the recent weeks in the backup position, averaging a mediocre 2.7 yards per carry in the last three weeks compared to Ekeler's 4.4, and he hasn't had a game with more than 10 carries since the lead back was hurt in Weeks 2 through 4. With this small amount of production as the auxiliary back, the veteran remains a reserve option for fantasy managers unless Ekeler is injured again this season.
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Chargers' Joshua Kelley: Handles six carries
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Kelley rushed six times for 13 yards in Sunday's 23-20 loss to the Packers.
Kelley played 29 percent of the Chargers' offensive snaps Sunday for the second straight week in relief of starting running back Austin Ekeler. The 26-year-old has seen his efficiency decrease in recent weeks, averaging a dismal 2.2 yards per carry in Week 11. Kelley should continue to hold value as an insurance policy if Ekeler were to miss time, yet the veteran will likely continue to see limited opportunities when the Chargers host the Ravens in Week 12.
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Chargers' Joshua Kelley: Just four touches in win
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Kelley carried the ball three times for 18 yards. He also caught his lone target for four yards in the 27-6 win over the Jets on Monday.
Austin Ekeler unsurprisingly handled the majority of the load, with the duo sporting a 16-4 disparity in touches in a game that felt over by the first quarter. As has been the case whenever the Pro Bowl running back has been healthy, Kelley is simply a fantasy insurance policy for the talented multi-dimensional threat.
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Chargers' Joshua Kelley: Hardly involved in win
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Kelley carried the ball six times for 21 yards in the 30-13 win over the Bears on Sunday.
Kelley played just 15 total offensive snaps as Austin Ekeler and the Chargers cruised to a relatively easy win. The team ran for only 54 total yards on 25 combined carries, so while the Chargers led by double digits almost from the get go, it's a bit surprising to see the running game struggle to the extent it did Sunday. Don't expect an easier path of resistance against the Jets in Week 9.
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Chargers' Joshua Kelley: Week 8 Waiver Priority List
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Austin Ekeler seemed to re-injure his ankle in Week 7 at Kansas City, although he finished the game. However, he was clearly not himself and only had 14 carries for 45 yards and one catch for 1 yard on two targets. Kelley was bad in place of Ekeler for the three games he missed, but that was also against Tennessee, Minnesota and Las Vegas, with his best game coming against the Raiders with 17 carries for 65 yards. Keep an eye on Ekeler's status, and Kelley could be a flex option if Ekeler is out, starting in Week 8 against the Bears. Kelley, who had seven carries for 75 yards and a touchdown against the Chiefs, is worth adding for up to 5 percent of your FAB.
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Chargers' Joshua Kelley: Rips off career-long run
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Kelley tallied seven carries for 75 yards and a touchdown in the 31-17 loss to the Chiefs on Sunday.
Kelley's 49-yard run was the longest of his career, and it helped the Chargers keep pace with an explosive Chiefs offense throughout the first half. That completely changed in the second half as Kelley and Austin Ekeler, who had 14 carries for 45 yards, could do very little. Expect the fourth-year back to get a bit more work against a vulnerable Bears defense next week.
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Chargers' Joshua Kelley: Struggles to pile up much yardage
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Kelley registered 17 carries for 65 yards in the 24-17 win over the Raiders on Sunday.
With Austin Ekeler out for a third and likely final game due to a high-ankle sprain, Kelley ended his multi-week stretch as the top running back on an underwhelming note. While Kelley essentially was the only running back to see much work Sunday, he averaged only 3.8 yards per carry despite facing a Raiders defense that had previously struggled to stop the run. With the Chargers on a bye in Week 5, expect Kelley to revert to the No. 2 running back role with Ekeler likely ready to hit the ground running against the Cowboys come Oct. 16.
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Chargers' Joshua Kelley: Struggles again as lead back
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Kelley rushed the ball 11 times for 12 yards in Sunday's 28-24 win over the Vikings. He added one reception for five yards.
Kelley had the opportunity to serve as the Chargers' lead back for the second consecutive week with Austin Ekeler (ankle) sidelined. His poor performance in Week 2 was excused due to a tough matchup against the Titans, though Sunday's effort was disastrous with the Vikings being an exploitable unit. After ripping off 91 yards in Week 1 as the complementary back, Kelley has combined to gain only 51 yards on 24 carries as the starter in two games since. Even if Ekeler remains sidelined in Week 4 against the Raiders, there's a possibility that Kelley won't have the backfield to himself.
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Chargers' Joshua Kelley: Start Him (Lineup Decisions)
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Kelley is worth another shot because he seems like the clear lead guy for the Bolts as long as Austin Ekeler is out. The game figures to be high-scoring, so getting a back who will play over 70% of the snaps makes a lot of sense. He's a low-end starter I would use over Dameon Pierce, Zack Moss and any Jets RB.
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Chargers' Joshua Kelley: Sleepers (Start/Sit)
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We're waiting to find out if Austin Ekeler (ankle) will play in Week 3 at Minnesota, but if he's out then consider Kelley a starter in all Fantasy leagues. He had a bad game in place of Ekeler in Week 2 at Tennessee with 13 carries for 39 yards and no catches on one target, but that was a brutal matchup against the Titans. The good news is Kelley played 79 percent of the snaps, and he would once again see a hefty workload if Ekeler can't play. The Vikings did a good job in holding Rachaad White to 49 total yards in Week 1, but D'Andre Swift had 181 total yards in Week 2. If Ekeler is out, Kelley should be considered a No. 2 running back in all leagues.
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Chargers' Joshua Kelley: Bottled up in tough matchup
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Kelley rushed the ball 13 times for 39 yards in Sunday's 27-24 overtime loss to the Titans.
Kelley handled the majority of the work out of the Chargers' backfield with Austin Ekeler (ankle) sidelined. He found very little room to run in a tough matchup, though he did manage to tally 15 yards on his longest carry of the day. Kelley was relatively uninvolved as a receiver as he managed to command only one target -- leaving him with no ability to overcome his poor day on the ground. If Ekeler remains out for Week 3, Kelley should find more room to run against the Vikings.
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Chargers' Joshua Kelley: Week 1 Waiver Priority List
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Kelley should be the No. 2 running back for the Chargers this season behind Austin Ekeler, and that makes him a potential lottery ticket. The Chargers should have one of the best offenses in the NFL, and Ekeler is entering his age-28 season. We'll see if Isaiah Spiller also has a role for the Chargers this year, but Kelley is the preferred handcuff for Ekeler. He's worth adding in all leagues for 1 percent of your remaining FAB.
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Chargers' Joshua Kelley: Scores 75-yard TD
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Kelley took two carries for 78 yards and a touchdown in Friday's 23-12 preseason win over the 49ers.
Kelley started and played the first two drives, taking his second carry 75 yards for a touchdown. Isaiah Spiller and the team's trio of undrafted rookie RBs were all less impressive, making Kelley a comfortable favorite for the No. 2 role behind Austin Ekeler when the Chargers host the Dolphins in Week 1.
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Chargers' Joshua Kelley: Efficient in preseason opener
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Kelley rushed nine times for 54 yards and failed to bring in his only target during the Chargers' 34-17 preseason win over the Rams on Saturday night.
Kelley was the first Chargers running back with a touch Saturday night and ended up pacing the team in carries. The 2020 fourth-round pick's long run was only 13 yards, so he consistently generated solid gains during his time in the contest. Kelley has been afforded only modest opportunity during his first three seasons, and this summer, he's battling Isaiah Spiller for the No. 2 running back role behind Austin Ekeler. The job battle will continue in Los Angeles' second preseason contest Sunday night, Aug. 20 at home against the Saints.
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Chargers' Joshua Kelley: Efficient season
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Kelley finished the 2022-23 season with 69 carries for 287 yards and two touchdowns while catching 14 of his 25 targets for 101 yards.
Kelley finished the season behind only Austin Ekeler in touches, yards and touchdowns among Chargers running backs. Kelley competed for opportunities with Sony Michel early in the season and missed four games with a sprained MCL, but the 25-year-old established himself as the clear backup by the end of the campaign, a role which he will hope to hold onto for next season.
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Chargers' Joshua Kelley: Sleepers (Start/Sit)
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If the Chargers don't want to overwork Austin Ekeler with the playoffs on the horizon then we might see Kelley get more work in Week 18 against the Broncos. The Chargers need to win in Week 18 to lock up the No. 5 seed, which is desirable because they would play the AFC South winner. Kelley could be a flex option with an increased workload, and he has two games this season with at least 10 carries. He scored a touchdown in both of them and averaged 13.0 PPR points.
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Chargers' Joshua Kelley: Sleeper RBs
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If the Chargers don't want to overwork Austin Ekeler with the playoffs on the horizon then we might see Kelley get more work in Week 18 against the Broncos. The Chargers need to win in Week 18 to lock up the No. 5 seed, which is desirable because they would play the AFC South winner. Kelley could be a flex option with an increased workload, and he has two games this season with at least 10 carries. He scored a touchdown in both of them and averaged 13.0 PPR points.
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Chargers' Joshua Kelley: Solid yardage in win
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Kelley tallied nine carries for 45 yards in Sunday's 31-10 win over the Rams. He also caught one of his two targets for one yard.
Sunday marked Kelley's best rushing total since Week 5, and he did it on his fewest snaps since Week 13. Given Austin Ekeler's dominance and the overall feeble attempt by the Rams to compete, Kelley was hardly needed as anything more than a reserve option, and it's hard to imagine that changing much in Week 18 against the Broncos.
