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Austin Ekeler did not practice today with a hip injury and remains a doubt for the Los Angeles Chargers' next assignment against the New England Patriots. It's a huge blow to the Chargers considering how integral Austin Ekeler is to their scheme.
The injury on the hip is especially worrying because there was no indication earlier that he had suffered any damage. The concern for Austin Ekeler coming into the season had been his hamstring but that had cleared up some time back. This is a completely new injury and not the recurrence or inflammation of an old one.
When will Austin Ekeler return?
Right now Austin Ekeler's situation is up in the air. More clarity will come after the practice session on Friday. As it stands, Austin Ekeler could return to the team as soon as this weekend, and could play against the Patriots. Since no details about the injury have been provided, it is not possible to surmise the severity of it.
If Ekeler were to return, he would definitely be the first choice this weekend. Should he be out, the workload will fall on Joshua Kelley, Justin Jackson and Larry Rountree. The Chargers coaching staff will have to keep a contingency plan ready should Ekeler fail to recover. It won't be easy, though, as Austin Ekeler has 356 yards in the rushing game and 242 yards in the receiving game with a combined total of seven touchdowns.
If indeed Ekeler does not play this weekend, then the best case scenario for him will be judging him week to week, unless more information arrives from the Chargers organization.
If the nature of the injury is not linked to prolonged issues and is a result of a twang or tweak felt during a session, it'll mean that he won't be out for long. However, if it is a blunt injury or dislocation, for whatever reason, then of course the prognosis would be different, but that does not look to be the case.
Fans will be hoping Austin Ekeler suits up this week as he is one of the best in the business. Coming off a bye week, Ekeler would have been raring to go. Let's hope that Friday's practice session brings more clarity and, hopefully, better news for Austin Ekeler.
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