Ekeler finished Thursday's preseason loss to the 49ers with 50 rushing yards on eight carries and an additional 58 yards on three receptions.
It was a banner day for Ekeler, who's quietly pushed himself into contention for a spot on the final 53-man roster after a handful of solid preseason showings. While the undrafted rookie still might be on the outside looking in when the roster cuts are all said and done, Ekeler has certainly proven capable enough as a runner and special-teams player to provide some depth to a running back-needy team. In other words, it's not an automatic guarantee that Ekeler will wind up on the Chargers' practice squad should the team release him.