Coach Brandon Staley said Ekeler and other key starters won't play this preseason, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Among those named on the offensive side of the ball were Justin Herbert and Keenan Allen, meaning we won't see the Chargers' first-team offense intact until Week 1. The decision is an interesting one, as Staley clearly isn't comfortable getting to the regular season with one of the trio in street clothes. When it comes to Ekeler in particular, he missed six games during the 2020 campaign due to lower-body injuries, but he still accumulated 933 yards from scrimmage and three TDs on 170 touches in 10 appearances.