Ekeler's season-ending Achilles tear for Washington shakes up the backfield, thrusting Jacory Croskey-Merritt into a lead role with Jeremy McNichols handling third-downs and Chris Rodriguez rotating in. Ekeler, 30, is in the final year of his deal, making a 2026 return unlikely. His nine-year resume includes nearly 5,000 rushing yards, 43 rushing TDs, and 30 receiving TDs, and his Washington tenure helped spark a culture shift under the new regime before this injury.