3 bold predictions for Chargers rookie running back Isaiah Spiller in 2022

With the 123rd pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the LA Chargers selected running back from Texas A&M Isaiah Spiller. A player that has a lot of fans excited to see join the running back room alongside Austin Ekeler in the 2022-23 campaign is expecting himself to compete at the highest level.

We are going to go through three bold predictions that we have for Isaiah Spiller for the upcoming year.

3. Isaiah Spiller will lead the rookies in rushing yards

Out of all of the rookie running backs, the most promising before their careers start are probably Kenneth Walker III, Breece Hall, James Cook, and Isaiah Spiller. Although his 40 time of 4.64 was a little slow, it was also running on a strained abductor muscle, so he is a little faster than his time shows. His ability to make the first man miss is something that is key in the NFL and will allow him to pick up extra yards.

Being the secondary running back behind Austin Ekeler may limit the number of times he receives the ball, unlike James Cook, who could be the lead back for Buffalo this season. Even with taking limited snaps due to depth chart positioning, it is still possible that we will see an impressive season from Spiller, as he averaged 5.5 yards per carry throughout his career with the Aggies.

2. Isaiah Spiller will out carry Austin Ekeler on the Chargers

This may sound crazy, as Austin Ekeler has been a workhorse for the Chargers in the past few seasons. However, as seen with players like Christian McCaffrey, overworking a star player could lead to consistent injury as well as decreasing production due to that injury. Having Spiller in the offense and producing at a (hopefully) high level can lessen the burden on Ekeler and keep both running backs healthy for the entirety of the season.

Isaiah Spiller is a proven runner with playing against the SEC for three years and looks to translate that to the NFL. Being able to balance the offense with Ekeler running outside the tackles and Spiller handling more of the inside running will significantly improve the offense, which will give Justin Herbert more chances to successfully pull off play-action plays, which he thrives in when he gets the chance.

1. Isaiah Spiller will have a better rookie campaign than Melvin Gordon did for the Chargers

Melvin Gordon was drafted in 2015 to the Chargers and instantly made an impact. While he did not tally a touchdown in his rookie year, he posted 641 rushing yards with 192 receiving yards, which was a great first-year impact for a team that had a deep running back room with Gordon, Danny Woodhead, and Donald Brown.

It is not far-fetched to see Isaiah Spiller having a similar impact, if not better, than Melvin Gordon in his rookie season. It would be very exciting to see Spiller compete at a high level as soon as the regular season starts. We will be able to get a good look at Spiller in an NFL offense during offseason workouts and leading up to the pre-season.

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It is going to be very exciting to see what unfolds this season, as the Chargers have a lot of additions to the team that could make a big spark in this 2022-2023 season. Hopefully, these three bold predictions for new running back Isaiah Spiller can prove true, and give this offense an incredible boost.