Keaton Mitchell — Week 1: Four Carries, All Before Halftime
2026 NFL Season · Half-PPR Scoring · Monday, Sep 14
Mitchell carried four times for nine yards, all in the first half and none after: an eight-yard run to the Arizona 13 with 4:06 left in the second quarter, and a three-yard loss from the seven two plays later on the possession that ended with a fourth-down sack at the three. His one catch, four yards in the fourth quarter, was wiped out by a holding penalty, in a 26–14 loss to the Cardinals.
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10 to seven, Cardinals, four oh six left in the second quarter, first and 10 at the Arizona 21. Keaton Mitchell went around left end and was pushed out of bounds at the 13, eight yards, worth +0.6 expected points added — expected points added is what a play was worth given down, distance and field position — and 2.5 points of win probability, the chance of winning the game after the play against before it. It was the best of his four carries. Two plays later, first and goal at the seven with two 57 left after a six-yard throw to David Njoku, he went around right end and lost three, −0.9 expected points and −2.5 of win probability, and the possession went incomplete, scramble to the three, and a sack on fourth and three.
The line: four carries, nine yards, no touchdown, no first downs, one of the four successful, −1.1 expected points, longest eight. All four came before halftime; after it, none. The first was first and 10 at the Arizona 15 with five 38 left in the first quarter, down seven to nothing, around right end for two, on the drive Omarion Hampton finished from the eight. The other three came on the possession that ended at the three: two yards behind left tackle from the Chargers 35 with six 29 left in the second, the eight, and the −3. The target list does not carry his name, but the play-by-play does once more: with four 33 left in the fourth quarter Justin Herbert completed a four-yard throw to him short left, and a holding penalty on the Chargers wiped the play out. So the day was four touches that counted, all before the half, for nine yards.
The split: Hampton 12 carries for 43, Justin Herbert five scrambles for 29, Mitchell four for nine. 16 designed runs on the day, 10 of them before halftime — Hampton six, Mitchell four — and six after, all Hampton's. The Chargers threw 10 pass plays before halftime and 20 after; the game went to 16 to seven early in the third quarter and the running game went with it. Kimani Vidal was active and did not touch the ball.
Back in June the preview called Mitchell a watchlist — the 40-sixth running back at pick one 46, priced at roughly double his output from a season in Baltimore's rotation, on the strength of a coordinator's stated wish list and five million guaranteed, with eight touches a game named as the line between gadget and weapon. Sunday was four, all in the first 30 minutes of the season, and a three-yard loss from the seven. One game does not draw the line the preview asked for, and this was the first chance to. The Chargers are home to the Raiders on Sunday the twentieth. The number to watch is whether the touches reach eight.
_Data via nflverse._
When Keaton Mitchell's week moves the numbers, you'll know — every episode, in one weekly email.
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