COSTA MESA, Calif. -- In the upper corner of Austin Ekeler's locker sits an old nameplate with the No. 3, a vestige of a time before his Los Angeles Chargers teammates knew his name or his story. Back then, Ekeler didn't have a role on the offense nor even a proper uniform number for a running back.

Much has changed in the nearly three years since. No longer "little No. 3" as his teammates once called him, Ekeler has become an integral part of the team and one of the most dominant offensive players in the NFL. The former undrafted free agent enters Week 16 with the ninth most yards from scrimmage (1,392) and the eight most touchdowns (11). The Chargers line up Ekeler all over the field, from a traditional tailback to a boundary receiver. By any reasonable measure, Ekeler has emerged as a bona fide star.

In most cases, such production and versatility would land a player in the Pro Bowl. But whether because of the Chargers' struggles this season or Ekeler's relative lack of notoriety among fans, he didn't make the cut as either a starter or alternate.

"Coming into the season, I didn't know what to expect," Ekeler says. "I was trying to expand my role on the offense and didn't know how far I could push the limit. I've pushed it this far, I guess."

Ekeler can't even finish this thought before teammate Melvin Gordon interjects.

"They snubbed you," Gordon says. "I'll say it. They screwed him over."

The numbers seem to back up Gordon's argument. Of the top-12 players in yards from scrimmage, only Ekeler did not garner a Pro Bowl nod of any kind. Similarly, only one player with as many or more touchdowns didn't make the roster either (Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley). Considering Ekeler accounts for more than a quarter of his team's scrimmage-yard output and over a third of its touchdown total, it becomes difficult to justify his exclusion.

"I was just seeing how far I could push this limit," Ekeler continues. "I felt like I pushed it pretty far, but apparently not far enough to get some Pro Bowl votes and sneaking in. That's fine. Because to me, I still accomplished my goal that I set out to do in the beginning of the season, and that was increase my role on offense."

Ekeler has certainly achieved that goal. While teammates like Gordon, Philip Rivers, and Keenan Allen garner more attention nationally, Ekeler has become the crux of Los Angeles' offense. When the unit needs a clutch play to move the sticks and stay on the field, he delivers more consistently than anyone else, recording a team-best 66 first downs. Ekeler also needs just 108 receiving yards to reach the 1,000-yard mark, something not even Pro Football Hall of Fame running back LaDainian Tomlinson accomplished during his time with the Chargers.

"I know I'm going to remember the season, but if I really get that mark, it would be like a stamp on it," Ekeler says. "Like, hey, that was my 1,000-yard receiving year. Things like that. Even just double-digit touchdowns this year too for the first time. So, this season for me personally has been just an awakening for me to show that hey, I can do more than just play running back and I get in the slot and I can play receiver. I can run the speed sweeps I can be anywhere on the offense and just continue to make plays and be effective. So, getting 1,000 yards would be a little cherry on top."

Though Ekeler would surely have appreciated a spot on the Pro Bowl roster, he made considerable progress toward earning that recognition this season. At just 24 years of age, Ekeler appears to have plenty of time to raise his profile and continue building fan support. His unlikely path to the NFL and friendly demeanor don't hurt his outlook, either.

"I have a pretty loyal fan base because I'm a small-town kid," Ekeler says. " I think that people who support me really, really have my back. And so it's good to see just in my little community and social atmosphere people actually pulling for me. I appreciate it, absolutely. But the league is huge, and I'm a little small part in it trying to make my presence more. I think with these upcoming years, I'm probably going to do just that."

-- Jason B. Hirschhorn is an award-winning sports journalist and Pro Football Writers of America member. Follow him on Twitter: @by_JBH