Yahoo Sports When will J.K. Dobbins return? Latest injury updates on Chargers RB
The Los Angeles Chargers (8-6) host the Denver Broncos (9-5) in a massive AFC West clash on "Thursday Night Football," with playoff positioning on the line.
A terrific defense has led the Chargers in the first season under Jim Harbaugh, but the offense has struggled to score. The Bolts lack notable skill players despite the emergence of rookie wide receiver Ladd McConkey. As a result, the Chargers have struggled to generate offense, especially since the injury to running back J.K. Dobbins.
Here's the latest on Dobbins' possible return.
J.K. Dobbins injury update
Dobbins suffered an MCL sprain in Week 12 during the "Monday Night Football" game against his former team, the Baltimore Ravens. The team placed him on injured reserve, making him eligible to return after missing at least four games. Dobbins can be activated from IR in Week 17, but the team has not announced if he is on track to return.
Before Week 13, Jim Harbaugh said Dobbins is "working through something with his knee" and expects the running back to "miss some time."
Dobbins has a lengthy injury history and played just nine total games across the 2021-23 NFL seasons while dealing with a torn ACL and an Achilles injury. His re-emergence in 2024 made him a unique success story, so a return to the field could give the Chargers an emotional boost for a playoff run.
Chargers RB depth chart
The Chargers have three running backs on their 53-man roster with Dobbins on IR. Below is the estimated pecking order among those three players based on their snap counts thus far in 2024:
Edwards has taken over the starting role but has averaged just 30.3 rushing yards per game and 3.8 yards per carry. The rookie Vidal played most of the snaps in Week 15 (35 snaps, Edwards 14), but the 23-year-old struggled to produce. He has averaged a slightly better but meager 4.2 yards per carry since Dobbins was injured.
The Chargers have struggled at the skilled positions this season, with the departure of veterans Keenan Allen, Austin Ekeler and Gerald Everett.
J.K. Dobbins stats
Dobbins entered the contest with 726 yards and eight touchdowns on 152 carries. He was on pace for his first 1,000-yard rushing season at the NFL level. He averaged 4.8 yards per carry and just over 80.0 total yards per game before the injury.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: When will J.K. Dobbins return? Latest updates for Chargers RB
