Los Angeles Chargers running back Gus Edwards has missed the last five games due to an injury. What happened to the veteran running back, and when will he return to play? Below are the latest updates and what they mean from a fantasy football standpoint.
What Is Gus Edwards’ Injury?
Edwards hasn’t played since Week 4, when he rushed six times for 19 yards.
In the Week 4 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, Edwards suffered an ankle injury that caused him to land on injured reserve. The Chargers didn’t place him on IR initially in hopes that he wouldn’t need the stint, but he was added to injured reserve before the team’s Week 6 win over the Denver Broncos.
Through four games with the Chargers, Edwards rushed 38 times for 113 yards and zero touchdowns.
Entering the season, many projected Edwards to be Los Angeles’ lead back, but that role instead went to J.K. Dobbins, who has 126 carries for 620 yards and six touchdowns. Even before Edwards’ injury, his snaps and touches were decreasing due in large part to Dobbins’ success.
When Will Edwards Return From Injury?
Edwards was eligible to return for the Chargers game on Sunday against the Tennessee Titans. Although he did not return right away, he did see his 21-day practice window opened before the game.
RB Gus Edwards is back at practice and he still doesn’t look normal next to any of the other running backs. pic.twitter.com/VaMMqurAEc
— Kris Rhim (@krisrhim1) November 6, 2024
Even more encouraging, Chargers reporter Daniel Popper passed along a quote from Edwards in which he deemed himself “100%.” While a player’s self-diagnosis isn’t always reliable, it’s possible the Chargers are simply ramping him back up after an extended absence.
We wouldn’t have expected the Chargers to activate Edwards that quickly anyway. The team simply needs to activate him before the team’s Week 13 game against the Atlanta Falcons, though they can obviously do so earlier
How Has Edwards’ Absence Impacted the Chargers?
Edwards wasn’t very effective before his injury, averaging just 3.0 yards per carry with zero scores. Even once Edwards returns from his ankle injury, it remains to be seen what kind of role he’ll have given Dobbins’ massive workload.
It would likely take an injury to Dobbins (and potentially backup Kimani Vidal) for Edwards to see an increased role and become fantasy-relevant.
Jim Harbaugh and Co. clearly aren’t concerned about wearing down Dobbins, as he’s averaging 16 carries per game, the 10th-most this season.
His career-high in carries before this season was 134 during his rookie campaign when he had 134 attempts across 15 games for the Baltimore Ravens. It’s entirely possible that Edwards could have a role down the stretch given Dobbins’ injury history and a potential desire to keep the lead back fresh for a potential playoff run.