When the Los Angeles Chargers visit the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night, they’ll be missing a key part of their offense.
J.K. Dobbins had been a valuable addition to the Chargers this season, but went down against his former team. Read what happened to the fifth-year running back and when he might return.
Why Isn’t J.K. Dobbins Playing?
Dobbins got off to a strong start in Week 12 on Monday Night Football, totaling 59 yards on nine touches vs. the Baltimore Ravens. However, Dobbins exited the sideline with a trainer and walked to Los Angeles’ locker room late in the first half. He was crumpled up on an awkward tackle, leading to speculation about a lower body injury.
The Chargers eventually downgraded Dobbins with a left knee injury, which was subsequently revealed to be an MCL sprain.
How Long Will J.K. Dobbins Be Out Due to Injury?
Dobbins was placed on injured reserve the day before the Chargers’ Week 13 game, knocking him out of action for a minimum of four games. The earliest he’s eligible to return is Los Angeles’ Week 17 game at the New England Patriots.
That, however, doesn’t mean that Dobbins is a lock to return for that game. Four weeks may be a reasonable length of absence for an average MCL sprain, but that also doesn’t factor in Dobbins’ extensive history of lower body injuries. He missed the entirety of the 2021 season with a torn ACL and all but one game in 2023 with a torn Achilles.
Dobbins’ regular-season status could simply depend on the Chargers’ playoff status. With Los Angeles in strong shape for a Wild Card berth but highly unlikely to catch the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West, it’s possible the Chargers preserve Dobbins for the playoffs if they’re already locked into a playoff spot.
Who is the Chargers’ Starting Running Back?
Dobbins was having an excellent season, averaging a robust 4.8 yards per carry while also adding 28 catches for 134 yards in the passing game. His three-down value made him LA’s clear lead back, and there’s not a one-for-one replacement on the Chargers’ roster for him.
Including the Baltimore Ravens game in which Dobbins got hurt, the Chargers have averaged 3.9 yards per carry from their running backs in the last two weeks. That’s put more on Justin Herbert’s plate, who had his second-highest dropback rate (65.1%) in Week 13 vs. the Atlanta Falcons.
In Dobbins’ absence, it appear that Gus Edwards is the clear lead back. Los Angeles ran just 46 plays vs. the Falcons, making for a bit of a tough read since no one got more than six carries.
However, Edwards played 52% of the snaps in that game, not out of line with Dobbins’ average for the season (60%). Kimani Vidal or Hassan Haskins could conceivably cut into Edwards’ workload if he struggles or if the Chargers fall behind. Edwards is not known for his passing game value, with only two receptions for three yards this season and never more than 12 catches in any of his six NFL seasons.
