J.K. Dobbins defied his lengthy injury history until Week 12 when the Los Angeles Chargers running back went down during his club’s Monday night loss to the Baltimore Ravens and never returned.
Here’s the latest on the health of the Chargers’ RB1.
What Is J.K. Dobbins’ Injury?
Dobbins got off to a strong start in Week 12, totaling 59 yards on nine touches in the first half against his former team, the Baltimore Ravens. However, he exited the sideline with a trainer and walked to Los Angeles’ locker room late in the first half. Dobbins 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.
When Will Dobbins Return From Injury?
Dobbins was placed on injured reserve (IR) 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, LCL, meniscus, and hamstring 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 likely headed for a Wild Card berth, it’s possible the team chooses to preserve Dobbins for the playoffs if they’re already locked into a seed.
How Will Dobbins’ Absence Impact the Chargers?
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 L.A.’s clear lead running back, and there’s not a one-for-one replacement on the Chargers’ roster for him.
From a fantasy football perspective, it does appear that Gus Edwards is the clear leader. Los Angeles ran just 46 plays versus the Falcons, making for a bit of a tough read since no one got more than six carries. Edwards did play 52% of the snaps, however, which is not far off from Dobbins’ 60% average for the season.
That hierarchy could certainly change if Edwards struggles or if the Chargers trail for a much longer portion of a game. At that point, Kimani Vidal would likely cut into Edwards’ workload as a better option on passing downs. Hassan Haskins is the third back but looms as a potential touchdown vulture given his goal-line work this season.
