Atlanta Falcons running back Steven Jackson headed to the locker room after scoring a first-quarter touchdown with a thigh injury. His return is questionable, though there are conflicting reports, ranging from "likely to return" to "out."
Steven Jackson suffers thigh injury, leaves fantasy owners nervous
Jackson left the Falcons-Rams game after scoring a first-quarter touchdown, and his return is questionable. We break down the fantasy implications.
Scott Cunningham
Jackson had three rushes for zero total yards, plus one reception for eight yards and a touchdown, when he left the game.
Fantasy impact: Jackson came to Atlanta to be "the guy," so an absence of any length would be a big blow to the team. The team has Jacquizz Rodgers and Jason Snelling as Jackson's backups.
If Jackson is unable to return, expect the Falcons and Matt Ryan to focus more on the air, so Julio Jones and Tony Gonzalez could see expanded roles going forward. Roddy White -- as long as he's healthy -- and even Harry Douglas could also see boosts.
Rodgers will likely be the team's primary rusher going forward, but as an undersized runner more suited to being a backup, the team probably won't rely on him too heavily in the running game. Rodgers, if he has to shoulder the load, is likely to be in the Darren Sproles mold, and catch the ball at least as much as he runs it. He has one rush for zero yards since Jackson's departure. He also has two receptions for 22 yards.
There will likely be much more on Jackson’s injury for the rest of the day and in the week to come, so keep ears open.
