San Diego Chargers running back Ryan Mathews (sprained MCL) did not practice on Wednesday and is unlikely to play in the team's Week 9 game against the Miami Dolphins, according to U-T San Diego writer Michael Gehlken. Mathews had 71 rushing yards and a touchdown on 23 carries before his injury.
Ryan Mathews likely out until after bye; fantasy owners will have to wait
The Chargers running back hasn’t played since mid-September and is still sitting out practices. We break down the fantasy implications.
Harry How
Fantasy Impact: It's been generally assumed that Mathews would rest until after the bye week for a while now, and with rookie Branden Oliver playing well in Mathews' absence and the team boasting a 5-2 record, there is no reason to rush him back.
Fantasy owners have to be frustrated with the news considering Mathews wasn’t initially expected to miss more than six weeks. Although he likely will get the early-down work alongside Oliver when he returns to the lineup, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to see Mathews give up some touches.
It’s a dicey situation moving forward in San Diego’s running game. Fantasy owners who are still holding onto Mathews are best to wait and see how he looks once he makes his return before considering a trade or the possibility of cutting him in deep leagues.
