San Diego Chargers running back Ryan Mathews has an MCL sprain and could miss four to five weeks, according to a report from Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Mathews was carted off from Sunday's win over the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth quarter. There are obviously varying degrees of severity when it comes to MCL sprains, and at four to five weeks, that would put Mathews in about the middle of the spectrum, as players have missed more than half a season with said injury in the past.
Ryan Mathews could miss 4 to 5 weeks, per report; fantasy owners need to explore other options
Ryan Mathews could miss significant time due to an MCL sprain, according to a report. We break down the fantasy implications.
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A botched handoff exchange with quarterback Philip Rivers resulted in a fumble, and in the ensuing fray to recover the fumble, a teammate rolled over Mathews' leg. He stayed down for several minutes before being taken off the field on the cart.
Fantasy Impact: It's a tough break for Mathews, who has been so-so from a fantasy standpoint thus far this season. The fifth-year pro carried the ball 12 times for 40 yards and a touchdown in a loss to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 1, and had carried it 11 times for 31 yards against Seattle before sustaining this injury. He also caught two passes for 20 yards in Week 1 and two passes for 26 yards in Week 2.
Fantasy owners will need to look to Donald Brown and Danny Woodhead to pick up the slack in his absence. Even if he doesn't end up needing to miss the time indicated in the report, he'll certainly miss at least a game or two.
