Every time it looks like J.K. Dobbins is ready for a breakout season, there’s a catastrophic derailment. Is the recent injury to his superstar quarterback the latest disastrous blow?
Justin Herbert entered Sunday with a right high-ankle sprain and limped off the field midway through the third quarter. X-rays on his ankle came back negative, but it’s hard to fathom this isn’t a lingering issue for the foreseeable future.
Even with the former Oregon Duck at the helm, the Chargers rank 31st in passing offense. The lack of production mostly correlates with an abysmal receiving core, led by second-year wideout Quentin Johnston and rookie slot receiver Ladd McConkey. The other reason could be just how special Dobbins has been on the ground.
Across three games, Dobbins has scurried for 310 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He enters Week 4 third in the league in rushing despite having over 20 fewer attempts than both players ahead of him. This elite efficiency has yet to lead to an increase in volume, as the 25-year-old has just 56% of the backfield share compared to former Ravens teammate Gus Edwards.
Los Angeles will struggle to get separation from their pass catchers and have to lean on smash-mouth football regardless of Herbert’s status. Opposing offenses will eventually rotate down from the new standard two-high safety look, stack the box, and dare this offense to beat them over the top. Herbert being less than 100% up merely speeds this process up.
In a less dramatic way than his series of unfortunate injuries, the Dobbins falloff is on the horizon unless offensive coordinator Greg Roman can get the most out of his wide receivers. With Herbert’s status, there’s also less promise of goal-line opportunities. It’s probably best to sell high on Dobbins in fantasy and avoid him in DFS formats.
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