Heading into the 2025 NFL season, the Los Angeles Chargers‘ current campaign seemed to be one that had more to do with rebuilding and less to do with winning. A 9-6 record through 16 weeks effectively proved that wrong. The Chargers, who won their most recent contest against their AFC West rivals from Denver, are now heading to New England to face the Patriots in an effort to secure a double-digit win season during a year where they were counted out.
As Jim Harbaugh prepares for his 17th week back in the NFL, a pair of running backs on his roster make a swap in availability.
Gus Edwards, who took over for J.K. Dobbins following an MCL sprain, has been ruled out of tomorrow’s contest with an ankle injury. In Dobbins’ absence, Edwards has recorded 159 rushing yards alongside three rushing touchdowns. The first-year Chargers running back averaged 4.9-plus yards per carry in two of four outings.
With a run grade of 69.8 via Pro Football Focus during this timeframe, Edwards’ mark stood the highest among his teammates. No other runner on [Jim] Harbaugh’s squad has received a grade of 60-plus from Week 13 onward.
Losing Edwards is certainly a tough pill to swallow. However, the news of a returning J.K. Dobbins greatly helps the situation.
AFC West: Los Angeles Chargers welcome back J.K. Dobbins
No running back league-wide began their ’24 campaign hotter than Dobbins. With 266 combined rushing yards through the season’s first two weeks, the former second-round pick was the NFL’s top rusher heading into Week 3.
And while he was unable to maintain his otherworldly pace, Dobbins has still enjoyed a stellar year as a member of the Chargers.
Dobbins’ 766 rushing yards rank 25th-most across the NFL, with no player in the top 25 appearing in equal or fewer games than the 11 the Los Angeles’ running back has. More impressively, despite missing several contests, only 12 runners league-wide can say they’ve totaled more rushing touchdowns than the eight Dobbins is responsible for.
Simply put, Dobbins has been able to do things others on the Chargers’ roster haven’t been able to—combined. While Dobbins has rushed for eight touchdowns this season, his position-mates have come together for a total of five. Additionally, while Los Angeles’ premier running back has made 33 would-be tacklers miss, all other members of the team’s running back room have escaped a combined 21 tackles.
What’s the difference between Dobbins and the rest?
Perhaps the biggest difference between Dobbins and his teammates is the big-play ability he’s showcased throughout his ’24 campaign. With 24 runs of 10-plus yardage on the season, the Ohio State alum has 16 more runs of this variety than his position-mates.
Don’t think of this as a matter of more attempts, either. Dobbins, who has served as the bell-cow back for the Chargers, has totaled 158 carries on the year. All other running backs on the roster have had their numbers called on 153 occasions. Those backs have enjoyed fresher legs in the meanwhile, too.
The 26-year-old returns with hopes of catapulting his AFC West club into the postseason. A win in Week 17 may make that happen.
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*Top Photo: Getty Images
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