The Chargers are planning to activate J.K. Dobbins from injured reserve to play in Saturday’s matchup with the Patriots, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport.
Dobbins landed on IR at the end of November with a sprained MCL that forced him to miss significant time for a fourth year in a row. Unlike his previous injuries, however, Dobbins recovered within his mandatory minimum of four weeks on IR, setting him up to resume lead back duties in Los Angeles.
Dobbins was averaging a career-high 69.6 rushing yards per game before he hurt his knee. If he returns to that pace over the next two games, he’ll finish 2024 with the most regular-season rushing yards in his career. The former Ravens second-round pick totaled 805 as a rookie; he is sitting on 766 entering Week 17.
The Bolts have certainly missed their starter over the past few weeks, and the team has run into more injury trouble at running back in that span. Already one of the team’s IR activations this season, Gus Edwards has been ruled out with an ankle injury. This makes Dobbins’ return all the more important for a Chargers team that could climb to the AFC’s No. 5 seed over the final two weeks of the season. Though, the Bolts have yet to clinch a playoff berth.
That will help the Chargers clinch a playoff spot while improving Dobbins’ free agency stock. He signed a one-year, $1.61MM in Los Angeles this offseason to prove that he could still be effective after tearing his Achilles last year. While his MCL sprain reignited concerns about his durability, Dobbins has remained a dangerous ballcarrier when healthy. No other Chargers running back has broken 70 yards in a single game during his absence.
The Chargers also used standard practice squad elevations on safeties Eddie Jackson and Kendall Williamson for this weekend’s game, per ESPN’s Kris Rhim.