The Kansas City Chiefs will likely be without their star running back for the second consecutive game following Friday’s injury report.
Kansas City Chiefs starting running back Jamaal Charles appears likely to miss his second consecutive game to begin the 2016 regular season as he continues to recover from a torn ACL.
Kansas City head coach Andy Reid said Charles was doubtful to play on Sunday against the Houston Texans with the knee injury according to Sports Illustrated. Charles was officially listed as doubtful prior to Week 1’s win over the San Diego Chargers and did not play, although teammates have said he is nearly healthy and has worked with the scout team in practice.
Any setback for the 29-year-old Charles would be devastating for his hopes of being a top-tier running back in 2016 and beyond. Charles tore his right ACL last October, four years after he missed most of the 2011 season with a left ACL injury.
In Charles’ absence, the Chiefs will likely rely primarily on backup Spencer Ware once again. Ware, a sixth-round pick out of LSU by the Seattle Seahawks in 2013, looked strong in Week 1 with 11 rushes for 70 yards and a touchdown.
Charcandrick West will also be in the mix for reps after showing some flashes when Charles was injured in 2015. Still, this is Ware’s job to lose, as West only had three carries for one negative yard on Sunday.
Kansas City still got plenty out of its offense in Week 1 and completed the biggest comeback in franchise history in a wild 33-27 overtime win against San Diego. Still, the injury news is concerning with tougher teams on the schedule ahead, starting this week with the ferocious front seven of the Texans.
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The Chiefs will need Charles back in some capacity as soon as possible, as they face a tough AFC West division with the defending champion Denver Broncos and rising Oakland Raiders.