Marcus McNeill Injury: Update on Chargers Star's Neck Injury

San Diego Chargers left tackle Marcus McNeill was carted off the field during the first quarter of Thursday night's game against the Oakland Raiders with a stinger in his neck.

McNeill was hurt on a run by Chargers running back Ryan Mathews.

This is not good news for the Chargers, because McNeill is their best offensive lineman and is crucial to the team's pass protection of quarterback Philip Rivers.

The Chargers are already thin on the offensive line, and Pro-Bowl guard Kris Dielman has been suffering from a concussion and has missed three consecutive games.

Fantasy Impact

McNeill's injury greatly affects both the Chargers running and passing attacks. McNeill protects the blind side of Rivers and is crucial in blocking for Mathews and Mike Tolbert in the running game.

McNeill is a Pro-Bowl player, and it is certainly possible that the Chargers offensive line will have severe problems protecting Rivers and creating running lanes without him.

Who is the Backup?

Brandyn Dombrowski has replaced McNeill in the lineup at left tackle and is the likely backup if McNeill misses action over the next few weeks.

Dombrowski has played a lot of guard in his career, but is capable of playing tackle.

Devastation Scale: 9 out of 10

McNeill is so crucial to the Chargers offense. He is very good at keeping speedy and strong pass rushers away from Rivers, and is a leader on the offensive line.

Rivers has struggled this season, and without his stud left tackle, he could continue to play poorly. Without McNeill, San Diego won't be able to run the ball effectively to the left side, and will have a difficult time giving Rivers enough time to throw the ball.

Timeline for Return

Stacy Dales of NFL Network tweeted that McNeill will not return to Thursday's game against the Raiders.

What They're Saying

Pro Football Weekly tweeted the following about the impact of McNeill's injury.