Keenan Allen Injury: Updates on Chargers Star's Groin and Return

Updates from Sunday, Sept. 21

Ricky Henne of Chargers.com confirms Keenan Allen is active for Week 3:

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San Diego Chargers receiver Keenan Allen is questionable for Week 3 while battling a groin injury.

UT-San Diego reporters Tom Krasovic and Michael Gehlken had the details:

A third-round pick in 2013, Allen quickly became one of the league's breakout rookies last season. Despite not getting off the bench in the Chargers season opener, the former Cal standout accumulated 1,046 yards and eight touchdowns on 71 receptions. He joined A.J. Green, Marques Colston, Michael Clayton and Anquan Boldin as the only receivers this century to go over the 1,000-yard mark as a rookie.

Green Bay Packers running back Eddie Lacy narrowly beat Allen for Offensive Rookie of the Year. (Allen was, however, named the Pro Football Writers Association of America's Offensive Rookie of the Year).

Justin Edmonds/Getty Images

What's interesting is that he may have even been better than the counting stats indicate. Football Outsiders' DVOA metric measured Allen the fifth-best receiver in football last season, ahead of Calvin Johnson, A.J. Green and countless more decorated talents. Pro Football Focus' (subscription required) wide receiver rating had him fourth, behind only Boldin, DeSean Jackson and Demaryius Thomas. 

The presence of a true top receiver allowed Philip Rivers to undergo a career renaissance as well. Rivers threw for 4,478 yards and 32 touchdowns against only 11 interceptions and was one of the three or four best quarterbacks according to underlying metrics. The Chargers snuck into the playoffs with a 9-7 record and came back in 2014 with even higher expectations.

"One thing for him that’s going to be key—and I think he knows this—is not to relax and think you’re going to just duplicate that year," Rivers told reporters per ESPN. "They’re going to know where No. 13 is, have a plan for him and try to take away the things he does well." 

An injury certainly halts expectations a bit. Rivers is excellent at spreading the ball around the field, but his options start to look awfully mediocre without Allen on the field. Malcom Floyd seems like he's been on breakout lists for nearly a decade. Same goes for Eddie Royal. Vincent Brown held some considerable expectations coming into 2014 but ended up a tertiary target.

Given the Chargers are arguably more reliant on their offense than any other team in football, this blow hurts. Hopefully Allen is back on the field before the cracks start to show.

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