D.J. Fluker Injury: Updates on Chargers OL's Ankle and Return

D.J. Fluker was carted off the field in Week 1 and diagnosed with a high ankle sprain that could have sidelined him for four to six weeks, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. However, he's listed as active for Week 3 against the Minnesota Vikings.

Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune reported Fluker was a limited participant in practice on Sept. 24. 

The Chargers selected Fluker in the first round of the 2013 draft, and he played a combined 31 games the last two seasons. He is versatile enough to play tackle or guard, and Ollie Connolly of Sports Illustrated described why Fluker is so valuable up front:

Khaled Elsayed of Pro Football Focus ranked the Chargers offensive line a dismal 29th in the league last year and underscored Fluker’s importance for 2015 when he described the lineman as “arguably the only guy you’d guarantee will be starting for the team next year even if it is at guard.”

Fluker’s injury was problematic enough on its own, but Alex Flanagan of NFL Network and NBC Sports pointed out that there is “not a lot of depth behind [Fluker] for [the] Chargers.” Thankfully for the Chargers, he's available to play.