Fantasy Football Week 1 Injury Reports: Is Steven Jackson's Injury a Bad Sign?

In St. Louis Rams running back Steven Jackson's first rush of the game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, he showed why he's one of the top RBs in fantasy football.

Ironically, the same play that saw him dash for a 47-yard touchdown also showed why he may not by a top running back this season.

Right after scoring the game's first points with less than four minutes into the game on Sunday, Jackson came up limping, and headed straight for the locker room. There was not even any contact on the play.

He returned for a 9-yard run in the first play of the Rams' next possession, but at that point he knew something was up.

Well, it ended up being a quad strain, which isn't good news for fantasy owners. Quad strains tend to linger, and they also tend to limit running backs.

As of now, Jackson is scheduled to undergo an MRI exam on his right leg on Monday. At the moment, his status moving forward is unknown.

Jackson certainly didn't quiet owners' nerves when he called it a "freak thing," via the AP:

"

"It was one of those freak things. I felt a little something there. I just couldn't be the runner I wanted to be."

"

"Freak thing." "Couldn't be the runner I wanted to be."

Not exactly encouraging words from the 28-year-old.

Jackson has always had the reputation of being injury-prone, but the funny thing is he's never missed more than four games in a single season. The last two seasons, Jackson started 15 and 16 games respectively.

But there is reason for concern nonetheless. Jackson isn't a 30-year-old, the age when most running backs begin to decline, but his workload throughout the years would suggest he's experienced the wear and tear a normal 30-year-old running back would in the NFL.

In the last six seasons, Jackson has never had less than 237 rushing attempts in a single season. That kind of punishment adds up.

Last season, Jackson had the second-most rushes of his career, rushing 330 times for over 1,200 yards and six touchdowns. With the increased workload, it showed: Jackson averaged the least amount of yards per carry in his career (3.8).

On top of all of this, Jackson has always been a multidimensional back, just as capable receiving the ball as running it. He has 327 receptions for over 2,600 yards in his career. It has made him one of fantasy football's darlings, but it also means it's bound to catch up to him sooner or later.

This could be the year it all catches up to Jackson.

Obviously, don't drop Jackson outright. But finding a nice waiver wire fill-in may be a wise move in case he breaks down this season.

---

LIFE HURTS. THIS INJURY UPDATE BROUGHT TO YOU BY DICKIES.