Jamaal Charles Injury: Fantasy Football Owners Worst Nightmare Come True

If you are a fantasy owner of Kansas City running back Jamaal Charles, you are undoubtedly facing a worst-case scenario right now.

Charles was projected to be one of the best backs this year, and most people expected him to put up massive fantasy points.

He was no doubt a hot pickup and a high draft pick, but today against the Lions all of that hope and promise for 2011 came crashing down.

Hold your breath fantasy owners. According to the Associated Press via ESPN this doesn’t look to be good news:

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Kansas City running back Jamaal Charles was carted off the field midway through the first quarter Sunday with a left knee injury and will not return to the game.

Charles, who rushed for 1,467 yards last season, was lunging toward the first down mark along the Detroit sideline when he was pushed out of bounds by defensive back Chris Houston. He landed at the feet of Detroit's mascot and immediately began clutching his left leg.

His return was initially announced as questionable, but the injury appeared significant, and he was declared out for the rest of the game early in the third quarter.

It appeared Charles might have hurt himself while planting the leg as he went out of bounds -- he seemed unwilling or unable to plant it again as he fell to the ground.

Charles also appeared unable to put any weight on his left leg as he was helped onto the cart.

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While there is no official word on what is exactly wrong with Charles, what we do know is that it looked bad, and all signs are pointing to it being catastrophic.

If you’re a fantasy owner and have Charles on your team, this obviously has to be a nightmare for you. Last season he put up almost 1,500 yards on the ground, and the way he was running before the injury suggested that he was well on his way to repeating those numbers this season.

Like I said, there is no official word yet, but I wouldn’t be holding your breath. Bleacher Report’s NFL Associate Editor Michael Schottey tweeted about the state of Charles’ knee:

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Nevermind...looks like it wasn't Roary...looks like a non-contact injury, knee was wobbling *gag*

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The reference to Roary was the Lions mascot, who Charles fell into, but his statement about the knee is all too telling.

If it was obvious that Charles’ knee was wobbling, than it’s probably safe to say that it won’t be a favorable prognosis for the Chiefs, Charles or his fantasy owners.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this is the way that the NFL goes.

One year you’re on top of the world, and the next you’re injured and unproductive.

My only advice would be to see if you can keep Charles on your IR tab if possible, especially if you’re in a keeper league.

That’s about the only silver lining you will find in this injury, though.