Vincent Jackson Injury: Update on Chargers Star's Injuries

Things just keep getting worse for the San Diego Chargers' Vincent Jackson. The injury-plagued star came into the game with an abdominal injury and left the game with either a foot or groin injury.

With Antonio Gates bogged down with injuries, the Chargers can't afford to have their No. 1 receiver sidelined with an injury.

Jackson is a matchup nightmare and while the Chargers may not need his services to take down the Dolphins, they can't expect to win games without their best receiver. Jackson appears to be battling multiple injuries and the Chargers have to be concerned with their star receiver being riddled with injuries so early on in the season.

Fantasy Impact

Vincent Jackson is a must start, even when he isn't 100 percent. As long as he is on the field, he can have an impact in Philip Rivers' pass-happy offense. The problem is that he can't seem to stay on the field. He's a huge risk for fantasy owners going forward, as Jackson is useless when he's not on the field.

Jackson blows the entire offense wide open as well. While many people are going to flock to the lesser Chargers receivers, alternative weapons may even see a drop-off in production, as Jackson isn't commanding the attention of the opposition's top defensive back.

Who's the Backup?

Malcom Floyd: While Floyd could fill the Jackson void, he's battling through a groin injury of his own. The Chargers will need to get production from guys like Randy McMichael and Patrick Crayton if they want to be able to move the ball through the air.

Devastation Scale: 8/10

If everyone else were healthy, this number would be far lower if the Chargers had Antonio Gates and Malcom Floyd healthy. The fact that none of Philip Rivers' favorite targets are healthy presents a huge problem.

They can look to the run game, optimize production from lesser weapons and hit Mike Tolbert and Ryan Matthews out of the backfield, but the passing offense is significantly worse with Jackson sidelined.

Timeline for Return

Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel says Vincent Jackson's return in this game is questionable. Jackson seems to be making a habit of being a game-time decision, and it wouldn't be surprising to see his status remain in question throughout this week.

What They're Saying

Pro Football Talk

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"Vincent Jackson of the Chargers ran to the locker room with an undisclosed injury.  He had over 100 yards and a score before he left.  He has been struggling with an abdomen injury.

UPDATE: Jackson returned to the field, but doesn’t look 100%."

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This seems to be a common theme for Jackson. It's good to see him give it a go, but the Chargers need to have their star wide receiver at full strength. He was taking over the game before he went down and for the Chargers to be at their best, Jackson has to be more than just a banged up decoy and part-time contributor.