Fantasy Football Week 7 Injury Report: Jackie Battle to Play but Not Produce

Chiefs' RB Jackie Battle is in for a rough day. That won't be due to his injury or involvement in the game plan. All appearances have this being his second week as the Chiefs' primary ball carrier.

The Injury

Battle hurt his neck on his final carry of his breakout game in the Chiefs last game. That was two weeks ago. The Chiefs have had a bye, and Battle was able to end this week on a full practice. He is listed as probable on NFL.com's official injury report. Unless something unforeseen happens, he will play.

Battle's Resume

Battle came out of nowhere to lead the Chiefs with 19 carries and 119 yards in their last game. He took over for Thomas Jones, who is clearly ready to retire. Battle is certainly not the most talented back, but he is big and gets positive yards.

What gives him the most value is the fact that he is carrying the ball for a team that knows how to run the ball well. The role as primary ball carrier for the Chiefs appears to be Battle's to lose.

Why Battle Will Fail This Week

The Raiders' run defense has made huge strides the last two weeks. They held Arian Foster to 61 yards at 3.1 yards per carry in Week 5, and last week they held the Browns' running backs to 49 yards on 15 carries.

The Raiders will be able to key up to stop the run in this game and slide a safety into the box. Their defensive line should be able to dominate the Chiefs' offensive line like they did two times last season, and Battle is going to find little room to run as a result.

Prediction

Battle: 16 carries for 39 yards and zero touchdowns