San Diego running back Ryan Mathews didn’t see a lot of action Sunday until the fourth quarter of the Chargers’ win Sunday over the Kansas City Chiefs, but the former first-round draft pick should be getting more carries soon.
Coach Norv Turner expects to give Mathews more significant playing time in the future as long as he overcomes a fumbling problem and shows an ability to handle the workload in key situations, U-T San Diego reported. Mathews might even earn his starting job back.
“He understands the importance of taking care of the ball,” Turner said, according to U-T San Diego. “He’s not negligent. I don’t think there’s anyone that works any harder. He had a bad play in the Atlanta game, and I do believe that we’re going to get past that.”
Mathews touched the ball 16 times Sunday, but 11 of those came in the fourth quarter. He rushed for 61 yards on 14 carries. His season totals include 105 yards on 24 carries and one fumble and seven receptions for 53 yards.
Jackie Battle has seen the majority of playing time in the Chargers’ backfield.
Fantasy Analysis: Keep an eye on Mathews’ situation, but with bye weeks coming into play, he will likely be a good start this weekend against New Orleans. The Saints have had trouble defending the run this season and Mathews could be ready to break out.