Los Angeles Chargers injury report and impact vs. Houston Texans
By Tyler Gallagher
Chargers: Opponent injuries
Taiwan Jones, Running Back – Questionable (Elbow)
Taiwan Jones, who was inactive last week, is a backup to both Carlos Hyde and Duke Johnson. If he misses this game, his absence will primarily impact special teams (where he is fairly replaceable).
Laremy Tunsil, Offensive Tackle – Questionable (Ankle)
Laremy Tunsil, an important and immensely valuable piece for the Texans considering the insane amount they gave to acquire him, injured his ankle in week two but returned to the game. While a re-injury is worth looking out for, expect him to play the full game against the Chargers.
Senio Kelemete, Guard – Questionable (Wrist)
Kelemete is listed as a backup on the Houston Texans’ depth chart, and his impact is primarily felt on special teams as a blocker on field goals. Since offensive linemen are not rotated throughout the game, this injury is unlikely to be impactful unless in-game injuries occur to the interior of the Texans’ offensive line.
Players previously placed on IR: Lamar Miller
Injury Impact Analysis
Houston Texans Injury Impact: 1.5
The loss of Lamar Miller early in the season was big for the Texans. However, they essentially replaced his potential production by making trades for Carlos Hyde and Duke Johnson.
Thus, the injury impact for the Texans is small. A few valuable players are banged up (Tunsil, in particular, is of paramount importance), yet all of these players are expected to play. The Texans have a massive advantage over the Chargers on the injury front.
Los Angeles Chargers Injury Impact: 8.5
Next. How the Chargers take down the Texans
Although the Chargers suffered another major injury last week after Adrian Phillips broke his forearm, the injury impact does not increase, as some backups playing in the role of injured players showed major improvement last week. Both Trent Scott and Facyson showed good improvement in week two, and appear to be decent short-term fill-ins, which is a commendable improvement from week one. Injuries will still significantly impact the game this week, but individual improvements and the impending return of Badgley are small steps in the right direction.