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Chargers: Rivers will feel Woodhead loss

PFF-headlinesThe hits keep coming to the San Diego Chargers' backfield as the team learned this week that Danny Woodhead was lost for the season with a broken fibula. This comes a week after the Chargers lost Ryan Mathews for 4-5 weeks with an MCL sprain.

Woodhead has played a key role in the resurgence of Philip Rivers over the last two seasons. During Rivers’ best years in the league, he's had dependable and consistent running backs that could catch the ball out of the backfield. From LaDainian Tomlinson to Darren Sproles — and, more recently, Woodhead — Rivers regularly takes benefit from getting the ball to his sure-handed backfield help. In fact, his worst seasons as a pro were the two seasons after the team parted ways with Sproles and before they picked up Woodhead.

But just how good has Woodhead been with the Chargers? In 2013, he was our seventh-highest ranked RB with a +14.4 overall grade. He was second for running backs in yards receiving (605), second in receptions (76), fourth in targets (83) and third in our Yards Per Route Run Signature Stat with a 2.02 mark.

Donald Brown, undrafted rookie free agent Branden Oliver, and recently-signed Shaun Draughn look to fill in a major hole left by the Woodhead injury.

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