The Broncos have already moved from a rushing attack dominated by C.J. Anderson to a split backfield involving rookie Devontae Booker. They might be forced to move to a Booker-heavy attack moving forward.
According to 9News' Mike Klis, Anderson might miss an "extended period" due to a knee injury. Klis added that Anderson is seeking a second opinion and that the Broncos are hoping the injury is not significant.
But as NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported, Anderson is expected to miss at least a few weeks with a bone bruise. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that it's possible Anderson's entire season could be lost.
#Broncos looking at all options for CJ Anderson's knee. They hope it's minor. Being out for the season is also possible. Finding answers now
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 26, 2016
He was not at practice Wednesday.
C.J. Anderson wasn't at practice. He was helped off the field after the last play of the 1st quarter Mon. Returned and played the full game.
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) October 26, 2016
As noted above, Anderson played through the injury Monday night. But if the injury is significant, the Broncos will enter their Week 8 game against the Chargers without their leading rusher. To this point, Anderson's rushed for 437 yards and four touchdowns. With that being said, he's only averaged four yards per carry.
Booker, on the other hand, has racked up 244 yards and a touchdown on the ground. And he's averaging 4.8 yards per carry. A fourth-round pick out of Utah, Booker has been impressive enough that he's stolen away carries from Anderson, who the Broncos felt so strongly about they matched the Dolphins' offer sheet for him this offseason.
So, the Broncos are at least better equipped than most teams to survive the loss of their top running back. And if anything, this chance could allow Booker to establish himself as the best back in Denver, which he might be. The Chargers are allowing the eighth-fewest rushing yards per game (90.1), but it's worth pointing out that they've held leads in the majority of their games, which can disincentivize teams from running the football.
It's a big game for both teams. The Broncos, at 5-2, are tied with the Raiders atop the AFC West, while the Chargers (3-4) are still in "save their season" mode. The last time the two teams met -- just earlier this month -- the Chargers won, 21-13.