The Los Angeles Chargers have Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins listed as co-starters atop their depth chart at running back.
Offensive coordinator Greg Roman told reporters on Thursday that he has a plan on how he'll divvy up the carries between them -- and it's not as complicated as you might think.
"We don't overthink that," Roman said. "They're both going to play. Whoever has got the hot hand, as I always tell them, has got the hot hand. So, we're going to go with the hot hand. They know that, and they get that. It's really nothing scientific."
The arrival of head coach Jim Harbaugh almost certainly means a focus on the run game, which was a staple of his 49ers teams a decade ago, as well as his squads at Michigan in recent years. Roman is also an extension of this, having coached both Edwards and Dobbins in Baltimore (with John Harbaugh), so he certainly knows how to use the pair effectively.
When Edwards and Dobbins were both healthy in the 2020 season, the Ravens were third in the NFL in rush attempts and eight in rushing yards. The problem is that Dobbins seldom has been healthy in his career, missing all of the 2021 season, half of the 2022 season and all but one game in 2023.
That's why health is likely to play a factor in Roman's play calling. Dobbins has never had more than 17 carries in any of his 24 NFL games whereas Edwards has seven games with 17 or more carries in his 69 contests.
The only two other backs on the Chargers' roster are 2024 sixth-round pick Kimani Vidal and Hassan Haskins, whom the Chargers recently claimed off waivers from the Titans and who played for Harbaugh at Michigan. Vidal is expected to handle some third-down duties while Haskins has a run style similar to Edwards and might not receive major work unless injuries hit the backfield.
