Chargers RB Ryan Mathews is not expected to play in the team’s preseason opener on Thursday. He’s dealing with what beat writer Kevin Acee describes as a "slightly strained muscle in his upper leg." Mathews was able to run off to the side of practice on Monday, and HC Norv Turner said that they’re just "erring on the side of caution." It sounds pretty minor, but the injuries are starting to pile up for Mathews. He missed practice time earlier in training camp with a sore toe, and sat out 4 games last season with a sprained ankle. Mathews needs to prove he’s able to stay healthy for a sustained period of time. Let’s see if he’s able to suit up for the 2nd preseason game. If not, we’ll need to bump him down our RB rankings.
