NEWARK, N.J. -- Branden Oliver has been active for just six games this season and hasn’t carried the ball since a Week 8 loss to the New England Patriots.
But because of a broken left hand suffered by rookie running back Austin Ekeler, Oliver should be active and more involved in the offense when the Los Angeles Chargers take on the New York Jets on Sunday.
Ekeler's status will be a game-time decision. And even if he’s active, Ekeler could be relegated to just special teams because of his inability to handle the football.
“You never hope someone goes down, but Branden’s been really patient, patient, patient to where he himself -- it’s probably been hard for him,” Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers said. “But you’re going to get a guy that’s fresh who is still stayed in it. The guy’s a real pro.”
Oliver is usually one of the first players out to the practice field during the week, getting an early stretch and working on agility drills before practice begins. And while he has not been involved on game days, Oliver contributed to the Chargers’ second-half surge by running hard on the scout team against the starting defense to get them prepared for the game.
Oliver has 61 rushing yards this season on 20 carries for a 3.1 yards-per-carry average.
“I’ve definitely been waiting patiently,” Oliver said. “My body feels good and fresh. It’s been frustrating at times, of course. But this is my passion. This is where I want to be and what I always dreamed of.”
For the first time since his rookie season in 2014, when he rushed for a team-high 582 yards as an undrafted rookie out of Buffalo, Oliver is healthy. The last time Oliver faced the Jets, he ran for a career-high 114 rushing yards in a 31-0 victory on Oct. 5, 2014.
He followed that up with 101 rushing yards against the Oakland Raiders the following week. So it’s somewhat of a coincidence that the Chargers face the Jets on Sunday, followed by the Raiders in the regular-season finale at the StubHub Center on New Year’s Day.
“We’ll get a chance to see him,” Chargers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt said. “I’ll tell you what: He works and has been looking better and better at practice the past few weeks. It’s good that he’s been preparing, and we’ll get a chance to see him step up.
“He’s a little bit of a known commodity from the standpoint that he has played in the game and has experience. He did a little bit for us earlier this year. I know he’s excited about this opportunity. Hopefully it will go well.”
