Jacob Hester

When the Chargers were trying to hold onto the ball and run out the clock in their rout of the Tennessee Titans on Christmas night, they went with eight straight handoffs to Mike Tolbert, then began taking a knee with backup quarterback Billy Volek. Part of it was Tolbert’s straight-on running style, and part of it was his dependability with the ball in his hands, but also at play were the facts that Ladainian Tomlinson and Darren Sproles already had been shut down in the third quarter and Jacob Hester had left play with a stinger.

Likewise, the situation could dictate even more work for Tolbert on Sunday against the Washington Redskins. Hester’s still feeling the effects of the shoulder problem, and with the Chargers sure to rest Tomlinson for a substantial portion of a regular-season finale that has zero bearing on the standings or playoffs, Tolbert would be a likely source of offense.