Chargers RB Michael Turner suffers high ankle sprain

League MVP LaDainian Tomlinson doesn't play in the preseason. Period. But hey, when you are widely considered to be the best running back in the league, have rushed for 9,176 yards in just 6 seasons, and set the record for most touchdowns in a single season, you deserve a break.

And when you have a guy like that on your team, the backups are usually irrelevant. However, in San Diego, this is not true. Michael Turner has a significant role in the Chargers offense. Last year he rushed for just over 500 yards. He provides some much needed rest to LT, to prevent him from running too much and getting injured. It's why the Chargers offered Turner a one year contract worth $2.35 million this offseason.

So it will be interesting to see how LT and the Chargers fare without Turner, at least for a little bit anyway. In Saturday's shoot out against Arizona, Turner left in the second quarter with a high ankle sprain. It's not known how serious the sprain is, but these injuries tend to last for several weeks or even months. And even if Turner does play in the early stages of the season, sometimes these injuries can hamper a player all season long.