Our Jason La Canfora is reporting that the Chargers are operating as if Mike Tolbert will start against the Seahawks. Rookie Ryan Mathews suffered an injured ankle last week and is unlikely to play.

If Tolbert is still a free agent in your fantasy league (he’s available in 85.1 percent of NFL.com leagues), you need to stop reading this and pick him up.

The bowling ball of a running back is coming off a huge game against the Jaguars, rushing for 82 yards and two touchdowns after Mathews went down. He has another great matchup ahead, facing a Seahawks defense that can be vulnerable to the run.

Tolbert will lose some work to Darren Sproles, who also has more value as a fantasy option, but he’ll see enough carries (and all of the goal-line work) to make an impact as a No. 2 runner or a high-end flex starter.

In fact, I’ve ranked Tolbert in the top 20 among running backs for Week 3.

– Michael Fabiano

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