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The Raiders had a season-high 11 players out of practice Tuesday, and although it's safe to assume running back Darren McFadden won't play, a number of others will be given ample opportunity to heal to be able to play Thursday in San Diego.
Coach Hue Jackson said there would be no definitive status on McFadden until Wednesday, but it has been three weeks since the Raiders' leading rusher has been on the field and he has yet to be seen working with the training staff.
Areas of concern heading into Thursday night's game include the offensive line and defensive secondary.
Missing from the line Tuesday were right tackle Khalif Barnes (shoulder) and center Samson Satele (knee), causing the Raiders to move left guard Stefen Wisniewski to center, put rookie Joe Barksdale at left guard and Stephon Heyer at right tackle.
Barnes and Satele both indicated they expected to play against San Diego.
Players who weren't practicing in the secondary were free safety Michael Huff (ankle), strong safeties Mike Mitchell (ankle) and Chinedum Ndukwe (knee) and cornerback DeMarcus Van Dyke (hamstring).
Jackson wouldn't rule out calling up Jerome Boyd from the practice squad if the situations with Huff, Mitchell and Ndukwe leave the Raiders short-handed at safety.
Kicker Sebastian Janikowski (hamstring) and defensive tackle Richard Seymour (ankle) did not practice but are expected to play. Cornerback Chris Johnson (groin, hamstring) and
"If someone gets out of his gap, the running back is going to hit his head on the goal post," defensive tackle Tommy Kelly said. "Everybody runs (an eight-man front), but apparently they run it a little better than us."
"We're not very far from each other," Turner said. "They can hear our dogs bark, and sometimes I can hear his kids laughing or crying."
"He is one of a kind," Palmer said. "There's not another fullback in the league like him. He can pass-protect. He can run-block. He can run (isolation plays) and go downhill on linebackers. He is a mismatch for safeties, and he might be a mismatch for some corners because he's so much bigger."
