A year removed from unrealistic expectations, Ryan Mathews prepares for his sophomore season. After being heralded as the next LaDainian Tomlinson, SD Chargers fans quickly realized that Mathews has a long way to go until he will fill the shoes of the future Hall of Famer. Fighting through injuries and fumble issues last season, Mathews was able to give fans a glimpse of what the future may hold when he carried 26 times for 120 yards and three touchdowns in week 17 at Denver.
Mike Tolbert, affectionately called the "little hippo" by fans, certainly has a nose for the end zone. He got there in 10 of the 15 games he played in last season and also ran for over 70 yards in five games last season. In all fairness, Tolbert has also had trouble holding onto the pigskin. Both Mathews and Tolbert fumbled five times (three lost) in 2010.
The question I have is simple: Should Mathews, the 12th overall pick in 2010, be the starter in the Chargers opener or has Tolbert, the undrafted fourth year running back, paid his dues and earned the nod?