Washington tailback Chris Thompson broke his fibula against the Saints

Sheldon Rankins rolled up on Thompson’s leg, ending his day.

Washington may be without the services of its top receiving tailback for a while. Chris Thompson suffered a broken leg Sunday’s afternoon in his team’s showdown with the Saints.

Thompson was attempting to throw a block for a scrambling Kirk Cousins when 305-pound defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins rolled onto his right leg. While Thompson and Cousins both needed medical attention after the play, Cousins would eventually walk to the sideline under his own power. Thompson, unfortunately, needed an assist from the injury cart to leave the field.

Adam Schefter confirmed the injury was a broken fibula after the game. It’s likely Thompson will miss the remainder of the season. Cousins returned to the game for Washington’s ensuing series.

Thompson took to Twitter to confirm he’d miss the rest of the season.

What this means for Washington: The club dodged a bullet when Cousins escaped serious injury, but losing Thompson takes a few pages out of the team’s playbook. The veteran runner had developed into a dangerous weapon out of the backfield this fall, serving as a checkdown panacea to the team’s offensive woes with 38 catches and 494 yards entering Sunday’s game.

Samaje Perine, who scored his first NFL rushing touchdown earlier in the game, could see more reps in his absence. If Thompson’s season is over, Washington is left with Perine and Byron Marshall, just signed off the Eagles’ practice squad, as its only healthy running backs.