Which teams are in the most trouble following rash of RB injuries?

It's Week 3 in the NFL and already six teams' seasons have been thrown off course by injuries to their starting running backs.

Ranging from critical to minor, here are the teams that should be most concerned about their missing stars:

Patient: Adrian Peterson, Vikings
Injury: Torn meniscus/out 4-6 months
Impact: Severe

When Minnesota lost Teddy Bridgewater for the season, the team traded away next year's first-round draft pick for Sam Bradford in an effort to salvage their campaign. But after losing Peterson to a torn meniscus in Week 2, there's no similar recourse for the Vikings to keep their championship hopes afloat. Peterson's injury is a backbreaker. The controls of the offense are now in the hands of Bradford and Jerick McKinnon, and three years into his career, McKinnon has yet to prove he can take advantage of such opportunities. The Vikings will remain competitive, but the Super Bowl host curse is ruthless and unforgiving.

Patient: Doug Martin, Buccaneers
Injury: Tweaked hamstring/out 3 weeks
Impact: Moderate

Tampa Bay owns the fifth-toughest schedule and is looking at a tough road ahead, as matchups with each of last year's Super Bowl combatants loom after Week 3. If the Buccaneers hope to avoid a potential 1-4 start, they'll have to defeat the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday without the services of the rushing title runner-up. Should Martin return after the Week 6 bye, they could get back in the race via dates with the 49ers, Raiders, Falcons, and Bears. But the immediate future looks bleak.

Patient: Arian Foster, Texans
Injury: Groin/day to day
Impact: Moderate

It should come as no surprise that the oft-injured Foster has come down with an ailment. The real shock is that it took until Week 2. The Dolphins may have braced for such a scenario by keeping five running backs on the roster, but Jay Ajayi inspired no confidence with his 14 yards and lost fumble in Foster's absence. Already two games out in the division, Miami needs a healthy roster to give Ryan Tannehill a legitimate shot at making a dent in his fifth season. The early returns do not bode well.

Player: Danny Woodhead, Chargers
Injury: Torn ACL/out for season
Impact: Severe

With Keenan Allen out, Woodhead was braced to take on an even larger role in the Chargers' offense, but with their two most targeted talents out for the season, the prospects for San Diego's 2016 are bleak. Melvin Gordon will have to take on a full workload, and while he did so successfully in college, he averaged 3.5 yards per carry with a healthy complement of touches in his rookie season. He racked up 102 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries in the team's first game without Woodhead, but it would be a tall task to ask him to keep up that pace all year. Another season rests on the arm of Philip Rivers.

Player: Jonathan Stewart, Panthers
Injury: Hamstring/out 2-4 weeks
Impact: Minor

The Panthers are more than capable of holding the fort until they get Stewart back after their Week 7 bye. They'll play each of their division opponents until then, so familiarity will help Carolina. Mike Tolbert and Cameron Artis-Payne are suitable replacements for the time being, but let's face it: Quarterback Cam Newton will manage the running game until Stewart returns to full health.

Player: Ameer Abdullah, Lions
Injury: Sprained foot/out 8 weeks
Impact: Minor

Abdullah was placed on IR after undergoing foot surgery, so his return is far from imminent, but the loss should be minimal. The sophomore has yet to rush for 100 yards in a game as a pro. Yes, the Lions currently own the ninth-best rushing attack in the league, but their offense is designed to be the aerial variety. Theo Riddick, Dwayne Washington, Zach Zenner, and possibly Joique Bell will succeed Abdullah, and perhaps supplant him.