KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The assumption all along has been that the Chiefs’ Spencer Ware would provide a nice stop-gap at running back until Jamaal Charles returned to full-time duty from his devastating knee injury. Ware showed last weekend that he’s not going anywhere. In fact, he made quite an argument for bringing Charles out of the bullpen in a relief role.

The bruising fantasy darling ran 24 times for 131 yards and a touchdown to lead Kansas City to a 26-10 victory in Oakland . Ware also had a couple of nice catches, showcasing some of the same versatility that had made Charles a mainstay in the lineup.

“When you talk about Jamaal, you’re talking about a Hall of Fame player. We always say, ‘You’re not going to replace Jamaal, that’s not what you do,'” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “But I don’t want to take anything away from Ware and the way he plays. He’s so tough. “Having them both out there,” Reid added, “that’s a win-win, I think.”

Indeed, Charles had more carries last weekend in his second game back from a torn ACL, and even found the end zone for the first time in more than a year. But it was Ware who carried the bulk of the load, and the former LSU standout will likely do the same on Sunday against New Orleans. It was an especially encouraging sign given his struggles holding onto the ball lately.