Brian Westbrook underwent surgery Friday to remove bone spurs in his ankle. Maybe at least this year, he’s getting his annual injury out of the way before the season even starts.

Or, is this a sign of things to come. Westbrook has been a frustrating running back for fantasy owners — he puts up outstanding numbers when he plays, but gets so banged up that he never makes it through a full season. The most games in a season he’s played is 15 (four times), but even then, there’s always a game or two in which he was limited because of various injuries.

So hearing that he had surgery now might be good news, but it also might be a bad omen for the season. And for fantasy owners, it’s a scary omen — with his receiving numbers, he’s too good not to pass up in the first round, but also frightening to rely upon as an RB1. Monitor his progress all summer, and be prepared to at least take pause if he’s still available when you are picking in the first round.