C.J. Anderson was bracing for a prolonged recovery as he prepared to undergo surgery to repair the torn meniscus in his right knee late Thursday.

Before heading into the operating room in Northern California, the Denver Broncos’ leading rusher tweeted thanks to his fans for their prayers and said, ‘‘We will not know til after the procedure if i am done for the season or if I can come back to help my team to #51.’’

NFL.com reported that Anderson was headed for injured reserve, citing sources close to the running back, but Anderson said on Twitter that his status hadn’t been determined.

Anderson was Denver’s offensive star in Super Bowl 50, rushing for 90 yards and a touchdown in the Broncos’ 24-10 win over Carolina. That helped garner a four-year, $18 million offer from the Dolphins in restricted free agency that the Broncos matched. The front-loaded contract paid him $6 million this year.

Anderson is the Broncos’ leading rusher with 437 yards on 110 carries and four touchdowns, including a season-best 107 yards and a TD on 16 carries Monday night against Houston. He did it despite hurting his right knee on his second carry.

‘‘He is a leader of this team and that’s a big role,’’ wide receiver Demaryius Thomas said. ‘‘We don’t know the timetable right now, but he will be missed for this game and the rest of the season if it comes to that. He deserves to be around. He worked hard for the contract. He had been playing great last season and playing great this season, but we’ll miss him.’’

The Broncos (5-2) broke out of a prolonged funk by running for 190 yards in their 27-9 win over Houston. Anderson’s right knee slightly buckled as he cut on the final play of the first quarter, an 11-yard run.

‘‘He came in and said, ‘I felt something,’ ’’ running back Kapri Bibbs recounted. ‘‘But he said, ‘I’m good now. I feel real good.’ And he went back in the game an obviously was able to rush for 107 yards and carried the team and carried us to a win.’’

That’s what gives coach Gary Kubiak hope that Anderson will be back sometime this season.

‘‘I think the positive thing is he played in the game and he played through it,’’ Kubiak said. ‘‘It’s obviously something that they need to go and repair, so we have to see to what degree that is. Let’s find out.’’

Rookie Devontae Booker, who scored his first career touchdown against Houston, will become the starter.

Anderson showed up sore Tuesday and the team’s medical staff diagnosed a torn meniscus. Anderson flew to California for a second opinion on Wednesday and was prepped for surgery late Thursday after doctors confirmed the initial diagnosis.

Bibbs said there’s no reason the Broncos, who play San Diego (3-4) on Sunday, can’t still have a powerful 1-2 punch without Anderson.

‘‘Book is ready to play; I’m ready to play,’’ Bibbs said. ‘‘And I don’t think there’s going to be any drop-off. I think we’re going to go in there and we’re going to handle our business.’’

The Broncos had a first-round grade on Booker but were able to grab him in the fourth round after he slid because of concerns about two knee surgeries to repair a torn meniscus he suffered in his final game at Utah in November.

2 Redskins make trip

Redskins cornerback Josh Norman and tight end Jordan Reed have been cleared to fly with the team to London for its game against the Bengals after dealing with concussions.

Redskins coach Jay Gruden said it’s still not been determined whether either Norman or Reed will be able to play on Sunday.

Norman was hurt when he hit his helmet on the turf during Washington’s 20-17 loss at Detroit last Sunday. He said he thinks he briefly lost consciousness. But after feeling well on Monday and Tuesday, Norman said, on Wednesday he ‘‘had a little setback, but that’s normal, they say.’’ On Thursday, he said, he felt ‘‘absolutely great.’’

Reed has missed the past two games after getting a concussion against Baltimore on Oct. 9.

Landry faces fine

Two people familiar with the situation said Dolphins receiver Jarvis Landry has been fined $24,309 for an illegal crackback block that injured Buffalo Bills safety Aaron Williams. The people confirmed the fine to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity Thursday because the NFL had not yet announced the fine. Landry was penalized for unnecessary roughness after he launched himself and caught Williams in the head while blocking on a running play Sunday. Williams was taken to a hospital for evaluation of a head and neck injury before traveling home with the Bills. The father of the Bills safety told the AP his son intends to wait until the offseason to determine whether to continue playing after sustaining his latest neck injury. Anthony Williams said that while the topic of retirement has yet to be broached, his son intends to involve his entire family in a discussion to ‘‘make the best decision that’s right for him.’’ It’s the second consecutive season Williams has been sidelined by a severe neck injury . . . Jets center Nick Mangold appears unlikely to play Sunday at Cleveland because of a sprained right ankle that has him in a walking boot. Mangold was injured early in the first quarter against Baltimore last Sunday and replaced by Wesley Johnson. Running back Matt Forte (knee) sat out practice because the Jets wanted to keep him off the turf during the indoor session, but coach Todd Bowles said he’ll play Sunday.

Seahawks’ Wilson OK

Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson expects to play Sunday against New Orleans despite a pectoral injury suffered Monday night in a tie with Arizona . . . Browns coach Hue Jackson said that “all signs are pointing to’’ quarterback Josh McCown starting Sunday against the Jets. The veteran has been out since injuring his non-throwing shoulder in Week 2 . . . Raiders pass rusher Aldon Smith has applied to the NFL to be reinstated from his one-year suspension. A person with knowledge of the application told the AP that Smith has asked commissioner Roger Goodell to be allowed back on the field once his ban for violating the league’s substance abuse policy ends on Nov. 17. Smith was suspended for one year last November for violating the substance abuse policy. That stemmed from an arrest in August on charges of drunken driving, hit and run, and vandalism, which led to his release by the 49ers. That was Smith’s fifth run-in with the law since joining the NFL as a first-round pick by San Francisco in 2011. Smith signed with Oakland last September and played nine games before being suspended for a second time by the NFL.