Injuries are inevitable in fantasy football. How you prepare and react to them is what can make or break your fantasy team. Did you build a bench with sufficient depth to withstand the running back carousel? How do you pivot if a key player goes on injured reserve? Each week we will look at the most impactful injuries in the fantasy world and what players will step up their fantasy production as a result.
One of the most impactful and frustrating injuries to your team’s fantasy production is when one of your players is forced to exit the game early. It is compounded when that player is projected to be one of your highest point totals for the week. One such player leads off this week’s injury roundup and owners will be eagerly monitoring updates.
Lamar Jackson
Lamar posted a fantasy bagel this week after exiting the game with a knee injury following a sack by the Bronco’s Jonathan Cooper. Reports have surfaced that he may be dealing with a mild knee sprain. When you are hopeful for the starter to play the next week, you never like to see a team go out and sign another quarterback. Unfortunately, this is precisely what the Ravens did. This is usually an indicator that the starter will miss the following week. Be prepared for two weeks.
Fantasy Impact:
Tyler Huntley is discount Lamar Jackson. The Ravens will run the same offense and Huntley has excellent rushing upside. Since a torrid start, Lamar has struggled with his fantasy production this season. In the 4 games Tyler Huntley started at the end of last season he averaged 18.1 fantasy ppg. Even when you remove this week’s bagel Lamar averaged only 17.4 fantasy ppg over the prior eight weeks.
Treylon Burks
Emerging rookie wide receiver Treylon Burks was the victim of a nasty helmet-to-helmet collision Sunday. He left the game and is currently in concussion protocol.
Fantasy Impact: The tendency this season has been for players to miss one game following a concussion. You should be prepared to not have Burks in your fantasy lineups this week and have a contingency plan in place. Fourth-round rookie tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo has steadily seen his volume grow over the past four weeks. Okonkwo had the best game of his career with four catches for 68 yards this past week. If Burks misses this week he is as good a bet as any of the Titan’s pass catchers to play a significant role in the pass game.
Jimmy Garoppolo
This is likely the last time we will see Jimmy G in a 49ers uniform. He will still have a job in the NFL. Whether that is as a starter or a backup remains to be seen.
Fantasy Impact: This is a bigger blow to the 49ers’ Superbowl hopes than those of fantasy owners. You likely weren’t solely relying on Jimmy Garoppolo as your starting quarterback if you had championship aspirations in fantasy. Brock Purdy was serviceable in relief. The bigger news for fantasy owners was the heavy volume we saw from Christian McCaffrey, as he thrived in the passing game with eight receptions for 80 yards and a touchdown.
Kenneth Walker
A “jammed” ankle is an uncommon injury. If it turns out to be mild, Walker is week to week. If the injury is more severe, he could be out for up to four weeks. But this does not affect his value long term.
Fantasy Impact: DeeJay Dallas had 10 carries for 37 yards in Walker’s absence. The real beneficiary here may be the Seattle passing game though. Geno Smith passed for a career-high 367 yards with Lockett posting nine receptions for 128 yards and a touchdown. Metcalf mirrored this stat line with eight receptions for 127 yards and a touchdown.
Courtland Sutton
Sutton put up a bagel for his fantasy owners this weekend after leaving with a hamstring injury.
Fantasy Impact: There is no reason for Denver to rush Sutton back at this point in the season. His recovery could potentially last the remainder of the season as hamstring injuries tend to linger. That would be good news for Jerry Jeudy owners.
Other notable players in the prior week’s estimated return to action:
P.J. Walker – High Ankle – Week 14
J.K. Dobbins – Knee – Week 14
Joe Mixon – Week 14
Dallas Goedert – Shoulder – Week 14-15
Michael Carter – Week 14-15
Darren Waller – Hamstring – Week 14-Season
Daniel Bellinger – Broken eye socket – Week 14-15
Hunter Renfrow– Week 15
Javonte Williams – ACL – Out for the season
Breece Hall – ACL – Out for the season
Kyle Pitts – MCL – Out for the season
Matthew Stafford – Likely out for season
Rashaad Penny – Broken fibula – Out for the season
Wan’Dale Robinson – ACL – Out for the season
Michael Thomas – Turf Toe – Out for the season
Sterling Shepard – Out for the season
Cooper Kupp – Ankle – Out for the season
Trey Lance – Out for the season
I hope you enjoyed reading my article. My goal is to provide actionable advice you can utilize to improve your dynasty team. You can follow me on Twitter @force_fantasy. #DFFArmy #FantasyFootball #AlwaysBeBuilding #NFL #NFLDraft #NFLTransactions #NFLTrades #AlwaysBeScouting
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