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.
Weeks one through three were relatively quiet on the injury front, This week a trio of high-impact fantasy running backs were injured. I go through the latest update on each below and who will step up in their absence.
Tua Tagovailoa, QB MIA
Tua suffered two concussions five days apart sparking an uproar over the NFL’s handling of the concussion protocol. He was sent back into the game after his first concussion but, in hindsight, he should have stayed on the bench. The independent specialist in charge of clearing Tua has been fired due to mistakes made in their evaluation.
Expect Tua to be out for 2-3 weeks for this severe concussion. Hunter Renfrow has missed the last two games with his concussion for comparison. Given the optics of the situation, Miami will need to give him extra time to get completely healthy.
Fantasy Impact: Teddy Bridgewater is the addition as Mike McDaniel reported he would be the starter this week. Any quarterback with Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill as weapons are worth considering.
Javonte Williams, RB DEN
This is devastating news for Javonte’s burgeoning career and dynasty owners alike. This is a similar injury to JK Dobbins whose recovery period was 13 months. @puma_drew dives deeper into Javonte’s injury here.
Fantasy Impact: Melvin Gordon assumes the lead-back role and should be a workhorse with RB1 upside. Look for Mike Boone to spell Gordon. Boone should be stashed on all dynasty rosters after this week. As for Javonte’s long-term outlook, he should make a full recovery. It will just be a long time so you need some patience.
Cordarrelle Patterson, RB ATL
This one escalated quickly. Patterson had a minor procedure performed on his knee per coach Arthur Smith and was put on the injured reserve as a result.
Fantasy Impact: This looks to be a committee in Patterson’s absence. After Patterson left the game this is how the running back work was distributed.
Snap rate:
58% — Tyler Allgeier
36% — Caleb Huntley
18% — Avery Williams
Running back rush share:
50% — Caleb Huntley
45% — Tyler Allgeier
5% — Avery Williams
Damien Williams who was the second-string running back at the beginning of the season before getting injured is also eligible to come off the injured reserve after week five.
Allgeier is going to be significantly more expensive in FAAB than the rest but Huntley and Damien Williams both figure to be in the mix for lead back. Allgeier does have the pedigree for a lead back with a strong college production profile as DFF author Chris Miles wrote here
Highlighted in this article are his 75.8% touchdown share vs. an elite threshold of 35% and 2.0 yards per team play vs the elite threshold of 1.9. Like Allgeier, Huntley is a big back coming in at a hefty 229 pounds.
Jonathan Taylor, RB IND
Ok now for some good news.
Taylor has not lived up to his lofty pre-season expectation so far this season. The Colt’s offensive line is simply not what it has been in years past as on top of Taylor’s lackluster start they are also amongst the league leaders in sacks allowed. Taylor is currently the RC 23 in fantasy points per game. In the world of ankle sprains, the high version leads to significantly longer absences than low sprains. Fortunately, it appears Taylor only suffered a low ankle sprain.
Fantasy Impact: Nyheim Hines is innately a third-down back but looks for his role to increase somewhat here albeit through short passes.
Justice Hill, RB BAL
Hill has looked explosive in his return from a torn Achilles. He had started moving up the dynasty ranks to gain some value as a change of pace back for the Ravens. Unfortunately, on another explosive run, Hill went down with a non-contact injury here.
Fortunately, it was good news
Rashod Bateman, WR BAL
This is one to monitor. Either way, I am not starting Bateman in most contending leagues.
Treylon Burks, WR TEN
Dynasty darling Treylon Burks will have his season halted as he recovers from turf toe.
This is typically a 3-4 week recovery timeline.
Fantasy Impact: Burks wasn’t starting in too many lineups as of yet so his impact isn’t huge.
Jahan Dotson, WR WAS
Dotson has played well to begin the season with 12 receptions, 152 yards, and four touchdowns. This injury doesn’t sound too severe but hamstrings can be tricky. He is expected to miss at minimum one game.
Other notable players in the prior week’s estimated return to action
Keenan Allen – Week 5
Sam Darnold – Week 6-7
Hunter Renfrow – Week 5-6
Alvin Kamara – Week 5
Jameis Winston – Week 5-6
Brian Robinson Jr.– Week 5-6
Dak Prescott – Week 5-6
David Montgomery – Week 5-6
Michael Thomas – Week 6-7
Amon-Ra St. Brown – Week 5-6
Gus Edwards – Week 6
Tyrion Davis-Price – Week 6
Damien Williams – Week 6
DeAndre Hopkins (Suspension) – Week 7
D’Andre Swift – Week 7
Elijah Mitchell – Week 8-9
Javonte Williams – Out for the season
Sterling Shepard – 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. Click here for a 12-month DFF Membership.#DFFArmy #FantasyFootball #AlwaysBeBuilding #NFL #NFLDraft #NFLTransactions #NFLTrades #AlwaysBeScouting
