Fantasy Football Injury Analysis – Page 10

Fantasy football reaction: Dak Prescott needs thumb surgery

Dallas loses Prescott to a significant thumb injury.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (thumb) suffered an unspecified injury to a joint in the thumb of his throwing hand and will miss multiple weeks following surgery, according to owner Jerry Jones.

The Cowboys looked lethargic and largely outmatched in Week 1 vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Between a flimsy offensive line and an inexperienced receiving corps behind CeeDee Lamb, the passing game was trending in wrong direction in comparison to last year’s prolific effort.

Look for Dallas to start quarterback Cooper Rush in Prescott’s absence, and a reliance on the running game should the emphasis of the playcalling. Devalue all things Cowboys, perhaps with the lone exception of tight end Dalton Schultz. He could see a steady stream of targets from the mostly untested Rush.

Stash Prescott for the time being. He probably will miss three or four games at a minimum, depending upon how the surgery goes. Whether it’s a fracture or ligament injury, that’s about the usual timeline for a quarterback with such an ailment. We’ll monitor the situation as it unfolds.

Fantasy football injury report: Week 1

Latest status of fantasy football weapons who are on the mend entering Week 1.

This is a team-by-team review of any key fantasy football player injury news after this week’s practice activity and team statements. Only those players listed on the team’s official injury report will be addressed, unless the situation warrants further attention.

PLEASE NOTE: The NFL releases their final official injury report later on Friday (after 5:00 p.m. ET). Teams on the West Coast often report their injuries late and may not be included in the initial publication.

Week 1 fantasy football injury report

This week’s key game-time decisions: RB J.K. Dobbins, WR Allen Lazard, TE Zach Ertz, WR Jakobi Meyers, WR Michael Thomas, WR Drake London, TE George Kittle, WR Russell Gage, WR Chris Godwin, RB Kenneth Walker

ARIZONA CARDINALS
WR Rondale Moore (hamstring) has been ruled out for Week 1. TE Zach Ertz (calf) opens the season with his customary questionable tag. He made it back for a limited practice Friday.

ATLANTA FALCONS
WR Drake London (knee) is in danger of missing the first game of his NFL career with a questionable tag. He was limited in practice all week.

BALTIMORE RAVENS
RB J.K. Dobbins (knee) was limited in practice Friday and deemed questionable. He will probably be a game-time decision. OT Ronnie Stanley (ankle) was limited Friday and is doubtful.

BUFFALO BILLS – Played Thursday
No injuries of fantasy relevance.

CAROLINA PANTHERS
RB Christian McCaffrey (shin) practiced Thursday and Friday, and he’s not on the injury report.

CHICAGO BEARS
WR Velus Jones (hamstring) is doubtful and didn’t practice all week.

CINCINNATI BENGALS
No injuries of fantasy relevance.

CLEVELAND BROWNS
No injuries of fantasy relevance.

DALLAS COWBOYS – Sunday night
WR Michael Gallup (knee) has been ruled out for Week 1. QB Dak Prescott (ankle) practiced Friday after a hiccup with a new pair of cleats earlier in the week that caused soreness. He’s good to go. WR James Washington (foot) is on IR and out six to 10 weeks with a broken foot.

DENVER BRONCOS – Monday night
WR K.J. Hamler (knee, hip) was limited Thursday and Friday and looks destined for a questionable tag following Saturday’s practice.

DETROIT LIONS
No injuries of fantasy relevance.

GREEN BAY PACKERS
WR Allen Lazard (ankle) didn’t practice all week and is doubtful for Week 1. WR Christian Watson (knee) practiced all week and is off the report.

HOUSTON TEXANS
No injuries of fantasy relevance.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
LB Shaquille Leonard (back) has been ruled out. He practiced fully Wednesday but was limited the rest of the week.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
No injuries of fantasy relevance.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
WR JuJu Smith-Schuster (knee) practiced all week and is off the report.

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS
No injuries of fantasy relevance.

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
RB Isaiah Spiller (ankle) practiced fully all week and is good to go.

LOS ANGELES RAMS – Played Thursday
RB Kyren Williams (ankle) suffered a high-ankle sprain Thursday night and figures to miss four to six weeks. WR Van Jefferson (knee) missed the game and could miss Week 2, also.

MIAMI DOLPHINS
RB Chase Edmonds (groin), WR Jaylen Waddle (quadriceps) and RB Myles Gaskin (neck) popped up on the injury report Thursday, but they practiced fully and were removed Friday. They’re set to go. RB Salvon Ahmed (heel) was limited all week and draws a questionable tag.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS
No injuries of fantasy relevance.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
WR Jakobi Meyers (knee) and WR Ty Montgomery (knee) were limited all week and are questionable.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
WR Michael Thomas (hamstring) was limited all week and is questionable. He says he’s playing in Week 1 but could be a game-time decision. WR Tre’Quan Smith (shoulder) is out.

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NEW YORK GIANTS
WR Sterling Shepard (Achilles’) was limited in practice all week but is not on the injury report.

NEW YORK JETS
QB Zach Wilson (knee) is out for the first three weeks.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
RB Miles Sanders (hamstring) practiced fully Friday and will be good to go.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS
WR Diontae Johnson (shoulder) was limited earlier in the week but made it back to a full practice Friday. He’s ready to play.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
TE George Kittle (groin) didn’t practice all week, and he’s eerily questionable for the opener. Some reports suggest he will need multiple weeks to recover.

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS – Monday night
RB Kenneth Walker (abdomen) has yet to practice because of a hernia and looks to be on the bad side of questionable.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS – Sunday night
WR Russell Gage (hamstring) and WR Chris Godwin (knee) are questionable for Week 1. Godwin managed a full practice Friday, and Gage was limited. RB Giovani Bernard (ankle) practiced Friday and is off the report.

TENNESSEE TITANS
No injuries of fantasy relevance.

WASHINGTON COMMANDERS
TE Logan Thomas (knee) was limited all week, and he’s questionable.

Can Zach Wilson make strides in fantasy football after knee surgery?

Escaping serious injury, can Wilson regroup in time to make a strong push in Year 2?

Already under the microscope following a tough debut campaign, New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson (knee) sustained a torn meniscus and a bone bruise during the club’s preseason opener on Friday, Aug. 12. The initial prognosis was for the BYU product to miss between two and four weeks, though head coach Robert Saleh wouldn’t put a firm timetable on the recovery process. Wilson underwent successful arthroscopic knee surgery on Tuesday, Aug. 15.

One thing that’s sure to be in the back of the front office’s minds is the sprained MCL Wilson had as a rookie, which happened to the same knee as his most recent injury. Saleh has already indicated that the Jets won’t rush him back onto the field, and the recurrent issue in his right knee could certainly push out his return past the original timeline.

While word is all went smoothly with the procedure, it’s hard to imagine the Jets won’t turn to backup Joe Flacco to lead them into Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens as the team will want Wilson eased back into action. That report was already making the rounds on Tuesday in the immediate aftermath of Wilson’s surgery.

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Although Wilson dodged a more serious injury, there could still be some concern about how the team might adjust in terms of having him run around — he didn’t run a lot last season, but he was effective when he did, posting a 29-185-4 line on the ground, which was good for 6.4 yards per carry. After hurting his knee at the end of a seven-yard scramble last Friday, the coaches might drill into him to stay in the pocket and not risk his twice-injured knee.

Depending on the length of the injury, New York’s passing game might get a bit of a short-term bump with the more experienced Flacco under center. Wide receivers Elijah Moore and Garrett Wilson are both draftable commodities, with Moore as a fringe WR3 and the rookie Wilson as late-round depth in the WR5 area. Of course, if we’re only talking about a week or two, which seems likely, the change is unlikely to make more than a minor ripple.

Fantasy football outlook

Wilson was already on the outskirts of QB2 territory before the injury, and even that placement was due in large to what, at least on paper, is a talented group of receivers at his disposal. Since he wasn’t being drafted as a fantasy starter, his season outlook doesn’t change. If you have a reliable, high-end QB1, and want to wait until the later rounds to secure your backup, Wilson’s upside could fit the bill.

Fantasy football injury outlook: QB Joe Burrow, Bengals

Where does Burrow stand in his recovery process?

Considering that Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (appendix) entered camp last year coming off a torn ACL that had halted his rookie campaign 10 games in, the news that the ascending superstar had undergone an appendectomy in late July feels like a minor inconvenience. Still, it’s another setback physically for a young quarterback who already suffered two knee injuries, including a sprained MCL during the team’s Super Bowl loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

Head coach Zac Taylor indicated the surgery went “smoothly,” but as of yet there has been no timeline given by anyone within the organization — Burrow’s father, Jim, said that his son would be back “in a few weeks” during a podcast appearance earlier this week, for whatever that’s worth. He did some light throwing on Monday, Aug. 8, which represented his first time picking up a ball since the surgery, and offensive coordinator Brian Callahan indicated that Burrow was feeling better.

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For comparison, Rams quarterback John Wolford had the same procedure done on Aug. 6, 2021, and he was practicing in full by Aug. 19. While Burrow won’t hit that mark, there appears to be no concern about the speed of his recovery. With their Week 1 meeting against the Pittsburgh Steelers still more than a month away, it seems unlikely that the LSU alum will miss games because of it.

Although the team would doubtlessly like to have Burrow in camp, notching reps and knocking the rust off, bear in mind his top three receivers from last season all return, and the team played into February — both of which work in his favor. Even a week or two of preparation leading into their meeting with the Steelers should be adequate to get Joe Shiesty ready to roll.

Fantasy football outlook

Coming off a breakout sophomore season, Burrow appears poised to join the game’s elite signal callers. Given there is no long-term concern following his surgery, there’s no reason to reassess Burrow’s value as less than a midrange QB1 for 2022.

Fantasy football injury outlook: QB Matthew Stafford, Rams

Just how concerned should you be with Stafford’s ailing elbow?

Twelve months ago, Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (elbow) unfairly carried the label of someone that couldn’t get it done in big moments after playing a dozen seasons with the Detroit Lions and never winning a playoff game. Now, he’s the leader of the defending Super Bowl champions. Without questions to be asked about his ability to play his best in the biggest spots, the focus has now turned to his physical well-being.

It’s been about a week now since reports started surfacing that Stafford was dealing with a case of “bad tendinitis” in his throwing elbow, one that has caused the team to back off the veteran’s reps in camp and take some additional time to rest the injury. In the aftermath, Stafford has downplayed the severity of the issue, referring to it as “irritating” or “soreness,” and he said recently that he believed he could still “make any throw [he] wanted.”

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As we sit here in early August, there doesn’t seem to be huge cause for concern. Stafford played in all 21 games last year, including playoffs, on a run that stretched into February. At 34 and with 13 NFL seasons under his belt, there’s zero reason for the team or player to prioritize preparation over rest — his former NFC North running mate, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, just this week called playing a series in preseason games a “waste.”

Still, when head coach Sean McVay is using phrases like “tricky deal” and labeling it as “abnormal” for a quarterback it can’t be completely dismissed. One of the things that set Stafford apart from his predecessor, current Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff, was his ability to attack anywhere on the field. There could be a trickle-down effect on the Rams’ passing attack if the elbow issue lingers into the regular season and affects what he can do between the white lines.

Reading the tea leaves, it’s clear there’s some level of trepidation on the team’s side. If there wasn’t, Stafford would be out there building chemistry with newcomers like wide receiver Allen Robinson rather than being limited to individual work. Stafford has proven his toughness over the years to be sure, but playing through injury and playing effectively through injury aren’t necessarily the same thing — just look at what now-Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson went through upon returning from his finger injury. Would LA’s offense revert to Goff levels with a diminished Stafford at the helm?

Fantasy football outlook

Until we hear something more concrete that sounds like Stafford will in fact miss games, there’s no real reason to adjust his ranking. Even with no running ability to speak of, Stafford a sound QB1, but, for now, the news of his elbow woes simply makes acquiring a quality second option more important.

Will J.K. Dobbins be ready for Week 1 fantasy lineups?

What kind of timeline can gamers expect from the rehabbing rusher?

Heading into last season, Baltimore Ravens running back J.K. Dobbins (knee) was among the most popular breakout candidates in all of fantasy football, and for good reason. As a rookie the Ohio State product carried the ball 134 times for 805 yards (an eye-popping 6.0 yards per carry) and nine touchdowns, and that was with veteran Mark Ingram (now with the New Orleans Saints) soaking up 72 carries. Once atop the depth chart, Dobbins appeared poised for a big sophomore campaign.

That all changed on Aug. 28 during the team’s final preseason game when Dobbins suffered a torn ACL that would cost him the entirety of 2021. Just over a year will have passed when the 2022 regular season kicks off for Baltimore on Sunday, Sept. 11, against the New York Jets, and both the team and player are hopeful that Dobbins will be on the field. There have been no reported setbacks in his recovery, and he’s been vocal about wanting to play in the opener.

Whether he will, however, remains unclear. Dobbins is currently on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, alongside No. 2 back Gus Edwards (knee), who is coming off his own torn ACL, and it’s doubtful the team will push either player after relying on retreads like Devonta Freeman and Latavius Murray last year — both remain unsigned, which tells you how they’re viewed around the league.

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Still, it feels likely that Dobbins will be ready sooner than later; even if he misses a game or two out of the gates, odds are the Ravens will activate him before finalizing their 53-man roster, since keeping him on the PUP would require the third-year pro to miss a minimum of four games. Head coach John Harbaugh recently suggested we could see Dobbins return to practice as soon as Monday, Aug. 8, which would allow for a look at him prior to most owners draft.

Once he’s cleared, Dobbins should serve as the lead back. That shouldn’t be confused with being a workhorse in the vein of the Indianapolis Colts’ Jonathan Taylor, though, as head coach John Harbaugh has long liked to mix and match his backs, and he has a very capable No. 2 in Edwards, whenever he returns. Further down the depth chart is a mix of veterans like Mike Davis and Corey Clement, and unproven players like Justice Hill (Achilles) and rookie Tyler Badie.

While Dobbins figures to get the highest usage, bear in mind he entered the NFL with questions about his ability as a receiver, and he did little to answer those as a rookie when he caught just 18 passes for 220 yards. That could mean a limited role for the former Buckeye on obvious passing downs, though Edwards has done even less as a pass catcher, so perhaps Dobbins will surprise in that regard. Ultimately, this offense just doesn’t incorporate its backs in the aerial game enough to move the need in that regard.

Fantasy football outlook

There’s less buzz around Dobbins this year than last, but that could work in your favor as he’s likely to be available later in drafts. As a high-end RB3 with some upside, he’d be worth pulling the trigger. Be patient with his early-season returns.

Fantasy football injury outlook: WR Michael Gallup, Cowboys

What is Gallup’s short- and long-term status for 2022 fantasy action?

Last season, it felt like the Dallas Cowboys almost had too many options for quarterback Dak Prescott, and the result was a team throwing for nearly 5,000 yards with only one player surpassing the 900-yard mark — that being wide receiver CeeDee Lamb with 1,102. A busy offseason has thinned the ranks, however, with Amari Cooper (68-865-8) being traded to the Cleveland Browns, and Cedrick Wilson Jr. (45-602-6) signing with the Miami Dolphins.

While their second- and third-most productive wideouts are gone, fourth-leading receiver Michael Gallup (knee) is coming off a torn ACL suffered on Jan. 2 of this year — he didn’t undergo surgery until February. Despite the injury, the Cowboys shelled out north of $60 million on a five-year deal, so they don’t seem to have any long-term concerns about Gallup’s ability to bounce back.

That being said, Gallup begins training camp on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, and the expectation is that he’ll miss at least a couple of games to start the season. The Cowboys could also choose to be even more cautious with Gallup and keep him on the PUP to open the season. In years past, any player starting the year on the PUP had to miss at least six games, but a rule change allows players to return after only four, which makes it more attractive for situations like Gallup’s. He also could go on the short-term IR list for three games, but that counts against the allotment of eight uses a team is permitted.

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Whenever the Cowboys deem Gallup ready to return, he should immediately slide into the No. 2 receiver spot opposite Lamb. Granted, the team did sign James Washington from the Pittsburgh Steelers in free agency and drafted Jalen Tolbert in the third round, but the former was mostly mediocre during his time in the Steel City while the latter is jumping from tiny South Alabama, so it could take a while for Tolbert to make that transition.

Prior to last season, Gallup was generally healthy, missing just two games combined over his first three years, and even though his production has dropped the past two seasons, he proved in 2019 that he could be a dangerous weapon, catching 66 passes for 1,107 yards and a half-dozen touchdowns — that accounted for a career-best 16.8 yards per reception. With Lamb and tight end Dalton Schultz (78-808-8) the only proven targets for Prescott, Gallup could be in for heavy utilization once he returns.

Fantasy football outlook

Despite sustaining the knee injury, Gallup doesn’t seem to be in danger of missing a lot of time; pencil him to be out of action for the first three or four weeks. He’ll step into a good situation upon his return, and the fact that he’s coming off an injury-filled, disappointing campaign could push him down draft boards. As your fourth or fifth wideout, Gallup is an intriguing choice.

Fantasy football injury outlook: TE Logan Thomas, Commanders

Checking in with Thomas’ injury status and prognosis for 2022 fantasy football.

Washington Commanders tight end Logan Thomas has been something of a tragic figure in the NFL as he has battled through lower-body injuries throughout his career. Drafted in the fourth round in 2014 as a quarterback by the Arizona Cardinals, his only claim to fame with Arizona was that his one completion on nine attempts went for an 81-yard touchdown. In 2016 alone, he was cut from the New York Giants practice squad eight times before landing in Buffalo and being converted to tight end.

His first significant injury was in 2018 with the Buffalo Bills when he tore a meniscus. He also missed time with a hamstring injury, which started a growing list of ailments.

After a nondescript 2019 season with Detroit, Thomas signed with Washington in 2020 and earned his first chance to be a starter. He shattered all of his previous career marks by catching 72 passes for 672 yards and six touchdowns. Firmly on everyone’s fantasy radar, 2021 was another injury-plagued season that saw him play just six games.

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Last season, he was placed on injured reserve with a Grade 2 hamstring strain in Week 4 and missed six games. He came back but in Week 13 sustained a Grade 3 ACL tear that also required surgical repair to his MCL and meniscus.

By his own admission, he is at about 75-80 percent of his rehab process as training camp opens. While he told the local media that he is shooting for a return on Week 1, it is more likely that he will start the season on one of the injured lists and miss the first three to six games.

The Commanders didn’t take any chances that Thomas may not be back. In addition to 2021 rookie John Bates, who played well after Thomas went down both times last season, the team moved Antonio Gandy-Golden from wide receiver to tight end and drafted Cole Turner from Nevada in the fifth round. These moves have all the appearances of a team preparing to be without Thomas.

Fantasy football outlook

With Carson Wentz‘s history of targeting athletic tight ends, Thomas will be a priority weapon who could approach his 2020 numbers — provided he is physically up for it. But, at the moment, there are too many questions and not enough answers.

Although Thomas has the skill level to be a TE1, his injury history and the uncertainty as to whether he will be available for the start of the season drops him to the TE2 level – with some fantasy owners likely to devalue him to the bottom of that tier.

Fantasy football injury outlook: RB Chris Carson, Seahawks

What does the future hold for Carson after neck surgery?

Running back Chris Carson has been one of the great NFL stories in recent lore – a seventh-round draft pick in 2017 with no guarantee of making the Seattle Seahawks‘ roster in the post-Marshawn Lynch era to the featured back who posted back-to-back seasons with more than 1,150 rushing yards. He never seemed to have a career locked down for himself, especially when the Seahawks used a first-round pick in 2018 on RB Rashaad Penny.

Overcoming long odds, Carson was the man and it looked to stay that way — until last season when he suffered a severe neck injury that ended his season after just four games and required a significant surgery to repair the damage. Unlike other routine surgeries, neck injuries are a different topic completely. The can end athletic careers, much less one of running backs who have large men with bad intentions and often a full head of steam chasing them down every time they get their hands on the ball.

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The Seahawks have put no timetable on when – or if – Carson can return. In an interview during Seattle’s OTAs, head coach Pete Carroll referenced Carson in the past tense a couple of times – giving the clear insinuation that he may never be coming back to resume his NFL career. While he said all the right things in terms of the Seahawks players being a family and sticking by their injured brothers when they’re down and uncertain about their future, Carroll sounded much more resigned to the idea Carson may not want to come back to resume his career for quality of life concerns.

His biggest hurdle may end up being Carson’s inability to get medical clearance from the Seahawks’ doctors. In the case of neck injuries, there is a very high standard that needs to be reached before clearance is given, and those types of injuries are the result of as many retirements as returns to field.

The Seahawks re-signed Penny in the offseason to hedge their bets in the event Carson can’t come back from his neck injury and doubled down by drafting Doak Walker Award winner Kenneth Walker III from Michigan State in the second round of the 2022 draft. Seattle has a lot of needs, and quarterbacks were available. That move spoke volumes.

Throw in carryover players DeeJay Dallas and Travis Homer and Seattle has a stable of running backs who can get along just fine whether Carson is there or not.

Fantasy football outlook

It’s always tragic when a career is cut short by injury and a player’s dream dies with it in his 20s, but there are other factors that need to come into play outside the entertainment world of the NFL.

Carson fulfilled his dream of playing in the NFL and earning a second contract that potentially sets him up for life after football. Some players are willing to accept the risks, but in this case, don’t be stunned if Carson eventually announces his retirement without every playing again. It may not be in the coming weeks or months, but his fantasy value has dropped off the table, because he doesn’t need to make a business decision. He needs to make a life decision. Carson has no fantasy value at this point.

Fantasy football injury outlook: WR Chris Godwin, Buccaneers

Where does Godwin’s rehab stand, and is he worth the risk in fantasy?

In Week 15 of the 2021 season, Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin, the most targeted player in Tampa Bay’s pass-happy offense, suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament. As is often the case, the timetable for returning to full speed from such an injury is nine to 12 months, especially for wide receivers putting a lot of pressure on healthy ligaments when making separation-creating cuts.

In trying to determine the prognosis for any injured player recovering in the offseason, there are two primary factors that are taken into consideration – what is the team saying about the extent of the injury, and did the organization come up with a backup plan.

In the case of the Buccaneers, it was both.

The team sent out a positive sign this spring when, despite the injury, the Buccaneers signed Godwin to a three-year contract extension worth $60 million with $40 million in guarantees. In the salary cap era, teams don’t make that kind of financial commitment without having a high level of confidence that the injured player will return to pre-injury form.

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However, Tampa Bay also signed Russell Gage, formerly of the Atlanta Falcons, to a three-year contract in free agency. Ideally, Gage would be the No. 3 receiver in the offense, but the deal is worth $30 million – a heavy tax to pay for a No. 3 receiver. It would appear that the Bucs wanted to make sure that Tom Brady has the weapons he needs as he returns for another run at a Super Bowl, and TB12 himself recruited Gage, so it’s hard to say if there’s more to it than that….

The arrival of Gage gives Tampa Bay options when it comes to how it approaches the timetable for Godwin’s return. Earlier this month, Bucs officials said that Godwin is progressing well with his timetable to return, which would be little to no contact in training camp and the preseason and determining in Week 1 if he is healed enough to be a full-time player. Gage gives the team insurance either way.

Fantasy football outlook

He hasn’t been seen on the field in real-world football situations, leaving some to speculate as to whether Godwin will be able to be on the field Week 1. Fantasy auctions and drafts will come and go before anyone has a true handle on the level of readiness Godwin has, which could play into the hands of owners who are willing to take some risks.

With the uncertainty, Godwin could be devalued on draft day. At best, he will be a low-end WR2 in a conventional league. That said, all accounts coming out of Tampa Bay say his rehab is going as hoped and his target date for a full return is Week 1. In this case, don’t let his injury prevent you from making a move on him because, as a low-end WR2, he’s a value pick if he’s good to go. Just prepare for a sluggish start to his sixth pro season, and draft accordingly because of his long-term track record of durability issues.