Impactful injuries are a part of every NFL season, and fantasy football fortunes can often depend on being on the right side of those injuries.
To explain, we all know the feeling and ramifications of losing your stud first-round running back to an ACL tear two games into a season. On the flip side, though, we can often capitalize in drafts on players who are coming off a major injury and have had their average draft position (ADP) fall into value territory. Tread carefully, though, as not all players back from injury return to full glory and are sound fantasy investments.
That said, here are five players returning from 2020 injuries to consider in your fantasy drafts.
Fantasy draft targets back from injury
(ADP data courtesy of MyFantasyLeague.com)
Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott
2020 injury: Ankle fracture (11 games missed)
Current QB ADP: 7 (51.44 average pick)
Quick thoughts: Prescott got off to a blazing start at a record pace in 2020, throwing for 1,856 yards and accounting for 12 total touchdowns before going down in Week 5.
There has been a shoulder issue that’s kept Dak out of the preseason, but all indicators reportedly suggest he’ll be a “go” for Week 1. Prescott has one of the league’s best array of weapons to work with, and he’s definitely worth a fifth- or sixth-round pick as a potential elite QB1.
New York Giants RB Saquon Barkley
2020 injury: ACL tear (14 games missed)
Current RB ADP: 8 (11.53)
Quick thoughts: Barkley has been extremely limited this preseason but is expected to start Week 1. He may be somewhat limited early in the year, but he’s still only 24.
If Barkley is soon approaching his previous workhorse levels (average of 20.8 touches and 20.8 PPR fantasy points per game) from the first 31 games of his career, he’ll be well worth the late first-round pick. Just grab new Giants backup Devontae Booker as a late-round handcuff.
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Cincinnati Bengals RB Joe Mixon
2020 injury: Foot injury (10 games missed)
Current RB ADP: 13 (22.45)
Quick thoughts: Mixon didn’t need surgery this offseason, and like Barkley, youth is on his side at age 25. The better fantasy news is that Cincinnati parted ways with longtime complementary back Giovani Bernard, leaving Mixon as the clear RB1.
We’d lean toward drafting an elite wide receiver late in the second round, but if all goes well, Mixon could still easily return first-round value.
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Cleveland Browns WR Odell Beckham Jr.
2020 injury: ACL tear (9 games missed)
Current WR ADP: 26 (70.99)
Quick thoughts: After 25 games missed and only one full season played among his last four, it’s safe to assume OBJ’s top-five fantasy wideout days are over.
However, there are still strong WR3 numbers to be had here if he plays at least three-quarters of the season. Just resist the temptation to overdraft the name.
Dallas Cowboys TE Blake Jarwin
2020 injury: Torn ACL (15 games missed)
Current TE ADP: 24 (167.30)
Quick thoughts: Jarwin entered 2020 as a breakout candidate, but a Week 1 knee injury dashed those hopes. Dalton Schultz emerged with a fantasy TE10 season as his replacement, and the duo figures to share starting tight end duties in 2021. That relegates Jarwin to late-round consideration in deeper or tight-end premium leagues.
Also see: 3 sleeper TEs to target
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