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Fantasy Injury Ward Redux - Week 10

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During this week’s practices, a few marquee fantasy players were injured. The most notable players were Martellus Bennett and Sammy Watkins. The following is a break down of all the injuries of notable fantasy football players, including Bennett and Watkins, heading into Week 10.

As a reminder, there are five status designations players can have: active, probable, questionable, doubtful and out. The active and out designations are self-explanatory. The probable designation signifies a player has a greater than 50 percent chance of being active for the game. Questionable means the player essentially has a 50-50 chance of playing. Doubtful means the player has less than a 25 percent chance of playing.

Quarterbacks

Nick Foles suffered a fractured clavicle during Sunday’s game. He will not have surgery to fixate the fracture, so he will be out for six-to-eight weeks. Regarding Foles’ fantasy value, he has none. Mark Sanchez will be the Eagles starting quarterback for the foreseeable future.

Phillip Rivers injured his right hand during Sunday’s blowout game against Miami.  He was pulled from the game in the third quarter due to the out-of-hand score—not because of the injury. The Chargers are on bye this week, and they will return in Week 11 to play Oakland. At this time, Rivers’ hand injury appears to be mild, and his availability for Week 11 is in no way at risk.

Aaron Rodgers suffered a Grade 1 or low-end Grade 2 left hamstring strain in Week 8, then the Packers were on bye in Week 9. Saturday Update: Rodgers was a full participant in all of the Packers’ practices this week. He is expected to play on Sunday. He is a top-two fantasy quarterback for Week 10.

Tony Romo suffered two transverse process fractures in Week 8, and the Cowboys medical staff inactivated him in Week 9.  As noted in previous injury reports, a fractured transverse process commonly causes intense pain and the occurrence of muscle spasms—likely the reason he missed last Sunday’s game. Fortunately for Romo, his fractures cannot cause nerve damage, and they do not compromise the structural integrity of his spine. Once his pain and muscle spasms are adequately controlled, he can return to play.  Saturday Update: Romo was a full participant in Friday’s practice. He is listed as probable for Sunday’s game against the Jaguars. His fantasy owners should start him with confidence this weekend.

 

Running Backs

Montee Ball has been out since Week 5 due to a Grade 2 groin strain. He is expected to miss a total of four-to-six weeks. Considering his lack of production this season, and the emergence of Ronnie Hillman, Ball will likely not regain the starting job when he returns to the lineup. Saturday Update: He has been a limited participant in practices throughout the week. He is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game.

Giovani Bernard was inactive in Week 9 due to a hip injury he suffered in Week 8—likely a hip pointer. A hip pointer is a contusion to the brim of the pelvis, the iliac crest, and symptoms can include: localized muscle spasms, intense pain, decreased strength and reduced range of motion. Saturday Update: Bernard was inactive in Thursday’s lopsided game.

Reggie Bush has been inactive since Week 7 due to an ankle sprain. After resting through the bye week, he was able to fully participate in Monday’s practice. Saturday Update: Bush was a full participant in practices throughout the week. He is expected to play in Sunday’s game against the Dolphins.

Arian Foster suffered a non-contact groin strain during Sunday’s game. As discussed extensively during the offseason, Foster’s injury history has made him more vulnerable to having lower extremity soft tissue issues. Additionally, his injury history suggests he will need more than a week to return from this strain—likely two-to-four weeks. Because it’s unclear whether he is suffering from a Grade 1 or Grade 2 strain, an accurate prognosis for his return cannot be made. Nevertheless, it’s worth noting that his mechanism of injury is more consistent with a Grade 2 strain.

The Texans are on bye this week, so further information regarding Foster’s health will be unavailable until next week. As for now, his fantasy owners are advised to make the necessary moves to roster another playable running back for Week 11, just as a backup plan.

Mark Ingram suffered an unspecified shoulder injury during Week 9. Despite the injury, Ingram was able to finish the game against the Panthers.  Saturday Update: Ingram was a limited participant in practices throughout the week, and he is listed as questionable for Week 10. Nevertheless, he is expected to play on Sunday, and he is expected to lead the Saints backfield.

Fred Jackson suffered a Grade 2 groin strain during Week 7. Specifically, a small portion of the adductor longus muscle, a groin muscle, was pulled from its insertion site on the bone, per Mike Rodak of ESPN. Running backs typically have a difficult time recovering from this injury. Sprinting and lateral cutting, the primary movements of a NFL running back, can exacerbate the injury if the athlete’s hip adductor muscles are not adequately healed. Saturday Update: Jackson was a limited participant in practices throughout the week, and he is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game.

Rashad Jennings has been inactive since suffering a sprained MCL (knee) in Week 5. He has recently expressed hope that he will make his return in Sunday’s matchup against the Seahawks. Nonetheless, until he fully participates in practice, his words do not hold much weight. Saturday Update: Jennings was a limited participant in Thursday and Friday’s practices, but is listed as doubtful for Sunday’s game against the defending Super Bowl champions, the Seahawks.

Doug Martin was inactive in Week 9 due to an ankle injury he suffered in Week 8. His original mechanism of injury was more consistent with a high ankle sprain than a low ankle sprain, and there were reports that he had significant swelling following the injury. All are indications that this injury is more severe than what was initially reported. Saturday Update: Martin was a non-participant in practices throughout the week, and he is listed as doubtful for Sunday’s game. Nevertheless, coach Lovie Smith is still calling him a game-time decision.

Ryan Mathews sprained his MCL (knee) in Week 2, and he has since been inactive. Last Friday, he was a limited participant in practice—which is a big step for his recovery. But as expected, the Chargers elected to rest him through their bye, this week. Mathews will likely make his return in Week 11.

Lamar Miller suffered an AC joint sprain during Sunday’s game. The two most significant determinants of how long he will miss are the grade of his sprain and his arm range of motion—as the AC joint sprain can restrict overhead reaching range of motion. He was a limited participant in Tuesday’s practice. Saturday Update: Miller was a limited participant in practices throughout the week, and he is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game. He is a game-time decision. If he does play, a significant blow to that shoulder could exacerbate his symptoms.

Khiry Robinson has a forearm injury. Specifics about the injury are unknown. He has been inactive for the past two weeks. Saturday Update:  Robinson has been declared out for Sunday’s game.

C.J. Spiller suffered a clavicle fracture during Week 7. The Bills placed him on their injured reserve list with a designation to return. He will be eligible to return on December 21 against the Raiders.

Pierre Thomas suffered a shoulder injury in Week 7, and he has since been inactive. Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported Thomas’ shoulder injury would keep him sidelined for two to three weeks in total. His exact diagnosis is still unknown. Saturday Update: Thomas has been declared out for Sunday’s game. Mark Ingram is expected to lead the Saints backfield in Week 10.

  

Wide Receivers

Andrew Hawkins suffered a knee/thigh injury during Week 9. If the Browns would have held a practice on Monday, he would have been a non-participant, according to the Browns official website. He was also a non-participant in Tuesday’s actual practice.  Considering the Browns play on Thursday, Hawkins seems to have a slim chance of playing. Saturday Update: Hawkins was inactive for Thursday’s game.

Vincent Jackson is dealing with a knee injury. Saturday Update: Jackson was a full participant in Friday’s practice. He is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game, but his fantasy owners should view him more as being probable to play.

Calvin Johnson is continuing to recover from his high ankle sprain. As expected, the Lions opted to rest him through their bye week.  He was a full participant in Monday’s practice, and he is expected to play in Sunday’s game. Saturday Update: Johnson was a full participant in practices throughout the week. He is expected to play in Sunday’s game against the Dolphins.

Sammy Watkins suffered a groin strain during Wednesday’s practice. He was a non-participant in Thursday and Friday’s practices. Even if Watkins suffered a Grade 1 strain, he is unlikely to play Sunday. Saturday Update: Watkins is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game. However, Watkins’ fantasy owners should consider him to be doubtful to play.

Wes Welker took a big hit to the back last Sunday, and he was forced out for the remainder of that game. There were no significant findings on the imaging of his back. Coach John Fox called him day-to-day on Tuesday. Regardless of his game status, Welker is barely playable in any fantasy formats at this time. Saturday Update: Welker was a full participant in practices throughout this week, and he is expected to play on Sunday.

 

Tight Ends

Martellus Bennett suffered a rib injury during practice this week. Saturday Update: He was a non-participant in Friday’s practice, and he is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game. Because Bennett plays in Sunday’s late game, his fantasy owners are advised to play a safer opinion from the earlier games—if that is possible. Waiting for the game-time decision on Bennett’s game status is risky.

Jordan Cameron suffered a concussion in Week 8, and he was inactive in Week 9. He will need to complete the NFL concussion protocol prior to being cleared to play. Saturday Update: Cameron was inactive for Thursday’s game.

Eric Ebron missed Week 8 and Week 9 due to a hamstring injury. Following the bye week, he was still unable to practice on Monday. Saturday Update: Ebron was a limited participant in Thursday and Friday’s practices. He is listed as doubtful for Sunday’s game.

Kyle Rudolph is still recovering from his sports hernia surgery. He is still expected to return to the Vikings in Week 11.

  

Defensive Linemen

Nick Fairley suffered a sprained MCL and PCL in Week 8. He is expected to miss four to five weeks.

Lamarr Houston suffered an ACL tear in Week 8, and he will be out for the rest of the season.

Chandler Jones could miss the rest of the season due to a hip injury. He is expected to miss at least six weeks.

 

Linebackers

Lance Briggs has been inactive since Week 6 due to a rib injury. He practiced fully this week, and he is expected to play on Sunday.

Jadeveon Clowney was inactive in Week 9 due to the flu. The Texans are on bye this week.

Nate Irving is considered week-to-week due to his knee injury. He is listed as doubtful for Sunday’s game.

Rolando McClain left last Sunday’s game early due to a knee injury. He did not practice this week, and he is listed as questionable for this Sunday’s game.

DeMeco Ryans suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon, and he is out for the season.

Patrick Willis has been considered day-to-day with a toe injury for the past couple of weeks, and he was inactive for Week 9. He has not practiced this week, and he is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game.

 

Defensive Backs

Prince Amukamara suffered a torn biceps during last Monday’s game. He is done for the season, and he was placed on IR.

Morgan Burnett was inactive for Week 8 due to a calf injury. He is probable for Sunday’s game.

Kam Chancellor is rehabbing from a groin strain. He was downgraded to doubtful for Sunday’s game against the Giants.

Kyle Fuller suffered a broken hand and hip pointer in Week 7. He played in Week 8, but left the game early due to a hip injury. Fuller was a full participant in practices throughout the week, and he is listed as probable for Sunday’s game.

Janoris Jenkins suffered a knee injury in Week 7. His exact diagnosis is unknown at this time. He has been inactive for the past two weeks.  He is questionable for Sunday’s game.

Troy Polamalu is out for Week 10 due to a knee sprain.

Samuel Shields was inactive in Week 8 due to a knee injury.  He participated in practices throughout the week, and he is probable for Sunday’s game.

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