Unfortunately, part of playing fantasy football is dealing with constant injuries to your lineup. This article breaks down some key players who were recently injured and what to do with them, as well as the fantasy implications of their impending return (or lack thereof).
Quarterback: Anthony Richardson, right shoulder AC joint sprain
Colt’s quarterback Anthony Richardson has just been officially ruled out for the season by Colts owner Jim Irsay, meaning that he is droppable in all redraft leagues. While backup Gardner Minshew is not a fantasy-relevant quarterback, he throws the ball to his running backs a lot and the Colts will be forced to run the ball more, increasing the value of Jonathan Taylor. This drops Michael Pittman’s rest-of-season value a bit, but nothing to be too concerned about.
Quarterback: Kyler Murray, ACL tear
Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray has been designated to return from IR, meaning he will be returning in the next three weeks. While you can temper your expectations with Murray a bit as he is in a bad offense and coming back from a major injury, he is an elite fantasy option when healthy and has the potential to be a top 8 QB for the rest of the season. The return of Murray increases the value of all Cardinals players, especially Marquise Brown. Brown was on pace for a career season in 6 games with Murray last year before a foot injury kept him out for 8 weeks, which should increase your confidence in Brown’s fantasy prospects.
Running back: Kyren Williams: ankle sprain, projected return timetable: Week 10
Rams running back Kyren Williams has been a pleasant surprise for fantasy managers who picked him up on waivers, but unfortunately, his breakout campaign has been halted due to an ankle sprain. While the injury will not end his season, he will miss a decent amount of time. The Rams backfield could be a mess in his absence, with rookie Zach Evans and the signings of veterans Darrell Henderson and Royce Freeman. While Evans is currently slated to be the lead back, do not be surprised if Henderson takes over that role due to his familiarity in Coach Sean McVay’s scheme and his receiving and pass-blocking ability. Evans is worth picking up, and in deeper leagues, Henderson could be a good stash for those looking for an upside play.
Running back: De’Von Achane, MCL sprain, projected return week 11
Dolphins running back De’Von Achane, the NFL’s all-time leader in yards per carry, was having an outstanding rookie season until this untimely injury. He is still a top-10 option at running back when he returns, as even though he might not have the volume, his efficiency is historically unmatched. In the meantime, for managers lucky enough to have picked up Raheem Mostert, keep riding the hot hand. Mostert is an RB1 until the return of Achane, even with Jeff Wilson potentially being back in the lineup.
Running back: David Montgomery
Lions running back David Montgomery could miss multiple weeks with a rib injury and could even be placed on IR. Jahmyr Gibbs will be the de facto lead back if he is healthy and will be a must-start, but he has missed the last two weeks. If Gibbs can’t play next week, Craig Reynolds is a sneaky start, as he inherits the ‘Montgomery role’ and is likely to be in a position to score a touchdown in Detroit’s high-powered offense.
Running back Christian McCaffrey and wide receiver Deebo Samuel:
Both of these star 49ers players suffered injuries that forced them out of the team’s week 6 loss to the Browns, but neither injury is considered serious; both have a chance to play in the Niners Week 7 matchup vs. the Vikings. If McCaffrey can’t go, pick up Jordan Mason, as he will take over lead back duties in a plus-matchup against a horrible run defense. If Samuel is out, Brandon Aiyuk’s value is a little higher but otherwise no other 49ers players become fantasy-relevant.
Wide receiver: Justin Jefferson: hamstring strain, about 4-6 weeks
Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson is the best receiver in fantasy when healthy, but unfortunately, he went down with a hamstring strain during week 5. He is expected to return in 4-6 weeks. However, his timetable for return will most likely be closer to six weeks because the Vikings will most likely have nothing to play for, since they are currently 2-4. He is worth stashing on benches in redraft leagues, especially if you are in a prime position to make the fantasy playoffs. If you are sitting at 4-2 or better, try to trade for him, especially if the manager who has him is 2-4 or worse. In his absence, the Vikings’ offense as a whole will be worse, but TJ Hockenson gets a slight boost, as well as Jordan Addison. Addison is a weekly flex play depending on the matchup, but nothing more. KJ Osborn could also be a sneaky pickup, but like Addison, he will be nothing more than a shaky flex play.
Quick notes:
Josh Allen is expected to play in week 7 even with his shoulder injury. Expect no performance dip for the elite signal caller
Deshaun Watson: Still having trouble throwing without pain due to an AC joint sprain in his throwing shoulder. Don’t expect too much even when he returns. Assign a slight dip in value to all Browns offensive players.
Justin Fields: Dealing with a tricky thumb injury; can be debilitating for quarterbacks. Expect a return in 2 weeks, with a small performance drop (think Russell Wilson in 2021).
