This article will be updated as practice reports roll in throughout the weekend. For the most up to date injury data between updates, bookmark this link and check it periodically.
What This Is:
*A no-nonsense quick-hitting analysis of fantasy-relevant player injuries that could impact performance on game day.
*A preview of the current week’s fantasy-relevant players with an injury through Thursday night.
What This Is Not:
*A comprehensive analysis of players who are on bye or currently on the I.R.
*A look ahead to injuries impacting fantasy football beyond Week 9.
For any questions related to this article such as “should I drop [player A] for [player B]?” please refer to the staff’s weekly projections. This is not the final version and will be continually updated through Sunday morning, so definitely bookmark this article.
General Guidelines:
The following general rules apply for big shake-ups on the weekend:
*Players who are downgraded from full or even partial practice to “Did Not Practice” on Friday or Saturday, for any medical reason, are a long shot to play. Typically you’ll see teams say these players are a “game time decision” which is code for “they ain’t playing”.
*Players who have a concussion have up until Saturday night/Sunday morning to clear the protocol.
*If no “final update” is available, the player has either been officially ruled out or no news is good news.
The following players have already been ruled out as of Friday evening so get them out of your lineup!
Curtis Samuel
Deshaun Watson
Odell Beckham Jr
Will Fuller
Marcus Mariota
Josh Jacobs
The following notable players practiced in full on Friday and are on track to play without limitations.
Ben Roethlisberger
Bryan Edwards
Clyde Edwards-Helaire
Darnell Mooney
DeVante Parker
Emmanuel Sanders
Eric Ebron
Isaiah McKenzie
Jack Doyle
Jimmy Graham
Joe Burrow
JuJu Smith-Schuster
Marquise Goodwin
Miles Sanders
Noah Fant
Tyreek Hill
Zach Ertz
RUNNING BACKS
D’Andre Swift - Groin
Swift was limited yet again because of this chronic groin issue. This is unlikely to be a big deal as Duce Staley suggests. This isn’t a major issue but moving forward, this load management can indeed bleed into games. Luckily, Swift is incredibly efficient. There isn’t anything actionable here as Swift can be a league-winner. Hold onto him until further notice.
Jamaal Williams - Chest
This chest injury is likely a contusion. There’s really no telling how much Williams will be impacted by this injury which is mainly a pain-tolerance issue. As of now, there’s no reason to believe he’ll be inactive.
Wide Receivers
Michael Pittman - Ankle
Pittman popped up on the injury report with an ankle injury on Friday leading to a limited practice. Heading into a matchup with the Rams, it’s enough to pivot to another option, especially in DFS.
Parris Campbell - Abdomen
Campbell is listed with “abdomen” which could mean oblique and/or groin as several muscles attach there. This sounds like a soft tissue injury and considering it’s a new addition on Friday that caused a limited practice, there’s no real good reason to trust him at this point.
Jamison Crowder - Groin
Crowder has a significant history of soft tissue injuries and was limited in practice all week. Given that he’s yet to step foot on the field for the Jets this year, it’s fair to wonder how much juice he has left. Coupled with the chance for recurrence, there are better options than Crowder this week as we collectively wait for the Elijah Moore breakout.
Tight Ends
Jonnu Smith - Hip
The designation of “hip” is as broad as it gets which is par for the course when it comes to New England. There isn’t much more context about this injury and given he saw five targets in Week One, Smith remains a TE1 option with minimal volatility,
Zach Ertz - Hamstring
Ertz is expected to play this week but is still listed here because of his extensive history with hamstring strains. If the 30 year old suffers another injury, it could be Dallas Goedert szn. Goedert is a handy stash.
TENTATIVE PROJECTED RETURN DATES:
Rashad Bateman - Week Five
Michael Gallup - Week Five
Michael Thomas - Week Seven
Curtis Samuel - Unknown
{{Ryan Fitzpatrick|QB|WAS - Week Ten
Jerry Jeudy - Week Five
