Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.
At this point in the season, the question isn’t whether or not your fantasy team has been impacted by injuries, the question is whether or not it’s been completely decimated. Injuries separate the metaphorical adolescents from the adults in the fantasy world. The most successful fantasy managers prepare for injuries as best they can with handcuffs. They also deliver waiver wire prowess throughout the season.
Here’s a list of new injuries as well as an update on an existing one after Week 15’s Sunday slate.
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Mike Evans (WR – TB)
The fantasy WR9 through 14 weeks and touchdown machine went down with a hamstring injury Monday night. After more tests and evaluations were run today, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that the injury isn’t minor. Considering the Bucs just activated Antonio Brown following his vaccine card fiasco, fantasy managers have to be prepared for Evans to miss at least another week.
Chris Godwin (WR – TB)
This was another brutal loss for the Buccaneers and fantasy managers everywhere as the fantasy WR6 went down after a cringe-worthy hit to his legs. With Godwin, Rapoport is reporting the initial diagnosis is an MCL sprain and Godwin will miss the remainder of the regular season. If he goes to IR, feel free to drop him and make room for other players.
Leonard Fournette (RB – TB)
Tampa Bay was straight up not having a good time, bro. Fournette pulled his hamstring, according to Rapoport and his timeline is currently unknown. With Giovani Bernard also sidelined, Ronald Jones is a priority waiver wire addition.
Joe Mixon (RB – CIN)
Topping off an unusually disappointing week from Mixon, he sustained an ankle injury that knocked him out of the game according to Marisa Contipelli of the Bengals’ team site. No further information has been released, but Samaje Perine and rookie Chris Evans will likely compete for touches in Mixon’s absence. I’d give the nod to Perine, as he took the bulk of week three snaps when Mixon was banged up, but neither Cincinnati backup is particularly enticing.
Julio Jones (WR- TEN)
You’d think after an IR stint and plenty of rest, plus no AJ Brown or Derrick Henry, Julio Jones would have been in line for a significant role upon his return to the field, right? Wrong. Last week he played 45% of offensive snaps, yesterday 34% and he re-aggravated his hamstring. Feel free to drop Julio Jones in most formats.
Pat Freiermuth (TE – PIT)
The Steelers’ rookie tight end was ruled out during Sunday’s game with a concussion. Time missed due to a concussion is extremely difficult to prognosticate. CeeDee Lamb returned two days after entering the protocol, while Tyrell Williams was waived with an injury settlement and hasn’t stepped on the field since sustaining one earlier this season. Have another TE ready to roll this week in case Freiermuth can’t go.
Teddy Bridgewater (QB – DEN)
Bridgewater was carted off the field Sunday and according to the Broncos twitter account, he spent the night at the hospital but “everything has checked out well.” In Bridgewater’s absence, Drew Lock threw four passes to Tim Patrick, three to Noah Fant, Courtland Sutton, and Jerry Jeudy, and two to Albert Okwuegbunam. He completed six of his passes for 88 yards and a touchdown to Patrick. I don’t have confidence in starting any Broncos pass catcher right now aside from Fant, given positional scarcity. I still wouldn’t drop Jeudy or Sutton, both are talented and if either can strike a rapport with Lock, they could become solid flex plays.
Rondale Moore (WR – ARI)
Moore played just 27% of offensive snaps Sunday as he sustained an ankle injury Sunday. Moore was a speculative add with DeAndre Hopkins expected to miss the rest of the season, but in 10-12 team leagues you don’t likely have the patience or roster spots to wait around for Moore to both get healthy and become a favorite target with three weeks left in the season. Use his roster spot to pick up a defense a week in advance.
Sterling Shepard (WR – NYG)
Shepard is out for the season after tearing his Achilles on Sunday. If Mike Glennon can return, Kenny Golladay could become a flex play given the injuries to Shepard and Kadarius Toney, but I wouldn’t advise rostering any Giants pass catchers if Jake Fromm is the quarterback going forward.
Injury Updates
Lamar Jackson (QB – BAL)
While Jackson’s questionable tag through Sunday is promising for the prospects of his return, Tyler Huntley‘s ascension certainly is not. Huntley and the Ravens lost by just a point to arguably the best team in the NFL right now, the Green Bay Packers. There’s not much to analyze here: If Jackson is healthy, you’re starting him. If not, roll out your second-best option.
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TJ Horgan is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from TJ, check out his archive and follow him @tjhorgantv.
