With the first major holiday season now behind us, there are shockingly just six short weeks left of the 2023 NFL regular season. This means that fantasy football playoffs are just around the corner in most season-long formats, commencing in as little as two weeks from now. It is more important than ever that managers maintain healthy, effective teams as we near the final games of the campaign. The good news is that Week 12 was kind on the injury front for the second consecutive week. Let us hope that continues throughout the next month and a half.

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NFL Injury Updates & Fantasy Football Impact

Chris Olave (WR – NO)

Chris Olave was on pace for a monstrously huge fantasy day in Week 12, compiling a 7-114 line on nine targets prior to departing with a head injury. Unfortunately, the second-year star would end up suffering a concussion and missing the second half of the affair with Atlanta.

Fantasy Impact: Olave’s status for Week 13 against Detroit is now surely in question, a tough blow for fantasy managers, as he had been playing great ball over the past few weeks. Even worse for New Orleans, they also lost WR Rashid Shaheed in this game, and it is looking unlikely that he’ll be available next week. If both of these players end up out, the Saints’ receiving corps will look extremely dire, with rookie A.T. Perry, Keith Kirkwood and Lynn Bowden Jr. leading the way. This will more likely end up as a scenario where RB Alvin Kamara sees massive receiving usage out of the backfield, while TEs Taysom Hill and Juwan Johnson become heavily utilized in elevated roles.

Amari Cooper (WR – CLE)

Cleveland suffered a handful of consequential injuries on Sunday, the most notable being to WR Amari Cooper, who went down with a rib injury in the second half against Denver. Cooper had managed just two catches for 16 yards on six targets before exiting the game.

Fantasy Impact: Cooper has reportedly already had X-rays on his ribs come back negative, a plus sign towards his availability for Week 13 against the Rams. Cleveland will need him, particularly given their dire situation at QB. There is a chance it will once again be PJ Walker slinging the rock under center for the Browns next Sunday afternoon.

Demario Douglas (WR – NE)

Patriots’ rookie WR Demario Douglas took a huge clothesline hit on a punt return against the Giants on Sunday and was quickly ruled out with a head injury. It was later determined he suffered a concussion.

Fantasy Impact: Douglas has been operating as the de facto WR1 for New England over the past few weeks, but now his status will be in question for Week 13 against the Chargers. If Douglas does miss the affair, WRs DeVante Parker, Juju Smith-Schuster and Tyquan Thornton will be tasked with more work. None would be enticing fantasy options in the anemic New England offense, regardless of Douglas’s status.

Additional Notes:

• Broncos’ RB Javonte Williams injured his neck against Cleveland in Week 12 but returned after missing a handful of plays. He seemed no worse for the wear but did miss out on some scoring opportunities, as he saw Samaje Perine find paydirt ahead of him.
• Tampa Bay QB Baker Mayfield injured his right ankle during the Buccaneers’ first drive of the game against the Colts on Sunday. He was eventually able to return and close out the game.
• Eagles’ QB Jalen Hurts was clearly bothered against Buffalo by a lingering knee ailment he’s been dealing with for weeks. Nevertheless, he orchestrated an incredible comeback to secure Philadelphia their 10th win of the season. Hurts remains the bonafide QB1 in fantasy football until further notice.