Week 11 Fantasy Football Injury Recap
As The Fantasy Footballers’ lead injury analyst and sports physical therapist, I’ll be recapping the previous week’s injuries and giving a projected timeline for recovery all season long. Let’s look at the biggest injuries from Week 11 and take a look at what fantasy managers can expect heading into Week 12 and beyond.
If you’re looking for more detailed injury analysis, check out JoinTheFoot.com for additional premium resources, including access to the Injury Blitz Podcast hosted by yours truly. This bonus podcast, available to all #FootClan Premier members, is a short, yet informative injury podcast that drops late in the week in order to provide all the injury updates you need to set your lineup each week.
QB Joe Burrow
Wrist Surgery: Out for the year
The Bengals star QB is out for the year after suffering a right wrist injury last Thursday night against the Ravens. Burrow will require surgery to repair a torn ligament in his wrist. The most likely scenario here is an injury to the Scapholunate ligament or the TFCC, a group of ligaments on the pinky side of the wrist. Surgery for these structures does carry a lengthy recovery, but Burrow’s 2024 season won’t be impacted at all. He’ll be limited early in the off-season but should be cleared to start throwing sometime in late spring and will be a full go for training camp.
#Bengals QB Joe Burrow says he "felt a pop" on his TD pass to Joe Mixon after landing on his wrist the previous play.
Acknowledges wearing a compression sleeve on the wrist while traveling, but he does that from time to time and this is "a completely new injury."
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) November 17, 2023
Players impacted: Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd
QB Geno Smith
Elbow Contusion: Day-to-day
Geno took a direct hit to his right elbow on Sunday against the Rams when he attempted to release a pass. Despite the play looking awkward, Geno avoided any serious structural damage. He exited for about a series but did return to for the final drive with a sleeve on his right arm. Given that this is a pain management issue, there’s a chance Smith can play on Thanksgiving night against San Francisco, depending on how his elbow responds this week. He was listed as a ‘DNP’ on Monday’s estimated practice report.
Players impacted: D.K. Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, Drew Lock
RB Kenneth Walker
Left Oblique Strain: Questionable for Week 12
Walker left the Seattle game early in the first half when he suffered a strained oblique muscle on his left side. On Monday, HC Pete Carroll told reporters that Walker is not a candidate for IR, suggesting this is likely a Grade I injury. These typically take 1-2 weeks to heal, making Walker questionable for the Seahawks’ Thanksgiving game against the 49ers. On a short week, it will be tough for Walker to be 100%, so there’s a chance he sits and returns in Week 13. He was listed as a ‘DNP’ on Monday’s estimated practice report.
Players impacted: Zach Charbonnet, Deejay Dallas
RB Aaron Jones
Left MCL Sprain (Severity Unknown): Out multiple weeks
Jones got his left knee bent at an odd angle with about three minutes left before halftime. He was carted off, in what looked like a potential season-ending injury, but speaking after the game, Jones said that the team believes he “dodged a bullet.” Jones was reportedly getting an MRI on Monday, but as of this writing the results of the MRI are not known. Regardless, Jones will miss the Packers’ Thanksgiving, and depending on severity, this MCL sprain could take up to four weeks to heal. It’s also worth noting that backup RB Emmanuel Wilson dislocated his shoulder, leaving the Packers pretty thin at RB on a short week. As a result, they signed Patrick Taylor from the Patriots’ practice squad and signed FA James Robinson.
Players impacted: A.J. Dillon, Patrick Taylor
RB De’Von Achane
Aggravated Right Knee Injury: Likely Out Week 12
The Dolphins rookie RB spent four weeks on IR with a sprained MCL in his right knee. He made his return this past weekend, and only logged two touches before aggravating that same injury. Fortunately, it sounds like Achane avoided any significant re-injury, but on a short week, it’ll be an uphill battle to play on Friday against the Jets. I do expect him back, however, in Week 13.
Players impacted: Raheem Mostert, Salvon Ahmed, Jeff Wilson Jr.
RB D’Onta Foreman
Aggravated Left Ankle Injury: Questionable for Week 12
Foreman entered this past week’s game against the Lions questionable with an ankle injury that he picked up two weeks ago on Thursday Night Football against the Panthers. He aggravated that injury in the first half and ultimately only ended up playing 24% of the snaps while logging six carries before exiting. The Bears take on Vikings this coming week, but they go on bye in Week 13. Given the repeated injury to the same ankle, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Chicago sit him this week and have him return after the bye in Week 14.
Players impacted: Khalil Herbert, Roschon Johnson
WR Cooper Kupp
Right Lateral Ankle Sprain: Questionable for Week 12
Kupp was blocked when his ankle got stepped on, which caused him to roll his right ankle in a classic inversion sprain mechanism. While this is the same ankle that Kupp injured last season and eventually had tightrope surgery on, this injury is not related and is completely different. That 2022 injury was a high ankle sprain; this injury is your traditional lateral ankle sprain. Kupp attempted to return to the game but never did. Sprains of this severity generally take 1-2 weeks to heal, so there’s an outside chance Kupp is back as early as this week, but ultimately, I do not expect this injury to linger for multiple weeks. On Monday, Sean McVay labeled his star WR as “day to day.”
Players impacted: Matthew Stafford, Puka Nacua
WR Odell Beckham Jr.
Left AC Joint Sprain: Likely to play Week 12
OBJ caught a deep ball on Thursday night against Cincinnati and when he did, he landed on his left shoulder with the defender’s body weight falling on top of him. This mechanism is classic for a sprained AC joint. Beckham did not return, but the game was already in hand. With the ‘mini bye’ OBJ has a chance to play next week against the Chargers, but if he’s less than 100%, it would not be surprising to see the team sit him as they go no bye in Week 13.
Players impacted: Lamar Jackson, Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman
TE Mark Andrews
Left High Ankle Sprain: Out 4+ weeks
Andrews got his left ankle trapped under a defender on Thursday night when the Bengals’ LB used the “hip drop” technique close to the goal line. The injury was consistent with a high ankle sprain, and at the time of injury, there was concern about a potential associated fracture as well given that Andrews struggled to put weight on the leg. However, speaking Monday, John Harbaugh noted that the injury is not as severe as initially feared. While this sounds encouraging and is obviously better than the alternative, it’s unlikely we see Andrews back on the field any time in the next month given the severity of the high ankle sprain. There’s a decent chance his fantasy season is over, but he could return if the Ravens make the post-season. Expect the Ravens to place him on IR and miss 4+ weeks.
"It wasn't as bad as initially feared after the game… We'll know more, we'll have to see how that goes. There is some optimism."
Coach Harbaugh on TE Mark Andrews: pic.twitter.com/ODzvBQ5GfC
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) November 20, 2023
Players impacted: Lamar Jackson, Isaiah Likely, Zay Flowers