Week 14 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 14 and take a look at what fantasy managers can expect heading into Week 15.
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 and Ultimate 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 Daniel Jones
Torn Achilles: Out for the year
Jones’ 2025 season has come to an end, unfortunately. He tore his right Achilles tendon on Sunday against Jacksonville and is now out for the year after undergoing surgery. The injury comes at a very difficult time as Jones is not under contract next year. He’ll be a free agent who will be rehabbing all off-season, making it a pretty challenging task to learn a new offense/adapt to a new scheme if he ends up leaving Indy. Either way, Jones has a chance to be ready for the start of next year, but he won’t be anywhere near 100% in the opening month. This is also his right leg, which is problematic for a right handed QB as that right leg is used to drive forward during the throwing motion. That could easily impact is downfield accuracy and power. To make matters worse for Indy, Anthony Richardson remains on IR (orbital bone fracture) and rookie Riley Leonard left last week’s game with a PCL sprain in his knee. The team is working out 44 year old Philip Rivers (Pee River!) and has Brett Rypien Farts on the practice squad.
Players impacted: Jonathan Taylor, Michael Pittman, Alec Pierce, Tyler Warren
QB Tyrod Taylor
Groin Strain: Doubtful for Week 15
Tyrod left in the first quarter Sunday with a groin injury and did not return. He could theoretically play this week as a strict pocket passer, but we should expect minimal to no mobility as a scrambler, which is a big component of Tyrod’s game. If he can’t play, it would in theory be Justin Fields under center, but Fields was inactive this past week due to a knee injury (unclear on diagnosis). As a result, it was rookie Brady Cook who entered in relief of Taylor. Needless to say, the Jets have major QB issues ahead of their Week 15 tilt with the Jags.
Players impacted: Justin Fields/Brady Cook
QB Jayden Daniels
Left Elbow Soreness: Questionable for Week 15
Daniels returned to the lineup this week for his first start since dislocating his left elbow back in Week 9. Unfortunately, after throwing an INT, he was pushed to the ground by a defensive player and landed on that left elbow. Daniels was in obvious pain and was evaluated in the medical tent but did not return. Dan Quinn confirmed that Daniels could have entered the game if it were close, choosing to hold him out as a precaution given the score was already out of hand when the injury occurred. The good news here is that the elbow was not necessarily “re-injured” per se. This is more of a soreness/pain issue rather than a new injury. Still, you’d have to think the Commanders take a long look at this situation and decide whether or not they want to put him back out there given the state of their season. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the team exercise caution with their young QB, so it could certainly be Marcus Mariota this week. If Daniels does play, he’ll continue to wear the brace on his left elbow.
Players impacted: Marcus Mariota, Terry McLaurin, Deebo Samuel
QB Geno Smith
Right Shoulder Injury: Week-to-week
Geno was initially evaluated for a right hand laceration but later left the game a second time because of a right shoulder injury. He landed hard on that right shoulder while being taken to the turf by a Bronco defender, which caused the injury. Fortunately, Pete Carroll said there is no “structural damage” to Geno’s shoulder, but you could see the training staff working on is shoulder and neck on the sideline. He’s likely going to miss practice reps this week, and given the state of the Raiders’ season, it’s possible we see the team give a look to Kenny Pickett.
Players impacted: Kenny Pickett, Brock Bowers
RB DeVon Achane
Rib Injury: Likely to play in Week 15
Achane exited in the first half against the Jets with a rib injury after falling on the football and did not return. X-rays and an MRI showed no rib fractures, so this is a situation where Achane is likely more “hurt than injured.” The team remains optimistic that Achane can play in Week 15, and I am as well. He might play with a flak jacket and/or a pre-game injection if necessary, but I do expect him out there on Monday night. The extra day of rest/treatment should help.
Players impacted: Jaylen Wright, Ollie Gordon
RB Nick Chubb
Rib Injury: Questionable for Week 15
Chubb left Sunday night’s game early with a rib injury and did not return, which resulted in Woody Marks getting a ton of work as the bell cow. I haven’t seen any updates on Chubb’s status as of early Tuesday morning, so we’ll have to monitor the Texans’ injury report ahead of Week 15. For now, consider him Questionable for their game against the Cardinals.
Players impacted: Woody Marks
WR CeeDee Lamb
Concussion Protocol: Questionable for Week 15
Lamb left last Thursday’s game against the Lions with a concussion and did not return. As of Tuesday he remains in the protocol, so we’ll need to track his status throughout the week. Fortunately, the extra few days should help Lamb have a chance to return to action this week, but of course, the progression through protocol is symptom based, not time based. Hopefully, he can at least get in an LP on Wednesday.
Players impacted: Dak Prescott, George Pickens, Jake Ferguson
WR Tee Higgins
Concussion Protocol: Likely out for the year
Higgins missed a game a couple of weeks ago because of a concussion, and on Sunday against Buffalo in his return, his hit his head on the frozen ground multiple times. During the game, he cleared protocol, but on Monday, Zac Taylor told the media that Higgins is now back in the protocol after reporting symptoms following the game. Repeat head injuries in a short amount of time tends to lead to a longer recovery, and these second-insult injuries can have long term ramifications. Cincinnati cannot afford to have Tee pick up a third head injury this season, and with the Bengals now essentially out of playoff contention, I see them taking the long-view with their star WR. I expect him to miss multiple games, and given that it’s already Week 15, it would make sense to put him on IR and keep him out for the remainder of the season.
Players impacted: Ja’Marr Chase, Joe Burrow, Mike Gesicki
TE Zach Ertz
Right Knee ACL+ Injury: Out for the year
It’s been an awesome career for Ertz, but sadly, his 2025 season has come to an end after he suffered a complex right knee injury. A defender hit the front of his knee, causing a hyper-extension injury. It’s already been confirmed that Ertz tore his ACL, but this is one of those injuries where you worry about additional damage, particularly to the PCL. Given the multi-ligament injury, Ertz is not going to be anywhere close to 100% in the first two months of next season. It’s certainly possible that this injury is career threatening just given where he’s at in his NFL journey.
Players impacted: Jayden Daniels/Marcus Mariota, Deebo Samuel, Terry McLaurin
TE David Njoku
Left Knee PCL Sprain: Likely to miss multiple weeks, could land on IR
Njoku injured his knee while catching a TD pass on Sunday against the Titans. He landed hard on the front of his left knee with the knee flexed, which is the classic mechanism of injury for a PCL sprain. Even if this is a mild sprain, Njoku is going to miss multiple games, and given where we are in the calendar, he could land on IR and be done for the season. I do not expect this injury to impact him deep into the off-season or in 2026.
Players impacted: Harold Fannin Jr.