Week 9 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 9 and take a look at what fantasy managers can expect heading into Week 10 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 Daniel Jones
Torn ACL: Out for the year
Jones suffered a non-contact right knee injury while trying to escape the pocket and elude the Raiders’ pass rush on Sunday. He left with trainers then returned for one play, but when he dropped back to pass, his right knee buckled as it was clear he was dealing with instability in his right knee. Jones tore the ACL in his knee and is now out for the year as he’ll have ACL Reconstruction surgery in the coming weeks. Depending on how quickly the medical team decides to move forward with surgery, it’s possible Jones gets off to a slower start from a rushing standpoint next season. Look for him to be limited throughout the off-season.
Players impacted: Tommy DeVito, Saquon Barkley, Jalin Hyatt, Darius Slayton, Wan’Dale Robinson
RB Cam Akers
Torn Achilles: Out for the year
Last week it was Kirk Cousins who tore his Achilles; this week it was RB Cam Akers, who tore the Achilles in his left leg. Obviously, Akers’ 2023 season is over as he’s set to undergo surgery in the coming days. The former Ram tore his Achilles in his right leg back in July of 2021. As we know, this recovery takes at least a year before players are back to full speed as far as their explosiveness and agility. Given the timeline of this injury and the fact that Akers a free agent entering the 2024 off-season, he’s unlikely to be fantasy relevant next year. Still just 24 years old, Akers at least has youth on his side, which is a positive indicator of success following the injury. If Akers can find his way onto a roster in 2025, he has a chance to bounce back, but the odds are stacked against him.
Players impacted: Alexander Mattison, Ty Chandler
WR Ja’Marr Chase
Back Injury: Questionable for Week 10
Joe Burrow threw up a deep ball to Chase on Sunday night against Buffalo and when Chase went up to get it, he came down on his back, landing hard on the turf. He got up slowly but did stay in the game. However, on Monday, Chase spoke with reporters and had this to say: “I’m just going to support my teammates, man. Let those guys do what they got to do. Only thing I can do is get healthy for the team.” Chase also noted that his back got more sore and painful as the game went on. For now, consider Chase questionable for Sunday against the Texans. He’ll miss practice time this week.
Players impacted: Joe Burrow, Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd
Ja’Marr Chase didn’t say what play he hurt his back on specifically but this play surely didn’t help his back feel any better if he did in fact hurt it earlier in the game pic.twitter.com/9qQXAluMfH
— Kelsey Conway (@KelseyLConway) November 6, 2023
WR K.J. Osborn
Concussion: Week-to-week
Osborn took a brutal hit to the helmet when he was trying to make a catch between two Falcon defenders on Sunday. He appeared to briefly lose consciousness as the training staff was getting set to load him on a spine board, but fortunately, he was able to get up and onto the cart before being taken off the field. Osborn now enters the NFL’s concussion protocol and should be considered week-to-week.
Players impacted: Joshua Dobbs, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson
WR Josh Downs
Knee Injury (Specifics Unknown): Questionable for Week 10
Downs was added to the Colts’ injury report this week on Thursday with a knee injury, getting in limited sessions on Thursday and Friday before being labeled questionable for Week 9’s game against the Panthers. Downs ultimately went through a pre-game warm up and was deemed good to go, but he aggravated the injury after just one catch for 10 yards. Following the game, HC Shane Steichen confirmed to reporters that the injury that caused Downs to leave was the same one that plagued him earlier in the week. The Colts get the Patriots next week, and they have a bye in Week 11, so it’s certainly possible the Colts use that week to get him extra rest. For now, I’d consider Downs on the wrong side of questionable for next week.
Players impacted: Michael Pittman Jr., Alec Pierce, Gardner Minshew
WR Treylon Burks
Concussion: Week-to-week
It was a scary scene in Pittsburgh on Thursday night when Burks hit the back of his helmet on the ground while attempting to make a catch along the sideline. Immediately after the play, Burks showed on-field neurologic signs of a concussion and even lost consciousness for a period of time. The Titans WR left on a spine board but did give the thumbs up as he left the field, and he even was able to walk out of the stadium and travel home with the team. He did not require hospitalization, which is great news. Burks is now considered week-to-week moving forward and should be considered questionable at best for Sunday’s game against the Bucs.
Players impacted: Will Levis, DeAndre Hopkins, Chig Okonkwo
WR Christian Watson
Chest/Back Injury: Likely to play Week 10
Watson got banged up when trying to high point a deep ball from Jordan Love on Sunday, landing hard on his back. During the play, he also hit his head on the ground but was able to clear concussion protocol. Likely more “hurt than injured”, Watson is not expected to miss much time, if at all. He’s got a chance to play next week against the Steelers.
Players impacted: Jordan Love, Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, Luke Musgrave
WR Joshua Palmer
Knee Injury: Placed on IR
Palmer entered Week 8 questionable with a knee injury but aggravated that injury against the Bears on Sunday Night Football. On Saturday this past weekend, the team announced that they had placed him on IR, meaning he’ll be out for at least the next four games. The details of the injury aren’t known at this time. Mike Williams is already on IR due to a torn ACL, so the Chargers will be thin at their WR core for the remainder of the season. Fortunately, they activated speedster Jalen Guyton off the PUP list ahead of this past Monday night, but he’ll need time to ramp up. He had missed the first eight weeks recovering from a 2022 ACL tear.
Players impacted: Justin Herbert, Quentin Johnston, Gerald Everett
TE Dallas Goedert
Fractured Forearm: Out 4-6 weeks
Goedert was injured in the third quarter of Sunday’s win over the Cowboys when he took a short pass from Jalen Hurts and ran up the sideline for a big gain. The Dallas safety grabbed Goedert by the right arm to make the tackle and his weight appeared to land on that arm as they fell to the ground. X-rays confirmed that Goedert suffered a fracture in his right forearm.
Players impacted: Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith
Dallas Goedert is set to miss time with a fractured forearm. He missed Wks 11-15 last year.
In that sample, DeVonta Smith:
* 8.4 targets/game (27% target share)
* 84 rec yards/game
* 13.3 Half PPR points/game
* WR17 in PPG— Matthew Betz (@TheFantasyPT) November 6, 2023
TE Darren Waller
Hamstring Strain: Placed on IR
Waller was in the weekly recap article last week after he injured his hamstring in Week 8, but we got more clarity on the situation this week when the Giants decided to place him on IR ahead of Sunday’s game against the Raiders. Waller is now set to miss at least four weeks as he spends the next month rehabbing his injury. It’s possible he misses longer than that time frame, however, given two factors: 1) This injury has been bothering Waller since training camp and 2) The Giants have to consider their team outlook for 2024 given their current record and QB situation.