Fantasy Football Injury Recap for Week 7
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 6 and take a look at what fantasy managers can expect heading into Week 8 and beyond.
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Odell Beckham Jr.
Torn ACL: Out for the year
Early in the game, Odell Beckham was running back downfield on an INT, planted his foot in the ground, and his left knee buckled. Beckham will undergo surgery soon and be placed on IR as he begins his rehab. As of now, he is expected to make a full recovery and be ready close to Week 1.
Players impacted: Baker Mayfield, Jarvis Landry, Rashard Higgins, Donovan Peoples-Jones
Chris Carson
Midfoot Sprain: Out multiple weeks
Carson exited Sunday Night Football in the first half and didn’t return after being taken to the locker room for further evaluation. An MRI confirmed the foot sprain, which is a Lisfranc sprain that will sideline Carson for multiple weeks. The Seahawks are a team that’s tricky to read at times as they don’t give out tons of details in regards to their players’ injuries. However, even a mild Lisfranc injury would take at least two weeks to heal. Worth noting both Carlos Hyde (hamstring) and Travis Homer (knee bruise) also got banged up on Sunday and should be considered questionable for Week 8.
Players impacted: Carlos Hyde, Travis Homer, DeeJay Dallas
Kenyan Drake
Ankle Sprain: Out multiple weeks
Drake injured his ankle late in the 4th quarter against Seattle and was unable to put much weight on his leg after. He was carted to the locker room and obviously, ruled out shortly after. An MRI on Monday revealed a torn ligament in the ankle, suggesting this is a grade II sprain. The typical recovery for this type of injury is 2-6 weeks.
Players impacted: Chase Edmonds, Eno Benjamin
Diontae Johnson
Ankle Sprain: Day to day
Johnson was fortunate to avoid a serious ankle injury on Sunday. He got his ankle trapped under a defender but he avoided the dreaded high ankle sprain and has a chance to play in Week 8 and be effective. For now, he’s considered day to day, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him miss some practice time this week.
Players impacted: Chase Claypool, Diontae Johnson, Ben Roethlisberger
Jeff Wilson Jr.
High Ankle Sprain: Out 4-6 weeks
Wilson was having a career day, scoring three TDs before exiting with a high ankle sprain. Wilson was placed on injured reserve, and therefore, he’ll miss at least three weeks, but I expect him to be out longer.
Players impacted: Jerick McKinnon, Tevin Coleman, JaMycal Hasty
Deebo Samuel
Hamstring Strain: Out multiple weeks
Deebo exited in the second half with a hamstring strain and didn’t return. To be fair, it’s unclear if Deebo could have returned to the game, but at the time of injury, the 49ers had this game in hand. Regardless, this injury is likely to keep Deebo out at least two weeks. The injury-riddled 49ers take on the Seahawks in Week 8.
Players impacted: Jimmy Garoppolo, Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle
Tim Patrick
Hamstring Strain: Week to week
Patrick has been a bright spot for the Broncos passing game so far this year, but he could miss Week 8 as he picked up a mild hamstring strain on Sunday. The practice reports will be telling for this week, but it’s likely he misses at least one game.
Players impacted: Jerry Jeudy, Noah Fant, KJ Hamler
Phillip Lindsay
Concussion: Week to week
Lindsay was clearly running ahead of Melvin Gordon, but he left early as he was evaluated for a concussion on the sideline and then in the locker room before being ruled out. He’ll enter the league’s concussion protocol, so we’ll see how he progresses this week before Denver’s game against the Chargers.
Players impacted: Melvin Gordon, Royce Freeman
Andy Dalton
Concussion: Week to week
Dalton took a nasty helmet to helmet hit from Washington LB Jon Bostic on Sunday, causing his head to slam off the turf. To no surprise, Dalton exited the game early and is now in the league’s concussion protocol. I suspect that Dalton will be inactive for Sunday against Philadelphia, but we’ll see how he progresses through protocol throughout the week. If Dalton can’t go, Ben DiNucci will get the start.
Players impacted: Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup
Dede Westbrook
Torn ACL: Out for the year
Westbrook tore his ACL on Sunday during a kick return. He planted his left foot in the ground, and in classic fashion, his knee buckled. Westbrook will undergo surgery and be placed on injured reserve.
Players impacted: DJ Chark, Laviska Shenault, Keelan Cole
N’Keal Harry
Concussion: Week to week
Harry exited early with what was described as a head injury. This typically signals a concussion, and like the other players in this article, Harry should be considered week to week as he progresses through the league’s concussion protocol.
Players impacted: Julian Edelman, Damiere Byrd, Cam Newton
Chris Godwin
Broken Finger: Out Week 8
News broke on Tuesday morning at Chris Godwin fractured his left index finger and underwent surgery on Tuesday. He won’t play in Week 8, but he’s got a chance to be back in Week 9. If the fracture is non-displaced and in a stable position, Godwin will likely only miss one game. I expect him to be back in the lineup sooner rather than later.
Players impacted: Mike Evans, Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski