Fantasy Football: Week 7 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 4 and take a look at what fantasy managers can expect heading into Week 7 and beyond.
Don’t forget to 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.
Zach Wilson
Right Knee PCL Sprain: Out 2-4 weeks
Wilson landed on his right knee Sunday while being tackled on a pass attempt, spraining his PCL. The lesser-known PCL (posterior cruciate ligament) works opposite of the well-known ACL, but is still important in stability of the knee for dynamic movements like cutting. However, the degree to which it provides stability is less than that of the ACL, and as a result, this is not a season-ending injury. High-level athletes can perform well without surgery with adequate recovery and rehab. It’s possible Wilson lands on short-term IR, but he should be back within a month.
Players impacted: Corey Davis, Elijah Moore, Jamison Crowder
Miles Sanders
Right Ankle Sprain: Out 1-3 weeks
Sanders turned his ankle on Sunday against the Raiders and was ruled out shortly after. His injury mechanism was similar to that of Saquon Barkley where his ankle rolled inward, which results in a sprain of the ligaments located on the outside of the ankle. However, compared to Saquon’s injury, Sanders’ injury appears to be more of a mild sprain. The Eagles haven’t officially ruled Sanders out for Week 8, but he’s unlikely to play, although his absence won’t be lengthy.
Players impacted: Kenneth Gainwell, Boston Scott
Josh Jacobs
Chest Injury (Diagnosis Uknown): Unlikely to miss time
Josh Jacobs was off to a good start on Sunday against Philadelphia but was ruled out with a chest injury at the start of the second half. Per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Jacobs avoided serious injury. With Las Vegas on bye in Week 8, Jacobs is likely to be back in Week 9 when the Raiders face the Giants.
Players impacted: Kenyan Drake
Jonnu Smith
Right Shoulder AC joint sprain
Smith landed hard on his right shoulder in the Patriots’ Week 7 blowout win over the Jets and didn’t return. Depending on the severity, Smith could miss Week 8, but this injury won’t keep him out long. It’s even possible that he plays through the injury with an injection for pain control, especially if this injury is a Grade I (mild) sprain. Be sure to look for Smith’s name on the Patriots’ injury report this week.
Players impacted: Hunter Henry
Malcolm Brown
Quad Strain: Out at least 3 weeks on IR
Brown exited Week 7 early with a quad injury and didn’t return. He’s now dealing with a strained quadriceps muscle that recently sent him to IR, indicating he’s going to miss a minimum of three weeks. The fact that the Dolphins placed Brown on IR indicates this injury is at least a grade II strain, which typically requires at least 4 weeks of recovery. Myles Gaskin and Salvon Ahmed are currently the only RBs on the Dolphins’ active roster.
Players impacted: Myles Gaskin, Salvon Ahmed
Dyami Brown
Knee Sprain: Week to week
Brown has been battling a knee injury in previous weeks that caused him to miss Week 5. He picked up another knee injury on Sunday against the Packers and had an MRI on Monday that reportedly didn’t show any structural injury. It’s likely Brown is dealing with a mild sprain that will make him week to week moving forward. With Washington on bye in Week 9, it’s likely the WFT lets their rookie sit in Week 8 to give him two weeks off before returning in Week 9.
Players impacted: Terry McLaurin, Curtis Samuel, Adam Humphries, Taylor Heinicke