Week 16 Fantasy Football Injury Recap
Just like in Week 15, there were some big-time names who went down with an injury in Week 16. As The Fantasy Footballers’ injury analyst and sports physical therapist, the majority of my content will cover injuries in the NFL. All season long, I’ll be recapping the previous week’s injuries and giving a projected timeline for recovery. Let’s look at the biggest injuries from Week 16. If your season is over, congrats on your #FootClanTitle! If you’re playing in Week 17, here are the injuries to monitor.
Dwayne Haskins
Left Ankle Sprain: Out Week 17
Dwayne Haskins was having his best game of his rookie campaign on Sunday but was forced to leave early as his left ankle got caught under a defender while being sacked. The team hasn’t officially announced the injury yet, but this looked to be a high ankle sprain based on the way his foot was externally rotated to the side. The Redskins did announce, however, that x-rays on Haskins’ left ankle were negative. Expect Haskins to miss Week 17 but be ready for his first full offseason as a professional.
Other players impacted: Case Keenum, Terry McLaurin
Kyler Murray
Hamstring Strain: Likely Out Week 17
Part of what makes Kyler Murray special is his rushing upside and his mobility. Unfortunately, this accompanies a greater risk of soft tissue injuries relative to other pocket QBs. Murray originally showed up on the Cardinals’ Week 13 injury report with a hamstring issue and has been battling through it for the past three weeks. He exited early in Week 16 and won’t play in Week 17. Expect a full recovery in time for the Cardinals’ offseason program. Murray finishes his rookie campaign as fantasy’s QB6.
Other players impacted: Kenyan Drake, Christian Kirk, Larry Fitzgerald
Will Fuller
Groin Strain: Out Week 17
Will Fuller entered the week questionable with a hamstring injury, which forced him to miss four games so far this season. As I indicated in August in the Ultimate Draft Kit, Fuller’s playing style, history of previous hamstring issues, and ACL surgery will predispose him to have hamstring injuries in 2019. He exited early on Saturday with a groin injury and won’t play in Week 17. Like the hamstring, groin muscle strains are problematic for wide receivers because of the stress they see during cutting movements. Early reports indicate this is about a three-week recovery, so Fuller may not play until championship weekend if the Texans can make it that far.
Other players impacted: DeAndre Hopkins, DeShaun Watson, Kenny Stills
Chris Carson
Hip Fracture: Out for the year
The Seahawks are playoff-bound, but they won’t have fantasy football’s RB10. Carson suffered a significant hip injury that will keep him out for the rest of the regular season and playoffs. Any hip fracture is concerning, but if this fracture involves any displacement of the fracture or involves the joint surfaces, Chris Carson won’t play in 2020. Entering the season, Seattle was set with two very good running backs. Now, their starting RB situation is murky at best given significant injuries to Carson and Rashaad Penny, who is recovering from ACL surgery.
Other players impacted: Travis Homer, Marshawn Lynch
C.J. Prosise
Fractured Arm: Out for the year
The Seahawks have now lost their top three running backs, as C.J. Prosise also left early Sunday with a broken bone in his arm, ending his 2019 season. Without Chris Carson (hip), Rashaad Penny (ACL), and C.J. Prosise, the team will turn to rookie Travis Homer. Reports also indicate Marshawn Lynch could sign with the Seahawks for their playoff run.
Other players impacted: Travis Homer, Marshawn Lynch
Mark Ingram
Calf Strain: Out Week 17
Mark Ingram has had an impressive season in his first year in Baltimore, but he won’t play in Week 17 after suffering a strained calf on Sunday. He left the stadium in a walking boot, indicating a potentially grade II injury. This is very likely to be a multi-week absence, and the Ravens have already clinched a first-round bye. Ingram won’t play in Week 17 and will have the wild card round to get ready for Baltimore’s divisional-round matchup.
Other players impacted: Gus Edwards, Justice Hill
James Conner
Quad Strain: Out Week 17
James Conner has already missed five games this season and is likely to miss his sixth game in Week 17. He left in the first half on Sunday against the Jets without a clear mechanism of injury, which was then described as a quad injury. If this were a contusion (bruise), Conner would have had a direct hit to his thigh. Because this was a non-contact injury, it is most likely a quadriceps strain. Even though the Steelers have an outside shot at the playoffs, Conner is unlikely to play in Week 17 because of his injury.
Other players impacted: Benny Snell, Jaylen Samuels
Myles Gaskin
High Ankle Sprain: Out Week 17
Gaskin exited Week 16 early and didn’t return with a severe left ankle injury. The severity at this point is unknown, as this type of injury can often be associated with a fracture of the lower leg bones in addition to the ligament injury involved with a high ankle sprain. Gaskin’s 2019 season is over.
Other players impacted: Patrick Laird
D.J. Moore
Concussion: Day to day
D.J. Moore had a breakout season in 2019, but it appears his sophomore campaign is over. Moore exited Week 16 early with a concussion. Owners playing in Week 17 will need to monitor his status throughout the week, but throughout the season, most players coming off a concussion miss at least one week.
Other players impacted: Curtis Samuel, Greg Olsen, Ian Thomas
Allen Hurns
Shoulder Injury (Diagnosis Unknown): Likely out Week 17
Allen Hurns left early in Week 16 with a shoulder injury and should be considered truly questionable for Week 17. As of now, the diagnosis is unknown, but with the Dolphins firmly out of playoff contention, Hurns could sit in the season finale.
Other players impacted: DeVante Parker, Albert Wilson
Corey Davis
Concussion: Day to day
Davis was forced early from the Titans’ loss to the Saints on Sunday with a concussion. Like D.J. Moore, he enters the league’s concussion protocol and will attempt to progress to the point of being cleared before Week 17. Monitor the Titans’ practice reports this week.
Other players impacted: A.J. Brown, Jonnu Smith
Zach Ertz
Fractured Ribs: Day to day
Ertz took a shot to the left side of his ribs on Sunday while going up to make a catch. He was in obvious pain and actually asked to be taken off the field. He left with trainers for the locker room, where he likely got an injection for pain control and was fitted for a flak jacket to protect the injured ribs before returning. No doubt, Ertz is waking up in pain today but the medical staff in Philadelphia will do everything they can to make Ertz as comfortable as possible ahead of their Week 17 game with the Giants. Don’t expect Ertz to do much in practice this week, but he should be able to play on Sunday with a pre-game injection.
Other players impacted: Dallas Goedert, Greg Ward, Miles Sanders
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