If you are a fantasy football manager playing into Week 18, you have additional things to consider when setting your lineups: Will players even be active? Several teams have nothing to play for, and many coaches have already made it known that they will rest certain players.
That, along with the nagging injuries that some running backs have been dealing with, makes this week even tougher to navigate. What is the latest injury news regarding New Orleans Saints RB Alvin Kamara, Kansas City Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco, and Cleveland Browns RB Kareem Hunt?
Latest News and Injury Updates Impacting Fantasy
Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints
Kamara has been the definition of dependable since he took the field for fantasy in Week 4 — until it mattered the most for fantasy managers. In Week 16, Kamara finished as RB44, and he followed that up in Week 17 with an RB42 performance where he only played 33% of the snaps. If Kamara got you to the playoffs, consider yourself lucky if he didn’t get you out of them sooner.
Kamara did not play in the second half of the Week 17 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers due to an ankle injury, and it is up in the air whether he will be able to go in Week 18 against the Atlanta Falcons in a must-win game for New Orleans.
Kamara did not practice on Wednesday, and the severity of the ankle injury is still unclear. If it is a high ankle injury, that could potentially cause him to miss some time. Fantasy managers will garner a lot of information if Kamara logs at least a limited practice this week, but if he is ultimately sidelined, the Saints do have reinforcements.
RB Jamaal Williams would become the RB1 for the Saints if Kamara is out, and he had a decent showing last week. He finished with 19 carries for 58 yards and four receptions for 13 yards. Kamara is RB38 in PFN’s Consensus Rankings this week.
Isiah Pacheco, RB, Kansas City Chiefs
Leading up to Week 17, it was not a guarantee that Pacheco would even take the field for the Chiefs in their game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Pacheco had been battling a shoulder injury as well as a concussion. He was listed as questionable heading into the weekend, but he did suit up and had a fantastic game.
He finished as the RB2 on the week with 130 yards on the ground, 35 receiving yards, and one TD. Still, Pacheco is now dealing with another potential injury. He did not practice on Wednesday, due to a quad contusion. With this development, it is uncertain whether he will play in Week 18, but it seems unlikely.
MORE: PFN’s FREE NFL Playoff Predictor
The Chiefs have locked up the AFC’s third seed and have nothing to play for in the game against the Los Angeles Chargers. Head coach Andy Reid has already come out and said that the team will be resting QB Patrick Mahomes, and one can assume that more players will be announced as the week progresses.
If Pacheco does not play this week, fantasy managers normally would look to RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire to take the reigns, but I believe he will also get some rest in Week 18. It might be RB La’Mical Perine’s chance to shine with backup QB Blaine Gabbert under center.
Kareem Hunt, RB, Cleveland Browns
Fantasy managers have been disappointed with Hunt’s fantasy season, and understandably so. He is currently the RB37, and he has only had one week where he rushed for over 50 yards. In Week 17, he had 10 carries for just 31 yards.
Hunt did not practice on Wednesday due to a groin issue he has been fighting off and on for several weeks. It is uncertain whether he will play this week. It seems unlikely that fantasy managers will have Hunt available, as Cleveland is locked into their playoff spot and Kevin Stefanski announced that he will rest QB Joe Flacco and other starters this week.
Hunt is RB58 in PFN’s Consensus Rankings this week.
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