Fantasy managers have not had the joy of putting D’Andre Swift into lineups since he sustained a shoulder injury on Thanksgiving Day. Since then, we’ve gotten conflicting reports on the severity and timeline of Swift’s injury. Heading into Week 15, what do we know, and what are the fantasy football implications of Swift’s status?
D’Andre Swift’s injury status
We know Swift sprained the AC joint in his right shoulder on Thanksgiving. He was quickly ruled out of that game and the following week. Prior to last week, head coach Dan Campbell said he was hopeful Swift would be able to play in Week 14, but that obviously did not happen.
Last week, we heard two different messages on Swift. There were reports the Lions were close to shutting Swift down for the season. This makes a ton of sense given Detroit’s record — there’s no need to risk Swift’s health in meaningless games.
We also saw reports contradicting the idea of Swift being shut down. Campbell said he was hopeful Swift could play in Week 15.
I do not expect Swift to play in Week 15 or again this season. It just doesn’t make any sense. However, fantasy managers need to understand this is merely my prediction — as of this writing, Swift has not been shut down for the year.
How does the D’Andre Swift injury impact the Lions’ backfield?
There are currently a lot of moving parts in the Lions’ backfield. We know Swift is the lead back when healthy. However, in addition to Swift being out, Jamaal Williams is currently on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
Williams tested positive early last week. Typically, vaccinated players are able to test out of the COVID-19 protocol within 7-10 days. Timing-wise, it puts Williams on track to get cleared in time for this week’s game against the Cardinals.
How does Jamaal Williams’ status impact the Lions’ backfield?
If Williams returns this week and Swift remains out, Williams will be the primary runner. He handled 17 carries and played 47% of the snaps in Week 13. Godwin Igwebuike would likely operate as the satellite back. He played 39% of the snaps in Week 14.
If Williams cannot get cleared, I would expect this backfield to look exactly like last week. In last week’s game, Craig Reynolds came out of nowhere to operate as the lead back.
I did not know who Reynolds was until ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted to look out for him Sunday morning. He carried the ball 11 times for 83 yards and would be the primary runner if Williams cannot get cleared by Sunday.
Igwebuike played 44% of the snaps last week but did not see a target. He did handle 8 carries, which he turned into 25 yards. Igwebuike is completely off the fantasy radar.
How should fantasy managers handle the Lions’ backfield?
Fantasy managers should operate as if Swift is not playing again this season. At the bare minimum, we can confidently project him to be out for Week 15. Williams seems likely to return. If he does, he’s worth starting as a volume-based RB3 with the hope he falls into the end zone.
If Williams is out, Reynolds should handle 10-12 carries. The Cardinals allow the eighth-fewest fantasy points to running backs. They struggled against David Montgomery a couple of weeks ago, but Reynolds is not someone I would be excited to start. The Lions should see a significantly negative game script this week, and Reynolds is unlikely to be as efficient on his carries. He’s nothing more than a low-upside RB4.