While rankings and projections are beneficial, few things are more important in fantasy football than following injury updates. Injuries not only impact the player in question but the teammates and the offenses around them. Here’s an update on some critical injury reports to watch and their fantasy football impact.
Fantasy Football Injury Report: QB update
Let’s go through the injuries currently impacting quarterbacks.
Jimmy Garoppolo & Trey Lance, San Francisco 49ers
Coming off the bye, Jimmy Garoppolo practiced all week while Trey Lance did not and has been ruled out. Garoppolo will start on Sunday.
Fantasy Football Injury Report: RB update
Which running backs are dealing with injuries that may affect their game status?
Saquon Barkley, New York Giants
As expected, Saquon Barkley remains out with a sprained ankle. My post-injury prediction that the Giants hold him out through their Week 10 bye stands. Devontae Booker will continue to start.
Tevin Coleman, New York Jets
The Jets added Tevin Coleman to the injury report Friday with a hamstring issue. By all accounts, it occurred in practice. That’s bad news for Coleman as it renders him unlikely to play Sunday.
10/24 update: Coleman is inactive
Alex Collins, Seattle Seahawks
Alex Collins returned to a limited practice Saturday. Pete Carroll, notorious for being overly optimistic about his players, said Collins will play Monday. Rashaad Penny is also set to return so even if Collins does play, it’s hard to imagine Penny not being involved. Fantasy managers should err on the side of caution and opt to use a Sunday player rather than waiting for Collins Monday night.
Chase Edmonds, Arizona Cardinals
Chase Edmonds has battled a shoulder injury for two weeks now. Fortunately, it looks like he may be getting over it as the Cardinals removed him from the injury report Friday. He’s good to go.
Antonio Gibson, Washington Football Team
After missing a chunk of last week’s game against the Chiefs, Antonio Gibson underwent an MRI on Monday out of fear he aggravated his shin injury. While the Football Team never revealed the results, Gibson went through his usual practice routine this week, and the team listed him as questionable.
After practice, Gibson expressed confidence that he would play and said it’s a matter of pain tolerance. I believe him, but the projected negative game script against the Packers could result in another heavy J.D. McKissic week.
10/24 update: Gibson is active.
Sony Michel, Los Angeles Rams
Sony Michel has been limited at practice with a shoulder ailment. He’s dealt with it for a couple of weeks. Darrell Henderson’s backup will continue to play through it, but he’s not fantasy-relevant as long as Henderson is healthy.
Latavius Murray, Baltimore Ravens
Every time the Ravens try and give up on Ty’Son Williams, something brings him back into the fold. This time, it’s Latavius Murray’s ankle sprain, which will keep him out of this week’s contest, ensuring that Williams is active.
D’Andre Swift, Detroit Lions
New week. Same story. D’Andre Swift was limited at practice all week. He’s listed as questionable. Swift is not actually questionable. He’s fine. I don’t know why Dan Campbell plays this game every week. It’s not funny. Swift will play.
Damien Williams, Chicago Bears
Damien Williams opted out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 concerns. Yet, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Williams is unvaccinated, which was surprising, to say the least. As a result, Williams’ positive test prevented him from practicing all week due to the mandatory 10-day quarantine for unvaccinated players.
Fortunately, Williams has gotten over the virus as the Bears activated him from the reserve/COVID-19 list on Saturday. It’s impossible to know how heavily Chicago will use Williams just one day removed from being on the COVID list. I still expect Khalil Herbert to be the primary ball carrier, but that’s not really worth much against Tampa Bay’s league-best run defense.
WR Injury Update
How are the fantasy-relevant wide receivers dealing with injuries?
Antonio Brown, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Antonio Brown sprained his ankle in the Bucs’ Thursday night win over the Eagles back in Week 6. He’s out this week.
A.J. Brown, Tennessee Titans
After a nearly week-long battle with food poisoning, A.J. Brown returned to practice Friday and is good to go for Week 7.
Tyreek Hill, Kansas City Chiefs
It was the same routine in Week 7 for Tyreek Hill as it was in Week 6. Hill missed practice Wednesday and Thursday before returning to a limited session on Friday. The Chiefs are being extra careful managing his quad contusion. Hill is listed as questionable but will play on Sunday.
T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis Colts
Just one week after returning from IR, T.Y. Hilton is set to go back on the shelf, at least for Week 7. Hilton did not practice all week due to a quad injury, and the Colts have officially ruled him out for Sunday Night Football against the 49ers.
Julio Jones, Tennessee Titans
It looks like Julio Jones’ aggravation of his hamstring strain Monday night was relatively minor, as he practiced Thursday and Friday and should play Sunday. Fantasy managers are unlikely to have a better option, and the matchup is great against the Chiefs. However, Jones is a real risk to exit early if he aggravates the hamstring again.
DeVante Parker, Miami Dolphins
DeVante Parker was limited all week with a hamstring strain that already cost him multiple games. He’s listed as questionable and appears to be a true game-time decision.
10/24 update: Paker is inactive.
Allen Robinson, Chicago Bears
Allen Robinson has been dealing with an ankle issue for two weeks now. Heading into Week 6, he didn’t practice at all until a limited session on Friday. This week, ARob got in limited sessions Thursday and Friday, which is an improvement. He’s listed as questionable, but barring a pre-game setback, he will play.
Curtis Samuel, Washington Football Team
Curtis Samuel remains out with his never-ending groin injury.
The entire New York Giants’ WR corps
Somehow, the Giants’ top-four wide receivers are all injured. We’ve known Kenny Golladay would be out since early in Week 6. It was always expected that his hyperextended knee would cost him at least two weeks.
Kadarius Toney aggravated his ankle injury in last week’s game, and the Giants quickly ruled him out. It’s also no surprise that he’s unable to go this week.
Sterling Shepard returned from his hamstring strain in Week 6 and came out of the game no worse for wear. Unfortunately, he appears to have aggravated the injury at Thursday’s practice. He’s listed as questionable, but if history is any indication, players that receive mid-week downgrades seldom suit up. I would expect Shepard to be inactive this week.
Finally, we have Darius Slayton. He was limited at practice throughout Week 6 and ended up not playing. It was the same story this week, and he’s once again listed as questionable. I would tentatively expect him to play, but we won’t know for sure until inactives are announced Sunday morning.
It’s also worth noting that John Ross is questionable with a hamstring strain of his own. The Giants could be looking at Dante Pettis as their WR1 this week.
10/24 update: Slayton and Ross are active. Shepard is not.
TE Injury Update for Week 7
Are there tight end injuries we need to be concerned about?
Evan Engram, New York Giants
In addition to their four injured wide receivers, Evan Engram is also on the injury report. Engram is questionable with a calf issue. If he plays, he could see his highest target share of the season.
10/24 update: Engram is active.
Rob Gronkowski, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
It appears Bruce Arians’ claim that Rob Gronkowski was “close” to playing Week 6 was untrue as he is nowhere close to returning 10 days later. Gronk did not practice all week and is out this week.
T.J. Hockenson, Detroit Lions
T.J. Hockenson has been playing through a knee injury for some time now. He didn’t practice Wednesday but got in limited sessions Thursday and Friday. The Lions listed him as questionable, but he is going to play.
Darren Waller, Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders added Darren Waller to the injury report on Saturday with an ankle issue. It’s clearly something he picked up in practice on Friday, which is ominous for his chances of playing this week. He’s questionable, and since the Raiders play later in the afternoon, fantasy managers will have to make the call early.
10/24 update: Adam Schefter reported that Waller “doesn’t feel great and Las Vegas is not expected to know until pregame warmups whether he can play today against the Eagles.”
This isn’t good for Waller’s chances of suiting up today. With the Raiders on bye next week, it makes all the sense in the world to hold Waller out and get him to 100% for Week 9. Fantasy managers with a 1:00 PM ET alternative at the ready would be wise to replace Waller in their lineups. We won’t know Waller’s status for sure until around 3:00 PM ET.