There are guys injured at every position as we near the start of Week 10 in the NFL season. This is the NFL, players unfortunately are going to get injured. One position where injuries are playing a big role in Week 10 is at wide receiver.
The Miami Dolphins and Philadelphia Eagles are both on bye weeks, taking away some of the best fantasy football receivers in Week 10. That is going to force fantasy managers to make some decisions and keep an eye on injuries.
Three receivers whose injury statuses could play big roles in Week 10 are Deebo Samuel, Drake London, and Curtis Samuel.
Latest News and Injury Updates Impacting Fantasy
Deebo Samuel, WR, San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers have lost three games in a row, so their Week 9 bye came at the right time. The timing of that three-game losing streak also correlates with when WR Deebo Samuel was injured. He suffered a hairline fracture in his shoulder in the loss to the Cleveland Browns, which was the first loss of this streak.
He hasn’t played since then, but there is some good news for Samuel moving forward. On Monday, he practiced for the first time since the injury. Since the team is coming off a bye, the practice on Monday is a bonus practice, so that means there won’t be an injury report that comes out following it.
MORE: Yates’ Early Week 10 Fantasy Football WR Rankings
Samuel is an absolute game-changer for the team. In the 49ers’ five wins this year, they are averaging 33.4 points. In the three games he has been out, they have averaged 17 and lost all three games.
Having him back at practice on Monday is a great step in the right direction. In terms of truly knowing his status and whether or not he will play in Week 10, we will find out a lot more in the next 24-48 hours on Samuel.
Editor’s note: Samuel is set to be a full participant at practice on Wednesday according to 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan.
Analysis last updated at 3:55 p.m. EST on Wednesday, November 8.
Drake London, WR, Atlanta Falcons
In the season opener against the Carolina Panthers, Drake London had only one target and zero catches. Since then, he has become much more involved in the Atlanta Falcons’ offense, and he has been solid. He has 37 catches for 438 yards and two touchdowns on the year.
However, he missed the game against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday because of a lingering groin injury. It appears like this will be only a one-week injury, as coach Arthur Smith said on Monday that the team is hoping that London will be active in Week 10 against the Arizona Cardinals.
In London’s absence, the Falcons relied heavily on the tight ends in the passing game. Against an aggressive Minnesota defense, Jonnu Smith had five catches for 100 yards and one touchdown and Kyle Pitts had four catches and 56 yards.
Quarterback Taylor Heinicke threw for 268 yards and one touchdown, and getting London back playing would be big.
Smith’s optimism about London is a promising sign, but until we see the injury report in the next 24-48 hours, it is still too early to be truly expecting London to play.
Editor’s note: The Falcons expect to have London back and available for practice on Wednesday. We will update this as soon as the official practice designation has been released.
Analysis last updated at 12 p.m. EST on Wednesday, November 8.
Curtis Samuel, WR, Washington Commanders
He missed practice all of last week due to a toe injury, and he missed the win against the New England Patriots on Sunday. Quarterback Sam Howell still has plenty of weapons, and he was able to throw for 325 yards and one touchdown even without Curtis Samuel — five players had at least four catches, while seven players had at least 23 yards.
A toe injury could be an issue for a wide receiver, especially the type of receiver Samuel is. He does a lot of his work in the slot and off of cuts, and that can be much more difficult to do with an injured toe.
The fact the Washington Commanders’ offense was so good on Sunday despite Samuel being out also shows there isn’t necessarily a rush to get him back. If he needs to rest another week or two, the team can afford it. The Commanders are still right there in the playoff race, as they are just a game back from the last wild card spot.
Look for Washington to be a little safer with Samuel coming back, and we should know more on Tuesday and Wednesday about Samuel’s status moving forward.
Editor’s note: Samuel was limited at practice on Wednesday as he deals with the toe injury that ruled him out of last week.
Analysis last updated at 3:45 p.m. EST on Wednesday, November 8.
Looking to make a trade in your fantasy league? Having trouble deciding who to start and who to sit? Setting DFS lineups? Check out PFN’s Free Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer, Start/Sit Optimizer, and DFS Lineup Optimizer to help you make the right decision!