While D’Andre Swift registered seven touches in the Detroit Lions Week 2 matchup against the Washington Commanders, the RB’s ankle was ailing him throughout the week. With many fantasy football managers having big expectations for Swift this year, an early-season injury can be cause for concern.
Swift made the most of his seven Week 2 touches, churning out 87 yards and a touchdown to help Detroit grab its first win of the season. How has Swift’s ankle held up since then, and what is the latest injury update for the Lions’ star running back?
Is D’Andre Swift playing today?
During the second quarter of the Lions’ 38-35 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 1, Swift rolled and sprained his ankle. Despite the injury, he rattled off 144 yards and a touchdown. The Lions held him out of practice the following Wednesday as a precaution. While he did play in Detroit’s Week 2 win, head coach Dan Campbell and offensive coordinator Ben Johnson lightened his workload.
Swift was held out of practice on Wednesday again ahead of Week 3, and it seems like Detroit’s coaching staff will go that route until the RB is fully healthy. So far, there has been no indication that Swift will miss the Lions’ Week 3 NFC North tilt against the Vikings.
Fantasy impact of Swift’s injury
When looking at both full and half PPR RB rankings, Swift ranks within the top eight, sliding down to RB10 in non-PPR formats. The only other back ranking for the Lions is Jamaal Williams who lands at RB35 in all formats.
Should Swift’s injury force him to miss snaps, expect Williams to climb the fantasy rankings. While he hasn’t received nearly the same number of carries as his backfield counterpart, Williams scored two touchdowns in Week 1 and matched Swift’s rushing yardage total in Week 2. Detroit’s offense is built around Swift, but Williams should have no problems filling his shoes in a one-off start.
One additional significant fantasy impact from Swift’s potential absence would be WR Amon-Ra St. Brown’s projected production. St. Brown is tied for the second-most touchdowns in the NFL through two weeks (3) and has 180 receiving yards. He’s far and away Detriot’s top option out wide and would only command more touches if Swift is out. Currently, St. Brown is a low-end WR1, coming in as WR12 in all formats, but his value could rise even further.