With preseason games underway and the NFL regular season just around the corner, injuries are popping up all over the place. Today, the NFC North has been hit by a wave of injuries, with both the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions seeing players miss practice due to new injuries.
J.J. McCarthy and Jahmyr Gibbs Dealing With Injuries
For the Vikings, rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy is coming off an impressive NFL debut, where he threw multiple touchdowns. However, he is currently dealing with knee soreness and may not travel with the team for preseason Week 2, which includes a pair of joint practices against the Cleveland Browns. According to head coach Kevin O’Connell, McCarthy did not practice on Monday.
“Out of precaution, we’re going to continue an evaluation on him and get some more testing done,” O’Connell said. “Very important player, obviously, so want to make sure we’re smart about it before he participates. Making sure we have a good understanding of where he’s at.”
He added that he could have continued playing on Saturday when he was pulled from the game. However, according to Judd Zulgad of Vikings Wire, the Vikings might not even be sure of the severity.
“Listening to Kevin O’Connell address it, you get the feeling that even the Vikings aren’t quite sure about the potential severity,” Zulgad said. “Obviously, the fact he might not travel indicates there is real worry.”
MORE: Simulate the NFL Season With PFN’s Playoff Predictor
In Detroit, there are a few key injuries. Most notably, second-year running back Jahmyr Gibbs is being evaluated for a leg injury on Monday night, according to Eric Woodyard of ESPN. Rookie cornerbacks Ennis Rakestraw Jr. (ankle) and Terrion Arnold (upper body) are also under evaluation. All three sustained their injuries during practice, with Gibbs leaving early.
Gibbs previously dealt with a hamstring injury earlier in camp but returned without missing any time.
The Lions head coach Dan Campbell provided an update on Gibbs to 97.1 The Ticket. “I think we’re gonna be fine here. So, I think we’ll be good.”
Gibbs’ Fantasy Impact
With Gibbs a potentially major contributor for many fantasy teams this fall, PFN’s Kyle Soppe gave some analysis on what this could mean:
“Gibbs is a borderline first-round pick on average in PPR leagues right now, and that makes every injury newsworthy. While it doesn’t sound serious, if something like this lingers, it wouldn’t be surprising to see managers in your league avoid any ‘risk’ and look elsewhere.
Pounce.
Despite the narrative of David Montgomery being Detroit’s thunder to Gibbs’ lightning, the red-zone work actually leaned in favor of Gibbs after he worked into his full-time role.
The second-year back could very well end this season as a Tier 1 back, and any dip in his ADP could allow you to build a super team from the jump.
As for Montgomery, his value is about right. He’s a late fifth-round pick, priced behind the bell-cows but ahead of the committee-types. You’re going to need him to score, and any increase in usage obviously helps those odds, but I’d avoid moving him up much on your draft board barring a significant change in tone surrounding this injury.”