The running back position experiences considerable wear, both over the course of a career and over the course of a season. In the context of the 2020 campaign, RB injuries are starting to pile up, and this week, they remain a key storyline. Below, our Week 13 RB injury report provides information pertinent to your fantasy football team, including updates on Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs, Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook, and more.
[sv slug=mkftop]Update December 6th: Jonathan Taylor is active for the Indianapolis Colts Week 13 matchup with the Houston Texans.
Week 13 Fantasy RB Injury Report: RB injuries and injury question marks this week
Josh Jacobs suffers another injury in Week 12 blowout loss to Falcons
Update Friday, December 4: Josh Jacobs was ruled out of the Raiders Week 13 matchup with the New York Jets.
Raiders running back Josh Jacobs came into the Raiders’ Week 12 game having recovered from a minor hip issue the week before, but he ended up leaving the contest with another injury. According to Ian Rapoport, Josh Jacobs suffered an ankle injury — more specifically, an ankle sprain.
Rapoport specified that Jacobs’ injury looked worse than it was, leaving open the possibility that Jacobs might suit up next week against the New York Jets. As Rapoport mentioned, Josh Jacobs has not missed a game yet this season.
While he has been somewhat volatile, he has been dependable, and he’s also shown a tendency to fight through injuries if they are minor. If Jacobs can’t go, however, backup Devontae Booker is an enticing second option who’s made the most of his opportunities this year.
Dalvin Cook experiences a scare in Week 12 win against the Panthers
Update Sunday, December 6: Dalvin Cook is active for the Minnesota Vikings Week 13 matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Minnesota Vikings and thousands of fantasy football owners uttered a collective gasp on Sunday when Dalvin Cook went down with an ankle injury shortly before the end of the first half. At first, the injury looked serious, as Dalvin Cook had to be helped off the field and was examined in the dreaded blue tent. After examination, however, Cook remained on the sideline and was seen jogging on the ankle in question.
In the second half, Dalvin Cook put the questions to rest and returned to the game without incident. The Vikings did not list him on their injury report, suggesting that his ankle issue was merely a mid-game tweak. Still, there is a chance that the injury flares up later in the week, so while it may seem like a scare, keep your eyes on this situation.
Will Christian McCaffrey play in Week 14 or remain on the RB injury report?
Christian McCaffrey missed yet another game in Week 12 after being listed as questionable in the lead-up to the weekend. His AC joint issue has lingered longer than most had expected, and as a result, his outlook moving forward remains cloudy. With the Panthers being on a bye this week, could McCaffrey make his return in Week 14?
McCaffrey showed tangible progression last week, returning to practice with a non-contact red jersey, but he was still unable to suit up in the team’s game against the Vikings. He has two weeks to further recuperate ahead of Carolina’s next clash against the Broncos, but onlookers should balance the line between optimism and pessimism. There’s a reason to feel both. When he’s healthy, McCaffrey is the Panthers’ most involved offensive player. But that hasn’t been often this year.
Did Austin Ekeler’s return to the field go as planned?
Chargers running back Austin Ekeler was removed from injured reserve shortly before the Los Angeles Chargers’ Sunday matchup against the Buffalo Bills, having recovered from his hamstring injury, and he ended up going to battle as the team’s lead backfield threat, for the first time since Week 4.
Ekeler took on solid volume, going for 44 yards on 14 carries while also amassing 85 receiving yards on 11 catches, with a whopping 16 targets from Justin Herbert. Ekeler played 72% of the game’s snaps, tied for his highest snap total of the season. He also managed to stay healthy, so he should see just as much, if not more involvement moving forward, which should help his touchdown variance improve.
Fantasy RB Injury Report/Update, Week 13: AFC Players
Giovani Bernard, Cincinnati Bengals (Concussion)
Update Sunday, December 6: Giovani Bernard is active for the Cincinnati Bengals Week 13 matchup with the Miami Dolphins.
On Saturday this past weekend, Giovani Bernard was listed as questionable for the Bengals’ Week 12 contest against the New York Giants. On Sunday morning, however, he was officially ruled active, and he got through the game without suffering another injury. Bernard played 78% of the team’s offensive snaps, and he should be a safe start in the coming weeks.
Phillip Lindsay, Denver Broncos (Knee)
Update Sunday, December 6: Ian Rapoport reported that Lindsay is expected to be active in Week 13.
Phillip Lindsay left the Broncos’ Week 12 loss early. Under any other circumstances, Lindsay might be viewed as lucky, but Linsday left due to a knee injury suffered in the second half. Vic Fangio did not offer any official updates on Lindsay’s status, opting to wait for further testing, but some reports have suggested that Lindsay could be out for 1-3 weeks.
Salvon Ahmed, Miami Dolphins (Shoulder)
Update Sunday, December 6: Salvon Ahmed is inactive for the Miami Dolphins Week 13 matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals.
After being questionable for most of the week, Salvon Ahmed was ruled out with a shoulder injury for the Dolphins’ Week 12 game against the New York Jets. Ahmed does have a chance to return this week, and while DeAndre Washington received an uptick in opportunities with Ahmed gone, Ahmed has been a more efficient threat to this point.
Fantasy RB Injury Report/Update, Week 13: NFC Players
D’Andre Swift, Detroit Lions (Concussion)
Update Sunday, December 6: D’Andre Swift is inactive for the Detroit Lions Week 13 matchup with the Chicago Bears.
In a short week, D’Andre Swift was forced to miss a second consecutive game with a concussion, after having been sidelined for Detroit’s shoutout loss against the Panthers. He remains in concussion protocol, but there’s a chance he’ll be cleared this week, ahead of Detroit’s next game against the Chicago Bears, whose defense recently allowed almost 200 rushing yards to the Packers’ offense.
Raheem Mostert, San Francisco 49ers (Ankle)
49ers running back Raheem Mostert was activated shortly before the team’s Week 12 battle with the Los Angeles Rams, and he ended up shouldering most of the workload, logging 16 carries and finding the end zone once. The 49ers haven’t had much injury luck this year, but Mostert being back is big for Kyle Shanahan’s offense, and he should continue to get plenty of looks down the stretch.
Todd Gurley, Atlanta Falcons (Knee)
Update Sunday, December 6: Todd Gurley is active for the Atlanta Falcons Week 13 matchup with the New Orleans Saints.
Todd Gurley missed Atlanta’s Week 12 game with a knee injury, but the Falcons got by well enough without him, winning 43-6 while enjoying 120 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries from the two-headed tandem of Brian Hill and Ito Smith.
Gurley doesn’t have a good history when it comes to knee injuries, but he’s likely week-to-week at this point. Given the success of the running game in his absence, however, Raheem Morris might not feel a need to rush Gurley back and may play it safe if Gurley isn’t one-hundred percent by next weekend.
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