The Training Room: Week 11 Injury Updates
Thanksgiving is truly a special time of the year and is easily my favorite holiday. You can get time with family/friends, eat a ton of good food and watch football. You're likely here for fantasy football content, but some things are more important than this silly game. Hopefully, you have a lot to be thankful for this year - enjoy the holiday...and football, of course.
Justin Fields, QB Chicago Bears
Injury: AC joint sprain
Projected Timetable: 2-8 weeks
Potential Replacement(s): Trevor Siemian
Initial Thoughts:
The good news is that Justin Fields did not dislocate his shoulder —this type of injury could probably end his season. The bad news is Fields still might return this season. Justin Fields is dealing with an AC joint sprain, and there are rumblings that it could be a Grade-III sprain. For Grade-II sprains, the timeline is 2-4 weeks, but for Grade-III the timeline nearly doubles.
Why the huge timeline difference? Besides being very painful, Grade-III sprains can result in more serious medical conditions/injuries. We will have to wait and see what news comes out of Chicago but for the time being, there is still hope Fields can finish the 2022 season.
Kyle Pitts, TE Atlanta Falcons
Injury: MCL sprain
Projected Timetable: 4 weeks to potentially season-ending
Potential Replacement(s): MyCole Pruitt
Initial Thoughts:
After what has been a rather disappointing season for anyone who drafted Kyle Pitts, the Falcon TE has been placed on IR after his knee injury on Sunday. Pitts has been diagnosed with an MCL sprain, and the initial reports indicate that Pitts and the team are contemplating surgery - although MCL sprains without any additional ligament damage rarely need surgery.
Unusual to need surgery for isolated MCL tear. Hope no additional damage. https://t.co/2yBiyUcGpR
— David J. Chao - ProFootballDoc (@ProFootballDoc) November 21, 2022
If Pitts was to have surgery, he could return to ~ eight weeks, but by that point, the season would be over. The average return to play time for MCL sprains is roughly four weeks. The door is still open for a return, but it is not promising. At this point, if you need roster space, you have permission to drop Pitts.
Wan'Dale Robinson, WR New York Giants
Injury: ACL tear
Projected Timetable: season-ending
Potential Replacement(s): Darrius Slayton, Richie James
Initial Thoughts:
Unfortunately, after his most promising performance of the season, Wan'Dale Robinson's season is over. There is not much to add for redraft leagues.
If you are in dynasty leagues and roster the former Kentucky Wildcat, there is reason to be optimistic for 2023. The average return to play timeline from surgery date is ~48 weeks, with some recent examples of wideouts returning sooner at 35-38 weeks (Chris Godwin, Michael Gallup, Robert Woods). Depending on when his surgery is, this would set up Robinson to return around Week 3/4 with a chance to even be active in Week 1.
Joe Mixon, RB Cincinnati Bengals
Injury: concussion
Projected Timetable: 1-2 weeks
Potential Replacement(s): Samaje Perine
Initial Thoughts:
Joe Mixon sustained a concussion at Pittsburgh this weekend. He will have to clear the concussion protocol prior to his return. These usually cause RBs to miss a week or two.
Matthew Stafford, QB Los Angeles Rams
Injury: concussion
Projected Timetable: 2-3 weeks
Potential Replacement(s): John Wolford (when healthy), Bryce Perkins
Initial Thoughts:
Matthew Stafford suffered this second concussion in as many weeks and did not finish Sunday's game. Concussions that stack up like that back-to-back typically cause a longer absence. The injuries continue to stack up this season, and it's possible the Rams will shut down Stafford altogether.
John Wolford is the back and has been nursing a neck injury himself. If he is unable to go, Bryce Perkins appears to be the next man up.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB Kansas City Chiefs
Injury: high ankle sprain
Projected Timetable: 4 weeks
Potential Replacement(s): Isiah Pacheco, Jerrick McKinnon
Initial Thoughts:
Another high ankle sprain?!? It would appear so, the latest victim - Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Isiah Pacheco had already taken the starting role away from CEH, but now instead of the Chiefs' backfield being a 3-man committee, it will likely be spearheaded by Pacheco, with McKinnon operating as the #2.
Jaylen Warren, RB Pittsburgh Steelers
Injury: hamstring strain
Projected Timetable: 2-3 weeks
Potential Replacement(s): Benny Snell Jr.
Initial Thoughts:
If you thought Najee Harris was going to cede more and more touches to the rookie Jaylen Warren, think again...well, at least for the next few weeks. Warren had been impressing the past few weeks, but hamstring strains typically result in three-week absences with a high re-injury risk. It's likely Warren misses some time.
Kadarius Toney, WR Kansas City Chiefs
Injury: hamstring strain
Projected Timetable: 2-4 weeks
Potential Replacement(s): Skyy Moore
Initial Thoughts:
The Kadarius Toney experience in KC is taking a pause right before things started to get going. Toney strained his hamstring Sunday night. Although NFL WRs with this type of soft tissue injury can return in under three weeks, Toney was reportedly dealing with two hamstring strains while in New York. Because of this, his timeline is possibly extended- possibly four-plus weeks.
Mike Williams, WR Los Angeles Chargers
Injury: high ankle sprain (re-aggravation)
Projected Timetable: 3-4 weeks
Potential Replacement(s): Joshua Palmer, D'Andre Carter
Initial Thoughts:
After a speedy "recovery" from his high ankle sprain, Williams re-aggravated his injury after a brief stint Sunday and did not return. High ankle sprains are typically a four-week injury. Although Williams was able to return in just two, it's possible that LA exercises caution and gives Williams more time to fully recover as they make a playoff push.
Rondale Moore, WR Arizona Cardnials
Injury: groin strain
Projected Timetable: 2-3 weeks
Potential Replacement(s): Greg Dortch
Initial Thoughts:
After the very first offensive snap for Arizona, Rondale Moore strained his groin and did not return. He finished with -0.6 points —brutal. You know that cost people their matchup. NFL WRs have demonstrated the ability to return from this injury in 2-3 weeks. Greg Dortch has been money when Moore has missed time and should provide WR2/3 value while Moore is out.
Greg Dortch's receiving lines in games Rondale Moore was injured:
7-63
4-55-1
9-80
9-103
17.9% target share in those games compared to 2.3% share in seven games behind Moore.— John Daigle (@notJDaigle) November 22, 2022
| Player | Position | Team | Injury | Week of Injury | Projected Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Damien Williams | RB | Atlanta | rib injury | Week 1 | TBD |
| Trey Lance | QB | San Francisco | ankle | Week 2 | SEASON ENDING |
| Michael Thomas | WR | New Orleans | toe | Week 3 | SEASON ENDING |
| Sterling Shepard | WR | New York Giants | L ACL tear | Week 3 | SEASON ENDING |
| Javonte Williams | RB | Denver | ACL/LCL | Week 4 | SEASON ENDING |
| Rashaad Penny | RB | Seattle | ankle fracture | Week 5 | SEASON ENDING |
| Darren Waller | TE | Las Vegas | hamstring | Week 5 | Week 14 |
| Marquise Brown | WR | Arizona | foot | Week 6 | Week 12 |
| Breece Hall | RB | New York Jets | ACL | Week 7 | SEASON ENDING |
| Mike Williams | WR | Los Angeles Chargers | high ankle sprain | Week 7 | Week 11 |
| David Njoku | TE | Cleveland | high ankle sprain | Week 7 | Week 12 |
| Ja'Marr Chase | WR | Cincinnati | hip injury | Week 7 | Week 12 |
| Rashod Bateman | WR | Baltimore | foot injury | Week 8 | SEASON ENDING |
| Mark Ingram | RB | New Orleans | MCL sprain | Week 8 | Week 12 |
| Irv Smith Jr. | TE | Minnesota | high ankle sprain | Week 8 | Week 16-17 |
| Corey Davis | WR | New York Jets | knee injury | Week 8 | Week 11 |
| Romeo Doubs | WR | Green Bay | high ankle sprain | Week 9 | Week 14 |
| Deon Jackson | RB | Indianapolis | knee injury | Week 9 | Week 12 |
| DeVante Parker | WR | New England | knee injury (MCL) | Week 9 | Week 12 |
| Mecole Hardman | WR | Kansas City | abdomen/core | Week 9 | Week 13 |
| Cooper Kupp | WR | Los Angeles | high ankle sprain | Week 10 | Week 15 |
| Jerry Jeudy | WR | Denver | ankle/calf | Week 10 | Week 13 |
| Leonard Fournette | RB | Tampa Bay | hip pointer | Week 10 | Week 12 |
| Zach Ertz | TE | Arizona | knee | Week 10 | SEASON ENDING |
| P.J. Walker | QB | Carolina | high ankle sprain | Week 10 | Week 15` |
| JuJu Smith-Schuster | WR | Kansas City | concussion | Week 10 | Week 12 |
| Gerald Everett | TE | Los Angeles Chargers | groin strain | Week 10 | Week 13 |
| Dallas Goedert | TE | Philadelphia | shoulder | Week 10 | Week 15 |
| Justin Fields | QB | Chicago | AC joint sprain | Week 11 | TBD |
| Kyle Pitts | TE | Atlanta | MCL sprain | Week 11 | Week 16-17 |
| Wan'Dale Robinson | WR | New York Giants | ACL sprain | Week 11 | SEASON ENDING |
| Joe Mixon | RB | Cincinnati | concussion | Week 11 | Week 13 |
| Matthew Stafford | QB | Los Angeles Rams | concussion | Week 11 | Week 14 |
| Clyde Edwards-Helaire | RB | Kansas City | high ankle sprain | Week 11 | Week 16 |
| Jaylen Warren | RB | Pittsburgh | hamstring strain | Week 11 | Week 14 |
| Kadarius Toney | WR | Kansas City | hamstring strain | Week 11 | Week 15-16 |
| Mike Williams | WR | Los Angeles Chargers | high ankle sprain | Week 11 | Week 15 |
| Rondale Moore | WR | Arizona | groin strain | Week 11 | Week 14 |
