A significant number of players got injured in week 13, just before the start of the fantasy football playoffs. Here’s an update on those players and how managers should handle these situations.
Big Name Injuries
Tank Dell’s rookie season is over. He sustained a season-ending leg injury in Sunday’s victory against Denver. This one is devastating for the Texans and fantasy managers alike. Dell racked up 43 targets over his last four outings and was a huge part of this offense. Nico Collins, Noah Brown, and tight end Dalton Schultz are obvious candidates to be more involved moving forward. In deeper formats, John Metchie and rookie Xavier Hutchinson are worth keeping tabs on.
Trevor Lawrence suffered a lower-body injury on Monday night, but the results are better than expected. Lawrence escaped with just a sprained ankle on what appeared to be a gruesome injury. He likely won’t play this week, but the Jaguars are optimistic about Lawrence returning soon.
Unfortunately, Lawrence’s teammate Christian Kirk isn’t so lucky. Kirk, Jacksonville’s leader in receiving yards, will miss the remainder of the fantasy football season. Rookie receiver Parker Washington filled in for Kirk on Monday night, totaling six receptions for 61 yards and a touchdown. Washington shouldn’t be in fantasy lineups until his quarterback returns, but he can become a solid contributor.
Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett underwent surgery on his ankle and is likely to be placed on injured reserve. Mitchell Trubisky will be the starter for at least a few games. Since Trubisky is somehow worse than Pickett, this makes the entire offense less desirable for fantasy football.
Fellow Steeler Najee Harris also appeared on the team’s injury report for their Thursday night matchup. Harris didn’t participate in consecutive practices this week and is questionable to play. Assuming Harris doesn’t play, Jaylen Warren instantly becomes a must-start.
Harris isn’t the only starting running back likely to miss Thursday’s game. Rhamondre Stevenson injured his ankle last Sunday, and the Patriots have already ruled him out for this week. Starting Ezekiel Elliot in 2023 feels gross, but based on volume alone, he’s a FLEX option until Stevenson returns.
Given his injury history, Christian Watson’s hamstring injury is concerning. Watson missed the first few games of the season with a similar hamstring injury. It’s a tough loss for Green Bay since Watson was very productive as of late. Until he returns, expect Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, and Dontayvion Wicks to be weekly FLEX options in fantasy football.
Players to Monitor
Derek Carr is dealing with a concussion, ribs, and shoulder injury. I’ll go out on a limb here and say one of those will keep him from playing this week. Jameis Winston is the next man up, and he has some favorable matchups on deck. The Saints take on the Panthers and Giants in back-to-back weeks, making Winston a solid option in 2QB leagues.
Kenneth Walker’s injury isn’t new, but fellow Seahawk Zach Charbonnet is also injured. Pete Carroll said both Walker and Charbonnet were able to “do stuff” in Wednesday’s practice. Not very helpful information, but it’s better than either one not participating. For fantasy football managers, if either one is active, start them. If not, don’t bother putting 3rd string running back Deejay Dallas into your lineup.
Washington Commanders’ lead running back Brian Robinson left Sunday’s game with a hamstring injury. They’re on a bye this week, so Robinson may not miss any games. Antonio Gibson should see a large workload if this injury keeps Robinson sidelined after the bye. Rookie Chris Rodriguez is worth stashing in deeper leagues if Robinson misses time.
Main Photo: [Troy Taormina] – USA Today Sports
