The Dynasty Doctor: Week Six Injury Report

Editor’s Note: Injuries are a huge part of winning and losing each year in fantasy leagues. Staying abreast of the injury situations is key as knowing what to expect from your players health-wise in the short term can help you make educated decisions in managing your team. Lucky for us, we have a Doctor in the house. Dr. Scott Peak is an ABPN board certified neurologist and neuro-oncologist. He is also a dynasty football addict and huge friend of Dynasty League Football. He’s excited to lend his expertise in medicine with hopes he may help the DLF Team and its followers better understand medical conditions and injuries that may impact NFL players and dynasty football owners. If you have a question for The Dynasty Doctor, just click here. Please remember The Dynasty Doctor is geared towards questions regarding medical science, injuries to players and their collective impact in fantasy football. Stay tuned each week as we’ll post his thoughts each and every Tuesday.

Jimmy Graham , TE NO

The fantasy football universe stood still again this week as Graham left the game against the New England Patriots with a left foot injury. He had his foot taped and returned to the game briefly. The injury appeared to bother him and he was assisted to the locker room. In watching the video, there was no obvious mechanism of injury. Graham was running a route then pulled up after planting his left foot into the ground. There was no force on the foot from a tackle and it appeared to be a non-contact injury. I am hoping it is not a more serious foot injury, but non-contact injuries can be worrisome. It seems encouraging he was able to return, but he still could not finish the game. Graham was unavailable after the game, and that is a bit disconcerting. The Saints are on a bye next week, so Graham owners will need to cross their fingers and hope the injury is not serious. Chris Mortenson reported ‘optimism’ that Graham will play in week eight and that is an encouraging sign. Ben Watson may be worth a look if Graham misses time. For deep dynasty league owners, take a look at rookie Josh Hill, the former Idaho State product and a pass catching tight end for the Saints.

Randall Cobb, WR GB

Cobb was injured after Baltimore Ravens safety Matt Elam hit him in the right knee. His knee bent backwards on the hit. There was concern he could have a serious knee injury, but reports after the game indicated it may not be as bad as initially feared. The hit looked ugly and it would be a pleasant surprise if Cobb avoided a major injury. MRI is scheduled and results will hopefully bring good news. Head coach Mike McCarthy said Cobb could miss multiple weeks, but was not more specific in terms of a timeline. Adam Schefter reported Cobb would miss two games.There have been reports that Cobb suffered a broken fibula and is out for 6 to 8 weeks. If true, this is disappointing news for his owners but he has a chance to be back during the fantasy football playoffs. There is no feasible way Cobb returns in two games if he has a broken fibula.

Cecil Shorts, WR JAX

Shorts got injured on the Jacksonville Jaguars first drive of the game. He was targeted on a pass from Jaguars quarterback Chad Henne and as Shorts landed on the ground, Denver Broncos defensive back Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie appeared to land on the left side of his chest wall. Initial reports were a fractured rib, but Shorts thinks it is an acromioclavicular (AC) joint sprain. This joint is formed from a bone in the shoulder called the acromion and the lateral aspect of the clavicle. The AC joint helps to maintain stability and support the clavicle with shoulder motion. AC joint sprains are graded 1 to 4. Grade 1 or 2 AC joint sprains typically respond to conservative treatment and recover in three weeks. Grade 3 injuries are treated conservatively or with surgery, but surgery is typically used for grade 4 injuries. Grade 3 AC joint sprains recover in 6 to 12 weeks. Hopefully he will avoid surgery, but if that is necessary, he would likely be out for the year. He left the stadium with his arm in a sling, and that is a typical course of action for an AC joint sprain. The long-term impact of an AC joint sprain carries a less than 10% chance of arthritis and 25% or more risk of needing surgery in the future. Shorts dynasty value takes a hit, but depending on the severity of the sprain, we will see how long he will be out. He is a talented player but cannot stay healthy. Justin Blackmon should get more targets if Shorts misses significant time.

James Jones, WR GB

Similar to Cobb, Jones sustained a left knee injury. He got hit by the leg of a Baltimore Ravens defender in the left knee. He walked off the field unassisted, but was not able to return. He was later spotted on the sidelines in street clothes, with what appeared to be a brace underneath his sweat pants. The injury is a sprained posterior collateral ligament. Fantasy owners should have alternative plans in place if Jones were to miss the week 7 game against the Cleveland Browns.

Thaddeus Lewis , QB BUF

Lewis is the replacement for injured Buffalo Bills quarterback E.J. Manuel and undrafted rookie Jeff Tuel, and he performed better than expected, completing 19 of 32 passes for 216 yards for two touchdowns, plus he ran for another 17 yards with a touchdown. He lost one fumble. He was spotted limping in a walking boot after the game. X-rays are negative, so no fracture. MRI confirmed a mild foot sprain, and that is good news. A mild sprain indicates no tearing of tendons or muscles. Recovery is usually within 1 to 2 weeks.

Mike Goodson, RB NYJ

Goodson ruptured his anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligament and is out for the year. Goodson was injured trying to tackle Lawrence Timmons after he intercepted a pass from New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith. A Jets offensive lineman inadvertently ran into his lower body, and appeared to impact his left leg. He had decent production, with 4 carries for 29 yards, and one reception for ten yards. Goodson was not making much of an impact for fantasy teams, and this injury might mean more touches for Bilal Powell and Christopher Ivory. Goodson can be dropped in dynasty formats in all but the deepest of leagues.

Joique Bell, RB DET

Bell injured his ribs in the game against the Cleveland Browns. X-rays are negative, and Bell seemed to be in good spirits after the game. No evidence of a fracture so that is reassuring. There was a Mikel Leshoure sighting as he had two rushes for nine yards. The two carries for Leshoure represents the only touches of the year for him.

DeMarco Murray, RB DAL

Murray put a scare into his owners with an MCL sprain in his left knee sustained in the second quarter of Sunday Night Football. He was having another solid night of football with seven carries for 29 yards, one touchdown, and two receptions for 21 yards. His replacement was rookie Joseph Randle and he posted 11 carries for just 17 yards, but did score a touchdown. Randle also added 2 receptions for 15 yards. MCL sprains can take 3 to 6 weeks to recover from depending on the severity, and if a ligament is completely torn, 2 to 3 months or longer. Initial projections are a mild MCL sprain, so 3 to 6 weeks is the best return to play estimate. Randle looks to be the beneficiary, and is worth a look if he is available on waivers. Owners of Murray should plan on being without his services next week.

DeMarcus Ware, DE DAL

Ware sustained an injury to his right quadriceps muscle, described as a strain. Jerry Jones felt the injuries to Ware and Murray would not be long-term. Ware was unable to return, and was spotted on the sidelines in street clothes. Ware did not appear to be in pain as he stood on the sidelines. Adam Schefter reports Ware will be out 3 to 4 weeks, but most quadriceps strains recover in 2 to 3 weeks. Until now, Ware had not missed an NFL game in his career.

Danny Amendola, WR NE

Amendola took a brutal shot to the head and needed assistance walking off the field. A concussion appears to be the likely diagnosis. If so, he will be enrolled into the NFL Concussion Protocol. We will see how long it takes for him to get cleared, but he might miss a few games with his latest injury.

Matt Schaub, QB HOU

Schaub was injured on a sack by St. Louis Rams defensive end Chris Long. His leg was bent and his foot got caught underneath. It appeared that his ankle was severely inverted, similar to a lateral ankle sprain. It looked like a fairly significant injury. After the game, head coach Gary Kubiak implied the injury involved a wide area of his lower leg. An ankle sprain and a fractured fibula are of concern given the mechanism of injury, but the full extent of injury is not yet known. There were Houston Texans fans cheering as Schaub was injured and that understandably was not well-received from players on both sides. Hopefully it will not be as serious as it looked, but whether or not he even starts at all is questionable. We hope Schaub returns to good health, but he is not a starting option right now for fantasy teams, and he may even be dropped in some re-draft leagues if better options are available on the waiver wire. T.J. Yates is the likely replacement, but he did not fare well against a Rams defense that has been burned by other teams this year (12 completed passes, 17 pass attempts for just 98 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions). Yates is best left on waivers unless it is a deep dynasty league with large roster sizes.

Calais Campbell, DE ARI

Campbell had a scare in a game against the San Francisco 49ers. He sustained a neck injury and was carted off the field. He experienced tingling but was moving all extremities. Initial test results are negative, and he is expected to be fine. When he returns to play may depend on resolution of his neurological symptoms and clearance from his medical team. Pay attention to his practice participation and updates from the Arizona Cardinals this week. Campbell is a DL1 in IDP leagues, and has 13 solo tackles and three sacks this year.

Harrison Smith, FS MIN

Minnesota Vikings free safety Harrison Smith left the game against the Carolina Panthers with a foot injury. The Vikings cannot afford to lose Smith, as an already weak pass defense will only get worse if their talented second-year player is out for an extended period of time. Smith has 26 solo tackles and two interceptions this year and is one of the top safeties in IDP leagues.

Desmond Bishop, LB MIN

The Vikings sustained yet another loss on their defense when Bishop injured his left knee. He has a confirmed torn anterior cruciate ligament, and is done for the year. This was Bishop’s first start of the year and he left the game with just one tackle. Bishop finished as an LB1 with the Green Bay Packers in 2010 and 2011, but has hit a rough patch since he seriously injured his hamstring and missed the 2012 season. Bishop only had three solo tackles this year, so IDP owners will mainly lose the hope of his return to LB1 status. His value in dynasty IDP leagues takes another hit.