Dynasty Rookie Injury Concerns: Tight End
Tight ends have transformed the NFL passing game, which means teams look everywhere for their next great weapon. The ability to block effectively while also performing as an elite pass-catcher requires a special type of athlete and typically a longer development period.
Watching how players from Tony Gonzalez to Travis Kelce have opened up passing attacks has forced teams to draft traits in hopes they develop. However, the average NFL tight end takes three years to develop, which means some players may not even reach their potential within their rookie contract. Injuries can derail that progress, leaving unfulfilled potential.
For every Rob Gronkowski and Kyle Pitts drafted with injury concerns, there is a Jake Butt and OJ Howard who doesn’t live up to expectations. Below are several tight ends with injury concerns heading into the NFL Draft – we will look at their injury histories, giving you the inside scoop for your dynasty draft!
Luke Musgrave, Oregon State
2022 – Left MCL tear, missed 11 games.
Musgrave suffered a left knee injury in the final seconds of the win over Fresno State. This was the result of the defender falling on his knee as he dove for an incomplete pass in the end zone. You can see the play where he got injured at the 10:47 mark here. On that play, he suffered a Grade III MCL sprain, requiring surgery to repair the ligament. This is noteworthy in that MCL sprain rarely requires surgical intervention.
Musgrave missed the rest of the season, not playing until after the season in the Senior Bowl. In mid-January, he was cleared to run routes, per reports. While not the best picture, you can see that there is a scar on the inside portion of his left knee, further cementing that his left knee was the injured side.
Injury Analysis
The return for these types of injuries is about four to six months which is what we saw in the timeline Musgrave took.
This is a one-off injury for him and he should return to play with excellent results. There is no negative impact on draft position, performance, or career longevity within the first two years.
He is TE4 and 30th overall according to our DLF experts. This means you can go after your other top draft targets but expect that he’ll be there at ADP without fear of having to chase him up the board.
Dalton Kincaid, Utah
2022 – Right shoulder injury, missed one game.
Kincaid suffered a right shoulder injury late in the third quarter on a touchdown catch below. He landed hard on the right side before walking off with trainers and was considered day-to-day.
Dalton Kincaid scores for Utah, but hurts his shoulder. It’s safe to say Utah has caught the injury bug this season.
— Brendan Moore (@bmoorecfb) October 28, 2022
He missed the following game and due to the mechanism of injury, it suggested an AC joint sprain.
2022 – Back fracture, missed one game.
Kincaid suffered a back injury when he landed on his back and had a Colorado defender fall on top of him.
He played against USC in the Pac-12 championship before imaging revealed that he had a “small fracture”, forcing him to miss the Rose Bowl. Based on the mechanism of injury with the sudden forceful flexion of the legs, he possibly had a compression or wedge fracture in the thoracic or lumbar vertebral body.
He was recently cleared to work out on March 20th but did not test at either the NFL Combine or Utah’s pro day.
Injury analysis
Neither injury should cause concern moving forward. AC joint sprains are unfortunately common in football and lead to minimal missed time.
As for his back fracture, he has been cleared to resume football activities which implies the bone has healed fully and he has no residual pain. Players drafted with a pre-existing lumbar diagnosis do appear in fewer games and their NFL career is shorter, but their performance is not affected. It’s important to note that fractures were not a primary injury concern in the study. There should be zero concern moving forward with his fracture once he is drafted.
He does not appear at risk of injury any more than any other prospect. As TE2 and 21st overall, draft with confidence in his health and hope that he can get into an offense that uses him early.
Darnell Washington, Georgia
2020 – Undisclosed injury, missed zero games.
Washington was going through pre-game testing against Tennessee on an unknown injury. He played in the game and did not record any stats.
2021 – Foot surgery, side not specified, missed four games.
Washington injured his foot during fall camp in mid-August. He required surgery on the foot described as a minor fracture. He was expected to miss four to six weeks at the time, eventually missing six weeks before returning in early October.
No additional information has been provided as to the exact procedure done.
2022 – Foot injury, side not specified, missed spring practice
Washington suffered another foot injury that forced him out of spring football. There were no reports indicating he required surgery or if this was the same foot from 2021.
2023 – Left ankle injury, missed zero games.
He suffered a left ankle injury in the semi-final game that was initially thought to be a high-ankle sprain but was described as an ankle strain and soft tissue contusion. To translate, he pulled and bruised some of the musculatures in the area.
He played in the National Championship securing one reception for 28 yards.
Injury analysis
When I look at Washington’s injury history, the first player who comes to mind is OJ Howard. The former first-round pick had it all coming out of Alabama but couldn’t stay healthy due to foot and ankle injuries.
Both are similar in height and weight (Howard 6’6”, 250 lbs, Washington 6’7”, 265 lbs). I am concerned about Washington’s durability and the lack of information regarding his foot injuries. These may be overblown, but how will he hold up at the next level?
As TE3 and 27th overall in rookie rankings by our DLF experts, I have a feeling he could go later than his ADP based on his injury information and who drafts him. I would not go trading up as you would overpay and may not get a return on your investment.
Follow me on Twitter @Kyletrimble88 for Dynasty League Fantasy Football injury content and @BangedUpBills for Buffalo Bills/AFC East injury content.
- 2024 NFL Draft: Dynasty Rookies with Injury Concerns - May 7, 2024
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