Dynasty Injury Impact: Week One

Hold on to your collarbones, because we have a few injuries to discuss after a crazy and unpredictable week one. Outside of a lengthy absence for Tyreek Hill, we escaped without any other major team-destroying injuries.

Let’s break it down.

Quarterback

Nick Foles, JAC

Injury: Collarbone Fracture

Timeframe: IR (six-eight Weeks)

According to Dr. David Chao, this is the same shoulder that Foles injured back in 2014. Due to this, it’s likely that he misses the full eight weeks. In the meantime, it’s the Gardner Minshew show in Jacksonville. He had a record-breaking debut, albeit against the Chiefs defense. He’s worth grabbing, especially in superflex leagues, just in case he has a Dak Prescott level rise to relevancy.

Other notable injuries, although less significant for fantasy: Patrick Mahomes (ankle), Baker Mayfield (wrist), Deshaun Watson (back)

Wide Receiver

Tyreek Hill, KC

Injury: SC Joint Dislocation

Timeframe: IR? four-six weeks?

Ethan Turner of Dynasty Happy Hour and FFStatistics offers a great breakdown of Tyreek’s injury. Reports are that he avoided surgery and possibly IR so that’s the good news. The bad news? This is an uncommon injury that has a wide range of timetables for recovery. On the latest Redshirts Fantasy Podcast, Matthew Betz, a licensed physical therapist, said that he expects Hill to miss eight weeks, as does Dr. David Chao. However long he is out, you can fire up Sammy Watkins as the new WR1 in Kansas City. Rookie Mecole Hardman will likely see a boost as well, but probably not enough to trust in your lineups.

Devin Funchess, IND

Injury: Broken Collarbone

Timeframe: IR (eight weeks)

First Andrew Luck retires and now Funchess is on IR after week one. What was shaping up to be a promising comeback year has come to a screeching halt, although Frank Reich says it’s not season-ending. In his stead, it looks like Deon Cain is first in line to be the new Colts WR2 while Parris Campbell deals with his own injuries. It remains to be seen how valuable that position will be for fantasy.

Other notable injuries, although less significant for fantasy: Albert Wilson (calf), Mike Williams (knee), JuJu Smith-Schuster (toe)

Running Back

Derrius Guice, WAS

Injury: Unknown (Meniscus?)

Timeframe: two-three Weeks?

The good news is that this injury occurred to his right knee instead of his left where he tore an ACL last season. The aforementioned Matthew Betz has been preaching all off-season that Guice will not be at 100% in 2019. This is mainly due to the infection that occurred after Guice’s ACL surgery. Now at best it seems like he will miss a couple of weeks and still not be at 100% till likely 2020. It’s been a disappointing start to what looked like a promising career. Looks like it will be the Adrian Peterson and Chris Thompson show for the foreseeable future.

Tevin Coleman, SF

Injury: Ankle Sprain

Timeframe: two-three weeks

Do you need any more proof that the best way to approach an RBBC is to take the cheapest option? Now with both Jerick McKinnon and Tevin Coleman down, Matt Breida takes over as the starter. Even when Coleman returns, expect this backfield to resemble the old Falcons duo of Coleman and Devonta Freeman, with Coleman in his old role and Breida taking over the Freeman role.

Joe Mixon, CIN

Injury: Ankle Sprain

Timeframe: Maybe one week

Despite suffering the same injury as Tevin Coleman, it appears that Joe Mixon escaped with a less severe sprain, as he is expected to play in week two. Temper expectations though. According to Betz in the latest Redshirts Pod, Mixon will not be at 100%. He may be taped up which could affect his lateral agility. It will take a couple of weeks to get back to 100%, but at least he will be on the field.

Other notable injuries, although less significant for fantasy: Will Dissly (knee)