Dynasty Injury Report: Week 15

Bruce Matson Posted On December 23, 2020

We have finally made it to championship week. Not every team will be setting lineups this week but it’s still important to pay attention to injuries because they could affect a player’s long-term fantasy value.

Dynasty is the fantasy football format that doesn’t stop. Even when most leagues are not active, dynasty managers still have to clock in to evaluate player news from injuries, trades, and whatever else is currently happening to make the right moves for their team. Keeping your ear to the ground to capitalize on the change of player values will only help in the long-term.

QUARTERBACK

Derek Carr, LV

Carr left last week’s game against the Chargers with a groin injury. He was replaced with Marcus Mariota who completed 17 of his 28 pass attempts for 226 yards and one touchdown. There are reports that Carr might try to play through the injury. However, his recovery timetable suggests that he should take the week off.

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Since it’s a short-term issue, the injury should not affect Carr’s dynasty value. He might be problematic for championship week, but his stock price in dynasty should remain the same. According to DLF’s December ADP, he’s currently being valued as the QB21 in startup drafts. It’s going to take more than a groin injury for him to fall further from that spot.

The added opportunity created from Carr’s injury could rejuvenate Mariota’s career. If he can take advantage of his opportunities and play well, then he could land a starting job with another team during the off-season. He will still be under contract with the Raiders in 2021, but he’s a serious cut candidate due to how his contract is structured.

RUNNING BACK

Clyde Edwards-Helaire, KC

Edwards-Helaire suffered a hip and ankle injury during his contest against the Saints. The x-rays came back negative and the team is currently waiting for results from the MRI to determine the severity of the injury. He is expected to miss the remainder of the regular season with a chance to come back for the playoffs. All of that is depending on what the team doctors see from the MRI results.

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Young players hold or at least minimally lose value when injuries happen. Even if this turn into a long-term situation, Edwards-Helaire would still be one of the most coveted running backs in dynasty.

Cam Akers, LAR

A high ankle injury that Akers suffered while playing the Jets over the weekend will cause him to miss this week’s game against the Seahawks. He will not be available for championship week. Fantasy managers will need to lean on another option to win their Super Bowl. Darrell Henderson and Malcolm Brown will split the load in his absence.

This is another short-term injury that won’t linger into the 2021 season and won’t impact his dynasty value. Dynasty gamers should feel confident with Akers going into next year.

Raheem Mostert, SF

Mostert was limited in practice with an ankle issue going into last week’s game against the Cowboys. It appears he reaggravated that injury which caused him to leave the game. Fantasy managers should be prepared to not him available for championship week.

His dynasty value will be influx this off-season since he had to deal with injuries off and on throughout the year. Many fantasy gamers questioned his long-term viability in fantasy going into the year. His recent run of injuries will make him a worrisome asset for many fantasy gamers this off-season.

WIDE RECEIVER

Michael Thomas, NO

Thomas will be on injured reserve for the rest of the regular season. He needs some extra time to recover from an ankle injury that he has been battling all season. The Saints are expecting him to be 100 percent ready to perform for the playoffs.

Age, injuries, and Drew Brees’ potential retirement are all factors that are baked into Thomas’s dynasty value. He can still be a very productive player when the offense is cooking. Dynasty managers should be prepared for a drop in trade value in the near future.

Stefon Diggs, BUF

Diggs encountered a foot injury late in his week 15 game against the Denver Broncos. It is not considered serious. There’s a good chance he will be back on the field this week to play against the New England Patriots. Fantasy managers are encouraged to monitor the practice reports just in case he experiences any issues throughout the week.

Tyler Boyd, CIN

Boyd landed on his head and suffered a concussion while attempting to make a catch during the second quarter of the Bengals’ Monday night contest against the Steelers. He will need to clear the concussion protocol to play. We will need to monitor his status to see if he will be allowed to return for this week’s game against the Texans.

Michael Gallup, DAL

In a game where Gallup caught three of his five targets for 26 yards, he had to exit the game with a hip pointer. There’s a chance that he could return to the lineup as early as this week. The practice reports will need to be monitored to see if he will be on the field.

If he can’t play then there should be added targets for Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb to soak up, increasing their value in fantasy for the week.

TIGHT END

Eric Ebron, PIT

Ebron was removed from the game after suffering a back injury. After being reviewed by the team’s physicians it has been noted that he didn’t suffer any organ or structural damage. With it being a quick turnaround from Monday night’s game to this week’s contest against the Colts there’s a good chance we won’t see him on the field.

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Bruce Matson

Contributor at Dynasty League Football

I'm a financial counselor for a hospital in South Central Ohio. I graduated from Muskingum University with a bachelor's in business while minoring in Economics and Accounting. I won my first fantasy football title with Jake Plummer as my quarterback.