2023 Injury Breakdowns: Wide Receivers Returning from Injury
Every NFL season comes with star players finding their way onto season-ending IR and question marks through the off-season and preseason as they near the following season. This series discusses key details in the player’s current recovery tract and injury projections for the 2023 seasons and for their dynasty value.
Let’s dive in.
Rashod Bateman, WR BAL
Bateman has been in hot water with the Ravens this off-season, seemingly calling out his GM to keep the Ravens players healthy and being frustrated about his usage. Word got out that he required a cortisone injection during OTAs, reportedly due to having the hardware removed from his Lisfranc surgery and dealing with residual inflammation and irritation. This can be fairly common after hardware is removed due to having a gap in the bones where the hardware was resting, and that bone filling in (callous) over time. If the tissue is loaded or stressed too quickly and too much, it can become irritated. Thus, the Ravens shut him down for several weeks. However, the original rumor was that he would still be ready for camp, but he has been placed on PUP and is not ready to participate at this time. The unpredictable factor involving PUP is that players can be removed/activated at any time, so maybe he is ready in a few days. Only time will tell, but at this current time I’m more concerned than not about Bateman’s production for 2023. We already know there is a typical 10-20% production dip in year one off of Lisfranc fracture, and now if he misses a significant chunk of time in camp, he is further behind for the season. Exercise caution.
Odell Beckham Jr, WR BAL
Speaking of Ravens’ wide receivers, many are writing OBJ off after his injury-riddled career continued with a second ACL tear in the same knee. I know it’s not easy, but we have to consider this as his first successful ACL reconstruction, one that has him 1.5 years out from surgery and returning to form. He took his time with this rehab process (unlike the first time around) and has been working with Lamar Jackson almost daily since signing with the Ravens to build rapport. Will his athleticism be what it once was? Unlikely, but this is a smart, savvy veteran who knows all the tricks in the book to defeat the cornerback across from him. There is a realistic chance that Beckham not only plays 17 games this season, but actually leads the Ravens in receiving outside of Mark Andrews. He’s going in the WR50 range. Invest at cost, it’s worth the risk.
Michael Thomas, WR NO
Thomas is one of my favorite “buy-low’s” for the 2023 season, as he should have the ability to return to form for the 2023 season coming off of his toe dislocation and repair. The deltoid ligament repair should be well behind him at this point, but the market seems to indicate fear of investing in him. When able to play, he showed the damage he can do last season prior to the toe injury. At cost, he’s well worth the risk as he could still pan out as Derek Carr’s favorite target for ppr leagues. Invest.
Cooper Kupp, WR LAR
Kupp had notably been returning from a Tightrope procedure from last season, but that’s not the news we want to focus on right now. He should be near 100% from that procedure that was performed back in November, which typically takes around 3-4 months for full recovery. Of note, as many of you have seen the panic in the streets, Kupp suffered a mild hamstring strain after being seen pulling up running a route. He walked off on his own with minimal limping noted, and Sean McVay has already said that it’s a mild injury and he’s expected back soon. I recommend that you don’t fade him in drafts, or at least significantly. I understand the risk involved with what the Rams do this season, plus Matt Stafford’s health, but at worst Kupp has a low reinjury risk and should be a top 5 option at WR this season.
Rondale Moore, WR ARI
Moore is coming off of two sports hernia surgeries in an attempt to get his body right. I’m not sure that it’s worked out so far, because multiple Arizona beat writers have indicated that the Cardinals starting offense should consist of Marquise Brown, Michael Wilson, and… Greg Dortch. You read that correctly. Dortch appears to be ahead of Rondale Moore on the depth chart. It’s important to note that this new staff has no connections to any of these receivers outside of Wilson, so anything could happen. Given his metrics and usage, plus this concerning report of a slow camp and his injury history, I’m fine completely avoiding Moore in drafts and in dynasty.
Wan’Dale Robinson, WR NYG
Robinson has been placed on PUP as he continues to recover from his ACL reconstruction and there’s a decent chance he starts the season on PUP as well. Plan on the possibility that he is not ready to return until closer to mid-season, at which point who knows what to expect from him if Darren Waller and Isaiah Hodgins work their way into the top targets for Daniel Jones. I’m tempted to fully stay away from Robinson for the 2023 season, but he might be worth it in Best Ball leagues.
Sterling Shepard, WR NYG
Shepard was also placed on PUP as he continues to recover from his ACL injury. A video was released showing him moving quickly and very fluidly in a few routes already, but apparently he is not quite ready for the season. It’s hard to know when he’ll be ready, but based on the limited information that we currently have, there’s a chance that he’s ready before Wan’Dale is. He’s so cheap that it may not matter if you’re drafting him, but it could also simply waste a pick for this season. At this point, I’d probably stay away despite his cheap cost.
Darnell Mooney, WR CHI
Mooney has been wheels up for several weeks now coming off of his ankle fracture and surgery. The team has even been using him on end-arounds and reports have indicated that he’s running every route in the book. Consider him at or very close to 100% with low concern for reinjury entering the 2023 season. Aside from injury, the main concern is the overall volume for the Bears pass-catchers, plus we still don’t know if Mooney will play second fiddle to DJ Moore, or if he’ll slide down the depth chart with Chase Claypool becoming a favorite target of Fields so far in camp.
John Metchie, WR HOU
Metchie is a very exciting player who I look forward to watching play this upcoming season. Most importantly, he is cancer free! How stinking awesome is that?! Very exciting for him, and he’s been ramping up his workload in camp after coming off of a mild hamstring strain. He should be 100% for the start of the season.
Follow me on Twitter (or X?) @jmthrivept for more injury analysis and comments.
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