The Training Room: 8 Players to Fade Due to Injury

Aug 19, 2024

Danielle Parhizkaran/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK

Continuing a four-part series, this article focuses on key players to fade in your fantasy drafts due to injury concerns. For weekly insight and adjustments to injuries, follow @jmthrivept for his injury database. Use the extremely helpful 4for4 Multi-Site ADP tool to track player ADPs.

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Daniel Jones, QB NYG

Injury: Right ACL

The Daniel Jones play could go both directions if we’re being honest. He will have had nine months 18 days to recover from his ACLR by Week 1 and is positioned to step right into being QB1 for a mobile quarterback-happy Brian Daboll. The problems that persist: 1) the offensive line remains a huge problem, 2) accuracy issues have persisted in camp, and 3) several quarterbacks being drafted in his range or after him are intriguing. I do not think the Giants will bench Jones at any certain point, because Drew Lock and Tommy DeVito are not in the same category as passers. However at cost, given the re-injury concerns plus offensive line concerns, I would rather fade Jones for quarterbacks Geno Smith, Will Levis, Bo Nix, Russell Wilson, and even Taysom Hill, who is listed at quarterback but lining up everywhere in the offense, including getting goal line looks. Despite the potential rushing upside/volume for Jones, I lean towards fading him.

Anthony Richardson, QB IND

Injury: Right Shoulder, AC Joint Repair

First off, Anthony Richardson has looked impressive in his return from his AC joint repair, which is a very significant surgery to have on your dominant side as a throwing athlete. He has displayed very good velocity, power, tight spirals, and throwing mechanics in terms of return to form. I do like him for fantasy purposes; however, I am going to make the argument against him for ADP's sake. Accuracy issues persist, which should not be surprising considering preseason Week 1 was his fifth NFL game in total. He currently goes off the board as the QB5 at ~57.0 overall, ahead of high-upside mobile quarterbacks Kyler Murray and Jordan Love, and projected high-pass volume quarterbacks C.J. Stroud, Joe Burrow, and Dak Prescott.

While aiming for immense upside on a weekly basis wins you weeks, there should be an argument for passing on Richardson at cost for another high-upside RB, WR, or TE while aiming to land another high-upside quarterback with less injury risk in Rounds 6-9. The other positions have a fairly high drop-off, while quarterback drop-off is not as extreme. With this argument, I am completely fine fading Richardson at cost as QB5 and avoiding the injury risk worry.

Marquise Brown, WR KC

Injury: Left Posterior SC Sprain

Initially, I figured that Brown would not need to fade too much coming off of his recent injury, but then I realized that his current ADP is a wild WR37 and ~61.3 overall ahead of players such as Kenneth Walker, Joe Mixon, Xavier Worthy, George Kittle, Diontae Johnson, Brian Thomas Jr. and many more. While his talent when healthy is evident, he simply has not been able to stay healthy over the years, this time picking up a very serious posterior SC joint sprain which required hospitalization to ensure that the medial clavicle did not puncture any arteries. He was released from the hospital the following day, but these sprains can often take 4-6 weeks to heal properly, putting his week one status in jeopardy. I am fading him at least 2-3 full rounds in ADP.

DeAndre Hopkins, WR TEN

Injury: Left Knee Sprain

After suffering a left knee sprain (suspected MCL or PCL), DeAndre Hopkins’ Week 1 status is in jeopardy with a 4-6 week recovery timeline, though Callahan recently stated that they expect Hopkins to return soon and are planning on him being active for Week 1. Entering his age 32 season with a prior significant right MCL tear that required surgery, he is projected to play the X in the Titans offense, leaving Calvin Ridley free to roam the formation in Brian Callahan’s “Ja'Marr Chase role”. At Hopkins’ age and with his extensive injury history, there are concerns that even when he returns his acceleration and burst will be negatively impacted, leading to more difficulty separating or creating yards after catch.

At his current cost at WR47, ~85.2 overall, I am fading him for other upside options in his range, such as Jaylen Warren, Jordan Addison, Jake Ferguson, D’Andre Swift, and even Jonathan Brooks. If his ADP dips by close to two rounds, drafting him will hurt a bit less regarding reinjury risk.

Nick Chubb, RB CLE

Injury: Left ACL, MCL, Meniscus

Nick Chubb’s ADP continues to slowly rise, with multiple records of him being drafted inside the early RB30s ever since his workout videos surfaced. As his ADP rises, the amount that I fade him increases in a tough call of upside versus cost. Best best-case scenario is that he returns in October and winds up scoring multiple touchdowns with high goal-line utilization by November and December leading up to fantasy playoffs. Realistically, he does not carry high receiving upside at all, which means we would be relying on a substantial amount of rushing yards plus locked-in weekly touchdowns.

This is a risky bet considering it is August and he has yet to participate in full go lateral, agility, or cutting drills. He still needs to increase sport-specific drills too, with a return to the football field with pads on. I was fine drafting him when he was at RB44 or later, but unfortunately, the hype will boost him too much for comfort. Fading due to injury recovery timeline plus workload and reinjury risk concerns.

Ricky Pearsall, WR SF

Injury: AC Sprain

Ricky Pearsall is getting a slow start to his NFL career, having dealt with a hamstring strain and now a re-injury of a prior AC sprain suffered back in May. He has missed several weeks of practice because of the re-injury and remains behind Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, Jauan Jennings, and getting out-played by Jacob Cowing. I am fading Pearsall for the 2024 season, even if Aiyuk does get traded. The starter opposite Samuel will likely be Jauan Jennings.

Elijah Mitchell, RB SF

Injury: Hamstring Strain

Elijah Mitchell has one of the highest injury risk profiles in the NFL for running backs and is dealing with yet another injury that is allowing Jordan Mason to run away with the backup role behind Christian McCaffrey. The 49ers will need to make a difficult decision with their backfield, which is loaded with CMC, Mason, rookie Isaac Guerendo (who is likely to see a redshirt-esque season), veteran Matt Breida, and another rookie who is impressing in Cody Schrader. I am fading Mitchell in drafts, particularly for Mason as a late-round running back pick.

Kendre Miller, RB NO

Injury: Hamstring Strain

A running back with possibly an even worse injury risk profile than Elijah Mitchell is Saints second-year back Kendre Miller, who faces a daunting challenge to climb back into the graces of old-school head coach Dennis Allen. Allen recently stated that Miller will have a difficult time cracking the rotation from the training room, indicating that he is very frustrated that Miller cannot stay healthy. Given his red injury profile (high risk) and the frustrations of the coaching staff with a lack of trust, I am fading Miller in drafts. It will likely remain Jamaal Williams and Taysom Hill as the running backs behind Alvin Kamara.

Thank you for reading through this next part of the injury series. Follow me on X/Twitter @jmthrivept for more updates.