The Training Room: Week 13 Injury Updates
Week 13 brings a lot of anxiousness and nervousness, as many fantasy owners are right on the bubble of either sneaking into the playoffs, vying for a bye, or fighting to stay out of last place and avoid humiliation. Regardless of the situation, you've gotten this far in your quest for bragging rights, so staying on top of your game is vital. Injuries hit hard in Week 12, so there will be a lot of questions that will have to be sorted out in between now and the end of the week. Make sure you check out Brandon Niles' Week 13 Waiver Wire Watch and also be sure to stay up to date with all the news that gets updated along our news feed.
On The Mend
Adrian Peterson (Meniscus Repair): Peterson was seen running sprints in practice on Tuesday, which is a great sign for his potential return to the lineup within the next few weeks. Although sprinting is a great sign for his progression, he'll still need to go through cutting and change of direction activities in order to feel confident in his ability to be effective when he does return. Projection. Misses Week 13. There's still a high probability that AP doesn't really contribute if you are waiting for him to return to the field. He'll be a highly volatile player to choose if you are playing to get into your championship game in Week 15 or if he returns for the championship round in Week 16. Even if he does return, it's hard to imagine how effective he'll be as even before he went down with the injury, he was struggling to find room to run.
Robert Griffin III (Fractured Coracoid Process): Griffin has returned to practice and has been cleared for full contact. He'll continue to work his way back into the starting QB conversation while the Browns are on bye this week. Projection: Starts Week 14. It'll be hard to see Griffin being successful enough to win the Browns over to the point where they install him as a significant part of their plans next year, but at this point the Browns are evaluating every position to see how they can improve. I think the Browns take one more look at Griffin to see if he's actually someone they want to consider for their plans next year.
Cody Kessler (Concussion): Kessler has been cleared through the concussion protocol and will return to practice this week while the Browns are on bye. Projection: Active Week 14. The Browns have yet to commit to a starting QB for Week 14, as they have a full week on bye to determine who they want to continue to evaluate. With Kessler dealing with two concussions already for the season, there's a chance they play it safe with him and make him the backup should anyone get hurt.
Jeremy Maclin (Strained Groin): Maclin returned to practice which possibly puts in him track to play Week 13. He'll likely be a game time decision to test his groin out before giving him the green light. Projection: Active Week 13. The Chiefs offense has not been great as their run game has also struggled as of late, so having Maclin back will hopefully give them the boost to be more competitive and not have to rely on their defense to win games.
DeAngelo Williams (Menisectomy): Williams will be just under four weeks removed from having his meniscus trimmed to reduce the irritation in his knee. It sounds like all signs point to him being available Week 13, but he'll return to his handcuff role behind LeVeon Bell. Projection: Active Week 13. Williams has been and effective back when Bell has been hurt or unavailable, so he still remains a stash if you can hold onto him.
Andrew Luck (Concussion): Luck returned to practice on Monday, and although he's still in the concussion protocol, all signs indicate him being cleared before Monday's game against the Jets. Projection: Starts Week 13. Luck will return to the starting lineup with a plus-matchup against the Jets' secondary.
A.J. Green (Strained Hamstring): Coach Lewis remains vague on the status of Green's hamstring heading into this week, but all indications are that Green will not be available this week or anytime soon. Projection: Misses Week 13. Green will be highly unlikely for this week and even Week 14, but continue to keep tabs on him especially with fantasy playoffs coming up next week.
Ryan Matthews (Sprained MCL): Matthews was ruled out fairly early last week with his knee injury and will continue to be week to week. Projection: Misses Week 13. Matthews has struggled to recover quickly from any injury, so consider him highly questionable heading into Week 14 as well.
Robert Woods (Sprained MCL): Woods was moving around better and off of crutches late last week but he still not has practiced, which is concerning for his availability this week. Projection: Misses Week 13. Woods value takes a hit with the return of Sammy Watkins, and it's still unclear how healthy his knee is. The team may choose to sit him one more week in order to have him close to full health down the stretch.
Jacquizz Rodgers (Sprained Foot): Rodgers returned to full practice status on Friday of last week, but the Bucs chose to be cautious with his foot and keep him inactive for Week 12. He looks poised to return this week barring any setbacks. Projection: Active Week 13. Rodgers will resume the role of change of pace back with Doug Martin dominating the majority of the backfield touches the rest of the way. He still remains a good handcuff should Martin go down with an injury, as the Bucs have a favorable schedule during the fantasy playoffs.
The Training Room
Derek Carr
Dislocated Finger
Bottom Line: Carr dislocated his finger when taking a snap under center. He went to the locker room, had a glove on when he returned to protest the finger, and finished the game.
Projection: Starts Week 13. Carr will likely not practice much to allow his finger to try and heal before Sunday's game against the Bills. There's a good possibility that the Raiders medical staff puts some sort of splint on it, in addition to a glove, to help reduce the likelihood of further aggravation. Throwing accuracy could be an issue for Carr, so keep an eye on his status later in the week to see how his finger is doing.
Aaron Rodgers
Strained Hamstring
Bottom Line: Rodgers strained his hamstring early in the second half in Monday's game against the Eagles, but was able to get some treatment and play through the injury. He is considered day-to-day.
Projection: Starts Week 13. Rodgers will likely be limited during practice this week, but his ability to play through the hamstring strain should give owners confidence that he'll be available against the Texans this Sunday.
Rob Gronkowski
Strained Low Back
Bottom Line: Gronk left Sunday's game against the Jets in the first quarter and was ruled out the rest of the game. Although there are reports that the Patriots aren't concerned about his availability this week, he was seen moving around slowly after the game. He'll remain day-to-day and we likely will not get much information on his availability until later in the week.
Projection: Active Week 13. Gronk has a history of lower back issues, having had surgery on his back in 2013, so there is some cause for concern when it comes to whether or not he'll be available this week. He'll likely be a game-time decision, as back issues can vary depending on the day, so this is definitely something to keep an eye on. Possible Production Dropoff: ~7.5%. Gronk's history of back issues makes this a situation to keep an eye on. He could be just a decoy if active.
Jordan Reed
Sprained AC Joint
Bottom Line: Reed landed on shoulder in the first half, went to the sideline to be evaluated, was put in a sling, and then later returned to score 2 TD's against the Cowboys. After the game it was revealed that Reed suffered a grade III AC joint sprain and will be day to day.
Projection: Starts Week 13. Grade III AC separations are pretty significant with rest usually being the number one recommendation with some controlled range of motion and strengthening to allow the ligaments to regain their stability around the shoulder girdle without further irritation. Reed will likely not practice at all and will end up being a game-time decision, with us not knowing really how he's going to feel until he gets out on the field. There's a good chance that the medical team does an injection into the shoulder to see if it can help alleviate the pain to allow his shoulder to move better than the 30% mobility he currently has. There's a chance he could be a decoy as well, so keep an eye on his status and roster Vernon Davis if you can. Possible Production Dropoff: ~10%. The severity of Reed's shoulder sprain is significant, so it's possible the production could drop even more depending on how much pain he is in.
Lamar Miller
Sprained Ankle
Bottom Line: Miller tweaked his ankle that he had sprained just a few weeks ago late in the game this past weekend against the Chargers. Coach O'Brien states that Miller will be fine heading into this weekend's game against the Packers.
Projection: Starts Week 13. Aggravations to ankle injuries can be tricky. How much discomfort a player experiences determines how well they'll be able to perform. Miller will be a limited participant in practice most of the week, but there isn't too much concern over his ankle. Possible Production Dropoff: ~5%.
DeVante Parker
Strained Low Back
Bottom Line: Parker suffered the injury in the third quarter against the 49ers and did not return. The Dolphins are saying that they are not overly concerned about his status for Week 13, but he'll be day-to-day until we get a better idea of his practice availability.
Projection: Starts Week 13. Reports were that Parker's back locked up on him when he hit the ground while making a catch in the third quarter. Locking up of the back on impact usually is a result of trauma to muscle which causes the muscles to go into spasm and the feeling like the back stiffens up. Keep an eye on his status later this week. Parker has struggled with health this year, so it's not guaranteed that he'll progress through this injury unscathed. Possible Production Dropoff: ~10%. Parker's involvement has continued to improve each week. If he is active, look for him to continue to contribute against a Ravens secondary that has been susceptible this year.
John Brown
Strained Hamstring
Bottom Line: Brown was initially ruled out of Sunday's game against the Falcons, but later Coach Arians stated that the leg issue Brown is dealing with is more due to his sickle cell trait than an actual hamstring issue.
Projection: Misses Week 13. The fact that the Cardinals are having difficulty getting Brown's sickle cell issues under control makes this a little more of a concerning matter. If they don't resolve the issue or get it under control now, it potentially puts Brown at more risk for further injuries down the road. I believe the Cards sit him out to make sure they get his health under control first before getting him back out on the field.
Chris Ivory
Strained Hamstring
Bottom Line: Ivory left the game against the Bills with a hamstring injury after rushing for 44 yards and a touchdown. Ivory has struggled with lower body injuries in his career, so he'll be day to day until we get some better clarity during the week.
Projection: Misses Week 13. The Jaguars season is not going anywhere, so I don't see the need for the Jaguars to rush Ivory back on the field for him to potentially re-aggravate his injury. T.J. Yeldon returned surprisingly last week and came out of the game unscathed, so he should see the majority of the touches against the Broncos on Sunday.
Allen Hurns
Strained Hamstring
Bottom Line: Hurns injured his hamstring on his touchdown catch against the Bills and was ruled out of the game in the fourth quarter. He's considered day-to-day.
Projection: Misses Week 13. Much like Ivory's situation, the Jaguars should be cautious with these injuries as to not cause more aggravation to the healing tissue. There's a possibility that Hurns plays, but hamstring strains usually cause players to miss at least one game before returning.
Tyrell Williams
Strained Shoulder
Bottom Line: Williams hurt his right shoulder when attempting to reach up and grab a pass in the fourth quarter. He did not return to the game and it was later revealed that Williams is dealing with a labral issue in his shoulder.
Projection: Starts Week 13. It'll be interesting to see how much the shoulder limits Williams' ability to go up over his head to catch balls, as sudden movements with labral irritation can cause pain, especially at extreme ranges of motion. He likely won't practice much this week in hopes his shoulder can get healthy for Week 13. Possible Production Dropoff: Minimal.
Quinton Patton
Concussion
Bottom Line: Patton will go through the league's concussion protocol and will be up against the clock to be ready in time for Sunday's game against the Bears.
Projection: Misses Week 13. Patton has been too volatile of a player to be considered for fantasy purposes. He's best left on your waiver wire at this stage of the season.
