The Training Room: Week 9 Injury Updates

Week 8 was a fairly quiet one on the injury front, but there are still some key players that need to be discussed to help owners figure out what to do as waivers approach. Due to the inevitable injuries that plague this game we love, some owners are wondering whether this is a lost season, while others are feeling good about where they currently stand. Let's get into the injuries that could affect whether or not you need to be active on waivers this week, or if you can afford to pass on players that could be available.

Robert Griffin III

Strained Knee - No further information was given on what structures were involved with his knee injury.

Griffin was tackled during the 2nd half yesterday which caused him to land awkwardly on his knee as he was being tackled. He was removed from the game, examined by the medical staff, and although he was deemed ok to come back into the game, Washington held him out and put in Kirk Cousins to finish the game.

Bottom Line - Coach Shanahan deemed that taking RGIII out of the game yesterday was purely precautionary and that RGIII will be fine moving forward. I wouldn't suggest anything otherwise unless he shows up on the injury report and is limited during practice this week. RGIII has had a very inconsistent season so far, which has frustrated many owners, but the current injury shouldn't be the reason not to start him.

Michael Vick

Strained Hamstring - The hamstring muscle is the primary muscle in the back of the thigh responsible for bending the knee and extending the hip. When it relates to sports, it's a very important muscle in aiding to accelerate/decelerate the lower body to allow proper running and cutting.

Vick states that he felt a pop when he re-aggravated his hamstring strain against the Giants in the 1st quarter. He will be undergoing an MRI and his status will be updated when that information is available.

Bottom Line - Expect the Eagles to be very conservative the 2nd time around with Vick's hamstring, as clearly he was not ready to return at the current level that he was at. Whenever a player hears a pop, they are usually dealing with a more severe grade strain, potentially grade 2 or grade 3 strains that can require around 6-8 weeks to heal. Higher grade strains take a longer time to heal, and because this is a re-aggravation, I wouldn't be surprised if Vick was less than 100% the rest of the year even when he does return. The Eagles could be in trouble if Nick Foles isn't cleared in time to start this Sunday against the Raiders as Matt Barkley has not shown anything that resembles a serviceable NFL quarterback. Those expecting Vick to return to the form we saw earlier in the season will most likely be disappointed as it may be time to look elsewhere.

Julius Thomas

Ankle Sprain - The ligaments/tendons/muscles on either the outside or inside of the ankle get overstretched which causes pain/swelling.

Thomas left the game in the 3rd quarter against the Redskins and was unable to return. He underwent an MRI which was negative for a high ankle sprain.

Bottom Line - It's a good sign that Thomas avoided a high ankle sprain, but the fact that he's battled ankle issues in the past might make this a little more complicated issue to return from. Looks for updates on how Thomas progresses throughout the week with Jacob Tamme and Joel Dreesen playing in his absence. Thomas has been a favorite target for Peyton Manning so far this season, but even if he does't play, Manning will make do with whoever is at TE.

Ryan Broyles

Ruptured Achilles - The Achilles' tendon is the main tendon that connects your calf muscle to your heel bone. It's primary function is to help distribute force to the bone from the muscle and also to help with pushing off the foot.

Broyles needed to be helped off the field after suffering the injury against the Cowboys in the first half. He was unable to put any weight on his leg after the injury.

Bottom Line - This is the 3rd year in a row that Broyles season has ended because of an injury. Broyles has had an ACL reconstruction in each knee, and now an upcoming Achilles repair. It's a tough break for a player who has the potential to become a difference maker but just can't stay on the field long enough to show his talent. It'll be interesting to see how he comes back from this injury but for now, he's droppable in all leagues. Kris Durham should remain a low-end fantasy option as Matthew Stafford has grown more confident in targeting him more as the season as progressed. Nate Burleson reportedly should return to the lineup following the team's Week 10 BYE.

Brandon Gibson

Ruptured Patellar Tendon - The patellar tendon is the main tendon that comes from the Quadriceps muscle on the front of your thigh that attaches to the lower leg/shin. The main function of the patellar tendon is to distribute forces from the quadricep muscle to the bone to allow for motion of the leg. Rupture of this tendon causes complete failure of the quadricep to help straighten the leg and also to accept weight in the leg when putting all the weight on it.

Gibson suffered the patellar tendon rupture in the 1st quarter after scoring a touchdown. He had to be carted off the field and was diagnosed shortly thereafter.

Bottom Line - It's a tough loss for the Dolphins as Gibson was putting together a solid season up to this point. Rehabilitation for patellar tendon ruptures are long and strenuous, but most are able to return to their prior level of function. Gibson and the medical team will likely wait for the swelling to go down before having the surgery performed. Depending on when the surgery is, he should be ready for training camp, although he might be limited early on. Mike Wallace, Charles Clay, and Brian Hartline should see a slight uptick in targets moving forward.