Week 12 is always a special week on the annual calendar, with a terrific Thursday full of food, family, friends, and football. Unfortunately, 2021’s festivities were marred by a brutal week for injuries that will undoubtedly shake up the NFL and fantasy football landscape.
Here are some of the major injuries from Week 12 that fantasy football managers need to be aware of.
Christian McCaffrey (RB) Carolina Panthers – Yet another injury felled McCaffrey, who did not touch the ball in the second half of Carolina’s Week 12 loss after hurting his ankle. McCaffrey was seen in a walking boot after the game and word quickly came Monday that McCaffrey’s 2021 season was over. With two years now impacted by major injuries, CMC is no longer the undisputed RB1 in dynasty leagues. For proactive 2021 fantasy managers, Chuba Hubbard now becomes a priority waiver add on the odd chance the rookie is available in your league. Hubbard averaged 12.9 PPR points per game from Weeks 3-8.
Dalvin Cook (RB) Minnesota Vikings – Standout Minnesota RB Dalvin Cook tore his labrum and suffered a separated shoulder in the Vikings’ Week 12 loss and is due to miss multiple weeks. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Vikings hold Cook out if/when the club is eliminated from the NFC wild-card chase. For now, fantasy managers should probably expect to not have Cook for at least 2-3 weeks. Alexander Mattison now becomes a potential championship-winning difference-maker down the stretch.
Deebo Samuel (WR) San Francisco 49ers – Samuel exited San Francisco’s Week 12 victory after injuring his going and is expected to miss at least one game. With the 49ers right back in the playoff mix, they’ll undoubtedly want their star playmaker back as soon as possible but won’t rush Samuel back until the injury is 100%. For now, the best-case scenario seems to hope that Samuel is back in time for the fantasy playoffs, which are now just three weeks away.
Alvin Kamara (RB) New Orleans Saints – Listed as questionable with a knee injury that has sidelined him for two games, Kamara was a limited participant in practice but is tentatively expected to return against Dallas on Thursday. Teammate Mark Ingram, who also missed Week 12, was a full participant and will return Week 13.
D’Andre Swift (RB) Detroit Lions – Swift was knocked out of Detroit’s Thanksgiving loss early with a shoulder injury and has very little chance of playing in Week 13. We fully expect Jamaal Williams to start and receive a heavy workload at home against Minnesota.
Ezekiel Elliott (RB) Dallas Cowboys – Even though Elliott practiced in full on Monday, there is a chance the Cowboys will hold their star running back out this week as they try to work around a minor knee ailment. The current plan is for Tony Pollard to take on more work on a weekly basis but if the club decides to sit Elliott against the Saints, Pollard would be a locked-in RB1. We’ll have a better idea of how the Cowboys’ backfield will shape up on Wednesday.
CeeDee Lamb (WR) Dallas Cowboys – Lamb (concussion) was a full participant in practice Monday and will be active for the Cowboys Thursday night battle with New Orleans.
Darrell Henderson (RB) Los Angeles Rams – Henderson strained his quad during the Rams Week 12 loss and may be limited throughout the week. The Rams are reeling but a Week 13 date with Jacksonville should right the ship. If Henderson is unable to practice or is ruled out, Sony Michel would be a solid RB2 in Week 13. We’ll monitor Henderson’s health this week and update projections and Discord.
Darren Waller (TE) Las Vegas Raiders – Waller hurt his knee in Dallas and is listed as week-to-week. Current expectations are that Waller will miss at least one game, which makes Foster Moreau an intriguing waiver wire add for a matchup with Washington’s leaky secondary.
Logan Thomas (TE) Washington Football Team – After a 7-week absence, Thomas returned on Monday and played 79% of Washington’s snaps. There were no setbacks with the hamstring, so Thomas is now a borderline weekly TE1 moving forward.
J.D. McKissic (RB) Washington Football Team – After taking a knee to the helmet, McKissic was carted to the locker room in the waning moments of Washington’s Monday night victory. McKissic will almost certainly be in the league’s concussion protocol this week and have to clear multiple steps before being activated, even though his agent tweeted that McKissic was “all good” after the game.
Pat Friermuth (TE) Pittsburgh Steelers – Friermuth left Pittsburgh’s blowout loss in Cincinnati with a possible concussion. We’ll monitor Friermuth’s status ahead of Week 13.
Randall Cobb (WR) Green Bay Packers – Cobb was having his best game of the season before suffering a groin injury in the second quarter and being ruled out after halftime. Groin injuries have a tendency to reoccur when not given proper time off to heal, so expect Cobb to be sidelined for some time. The Packers are on bye in Week 13, which could help in the recovery timeline.
Will Fuller (WR) Miami Dolphins – Still on IR with a broken finger, the oft-injured Fuller will not be activated this week for the Dolphins. Limited to just 65 snaps in two games, Fuller can be dropped from all redraft rosters that may have been holding out hope that December would help make up for a lost 2021 campaign.
Curtis Samuel (WR) Washington Football Team – A groin injury has derailed Samuel’s first season in Washington, but the slot receiver returned in Week 12, playing 12 snaps and suffering no setbacks. The club will likely continue to monitor his snap counts but Samuel should see a bigger workload in Las Vegas.
Dan Arnold (TE) Jacksonville Jaguars – Arnold sprained his MCL and is expected to miss 4-6 weeks. This effectively ends Arnold’s 2021 fantasy season, so redraft fantasy managers can feel free to cut him from their rosters. James O’Shaughnessy will replace Arnold in Jacksonville’s lineup but offers precious little fantasy upside for the lowly Jags.
Trey Sermon (RB) San Francisco 49ers – Kyle Shanahan indicated Sermon could be placed on short-term IR with an ankle injury. Sermon has scarcely played and as long as Elijah Mitchell and Jeff Wilson are healthy, has no viable path to fantasy relevancy.
Harrison Bryant (TE) Cleveland Browns – Bryant suffered a high-ankle sprain and will miss multiple weeks. He can be dropped in redraft leagues.
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