It has been relatively quiet on the injury front the last few weeks but that all changed in a big way in Week 12 as we saw multiple Fantasy Football Superstars going down with injuries. To make matters even worse a lot of these injuries are season-ending… Let’s get to it.
Quarterbacks
Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals (thumb)
A bad snap apparently caused enough damage to Dalton’s thumb that the team is deciding to put him on Injured Reserve. His 2018 season is over.
Fantasy Impact: Jeff Driskel is assumed to take over under-center for the Bengals but the team signed Tom Savage off of waivers. Though Dalton was not an every week fantasy starter, he was capable enough to help his playmakers like AJ Green, Tyler Boyd, and Joe Mixon put up solid fantasy stats. Hopefully those three Cincy stars can continue their fantasy success with Driskel or Savage at QB, but realistically they will likely see a dip in stats.
Running Back
Melvin Gordon, Los Angeles Chargers (knee)
Banged up with a hamstring and knee injury heading into Week 12, the Chargers star rusher left the game with an MCL Sprain and is expected to miss a few weeks.
Fantasy Impact: For fantasy managers fighting for or looking to make noise in the playoffs, this injury couldn’t have come at a worse time. Gordon will be out for Week 13 and possibly even Week 14. For now Week 15 is the target date of return but he may push to be back Week 14-fingers crossed. With Gordon sidelined, look for Austin Ekeler to see a big bump in usage along with Justin Jackson getting some work as well.
Marlon Mack, Indianapolis Colts (concussion)
The Colts rusher suffered a concussion in the 2nd Half of the team’s Week 12 win over the Dolphins. Mack will have a week to clear the league’s concussion protocol.
Fantasy Impact: If Mack can’t play in Week 13, Nyheim Hines and Jordan Wilkins will take over in Indy’s backfield.
Kenyan Drake, Miami Dolphins (shoulder)
A hard hit to the shoulder forced Drake out of the game in Week 12 and his Coach Adam Gase is already telling the media his running back will be in a non-contact jersey all week.
Fantasy Impact: Will be tough to gauge Drake’s Week 13 availability by practice reports, given we he’ll likely be limited all week. Putting the Questionable tag on the Dolphins running back.
Wide Receiver
Marvin Jones, Detroit Lions (Knee)
Jones didn’t suffer the knee injury in Week 12 but it is when the Lions are deciding to put him on Injured Reserve. Jones’ 2018 season is now over.
Fantasy Impact: Jones has missed the last few games and as a result Kenny Golladay has seen an insane amount of targets. Look for Matt Stafford to continue to rely on Golladay and Theo Riddick in the Lions passing attack. Bruce Ellington will take over as the teams second wide receiver.
Equanimeous St. Brown, Green Bay Packers (elbow)
Packers rookie pass catcher suffered an elbow injury against the Vikings and did not return to action.
Fantasy Impact: With Randall Cobb plagued by injury and now St. Brown, Aaron Rodgers’ receiving corps is shrinking by the day. J’Mon Moore can be considered the Packers third receiver behind Davante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
Tight End
Jack Doyle, Indianapolis Colts (kidney)
The Colts TE was hospitalized and had surgery after the team’s Week 12 win over the Dolphins and has since been placed on Injured Reserve. The injury is described as relating to Doyle’s kidney. Jack Doyle’s 2018 season is over.
Fantasy Impact: With Doyle out of action, look for Eric Ebron’s target share to increase as he’ll remain a TE1 going forward. QB Andrew Luck loses one of his most consistent pass catchers but Doyle’s absence from the lineup earlier in the season didn’t slow down the Colts gunslinger so we don’t expect much of a decrease in production now.
Evan Engram, New York Giants (hamstring)
The Giants tight end surprisingly didn’t play a single snap in Week 12. He was not on the team’s injury report heading into Week 12. Instead it is being reported he was injured in pre-game warmups.
Fantasy Impact: Engram has had a disastrous season, missing multiple weeks with a sprained MCL and now is dealing with a hamstring injury. Rhett Ellison would take over for the Giants at tight end if Engram can’t play.
Kicker
Phil Dawson, Arizona Cardinals (hip)
The Cardinals are putting kicker Phil Dawson on Injured Reserve due to a hip injury.
Fantasy Impact: Cardinals activated kicker Zane Gonzalez.
