Inside the Tent - Week 7 NFL Injury Insight

October 20, 2018

Injury updates and analysis for Week 7 of the 2018 NFL season. Medical expert Aaron Burger, SPT, provides analysis on fantasy football's biggest injuries to help you make informed lineup start/sit decisions.

Everyone held a collective breath as they watched Cooper Kupp get horse-collared by a Broncos defender and had his left knee twisted awkwardly. Thankfully, he didn't tear any ligaments and was even able to come back and play in the second half after getting carted off the field. Devonta Freeman, Leonard Fournette, and Dalvin Cook continued their injury-riddled seasons and fantasy players everywhere ponder what to do with these stud RBs. Make sure to keep reading for updates on your fantasy players and reach out on Twitter if you have questions about players I didn't cover!

At RotoBaller, we can't stress enough the importance of keeping up with injuries and playing your best lineup week after week. Players are going to get injured, that's an unavoidable fact. What's avoidable though is making the wrong roster decisions based on the injuries surrounding your fantasy squad. If you want to dominate your leagues and win some dough in daily contests, you have to be proactive with injury research.

That's where I come in to serve you guys, the readers! I'm Aaron Burger, a third-year Doctor of Physical Therapy student, graduating in May. About a year ago, I decided to combine my love, fantasy football, with what I've been learning for three years now, injuries and the human body. Each week, I'll be checking in on fantasy's biggest injuries to keep you informed. Be sure you also have RotoBaller bookmarked and follow us on social media to catch all the latest breaking NFL news updates.

Inside the Tent Updates

Leonard Fournette, RB - Jacksonville Jaguars

Leonard Fournette is the thorn in our sides this season. He had such high expectations but he can't seem to shake his "injury prone" label. He is still ailing from the hamstring strain he suffered in Week 1. It's quite possible the Jaguars will rest him through their bye week (Week 9) so hopefully, you are still in a position where you can make a playoff run so you can use Fournette this year.

Dalvin Cook, RB - Minnesota Vikings

Cook's status for the Vikings Week 7 matchup against the Jets. The Jets have been okay against the run this year but are more susceptible to pass-catching running backs. Cook is still dealing with the hamstring strain that has derailed his 2018 thus far. His availability should be monitored until official availabilities are released at 11:30 AM Sunday.

Giovani Bernard, RB - Cincinnati Bengals

Bernard is dealing with a sprained MCL and has not practiced this week. It would be a total shock if he was active for Week 7 and Joe Mixon will once again enjoy the backfield all to himself. He has a great matchup against the Chiefs this week and should see the volume to support RB1 numbers.

T.Y. Hilton, WR - Indianapolis Colts

Hilton didn't play in Week 6 but was able to turn in a full practice on Wednesday which is certainly a good sign heading into the weekend. On Thursday though, he practiced in a limited fashion which sheds some doubt on his availability this weekend after he's battled a hamstring strain for the majority of this season. His availability will be worth monitoring leading up to the Colts' matchup against the Bills.

Geronimo Allison, WR - Green Bay Packers

Allison was able to clear concussion protocol but it was ultimately his hamstring strain that kept him out in Week 6 against the 49ers. Rodgers had a huge game throwing primarily to Davante Adams but he ultimately did a great job spreading the ball around. Allison should be back this week after an extra week to rest and rehab his hamstring. He was a game-time decision so he was obviously close to playing last week.

O.J. Howard, TE - Tampa Bay Buccaneers

BOOM! Howard, out of nowhere, played in Week 6 and caught all four of his targets for 62 yards and a TD. He was dealing with an MCL sprain and wore a brace to add stability to his knee. Going forward, I really like Howard considering the Buccaneers defense isn't anything to write home about and they'll have to throw to win with their inconsistent running game.

Evan Engram, TE - New York Giants

Engram was close to playing on Thursday but since it was a short week, the Giants wanted to play it safe. Now, with the Giants playing Monday night and an extra day to rest and rehab, Engram should be good to go after spraining his MCL in Week 3. Given the anemic nature of the Giants offense outside of Saquon Barkley, they could surely use the boost.

Greg Olsen, TE - Carolina Panthers

Olsen missed the majority of the year in 2017 with a Jones fracture in his foot and then reinjured the surgically repaired foot in Week 1. He returned in Week 6 and reeled in four of seven targets for 48 yards. Going forward, it will be interesting to see if Olsen can stay healthy and once again solidify himself as one of the top tight ends in the game.

Week 6 Injury Updates

Devonta Freeman, RB - Atlanta Falcons

• Injury: Freeman was ailing with both a bone bruise in his foot and a groin injury. It is the groin injury that landed him on the IR and sidelined for at least eight weeks. Freeman is undergoing surgery on his groin and this surgery likely involves the adductor muscles. The adductor muscles run along the inside of the thigh and bring the legs together.
• News: With this surgery and placement on the IR, Freeman's season is essentially over and is definitely over as far as fantasy is concerned. If the Falcons somehow make the playoffs there is a possibility he could play but for fantasy purposes, he is safe to drop.
• Outlook: This is tough news if you used an early round pick on Freeman. Tevin Coleman is the starter is Atlanta going forward with Ito Smith seeing goal-line work as well as some carries between the 20s. Smith should be picked up in all leagues if he's still available for some reason.

Marshawn Lynch, RB - Oakland Raiders

• Injury: Lynch is dealing with a groin injury which most likely involves his adductor muscles which run along the inside of the thigh and move the legs inward. The news that the Raiders were concerned about Lynch’s groin injury really came out of nowhere on Tuesday.
• News: This injury is reportedly pretty serious and could keep Lynch out for possibly a month or more. The Raiders have not ruled out putting Lynch on the IR or the possibility of a surgical procedure. Oakland is on a bye in Week 7 so we should have some clarity on the timeline in the coming days.
• Outlook: With Lynch sidelined for the foreseeable future, look for Doug Martin to handle the workload in obvious rushing situations. When the Raiders are down and have to pass more, look for Jalen Richard to handle the majority of the work and I actually really like him in PPR leagues as bye weeks begin to creep up. Richard will be a solid FLEX play while Lynch is out considering the Raiders often find themselves behind in games and needing to pass.

Cooper Kupp, WR - Los Angeles Rams

• Injury: Kupp was the victim of a horse collar tackle and his left knee twisted under him causing an MCL sprain. He will be out anywhere from 1-4 weeks depending on the severity. He was able to come back for the second half after being carted off but was not effective and his snap count wasn’t his normal workload.
• News: Coming off a concussion in Week 5, Kupp was active for Week 6 but now faces a new setback. He will be OUT for Week 7 according to Head Coach Sean McVay. Considering how awkwardly Kupp’s knee twisted, he was lucky to only come away with an MCL sprain.
• Outlook: In Week 7 and while Kupp is out, look for Robert Woods to get some increased attention from Jared Goff as well as Brandin Cooks down the field. Kupp was a huge red zone threat so Gerald Everett could see some looks once the Rams get close in Kupp’s absence.

Calvin Ridley, WR - Atlanta Falcons

• Injury: Ridley has been diagnosed with a bone bruise in his foot. Bone bruises can be very painful and can linger for multiple weeks. The bone is living tissue with a blood supply and when two bones are forcibly pushed together, there can be bruising along the surface of the bone.
• News: Ridley did not practice Thursday but was able to practice in a limited fashion on Friday which is a great sign heading into the Falcons MNF matchup with the Giants. His practice availability will need to be monitored on Saturday but I would not be surprised if he is able to play Week 7.
• Outlook: While Ridley practiced on Friday, his fellow wideout Mohamed Sanu did not practice due to a hip injury. If Sanu cannot play in Week 7, this obviously means more looks will go in Ridley’s direction. Sanu owners should roster Justin Hardy as a safety valve or go with a safer option on Sunday.

Quincy Enunwa, WR - New York Jets

• Injury: Enunwa suffered a right high ankle sprain in Week 6. High ankle sprains commonly involve the anterior tibiofibular ligament which connects the shin bone (tibia) and the bone that runs along the outside of the leg (fibula) just above the ankle. He was seen wearing a walking boot following the game.
• News: With this diagnosis, Enunwa will likely be out 3-4 weeks as he rehabs his ankle and tries to control the swelling. High ankle sprains are more difficult to come back from because the bones involved (the tibia and fibula) are much larger and the laxity in the ligament from the sprain can invoke extra movement between these two bones.
• Outlook: Enunwa was already dealing with a hand injury and even sported a brace in Week 6 when he was held catchless. With Enunwa out, look for Jermaine Kearse to step up and handle more targets from Sam Darnold. He reeled in 9 of his 10 targets for 94 yards while working out of the slot. Robby Anderson is a riskier play considering his boom or bust role in the New York offense.

Give me a follow on Twitter at @FFAchesAilments - Check back next week and all season for insight regarding fantasy's biggest injuries!

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