Inside the Tent - Week 2 NFL Injury Insight

Injury updates and analysis for Week 2 of the 2021 NFL season. Aaron Burger, PT, DPT provides analysis on fantasy football's biggest injuries during Week 1 to help make informed lineup start/sit decisions.

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 team. 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, the readers! I'm Aaron Burger, a Doctor of Physical Therapy in Pittsburgh, PA. About four years ago, I decided to combine my love, fantasy football, with what I've been learning for 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 NFL news and updates. Feel free to reach out on Twitter (@aaronburgerPT) for any injury questions!

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Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB - Washington Football Team

• Injury: In the Football Team's Week 1 game against the Chargers, Fitzpatrick was tackled by a defender and his right hip impacted the ground at 90 degrees. This forced the femur, or the upper leg bone, into the hip socket with a great deal of force. With this force, his hip subluxed which means the femur dislocated from the hip socket but returned to its original position. This is much more favorable than a full dislocation where the bone does not return to its original position and often results in damage to the cartilage and ligaments which line and surround the joint. In Fitzpatrick's case, he may have ligamentous damage but that would take an MRI to confirm.
• News: Per Ian Rapoport on Monday, Fitzpatrick was placed on injured reserve, which means he will miss at least three weeks. According to Adam Schefter, the Washington Football Team expects him back within six to eight weeks. This seems like a realistic timeline considering this will give the ligaments and labrum around the hip to heal if indeed there was any damage.
• Outlook: The Washington Football Team now looks upon Taylor Heinicke to take snaps and lead their offense to victory as he did on Thursday night. Heinicke's mobility will suit him well but he may not air it out as frequently as Fitzpatrick.

Raheem Mostert, RB - San Francisco 49ers

• Injury: Mostert went down in Week 1 after only two carries with what was deemed "chipped cartilage" in his knee. This sounds like an articular cartilage injury with loose bodies in the joint. With the right forces, the cartilage that lines the knee can detach and actually remain within the knee joint causing locking, clicking, and decreased range of motion. This was confirmed with an MRI. A less common issue is a trochlear fissure where the cartilage within the knee joint actually tears. In either surgery, the joint will be cleaned out and the affected tissues will be repaired.
• News: On Tuesday, Mostert himself tweeted that he will undergo season-ending knee surgery to address this injury.
• Outlook: Elijah Mitchell was the hot waiver wire pickup this week and he was quite impressive after Mostert's exit logging 19 carries for 104 yards and a touchdown. Along with Mitchell, JaMycal Hasty, Trey Sermon, and recently signed Trenton Cannon will be responsible for taking snaps for Kyle Shanahan's offense. Shanahan has proven in the past that he can make just about any running back efficient but the only question is: which one will it be?

Rashaad Penny, RB - Seattle Seahawks

• Injury: Penny sustained a calf strain in Week 1. Just like other muscular strains, there are three types ranging from Grade I to Grade III with the latter being the most severe. This wouldn't be as worrisome if Penny didn't have a significant history of calf strains. He came into Week 1 with a calf strain and likely rushed back into game action. Based on reports, he is likely dealing with a Grade I strain with a return time of anywhere between three and six weeks. Considering he was already dealing with a strain, the Seahawks medical staff may be more cautious this time around.
• News: Penny did not practice this week and will miss the Seahawks' Week 2 game against the Titans.
• Outlook: When Penny exited the game, DeeJay Dallas served as the backup to Chris Carson. Behind Dallas, the Seahawks also have Alex Collins and Travis Homer. At the end of the day, this will keep Carson on the field and he could handle up to 90% of the Seahawks' running back snaps.

Jerry Jeudy, WR - Denver Broncos

• Injury: Jeudy had his right ankle trapped under a defender after securing a pass and sustained a high-ankle sprain. A high ankle sprain is different than a low ankle sprain in that it involves the connection (syndesmosis) between the tibia and fibula. These are the two lower leg bones and there is a sheet of connective tissue between them. With a high ankle sprain, this tissue is stretched and the joint becomes unstable. Given initial reports and mechanism of injury, Jeudy could be dealing with a Grade II sprain which is more severe but not a complete tear.
• News: On Tuesday, it was reported by Nick Kosmider that the Broncos placed Jeudy on injured reserve. This indicates he will be out at least three weeks. According to Ian Rapoport, the Broncos are expecting Jeudy to be sidelined for four to six weeks. Expect Jeudy to return in either Week 7 against the Browns or Week 8 against the Washington Football Team.
• Outlook: With Jeudy sidelined, expect to see more targets for Courtland Sutton and Noah Fant. Behind Sutton, K.J. Hamler and Tim Patrick will compete for snaps and targets going forward until Jeudy returns.

Michael Gallup, WR - Dallas Cowboys

• Injury: Gallup sustained a calf strain on Thursday night against the Buccaneers. As stated above, muscular strains come in three grades: Grade I, II, and III. He likely sustained a Grade I strain but calves can be especially prone to reinjury considering their involvement in sprinting. The Cowboys, with their depth at wide receiver, are likely to be more cautious with Gallup.
• News: According to Michael Gehlken, Gallup was placed on injured reserve which puts him on the sidelines for at least three weeks. He's likely to be out for anywhere from three to six weeks.
• Outlook: With Gallup rehabbing his calf, this will place the spotlight on Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb to carry the Cowboys' passing attack. Look for more targets to funnel towards Cedrick Wilson and Dalton Schultz as well.

Zach Ertz, TE - Philadelphia Eagles

• Injury: Ertz had an early exit in Week 1 thanks to a hamstring strain. The hamstrings are located on the back of the thigh and assist with bending the knee and extending the hip. Also, the hamstrings help athletes to accelerate and decelerate. Based on reports, Ertz likely is dealing with a Grade I strain which is the least severe.
• News: Ertz did not practice but was able to turn in a limited practice on Thursday and a full practice on Friday. If a player can turn in two limited practices in a row, they are more likely to play than not.
• Outlook: He's likely to play, but if Ertz isn't able to lace up then Dallas Goedert should see an increased snap count in Week 2. In Week 1, Ertz saw 52 snaps while Goedert saw 41 for the Eagles.

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