Week 10 is in the books in the NFL, so it’s time to take stock of what you have left on your team for the playoff run. This week’s injuries weren’t too bad, with only a couple of high profile players going down. This is the final week of byes, so just one more week to get through until your team is back at full strength for the stretch run.
Sam Bradford went down with a concussion AND a shoulder sprain to his non-throwing arm. He will likely be out for at least a week as Mark Sanchez butt-fumbles his way into the starting job. Other backups getting the nod in week 11 will be Johnny Manziel, officially starting the rest of the season for a perpetually banged up Josh McCown. Case Keenum will also take over for Nick Foles, who, while not injured, probably wishes he had that as an excuse for his poor play.
Landry Jones suffered an ankle injury early in the game, leading to Ben Roethlisberger coming in and throwing for 293 yards and 3 td, just a record for a non-starting QB. Big Ben will return to the starting lineup following the team’s Week 11 bye. Peyton Manning was yanked in favor of Brock Osweiler after throwing for about 35 yards and 4 INT. After the game, it was reported that Manning has plantar fasciitits and a rib injury and will not be starting Week 11. Brock Osweiler gets his first career start against a Bears team that has suddenly been playing well.
Texans QB Brian Hoyer was pulled from the game on Monday night after a possible concussion and did not return to the game. This is the first time I can remember watching a game and having a sideline observer pull a starting QB out of the game when he displayed no symptoms, just based on what had been seen during replay. The Texans hope that Hoyer can be cleared to play the Jets in Week 11, if not, look for T.J. Yates to start for Houston once again.
Ryan Mathews left the game with a concussion and will have to be cleared by NFL protocol before he can return to the field. This should benefit DeMarco Murray, but only a little. Don’t expect a lot more work for Darren Sproles, who seems to have settled into a very minor role in the Eagles’ offense.
Julian Edelman might be the biggest fantasy player to go down win Week 10. Edelman suffered a Jones fracture in his foot, the same injury that Dez Bryant suffered earlier this year, and Julio Jones has dealt with in the past. Edelman is expected to have surgery and this means he’ll be done for the fantasy football season, but may return for the Patriots playoff push. I’m sure he’d hate to miss the final act of the Tom Brady Middle Finger Tour. Look for Danny Amendola to be the main beneficiary of this injury, and the guy to pick up on the waivers this week.
Emmanuel Sanders exited his game on Sunday, right about the time that Manning did. Sanders was iffy at best to play in this game, and had 4 targets and zero receptions. Perhaps if healthy he reels in a pass or two, but his performance has a lot to do with his QB struggling. Sanders, if healthy, should be a WR2/3 against the Bears, who could find themselves overmatched if both Thomas and Sanders are 100%. If Sanders does not play, Osweiler will likely look for one of the targets he’s been practicing with, it’s just tough to guess which one!
Justin Hunter is done for the season after fracturing his ankle against Carolina. With Hunter gone and Kendall Wright still injured, it’s time for Dorial Green-Beckham to shine. Hell, it’s time for anyone to shine on the Tennessee offense, which has been anemic all season.
For more in-depth analysis and discussion of these injury scenarios, tune in to the Fantasy Finish Line Podcast, Week 10 Preview: ADP vs. Reality
QUARTERBACK
Jacoby Brissett (MCL Sprain) – Brissett has still not been ruled out for Week 10’s game against the Dolphins after going down early in the Steelers game last week. Brian Hoyer filled in for him and went 17/26 for 168 yards and 3 TDs with 1 INT. Brissett put in a limited practice today and he is still expected to try and play, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Colts held him out one more week since their matchup against the Dolphins is still winnable with a backup QB and without T.Y. Hilton (calf).
Cam Newton (Lisfranc) – Newton was put on the IR yesterday, ending his season. Kyle Allen will fill in for the rest of the year at QB and although he’s not playing at a high level he has been managing the team to wins since Newton’s departure – something Cam was not excelling at. It’s likely at this point that Newton will be under center for some other team next season.
Patrick Mahomes (knee) – Andy Reid said that the Chiefs were increasing Mahomes’ workload in practice this week before starting him against the Titans on Sunday. He participated fully today and should be expected to start this week barring any setbacks, putting Matt Moore back behind the clipboard.
RUNNING BACK
Le’Veon Bell (knee) – Bell had an MRI on his knee Monday, and the Jets signed Josh Adams – causing fantasy team owners around the world to hold their breath – but the Adams signing was apparently a defensive move in order to block the Dolphins from acquiring him in the wake of Mark Walton’s suspension. The latest news on Bell is that he has no structural damage to his knee and wanted to practice today, but the team forced him to rest instead. It’s still possible that Bell is held out, so watch the news this week to see if he suits up. Ty Montgomery would fill in if he did miss time but he would not be a big fantasy asset by any means.
David Johnson (ankle) – The Cardinals’ best receiver so far this year, Johnson says that he’s “definitely playing” this week against the Buccaneers. Expect a tandem of Johnson and the newly acquired Kenyan Drake, which may impress more than people think. The Cardinals are getting healthy again with Kirk back, and Week 10’s matchup against TB (allowing a league-leading 37.91 points against WRs this year) may be a lucrative one for Cardinals’ pass catchers.
James Conner (shoulder) – Tomlin is optimistic that Conner will play in Week 10 but Samuels will be the guy if Conner is unable to. Conner’s backup Edmunds didn’t practice today which was a surprise – but Conner did put in a limited session. Sounds like he’ll go. Editor's Note (11/7): Sounds like he won't go now, and depth behind Samuels is a bit of a mystery.
WIDE RECEIVER
DeSean Jackson (abdomen) – Surgery later this week, off fantasy radar for the rest of the season. We’ll see him again next year, but it’s always sad from an explosive player like Jackson who put up 8 receptions for 154 yards and 2 TDs in Week 1. Mack Hollins will continue to act as the WR3 on the Eagles, but Miles Sanders gets a lot of benefit out of the extra targets on this offense as well.
Preston Williams (knee) – This injury ends Williams’ season, but he was very solid as a receiver and we’ll see him again next year!
Adam Thielen (hamstring) – Thielen tried to rejoin the offense last week but limped off early in the contest and is now expected to miss several weeks in order to get fully healthy. Week 13 looks like the target for him to get back on the field, with the Vikings on bye in Week 12. He has been disappointing this season from a fantasy perspective and is only on pace for 48 catches and 695 yards.
T.Y. Hilton (calf) – Head coach Frank Reich now expects Hilton to be out for 3-4 weeks, and Zach Pascal is filling in while Hilton is out. Pascal was a hot waiver wire pickup over the last 2 weeks, and he did have nice games in Weeks 7 and 9, but he is still very much boom or bust and capable of performances like his 6-yard game against the Broncos in Week 8. Buyer beware!
Sterling Shepard & Brandin Cooks (concussion) – Shepard and Cooks are probably at the same specialist in Pittsburgh consulting about concussions.. it looks like both of them may end up on IR, which would be a big blow to those offenses.
TIGHT END
Chris Herndon (hamstring) – Looks like Herndon will suit up (for real this time) and play his first snaps this week. He was a beast last year and should be owned in every league, regardless of format, with the TE landscape being as barren as it is this year.
O.J. Howard (hamstring) – Howard will be out there against the Cardinals in Week 10 and we all know what the Cardinals weakness is.. tight ends. Do we think that Howard will actually put up fantasy start worthy stats? Coin toss.
Evan Engram (foot) – He’s hanging out in a walking boot. Mid-foot sprain will have his status squarely at week-to-week. As Rotoworld smartly states, “mid-foot” can refer to a Lisfranc injury.. which tends to put people on the bench for multiple weeks or even send them home for the season. Monitor carefully, as he was performing at a high level before being injured.