One of the most important aspects of preparing for your fantasy football draft is to keep a close eye on players that are coming back from serious injuries. That is because injured players can sometimes fall off of other GM’s radars and allow you to draft them for tremendous value. In 2014, there was no shortage of injuries to impact players, which likely had some effect on the outcome of your league. So let’s take a look at some of the biggest names coming back from injury or dealing with current injuries that you should keep tabs on.

Odell Beckham Jr. (WR-NYG)

The emergence of Odell Beckham Jr. in his rookie season was unprecedented as he went from injury bust to future first round beast with 91 receptions, 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns. He did all of that despite missing the first four games of the 2014 season with a torn left hamstring. Now he is dealing with tightness in his right hamstring and will likely be shut down until training camp.

Outlook: The Giants are wisely being cautious with their prized possession because they want to avoid a similar recurrence as last year. Beckham is a legitimate first round pick in any format thanks to his elite production, but there has to be some level of concern about his hamstrings. He is still worth the risk because very few other receivers have the ability to compile statistics such as his.

Jordy Nelson (WR-GB)

At some point during this offseason, Jordy Nelson underwent surgery on his hip to “clean it up.” Details are scant regarding the procedure, but all indications and prognoses are that Nelson will be fully ready for training camp. Nelson is an elite wide receiver who has continued showing great improvement over the past couple seasons.

Outlook: After catching 98 passes in 2014, it would not be surprising to see Nelson surpass 100 receptions this year. Despite having a few uncharacteristically sloppy drops in key situations late in the season, Nelson has been one of the most dependable receivers in football since emerging with a prominent role in Green Bay’s offense. He is Aaron Rodgers’ favorite target which makes him a great target for you as your top wide receiver.

Sammy Watkins (WR-BUF)

Despite some growing pains and a couple bouts of immaturity, Sammy Watkins had a successful rookie season in 2014. He compiled 65 receptions for 982 yards and six touchdowns (it should have been seven but for a “Leon Lett moment”) playing in all 16 games. Normally those numbers would stand out for a rookie, but Watkins’ performance was outshined by fellow rookie receivers Odell Beckham Jr., Mike Evans and Kelvin Benjamin.

Outlook: Watkins is expected to be 100 percent healthy for the regular season and is entrenched as the Bills primary wide receiver. However, his fantasy value took a significant hit when Rex Ryan and LeSean McCoy shuffled off to Buffalo. Ryan notoriously relies on the running game, and now he has the former rushing champion at his disposal to run into the ground. In addition, the Bills quarterback situation is a disaster. Expect a regression from Watkins in his sophomore season.

Victor Cruz (WR-NYG)

Cruz suffered a patellar tear in his knee during Week 6 last year which required season-ending surgery. This is a very serious injury but Cruz has made tremendous progress in his rehab as he has begun running routes and building up strength and endurance. There were legitimate concerns whether Cruz would ever be able to play again after sustaining this injury. The fact that he has progressed so well bodes well for his ability to be on the field in Week 1.

Outlook: Cruz will be a risk simply because of the nature of his injury. As a slot receiver, Cruz will put a lot of torque on his knee running routes, so the Giants could limit his snaps to try and keep him healthy. He will benefit from Beckham’s presence commanding double coverage from opposing defenses. Don’t reach for Cruz too early but absolutely have him on your radar in the middle rounds.

Carlos Hyde (RB-SF)

With Frank Gore now in Indianapolis, the door is open for Carlos Hyde to emerge as the 49ers featured running back. However, there will be competition as San Francisco brought in Reggie Bush and Mike Davis and they still have Kendall Hunter returning from injury. Hyde did miss some time during OTA’s with a leg injury, but the severity of it was never disclosed. There is nothing to be concerned about at this time as Hyde is expected to be fully ready to go for training camp.

Outlook: Hyde had a relatively quiet rookie season only rushing the ball 83 times for 333 yards and four touchdowns. He figures to have a much more prominent role in San Francisco’s offense if he produces and can stay healthy.

Andre Ellington (RB-ARZ)

There is no denying that Ellington was a major fantasy bust in 2014 after being anointed the Cardinals featured running back. He averaged a paltry 3.3 yards per carry and only scored three touchdowns in just 12 games before being shut down with a foot injury. Fantasy owners will have a hard time trusting a player like Ellington again after they spent an early round pick on him last year.

Outlook: Ellington will have a chance to compete for the starting job in Arizona, but he will be faced with competition from David Johnson. Expect rushing attempts to be spread out amongst several players in order to try and keep everyone healthy.

Brian Quick (WR-STL)

The Rams have invested a lot of early round draft picks at the wide receiver position over the past few years, including taking Brian Quick in the second round of the 2012 draft. Quick got off to a fast start in 2014 (21 receptions for 322 yards and three touchdowns through the Rams first four games) and became a popular waiver wire option over the first couple weeks. However, he suffered a serious shoulder injury which required surgery and ended his season after only seven games.

Outlook: Quick is working his way back but is questionable for the beginning of training camp. The surgery he had was extremely serious so it is not surprising that it has taken this long to come all the way back. He is expected to be ready by Week 1 and will be the Rams primary wide receiver.

Allen Robinson (WR-JAX)

Robinson emerged from relative obscurity in 2014 to become the Jaguars top wide receiver and compiled 48 receptions for 548 yards and two touchdowns. He was a waiver wire favorite early in the season but sustained a stress fracture in his foot which landed him on injured reserve after only ten games.

Outlook: Robinson is progressing quickly in his rehab as he has now been cleared to participate in team drills. He will be Blake Bortles favorite target which bodes well for Robinson’s value as the Jaguars slowly but steadily start to improve. Look for him to be more valuable in standard leagues.

Jadeveon Clowney (LB-HOU)

The former #1 draft pick is currently working his way back from microfracture surgery this past winter. Clowney only played in four games his rookie season before immediately getting injured and placed on injured reserve. He has the ability to be a game-changer on defense, especially being paired up with J.J. Watt.

Outlook: Microfracture surgery is a major operation that takes a long time to heal. He is working out with the team this spring but has not received clearance to participate in any on-field activities just yet. The Texans are confident he will be on the field for Week 1, so expect him out there barring any setbacks over the summer. He clearly is talented, but temper your expectations initially before committing to him as a franchise IDP option.

Carson Palmer (QB-ARZ)

The Cardinals managed to make the playoffs in 2014 with their third-string quarterback playing towards the end of the season. Imagine what could have happened if Carson Palmer didn’t blow his knee out ending his season after Week 10. This happened after he had already overcome a nerve injury in his shoulder earlier in the year. His rehab for the ACL injury has gone well and he appears on track to be under center when the regular season begins.

Outlook: Even at 35-years old, Palmer is still a productive fantasy quarterback as evidenced by averaging 271 yards passing in the six games he did play in 2014. The Cardinals do have offensive weapons around him which will likely lead to a faster paced offense featuring the likes of Larry Fitzgerald, Michael Floyd, John Brown and a returning Andre Ellington.

Sam Bradford (QB-PHI)

It’s been two years since we last saw Sam Bradford in a regular season game. Since then he has undergone multiple knee surgeries and was traded to the Eagles to run their high octane offense. It is unrealistic to expect him to be 100 percent by the time training camp begins, but barring any setbacks he will be under center when the season starts.

Outlook: Bradford epitomizes a high risk/high reward fantasy option for 2015. He has never had the type of talent around him or system to play within that he currently has in Philadelphia. Health is a serious concern after two serious knee injuries so it will be a major storyline to follow in terms of whether he can play at such a fast pace in Chip Kelly’s offense. He is worth a late round pick as a backup quarterback that you can possibly sell high on if he gets off to a fast start.

Kiko Alonso (LB-PHI)

The Eagles acquired Alonso from Buffalo in the LeSean McCoy trade despite missing the 2014 season with a torn ACL. He is back at 100 percent and will be ready for training camp without any restrictions.

Outlook: Alonso is a great option in IDP leagues. He racked up 159 tackles to go along with four interceptions and two sacks in his rookie season in 2013. As an inside linebacker now for the Eagles, Alonso will have plenty of opportunities to replicate that production and once again be one of the top IDP point scorers.

Ryan Clady (LT-DEN)

Broncos left tackle Ryan Clady tore his ACL in late May and is now out for the season. This could have a huge impact on fantasy football because of how this injury affects Denver’s offensive scheme and ability to protect Peyton Manning.

Outlook: Clady is one of the best offensive linemen in the NFL and his loss cannot be replaced. The Broncos certainly were headed in a different direction offensively by leaning heavier on the running game. The loss of Clady could potentially thwart the running game meaning Peyton Manning will have to pass more than Denver would like. However, it cannot be stressed how important Manning’s left tackle is in terms of pass protection. Without Clady, it elevates the risk towards Manning by exposing his blind side. This has a ripple effect throughout Denver’s entire offense so consider this factor when evaluating your draft strategies.

Michael A. Stein, Esq. is the Chief Justice of Fantasy Judgment, the industry’s premier dispute resolution service. You can contact him at michael.stein@fantasyjudgment.com or on Facebook and Twitter (@FantasyJudgment).