It was another brutal week from an injury standpoint, especially for my New York Giants.  They lost their entire receiving core so if you have a pulse and can run ten yards then you might be able to play for Big Blue right now.  We are only five weeks into the season and already two of the top five draft picks are done with season-ending injuries.  This type of roster chaos creates an environment that is ripe for trades as GMs look to capitalize on the desperation of other league members who have seen their star players go down.  So, without further ado, let’s delve into the next edition of the fantasy football emergency room.

Odell Beckham, Jr. (WR-NYG) – The star of the Giants trifecta at wide receiver watched Brandon Marshall and Sterling Shepard get carted off the field before he finally succumbed to the same fate in the fourth quarter this past Sunday.  Beckham’s ankle was already weak and he finished it off with a clean fracture that will require season-ending surgery.  The injury looked gruesome and you could see how much pain OBJ was in as he was in tears on the field.  This is a devastating loss for fantasy GMs who will not be able to replace his type of production.  Beckham can be dropped in all redraft leagues but he is expected to fully recover and be ready for 2018.

Rob Gronkowski (TE-NE) – After missing last Thursday’s game against Tampa Bay, Gronkowski is back at practice and is fully expected to play this coming week against the Jets.  The Patriots offense has not been as prolific as we are accustomed to but that could change in this upcoming rivalry game where Gronkowski will be an elite TE1 and a great option in DFS leagues.

Travis Kelce (TE-KC) – Kelce has been a beast thus far catching 29 passes for 353 yards and two touchdowns.  However, he suffered a concussion during Sunday night’s game against Houston and missed the second half.  He is in the NFL concussion protocol now so check back later in the week for another update on his condition for Week 6.

Jordy Nelson (WR-GB) – It was alarming that Nelson was on the sideline for the Packers final drive against Dallas on Sunday and there are conflicting reports over whether he was dealing with a hamstring injury.  Nelson appears sure that he will play next Sunday against Minnesota which is good news for fantasy GMs who have reaped the benefits of his six touchdowns through the first five weeks of the season.

Stefon Diggs (WR-MIN) – Diggs has been explosive thus far this season with 23 catches for 395 yards and four touchdowns although he was limited to one catch for four yards before suffering an injury on Monday night.  He appeared to injure his groin and was taken out of the game.  The Vikings will have a short week ahead of their showdown with Green Bay so Diggs will need to recover quickly in order to ensure his status for next Sunday.  He is a low-end WR1 and sure-fire WR2 when healthy, regardless of who is playing quarterback for Minnesota.

Derek Carr (QB-OAK) – It looked like Carr might miss between two to six weeks with his back injury, but now it appears he should be able to play this Sunday against the Chargers.  Oakland desperately needs Carr back on the field and in sync with his many offensive weapons as the Raiders have severely sputtered since opening the season with two victories.  E.J. Manuel filled in for Carr this past Sunday against Baltimore and was atrocious, so there is little doubt that Oakland wants him back under center as soon as possible making him a viable starting option if he is able to take the field.

Marcus Mariota (QB-TEN) – The Titans will be playing next Monday night and have already indicated that it could be a game-time decision whether Mariota will play.  He missed the past week with a hamstring injury and the results were expectedly ugly with his absence.  Fantasy GMs will face a dilemma if we don’t have any better idea of his status later in the week and by Sunday morning when lineups lock.  When healthy, Mariota is a must-start option with his big arm and ability to run.  GMs should have an alternative ready to go if we don’t get clarity on his situation soon enough.

Matthew Stafford (QB-DET) – Stafford suffered both an ankle and thigh injury during the Lions loss to the Panthers on Sunday.  He played through the injuries and had a great fourth quarter which is encouraging for his status in this coming week’s game against the Saints.  He will have an appetizing matchup against New Orleans defense so he is a solid QB2 option even if he is not 100% by game time.

Brandon Marshall (WR-NYG) – There is no question that Brandon Marshall was one of the biggest busts in all of football this year.  He switched locker rooms at Met Life Stadium and joined the Giants expecting to put up huge numbers opposite Odell Beckham, Jr.  Unfortunately, nothing went as planned as Marshall was held to 18 catches for 154 yards and no touchdowns through five games before suffering a season-ending ankle injury on Sunday against the Chargers.  Marshall will undergo surgery this week to repair the ankle and his playing career could be over as the Giants are unlikely going to bring him back next season.

Sterling Shepard (WR-NYG) – Before Beckham and Marshall went down, Sterling Shepard was the first of the Giants receivers to be carted off the field with an ankle injury.  Fortunately for him, Shepard’s injury seems the least severe as he underwent an MRI and is considered day-to-day.  He will clearly have a more prominent role in the Giants’ offense now that Beckham and Marshall are done for the season.  His status for this Sunday night’s game against Denver is unknown at this time so check back later in the week for further updates.

Bilal Powell (RB-NYJ) – Somehow the Jets are 3-2 after many pundits expected them to go 0-16 with one of the worst rosters on paper we had seen in quite some time.  One reason has been the surprising running game led by Powell who has rushed the ball 51 times for 240 yards and two touchdowns.  He suffered a strained calf on Sunday against the Browns and is questionable for Week 6 against New England.  He did see a more limited role before he suffered the injury so that is a disturbing trend in the wrong direction.  He is not a great fantasy option heading into this Sunday’s showdown with the Patriots.

Sam Bradford (QB-MIN) – Bradford made his return on Monday night after missing three games with a knee injury and wound up right back on the bench.  He re-aggravated the injury when getting tackled on a play and was taken out of the game after completing five of 11 passes for only 36 yards before being replaced by Case Keenum.  In addition, Teddy Bridgewater is eligible to be activated next week meaning there will be less of a rush to get Bradford back on the field.

DeVante Parker (WR-MIA) – The Dolphins offense has been abysmal all season which has severely devalued many of their offensive players including DeVante Parker.  Parker has 19 catches for 236 yards and one touchdown but suffered an ankle injury on Sunday against Tennesee.  He is still likely going to play this week against Atlanta but his situation is one to continue monitoring during the week.  He is a WR3 option at best given how terrible Miami’s passing offense has been with Jay Cutler.

Devin Funchess (WR-CAR) – Cam Newton has caught fire the past couple weeks and Devin Funchess has been one of the biggest beneficiaries as he now has 24 catches for 269 yards and three touchdowns.  He suffered a knee injury on Sunday against the Lions and now is in jeopardy of missing this Thursday’s game against the Eagles.  He didn’t practice on Monday and with the short week it would be hard to imagine him playing if he isn’t able to get any work in beforehand.  He is a WR3 fantasy option if he is able to play but it seems unlikely he would be 100% so it is likely best to sit him on the bench for Week 6.

J.J. Watt (DL-HOU) – This is a heart-breaking loss for the Texans and the City of Houston overall as Watt went down with a season-ending knee injury on Sunday night.  He suffered a tibial plateu fracture of his left leg and will undergo surgery.  This is the second straight season that has been ended with an injury and he will now face a grueling recovery process.  Watt only had 15 tackles and no sacks through five games and can now be dropped in all IDP redraft leagues.

Whitney Mercilus (LB-HOU) – Adding insult to injury, the Texans also lost their star linebacker Whitney Mercilus to a season-ending injury.  He tore his pectoral muscle and will require surgery ending his season.  Houston’s defense was one of the top fantasy options every week but that now drastically changes with the loss of two of the best players for the year.

Dwayne Harris (WR-NYG) – As if losing their top three wide receivers wasn’t enough, the Giants also lost their 4th receiver and kick returner Dwayne Harris on Sunday.  Harris sustained a fractured foot and will miss the remainder of the season.  His loss also is devastating from a special teams perspective because the Giants do not have great options to replace him on kickoff or punt returns.

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