Preparing for fantasy football drafts requires a lot of studying, analysis and intuition.  There are many details to pay attention to when ranking players or deciding who to keep in dynasty leagues.  However, it is sometimes easy to convince yourself to take a pass on a player who was injured last season or this summer during OTA’s and training camp.  You may even accidentally forget about someone whose statistics were skewed in pre-season rankings because they missed some time in 2016.  Monitoring the health of players is very important as you prepare for drafts because we all know too well how one injury can ruin the entire season.  If there is one thing guaranteed in life besides death and taxes, it is injuries to key members of your fantasy football team.  The Fantasy Alarm NFL Injury Report will provide updates and analysis on the injuries that take place during the season.  Right now we will provide you with some key players who are returning from injury that you should be targeting in drafts.  

Rob Gronkowski (TE-NE)

It wouldn’t be a Fantasy Alarm Injury Report without including Rob Gronkowski who has made far too many appearances in this column.  Gronkowski’s 2016 season was cut short with a serious back injury that required surgery.  The good news is that he appears to be fully recovered and was a full participant during the Patriots’ OTA’s.  There is no question he is the top option at tight end, but fantasy GMs should pause before using a first round draft pick on him.  Yes, he is far and away the best choice at his position and puts up elite statistics when healthy.  However, he has such a lengthy injury history and has undergone some very serious operations which makes him a risky choice for your first selection.  That warning won’t stop people from drafting him in the first round, but perhaps his appearance in a battle royal at WrestleMania 33 helped quell any concerns about his condition heading into the season.  

David Johnson (RB-ARZ)

Disaster was averted during Week 17 of last season when Johnson suffered what looked like a catastrophic knee injury.  He was carted off the field during a meaningless game with what looked like a debilitating injury but only turned out to be a sprained MCL.  Johnson did not need surgery which is great news as he has had plenty of time to rest, recover and rehab in order to be 100% for the 2017 season.  He is coming off a season in which he ran for 1,239 yards and 16 touchdowns to go along with 80 receptions for 879 yards and four touchdowns.  Numbers like this along with reports that he wants 30 touches per game make him a safe bet to be worth the first overall pick in drafts this summer.  Johnson is a strong candidate to accumulate 1,000 yards both rushing and receiving so don’t hesitate to lock in your draft pick right now if you are lucky enough to have the first overall selection.

Julio Jones (WR-ATL)

Jones is unquestionably one of the top three wide receivers in the NFL and fantasy football, and he has been for quite some time now.  However, he has been dealing with foot injuries over the last several years including multiple surgeries for fractures along with some turf toe.  He underwent another procedure on his foot this winter to fix a bunion but is expected to be at full strength for training camp.  Jones has only played all 16 games in a season twice in his career so there is some risk associated with him.  However, his overall statistics are so dominant that he is well worth that risk and should be a mid-first round pick as always.  Jones is coming off a season where he had 83 receptions for 1,409 yards and six touchdowns in 14 games.  He has only reached double digits in touchdowns once in his career (ten in 2012), but that could change in 2017 with the Falcons coming off a devastating Super Bowl loss and looking to exact revenge on the league.

Adrian Peterson (RB-NO)

The 32-year old veteran has made his way to New Orleans looking for a fresh start after spending his entire career in Minnesota.  He only played in three games last year but did manage to come back by the end of the season after suffering his second knee injury in three years.  Running backs typically don’t play well into their 30’s but Peterson is motivated to keep going and will have the benefit of playing alongside another future Hall of Famer in Drew Brees.  The Saints will have a crowded backfield which already contains Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara, so Peterson’s snaps and carries will likely be shared in order to keep him fresh and healthy.  We have learned not to doubt Peterson’s ability to come back from a serious injury as evidenced by his 2015 season when he played all 16 games and rushed for 1,485 yards and 11 touchdowns after missing all but one game in 2014.  Peterson will be an intriguing fantasy option because of his name value and his position in a high-powered offense, but his age, injury history and sharing time with Mark Ingram should temper expectations.

Jamaal Charles (RB-DEN)

The formerly elite fantasy football running back will look a little strange in a Denver uniform, but the question is how frequently will he wear that uniform on the field.  Charles has only played eight games over the past two seasons which have been cut short by devastating knee injuries.  The Broncos held him out of drills during minicamp but they expect him to be near 100% by the time training camp begins later in July.  When healthy, Charles was one of the league’s most dynamic running backs and a lock to be a first round pick.  Heading into 2017, he is a very risky selection and will still have to share time with incumbent C.J. Anderson.  He will likely slip down people’s rankings and should be available in the middle rounds due to the inherent risk associated with him.  Charles is worth taking a flyer on as a RB2 if you are loaded at other positions, but more likely he is a RB3 since we cannot trust him at this point.

Mike Williams (WR-LAC)

Williams, the seventh overall pick in the draft this year, is suffering from a disc herniation in his back which cost him a few weeks of the Chargers offseason program.  He is behind in terms of physical practice and preparation since the rookie mini-camp, but the Chargers are optimistic he will be ready for training camp and pre-season.  Williams has great upside lining up opposite Keenan Allen who is returning from an ACL injury which cost him all of 2016.  Los Angeles (it is still very weird saying that) should have an explosive passing offense with Philip Rivers still producing at a high level and now getting these upgrades to his wide receiving core.  We have seen several rookie receivers step right in and produce so Williams certainly provides value as a potential starter in standard 12-team leagues.  His draft value may diminish slightly if he misses more time and falls behind in practice and preparation heading into the season.

Derek Carr (QB-OAK)

One of the most unfortunate injuries of 2016 was to Derek Carr in Week 16 which likely derailed any Super Bowl aspirations the Raiders had.  Carr put up MVP-like numbers amassing 3,937 passing yards with 28 touchdowns and only six interceptions before breaking his fibula and undergoing surgery.  This was also after he played with a broken pinkie in Week 12 which caused his numbers to take a hit over his last few games.  He now has Marshawn Lynch in the backfield which should alleviate some pressure off of him along with his two stud receivers in Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree.  The Raiders clearly feel confident investing in Carr for their future after giving him a five-year contract extension worth $125M.  You should feel just as confident drafting him this year as well as Carr will be fully healed of both injuries and is ready to ascend into the upper tier of quarterbacks.

Marcus Mariota (QB-TEN)

The former second overall draft pick emerged as a viable QB1 last season throwing for 3,426 yards and 26 touchdowns.  He showed tremendous growth and maturity in his sophomore season throwing only nine interceptions in 15 games compared to ten picks in just 12 games in 2015.  Mariota suffered a broken leg at the end of last season and is finally nearing the end of his rehab.  He has gotten reps and participated at OTA’s and minicamp but he is not quite ready to go 100% just yet.  That will happen once training camp begins and he should absolutely be targeted as a QB1 if he can avoid any setbacks or aggravation of the injury.  The Titans significantly upgraded their wide receiving core after signing free agent Eric Decker and drafting rookie Corey Davis.  These additions along with DeMarco Murray, Tajae Sharpe and Delanie Walker give Mariota a lethal arsenal of offensive weapons to choose from which gives him tremendous upside if he stays healthy.

Sammy Watkins (WR-BUF)

Watkins is one of the most naturally talented players in the league yet is also one of the most frustrating players to own on a fantasy team.  He missed eight games last year due to a foot injury which eventually led to his second surgery back in January.  He participated in team drills back in June and is on track to be fully ready for the regular season.  Watkins will have extra motivation this season which is the final year of his rookie contract.  If he wants to secure a big payday then he will have to stay on the field and perform better than the 28 receptions for 430 yards and two touchdowns he accumulated in only eight games in 2016.  The bloom is off the rose with Watkins so he should likely be available later than expected in drafts which makes him a WR3 option assuming you have depth at the position.

Tyler Eifert (TE-CIN)

Eifert missed most of the first half of 2016 recovering from an ankle injury and the missed the end of the season with a back injury that required surgery.  The Bengals tight end does have a significant injury history already missing 27 games in his four-year career so there are red flags all around him.  When healthy he has been a red zone stud catching 13 touchdowns in 13 games in 2015 and then another five touchdowns in eight games last year.  Production has never been the issue with Eifert who will be a free agent after this year.  If he can stay healthy he is one of the best tight options in any league format.  The Bengals are hopeful he will be 100% for the start of the season but there is still plenty of time for him to suffer a setback.  Draft him at your own risk for the upside but you should make sure you accumulate depth behind him in case he misses more time.

Giovani Bernard (RB-CIN)

Bernard suffered a torn ACL during Week 11 last year and underwent season-ending surgery.  He is currently still working his way and could be limited in his playing time during Cincinnati’s first couple games.  The Bengals have other options in Jeremy Hill and rookie Joe Mixon so they can afford to be conservative and cautious with Bernard.  He lost his spot as a starter and has been relegated to handcuff status but he still provides value with depth on your roster after.  He had 91 rushes for 337 yards and two touchdowns along with 39 receptions for 336 yards and one touchdown in ten games last year, so with the injury and a crowded backfield you shouldn’t expect much more than that again this season.

Shane Vereen (RB-NYG)

Vereen was limited to five games in 2016 due to tearing his triceps twice but appears to be at 100% now.  He took a significant pay cut to come back to the Giants who should have one of the league’s most prolific offenses.  Vereen’s fantasy value is in PPR leagues as he is a pass-catching machine.  The Giants running game has been non-existent and they did not improve their offensive line much in the offseason so Vereen figures to play a significant role in the short-passing game.  With Odell Beckham, Jr., Sterling Shepard, Brandon Marshall and Evan Engram running down the field, Vereen should see plenty of action as Eli Manning’s go-to option when he is under pressure.  

Ryan Mathews (RB-PHI)

The oft-injured running back is about to get cut from the Eagles once he is medically cleared to return from his neck surgery.  Mathews is one of the most injury-prone players in all of football having missed 26 games over the course of his seven-year career.  He has only played all 16 games once in a season, so even a blind squirrel finds an acorn once in a while.  Mathews shouldn’t have any trouble finding a job once he is released as plenty of teams need depth at running back.  At this stage of his career, Mathews is merely a low-end handcuff and is always one step closer to Injured Reserve.  He did score eight touchdowns in 13 games for the Eagles last year so he does have some gas left in the tank.  The issue will be whether he can fully recover from the neck surgery and run with the same amount of confidence after having such a serious operation.

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