As co-host of the Fantasy Alarm podcast on Blog Talk Radio, I get a weekly opportunity to verbalize my thoughts and opinions on the injuries which I write about in this column.  During the broadcast on October 15, 2014, I went on a slight rant about how I am overworked handling the injury report.  Seriously, every edition of the injury report has been littered with a myriad of new or re-aggravated injuries to players that really matter to your fantasy teams.  Of course injuries happen every year, but it just seems to be a more prevalent epidemic this season.  Today’s edition of the walking wounded falls squarely within these parameters as your Week 7 lineups will be deeply affected by the injuries to the players listed below.

Jimmy Graham (TE-NO)

A lot of attention has been directed towards several of the first round busts that have cost many fantasy GM’s critical games thus far.  From LeSean McCoy, Jamaal Charles, Calvin Johnson, Eddie Lacy, Montee Ball and A.J. Green, there are numerous players that have not lived up to our expectations either due to performance and/or injuries.  But one such player that has not received as much criticism is Jimmy Graham.  Through five games, he only has 34 receptions for 376 yards and three touchdowns.  Now he is dealing with a shoulder injury he suffered in Week 5 and has put his status for this week in jeopardy.  His exact status is still unknown, but there have been multiple reports indicating he will not play.  Keep a close eye on his status right up until game time.

A.J. Green (WR-CIN)

A.J. Green missed last week’s game against the Panthers and it is looking more and more like he will miss this week’s game against the Colts.  Green did not practice on Thursday and the chances of him returning on Friday to be ready to play on Sunday are slim.  At this point you should plan on being without your elite wide receiver again.

Calvin Johnson (WR-DET)

Calvin Johnson has come out and said he will not play if he is only going to be a decoy.  While that is good news, it doesn’t clarify his situation at all for fantasy owners.  It would be a windfall for GM’s if Johnson can take the field this week because he will have a favorable matchup against the Saints’ poor defense.  But be cautiously optimistic about this because it is just as plausible that the Lions keep Johnson out through their bye week to ensure that he is 100% when he does come back.

Victor Cruz (WR-NYG)

If you saw the injury sustained by Victor Cruz and his emotional reaction to it last Sunday night, then you had to feel some form of sympathy or empathy for him no matter what team you root for.  Cruz sustained a torn patellar tendon on a non-contact play that will end his season after six games.  There is already some concern about whether this could potentially be a career-ending injury.  It is too soon to know that, but you can absolutely drop him in all redraft leagues.  With Cruz out, look for Rueben Randle and Odell Beckham, Jr. to receive more targets and be even more heavily involved in the Giants’ passing game.  They signed Kevin Ogletree this week as a replacement, but he is not worth acquiring just yet.

Zac Stacy (RB-STL)

Zac Stacy has missed practice this week despite Rams’ coach Jeff Fisher reporting that Stacy did not have any physical issues.  During the Rams’ loss to the 49ers on Monday night, Benny Cunningham was on the field for more snaps than Stacy.  In addition, rookie Tre Mason was also involved in the mix too.  It has been a disappointing season thus far for Stacy which has affected fantasy GM’s who had high expectations for him.  Now with an ankle injury, it is possible he will be marginalized going forward which could render him unworthy of starting in your lineup.

Stevan Ridley (RB-NE)

After seemingly solving his fumble issues, Stevan Ridley was having a great season for the Patriots.  However, he sustained a season-ending knee injury last week and can now be dropped in all redraft leagues.  Shane Vereen will likely get most of the carries, but James White and Branden Bolden will also be in the mix.  The problem is that Bill Belichick is so fickle with his running backs that you can’t be confident about any of these players getting a consistent workload.  Vereen is the best option, especially because he is valuable in PPR leagues. 

Knowshon Moreno (RB-MIA)

Knowshon Moreno’s journey through the fantasy football evaluation process has been quite a rollercoaster over the past several months.  He was an elite running back last year with the Broncos and then saw his value plummet signing with Miami and being out of shape and injured during training camp.  He was an afterthought in many early summer fantasy drafts until then being named the starter soon before the season started.  He began the year with a couple of great games and all of a sudden was viewed as a top running back again.  Then he sustained an elbow injury which sidelined him for over four weeks, and during the rehab process he blew out his knee and is now done for the season.  The worst part about this whole situation is that we are forced to consider Lamar Miller as a RB2 option again.  Drop Moreno in all redraft leagues.

Darren Sproles (RB-PHI)

Darren Sproles suffered a sprained MCL during the Eagles’ win over the Giants last Sunday night.  The good news is that Philadelphia has a bye this week which could give Sproles enough time to heal.  But the reality is that he will probably not play in Week 8.  Fortunately fantasy GM’s don’t have to make any decisions about this now, so continue to monitor his status next week.

Kelvin Benjamin (WR-CAR)

Kelvin Benjamin suffered a concussion last week and still has not received clearance to play in Week 7 yet.  It is still possible he could be cleared by Friday which would put him in position to play.  Keep checking his status in the next 24 hours because Benjamin is a viable WR3 in many leagues as Cam Newton’s primary wide receiver.  If Benjamin does not receive clearance, then Greg Olsen is a must-start as Carolina’s sole source of offense.

Marvin Jones (WR-CIN)

Marvin Jones was supposed to be back by Week 5 after having surgery on his foot in the pre-season, but he suffered several setbacks and never made it onto the field.  Now his season is over as he is scheduled to undergo another surgery following a visit with a foot specialist earlier this week.  With A.J. Green also dealing with a toe issue, it makes Mohammed Sanu a solid WR3 or Flex option for the rest of the season.

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),