It is another week and there is another catastrophic injury. This is football so injuries are expected to happen on a weekly basis. However, it seems much more pronounced now when players are suffering serious injuries in meaningless games or on the practice field. There is nothing we as fantasy owners can do about this except choose to hold your drafts as late as possible. All players are equally as susceptible to suffering serious injuries so there is no way to avoid it. You just need to draft effectively with depth at the right positions and take everything into account. So without further adieu, here is the next edition of the gridiron walking wounded.
Jordy Nelson (WR-GB)
Last week it was Kelvin Benjamin who suffered a season-ending injury. This week’s elite player who will miss all of 2015 is Packers’ wide receiver Jordy Nelson who tore up his knee on a non-contact play and will need season-ending surgery. This is a devastating loss as Nelson was primed to be one of the top fantasy choices at wide receiver. His loss means Randall Cobb and Davante Adams skyrocket up the rankings and should see significant increases in targets.
Mike Evans (WR-TB)
Fantasy GM’s got a little scare as Evans is dealing with a hamstring injury which will keep him out of Tampa Bay’s final pre-season games. It is probably a blessing in disguise that he won’t play since it means he avoids any chance of further injury. Right now the injury is not considered serious and he is expected to be fully ready for Week 1, so do not adjust your draft rankings at all.
Roddy White (WR-ATL)
Age is certainly catching up to Roddy White who was the beacon of health and consistency for many years until recently. Now he is undergoing a minor procedure on his elbow, but Atlanta expects him to be ready for Week 1. White was once a solid WR2 in Atlanta’s pass-happy offense, but he just simply cannot be relied upon because his body is breaking down. Even if he makes it back from the elbow surgery, his knee issues will always be a concern.
Victor Cruz (WR-NYG)
Cruz will miss the Giants’ third pre-season game as he is still dealing with a calf injury. There are question marks surrounding Cruz who is coming back from a major knee injury. On one hand it is a good thing that he won’t be in a meaningless pre-season game and risk any further injury, but fantasy GMs are understandably skeptical because there is no way to tell whether Cruz can fully perform. If he is healthy, he will be a solid WR3 catching passes in the Giants’ offense as opposing defenses focus on Odell Beckham, Jr.
Martavis Bryant (WR-PIT)
Bryant is not necessarily injured, but we know he will miss at least a couple games after violating the league’s substance abuse policy. The suspension is for four games but it will likely be appealed and could possibly be reduced to two games. In his absence, Markus Wheaton will see an uptick in value as Ben Roethlisberger’s second wide receiver. Bryant is still a viable option to draft later on and stash until he is back in the mix.
Breshad Perriman (WR-BAL)
Rookie wide receiver Breshad Perriman suffered a sprained PCL this summer and there is still no time table for when he might return. He certainly will miss the final pre-season games, but his status for Week 1 is also in jeopardy. He would be a starter opposite Steve Smith, Sr. but right now we aren’t sure if he will be able to take the field once the regular season starts. You should draft at least three or four other receivers before taking a chance on this injured rookie.
Maurkice Pouncey (C-PIT)
Steelers’ center Maurkice Pouncey sustained a broken fibula which will require surgery and cost him at least the first half of the season. Whether he will be able to come back and play is unknown. What is known is that this is a significant loss to Pittsburgh’s offensive line which must protect Ben Roethlisberger and his impressive aerial attack, as well as block for Le’veon Bell. There are high expectations for Steelers’ offensive players so this injury could have a domino effect if Cody Wallace is unable to fill Pouncey’s shoes effectively.
Junior Galette (LB-WAS)
Galette signed with the Redskins after back-to-back seasons with double-digit sacks with New Orleans. However, he will not suit up for Washington this year as he suffered a torn left Achilles tendon and will miss the entire season. Galette was a decent IDP option but now he can be crossed off all of your lists.
Orlando Scandrick (DB-DAL)
Cowboys’ defensive back Orlando Scandrick suffered a torn ACL and MCL which will require season-ending surgery. Scandrick was a decent IDP option as a starting cornerback for Dallas, but now he can also be forgotten about for the year. Dallas’s depth behind Scandrick is weak, so this could mean wide receivers playing against the Cowboys are in for big games.
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),
Player News
Free agent Gabe Davis will visit the New York Giants.
Cut by the Jaguars after one season last week, Davis visited the 49ers on Monday. New York would be a reunion of sorts, as he played for Giants coach Brian Daboll in Buffalo. The G-Men already have several wideouts capable of stretching the field, but 26-year-old Davis could still be a decent role player in a strong offense. The problem, of course, is that the Giants profile as anything but, but rookie QB Jaxson Dart is comfortable throwing down the field.
Ravens S Ar’Darius Washington has been diagnosed with a torn achilles suffered during offseason training.
The fifth-year pro became a weekly starter for the first time last season, earning elite PFF marks in the process. He was a restricted free agent this spring but had yet to sign his $3.26 million tender. That’s a tough break, to put it mildly. Achilles timelines have shortened significantly in recent years, but Washington will probably still miss the entire 2025 campaign. The Ravens are protected in part by their first-round selection of fellow S Malaki Starks, but May is not the month you already want to be dipping into your depth. Going on 26, Washington’s career future is murky after he worked so hard to finally become a regular contributor last season.
Chiefs signed fourth-round WR Jalen Royals to a four-year contract.
Royals doesn’t have an obvious and open spot in the receiving corps to build short-term fantasy value with Xavier Worthy, Hollywood Brown, and Rashee Rice operating in the opening 11-personnel package. He may or may not play his way into WR4 duties depending on how the team feels about JuJu Smith-Schuster. Royals has plenty of talent and Brown is on a one-year deal, so there is a future where Royals is more than a bit player for the Chiefs. It likely won’t happen in his first season without injuries in front of him.
Matthew Judon said he “probably” won’t return to the Falcons in 2025.
The Falcons, of course, drafted both Jalon Walker and James Pearce in the first round. In an exclusive interview with CardPlayer.com — not to be confused with our PokerNews.com James Cook scoop a few days ago — Judon said that his sack total was down because “I dropped (into coverage) on 60 percent of the plays. It’s hard to get a pick and a sack on the same play.” Judon also told Kyle Odegard that “a couple” teams had expressed interest in him but he was in no rush to sign.
Jets released P Thomas Morstead.
Austin McNamara and Kai Kroeger will compete for the Jets punter job this year. The 39-year-old former Saint was the league’s oldest punter last season. If he wants to keep punting, he can absolutely join the tryout circuit or a competition elsewhere. But this is probably a sign that the Morstead’s 16-year career is close to an end at this point.
Lions offensive coordinator John Morton said it’s “going to be a breakout year” for Jameson Williams.
Morton said he’d never “been around someone that fast,” then quickly corrected himself to note that Jhamyr Gibbs is also that fast. Williams came on strong last year with a 58/1001/7 receiving line, but offensive coordinator praise could mean even more targets are coming. It would likely come at the expense of Amon-Ra St. Brown’s production if Williams were to truly break out, though there’s plenty for St. Brown to give and still be a top-flight fantasy wideout. It’s risky to read too much into statements like this in the offseason, but the new offensive coordinator telling you he thinks it’ll be a breakout year for Williams is certainly noteworthy.