Fantasy Football: Week 4 Injury Report

Published: Oct 03, 2015

Every NFL team playing this Sunday is required to issue their final injury report on Friday. The pair of teams playing Monday night will issue their final report Saturday. Here we will review all the fantasy-relevant players dealing with ailments and how to plan accordingly. Keep in mind, however, that the inactive list isn't due until 90 minutes before kickoff. As you start to put the final touches on those lineups, have a fallback plan or two at the ready should you be dealing with an ailing player.

Injured Monday Night players

Marshawn Lynch, RB, Seahawks - Hamstring

It looks like Lynch won't practice at all this week and be a game-time decision for Monday night against the Lions. Last week facing the hapless Bears, rookie Thomas Rawls ran for 104 yards on 16 carries in relief of Lynch. The undrafted free agent also looked very good in the preseason. Veteran Fred Jackson would serve as the backup to Rawls should Lynch indeed miss this game.

Joique Bell, RB, Lions - Ankle

Rookie Ameer Abdullah has yet to play half the offensive snaps in a game. That should change with Bell being unable to practice all week. On the field, Bell has looked outright terrible thus far with 22 yards on 20 carries. He's now a player to strongly consider dropping. No Bell would put Theo Riddick on the PPR radar. The scat back caught eight passes last week against the Broncos. Abdullah has seven receptions all season.

Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Lions - Hamstring

Pettigrew's multi-week absence has opened the door for Eric Ebron to play a lot more than snaps than anticipated coming into the season. Seattle has been venerable, at times, against the tight end this season. Ebron is a fringe starting caliber TE option for Monday night, especially if Pettigrew remains sidelined.

QUESTIONABLE

Andrew Luck, QB, Colts - Shoulder

This was supposed to the game that Luck gets back on the track. Now a mysterious shoulder injury has kept him limited in practice all week. In all likelihood he'll play, but rattled owners need a big performance to have much confidence rolling with Luck going forward. He'll be worth the risk as the Jaguars have been lit up over the last two weeks by Ryan Tannehill (359 yards, two touchdowns) and Tom Brady (358 yards, two touchdown).

Jay Cutler, QB, Bears - Hamstring

Cutler has a chance to play a Raiders defense that has allowed two passing touchdowns a piece to Andy Dalton, Joe Flacco, and Josh McCown. With Alshon Jeffery very much in doubt, Cutler is an extremely risky start in what would have been a good matchup under normal, healthy circumstances.

Alshon Jeffery, WR, Bears - Hamstring

As previous mentioned, things aren't looking good for Jeffery. He hasn't been ruled out officially after being a limited participant this week in practice, but the buzz from reporters covering the team is that Jeffery won't be playing.

Eric Decker, WR, Jets - Knee

You'll need to set your alarm cLock to learn the verdict on Decker's game-time decision status for the Dolphins game over in London. Decker missed last week's game and being so iffy for this one should have you looking elsewhere.

Davante Adams, WR, Packers - Ankle

Adams has yet to practice and probably should have been made inactive last week. Ty Montgomery looks like a possible flex play in a great matchup against the 49ers.

Arian Foster, RB, Texans - Groin

Foster is very close to getting the green light on this game-time decision against the Falcons. This group was just taken for four touchdowns, 127 rushing yards, and more than 100 receiving yards by the Dallas running backs last week. Foster is a must-start if he gets the nod.

DeMarco Murray, RB, Eagles - Hamstring

Murray should be active for this week's game against the Redskins after a full week of practice. However, the duo of Ryan Mathews and Darren Sproles looked really good in Murray's absence. There's simply no telling how the touches will be split assuming all three are active.

Andre Ellington, RB, Cardinals - Knee

Head coach Bruce Arians said Chris Johnson will start even if Ellington is active. Owners should take a game or two to see how many snaps Ellington gets while being eased back into action.

Doug Martin, RB, Buccaneers - Knee

Martin tweaked his knee in practice on Wednesday. He then sat Thursday before practicing Friday. The Panthers did give up touchdowns to a pair of Saints running backs last week, but have yet to allow a 60-yard rusher.

Jordan Cameron, TE, Dolphins - Groin

Despite being limited in practice this week, Cameron looks like a good bet to play facing the Jets over in the U.K.

Dwayne Allen, TE, Colts - Ankle

Allen scored in the opener, but has been out of commission ever since. He's not really playable until he's healthy and Andrew Luck looks like himself again.

Ladarius Green, TE, Chargers - Concussion

Green has suffered two concussions in a short period of time and is a very risky start. Hopefully the team errs on the side of caution.

OUT

LeSean McCoy, RB, Bills - Hamstring

Rookie Karlos Williams will be the guy with McCoy on the shelf until he returns at 100 percent, whenever that is. Regardless, Williams and his running style have been better fit for this offense all along.

Tevin Coleman, RB, Falcons - Ribs

The Texans have yet to allow a running back to exceed 65 rushing yards this season. The only scores they've allowed to the position are receiving touchdowns to Jamaal Charles in the opener and last week to Charles Sims. After last week's monster performance, Devonta Freeman deserves to be started with the large amount of touches coming his way.

Jonathan Grimes, RB, Texans – Knee

Denard Robinson, RB, Jaguars - Knee

Rookie T.J. Yeldon is playing a lot of snaps and currently has the 10th-most carries among all running backs. The promise of volume makes him an interesting buy-low player to target.

Dez Bryant, WR, Cowboys - Foot

Samuel Watkins, WR, Bills - Calf

DeSean Jackson, WR, Redskins - Hamstring

Charles Johnson, WR, Vikings - Ribs

Could Cordarrelle Patterson become the next fantasy zombie? He'll likely get the start with Johnson inactive and Jarius Wright a game-time decision with a hand injury.

Victor Cruz, WR, Giants - Calf

Believe in Rueben Randle! The vaunted Bills defense has struggled mightily to defend wide receivers all year.

Jerricho Cotchery, WR, Panthers - Ankle

The Bucs have issues against the pass, too. Deep sleeper Tedd Ginn scored in Week 2 and recorded 93 yards last week.

Julius Thomas, TE, Jaguars - Hand

DOUBTFUL

Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE, Buccaneers – Shoulder

Vernon Davis, TE, 49ers - Knee

PROBABLE (limited or no practice)

Drew Brees, QB, Saints - Shoulder

After missing last week's game, Brees has been limited in practice and now looks likely to return to face the Cowboys. Dallas kept Eli Manning and Sam Bradford in check before Matt Ryan took them for 285 yards and a pair of touchdowns last week. It's not an ideal matchup and Brees owners may have already made a contingency plan – Derek Carr facing the Bears, for example – they are more comfortable with.

Ryan Mallett, QB, Texans - Chest

Mallett has attempted 97 passes over the last two games. He'll play this week's game against the Falcons.

Jonathan Stewart, RB, Panthers - Shin

A shin injury kept Stewart out of practice on Wednesday and Thursday, but he got back on the field Friday. J-Stew does not appear to be in any danger of missing out on this great matchup. The Bucs just gave up 139 yards to Alfred Blue and have been pegged for four rushing touchdowns to RBs so far this season.

Devonta Freeman, RB, Falcons - Toe

A toe issue has limited Freeman in practice. There are no worries about his availability, however.

John Brown, WR, Cardinals - Shoulder

Brown will play, just watch out for Michael Floyd taking away more snaps.

Allen Hurns, WR, Jaguars - Thigh

Indy will put Vontae Davis on Allen Robinson, so Hurns is really interesting. He doesn't draw a ton of targets, but has been very efficient with 60 or more yards in all three games thus far.

Kenny Britt, WR, Rams - Shoulder

Britt is coming off a big game where he caught seven passes for 102 yards against the Steelers. Arizona has only allowed two touchdowns to wide receivers so far, although the level of competition has played a factor in that.

Dan Carpenter, K, Bills - Knee

PROBABLE (full practice)

Tyrod Taylor, QB, Bills - Ankle

Josh McCown, QB, Browns - Hand

Eddie Lacy, RB, Packers - Ankle