The second week of pre-season has already brought its share of dramatic and catastrophic injuries. This is why many fantasy football commissioners try and schedule drafts as late in the pre-season as possible. If you haven’t drafted yet, you will need to adjust your rankings and alter your strategy to deal with some of the players on this week’s list. So without further adieu, here is the next edition of the gridiron walking wounded.
Dez Bryant (WR-DAL)
Elite wide receiver Dez Bryant continues to deal with a hamstring injury which has kept him sidelined for almost two weeks. He is a veteran who likely does not need practice or training camp to play at a high level when the season starts, so there is no cause for concern at this point regarding his status for Week 1. Expect Dallas to be cautious with him now and be ready to draft him as your WR1.
LeSean McCoy (RB-BUF)
Newly-acquired running back LeSean McCoy suffered a hamstring injury this week and underwent an MRI to determine the severity. Buffalo appears somewhat optimistic that McCoy will be ready for the season opener, but as well all know hamstring injuries are somewhat unpredictable in terms of timetables for healing. McCoy is a late first round pick in standard drafts so it will be interesting to see whether his ADP drops because of this injury. Don’t expect to see him in another pre-season game.
Kelvin Benjamin (WR-CAR)
This is devastating news as Carolina’s sophomore wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin tore his ACL this week and will require season-ending surgery. Benjamin had a fantastic rookie season and was poised to take an even bigger step this year as Cam Newton’s primary target. I drafted him in the 3rd round of the FLEX League so now I have a gaping hole on my roster. Cross him off all of your lists in redraft leagues and bump Newton down a spot or two because this is a catastrophic loss.
Joseph Randle (RB-DAL)
Randle re-aggravated his oblique injury this week and will miss the Cowboys’ pre-season game this weekend. He is expected to be the primary running back behind the league’s best offensive line, but there is some concern over his health and ability to withstand the pounding expected to be taken by a runner who is going to get 20 carries a game. It is more likely that Dallas spreads the touches around with Lance Dunbar and Darren McFadden (if he can actually get on the field) so lower your expectations with Randle just stepping into DeMarco Murray’s vacated role.
Emmanuel Sanders (WR-DEN)
Sanders has been dealing with a hamstring injury for the better part of two weeks but should be fine when the regular season starts. This is a running theme amongst veteran players as hamstring pulls and strains are quite common, especially during the hot summer months when muscles tend to cramp or are easily strained. Sanders is certainly a viable fantasy option in Denver’s offense, but as we saw towards the end of 2014 look for the Broncos to rely much more heavily on the running game and protect Peyton Manning from getting hit at all costs.
Zach Ertz (TE-PHI)
Ertz underwent surgery to repair a groin injury and is expected to be sidelined for at least a couple weeks. The Eagles seem optimistic that he will be ready to go for Week 1, but that is highly questionable. Ertz should have a big role in the Eagles’ high octane offense, but he will need to establish better consistency and blocking skills because we saw Chip Kelly go back to Brent Celek at times in 2014. Ertz is right in the middle of that second tier of tight ends so draft him assuming he will be on the field when the season starts.
Robert Griffin III (QB-WAS)
RGIII suffered a concussion in practice this week and will miss the Redskins’ next pre-season game. Griffin has been a polarizing fantasy player ever since his breakout rookie season. He has a history of injuries and this concussion does not help alleviate those concerns. The Redskins expect Griffin to be ready for the regular season where he will be the starter. However, do not draft him as your starter because you may end up with a concussion from beating your own head against the wall.
T.J. Yeldon (RB-JAX)
Yeldon has a great opportunity to become the Jaguars’ starting running back, but he is out with a sprained finger and will likely miss their second pre-season game. He should be back in plenty of time for the regular season and is a solid later round option for a running back with upside.
Devin Funchess (WR-CAR)
With Kelvin Benjamin out for the season, expect Devin Funchess to be asked to step in and replace him. He is currently dealing with a hamstring injury that is not considered serious. His draft value increases now that he can expect most of the targets that would have been headed for Benjamin.
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),