Week 1 of the 2019 NFL season is now officially in the books. It did not take long for fantasy GMs to begin pulling their hair out with injuries to impact players. This week’s theme seemed to be collarbone injuries as three players in the injury report all suffered them this past weekend. GMs need to remember that overreacting to Week 1 is tempting but must be resisted. So without any further ado, let’s take a look at some of the walking wounded in the fantasy football emergency room.
Tyreek Hill (WR-KC)
Fantasy GMs suffered a huge loss in Week 1 with Tyreek Hill going down with a collarbone injury. The injury happened early in the game against Jacksonville so Hill was limited to two catches for 16 yards and had one run for five yards. His absence opened the door for Sammy Watkins to explode with nine catches for 198 yards and three touchdowns. The good news is that Hill does not need surgery, but he is expected to miss a few weeks of action. Watkins becomes elevated to WR1 status and Mecole Hardiman enters the picture as a target on the waiver wire.
JuJu Smith-Schuster (WR-PIT)
Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster suffered a toe injury late in the game on Sunday night. He underwent x-rays that came back negative so it appears he has avoided any type of serious injury. Smith-Schuster entered the season as one of the top fantasy wide receivers in the league but he was held to six receptions for 78 yards and no touchdowns against the Patriots. Pittsburgh could not generate any offense against New England’s defense, but the good news is that he should be fine to play next week against a Seattle defense that gave up over 400 yards passing to Cincinnati. Smith-Schuster may be limited in practice this week but fantasy GMs should feel confident about him playing in Week 2.
Joe Mixon (RB-CIN)
Bengals running back Joe Mixon has developed a reputation as being injury-prone in his short NFL career and he did nothing to alleviate that in Week 1. Mixon suffered a sprained ankle against Seattle and he is considered day-to-day at this point. It is likely that he will sit out of some practice this week in the hopes that he will be ready for Week 2. Mixon was not overly impressive even when he did play as he had six rushes for ten yards and two catches for seven yards during the Bengals loss to Seattle in Week 1. Giovani Bernard signed a new contract before the season and could see even more playing time if Mixon is limited next week.
Tevin Coleman (RB-SF)
It is dangerous being a running back on the 49ers as Tevin Coleman is the latest in a long list to go down with an injury. The former Falcon suffered a high-ankle sprain and will likely miss a few weeks as these injuries typically required extended absences. Coleman was a viable RB2 option but now he will cede playing time to Matt Bredia and Raheem Mostert in the backfield. It was a relatively pedestrian debut for Coleman in San Francisco as he ran the ball six times for 23 yards and also had two catches for 33 yards during the 49ers win over Tampa Bay this weekend. Keep him stashed if you can but he is certainly a candidate to end up on the waiver wire if you are desperate for depth at running back.
Derrius Guice (RB-WAS)
Guice missed all of 2018 after he suffered a season-ending knee injury in the preseason, and now he is due to miss more time this year after injuring his other knee. He suffered a meniscus injury to his left knee and will be out for an undisclosed amount of time. This is a tough break for Guice who had ten carries for 18 yards and also caught three passes for 20 yards during Washington’s loss to the Eagles in Week 1. Adrian Peterson is expected to reclaim his role as the lead running back for the Redskins while Chris Thompson remains the team’s third-down option and pass-catcher out of the backfield.
Nick Foles (QB-JAX)
Former Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles suffered a broken collarbone during the Jaguars loss to Kansas City this weekend and has been placed on injured reserve with a designated to return. Foles suffered the injury being taken to the ground and underwent surgery on Monday to repair the fracture. He will miss at least eight weeks but Jacksonville seems confident that he will return at some point later this year. Foles was 5-for-8 and threw for 75 yards and a touchdown before suffering the injury. Rookie Gardner Minshew took over for Foles and threw for 275 yards and two touchdowns. He is worth targeting on the waiver wire in two-QB leagues.
Sterling Shepard (WR-NYG)
The Giants looked abysmal in Week 1 against the Cowboys and the news has gotten worse since then as Sterling Shepard is now in the league’s concussion protocol. He played every snap in Week 1 but was evaluated for a head injury on Monday. It is questionable whether Shepard will be cleared in time to play next Sunday against Buffalo, which is not a great matchup for him anyway. Shepard caught six passes for 42 yards and no touchdowns against Dallas and could be in for a long day if he plays at less than 100% against the Bills. Look for Cody Latimer to have an expanded role in the offense if Shepard is unable to play.
Devin Funchess (WR-IND)
Colts wide receiver Devin Funchess suffered a broken collarbone and has been placed on injured reserve. He just signed a free-agent contract with Indianapolis to be the team’s second wide receiver opposite T.Y. Hilton but now he will be sidelined at least through Week 10. Funchess caught three passes for 32 yards during the Colts loss to the Chargers in Week 1. He can now be dropped in any league format as Chester Rodgers and Parris Campbell move up on the depth chart as targets for Jacoby Brissett .
C.J. Mosley (LB-NYJ)
The Jets defense looked dominant for most of the game against Buffalo thanks in large part to linebacker C.J. Mosley who had five tackles along with one interception and a fumble recovery. He ended up suffering a groin injury during the fourth quarter and had to come out of the game which ended up being a huge turning point for the Bills. Mosley is a solid option in IDP leagues but his status for Week 2 is up in the air at this moment. The good news is that Mosley will have an extra day of rest since the Jets play Cleveland next Monday night.