It takes a special kind of patient person to roll with the punches on a weekly basis when it comes to dealing with injuries in a fantasy football league. After two weeks, there had better be a lot of patient people because we are dealing with an exorbitant amount of injuries already. The tight end position has been decimated so the waiver wire could be devoid of options by the middle of the week. In addition, GMs are also confronted with difficult decisions on what to do with star players who go on Injured Reserve but are likely going to return much later in the season. So, without further ado, let’s delve into the next edition of the fantasy football emergency room.
Greg Olsen (TE-CAR) – Olsen suffered a broken foot on Sunday and underwent surgery on Monday. The Panthers expect him to miss six to eight weeks which means he will play again later this year. The question for fantasy GMs will be whether to stash him on the bench if your league does not have an IR slot. Bench spots in fantasy football leagues are critical because of the bye weeks, so it is usually problematic to take up one of those spots for an injured player who will miss up to two months. There will likely be a few options available on the waiver wire, but with injuries to so many other tight ends they could get snatched up quickly. The safest bet is to drop Olsen because he offers no value for a majority of the season and you need to get to the playoffs before you can start thinking about your lineup in the playoffs.
Rob Gronkowski (TE-NE) – Gronk is a fixture on the injury report so it is no surprise to see him here after two weeks. He broke out with a huge game against the Saints but also suffered a groin injury in the process. The Patriots do not think the injury is serious so he should still take the field next weekend against Houston. However, before you lock that in you should continue monitoring his status during the week. If for some reason he cannot suit up, Dwayne Allen would become a viable starting option taking his place.
Jordan Reed (TE-WAS) – Continuing the theme of injured tight ends, Jordan Reed is also no stranger to the injury report. He is one of the most talented tight ends in the league but a variety of injuries have prevented him from becoming truly elite. Reed is dealing with a minor issue right now with a bruised chest, but this should not stop him from playing next Sunday night against Oakland. He has caught 11 passes for 84 yards thus far but is always one of Kirk Cousins favorite targets. He is a solid TE1 option in prime-time next weekend in what could be a very high scoring game.
Jordan Howard (RB-CHI) – It was a brutal week for the Bears and Howard against Tampa Bay as they were dominated from start to finish. Howard was limited to nine carries for seven yards and had his arm in a sling after the game. He was dealing with a shoulder injury heading into the game so this could be problematic for Week 3 which is no picnic against Pittsburgh. Tarik Cohen had 15 touches on Sunday so that trend could continue next week, especially if Howard is still dealing with the shoulder injury. He does not look like a great fantasy option next week but you should check back in for further updates later in the week.
Jordy Nelson (WR-GB) – Nelson came off the field in the first quarter on Sunday night against Atlanta and never made it back after he suffered a quadriceps injury. He was hit on his thigh by a knee which seemed to be the genesis of the injury. It looked like he might be able to return but it never happened, much to the chagrin of fantasy GMs. Nelson has seven catches for 79 yards and one touchdown thus far and is normally an easy WR1 fantasy option in Green Bay’s prolific offense. If he is unable to play next week then look for Davante Adams to assume an even bigger role, especially if Randall Cobb also remains at less than 100%.
DeMarco Murray (RB-TEN) – There could be a changing of the guard in Tennessee after DeMarco Murray suffered tightness in his hamstring following another unproductive performance. He has been limited to 21 carries for 69 yards and no touchdowns over the Titans’ first two games. Derrick Henry came in and ran the ball 14 times for 92 yards and a touchdown leading many to believe that he could supplant Murray as Tennessee’s featured running back. Murray has a lot of miles on his legs and a tight hamstring won’t help his cause. Murray is a risk fantasy option for Week 3 but Henry has emerged as a solid RB2 even against a tough Seattle defense.
Jimmy Graham (TE-SEA) – It has been a real struggle for the Seattle offense to put points on the board yet their defense continues to bail them out. Jimmy Graham was supposed to help ignite the Seahawks but he has been limited to four catches for nine yards over the first two games. He sustained an ankle injury during Seattle’s ugly win over the 49ers this past weekend and is questionable for Week 3. Graham will not be at 100% even if he is able to take the field next Sunday so he is a very risky option at tight end for fantasy GMs. You should plan on having an alternative to go with because right now Graham does not belong in a starting lineup.
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Randall Cobb (WR-GB) – The Packers were already thin at wide receiver when Jordy Nelson left Sunday night’s game against Atlanta, but then they were almost bare bones when Cobb left the game also with a shoulder injury. He underwent an MRI which came back negative, so that is good news for his prognosis for Week 3 against Cincinnati. Cobb has been quite active over the first two games with 15 catches for 145 yards, but he has yet to catch a touchdown pass. If he cannot play or is limited, then look for Geronimo Allison to see extended action and increased targets.
Robert Kelley (RB-WAS) – Kelley sustained a rib injury during the Redskins’ game against the Rams on Sunday and is considered day-to-day. It initially looked like he may have fractured a rib but fortunately he was able to avoid such a fate. Kelley has rushed the ball 22 times for 108 yards thus far and was a viable RB2 option. He should retain that status if he is able to suit up against Oakland in prime-time next Sunday night. If Kelley is unable to play then rookie Samaje Perine and Chris Thompson would share duties in Washington’s backfield.
Tyler Eifert (TE-CIN) – The Bengals have gotten off to a historically bad start and things don’t look much brighter with Eifert dealing with a knee and back injury heading into a tough matchup against Green Bay. Eifert has a long history of injuries throughout his career and now his status for Week 3 is in jeopardy due to these injuries. He has caught four passes for 46 yards and doesn’t have any touchdowns which makes sense since the Bengals as a team have not scored a touchdown yet. Check back later in the week for updates on his status but plan on going with an alternative at tight end even if he is able to play.
Terrance West (RB-BAL) – After the Ravens lost Danny Woodhead to injury in Week 1, it appears that Terrance West and Buck Allen would share responsibilities in the backfield. West has rushed the ball 27 times for 102 yards and scored two touchdowns through the first two weeks. However, he was surpassed in touches by Allen during Baltimore’s win over Cleveland. It appears the reason for this was that West sustained some type of soft tissue injury. Assuming he is healthy enough to play next weekend, West should remain Baltimore’s primary running back with Allen providing complimentary support. West is a RB2 option in most leagues and should continue being a valuable source for rushing touchdowns.
Sam Bradford (QB-MIN) – The Vikings sure looked like a different team in Week 2 than they did during their opener. The key was Sam Bradford who lit up the Saints for 346 yards and three touchdowns. He missed Week 2 with a bone bruise in his knee and the Vikings were resultantly stymied by the Steelers. Right now, there are indications that he should be ok to play this Sunday against Tampa Bay, but we won’t know for sure until later this week. The uncertainty of his status also potentially jeopardizes the value of other players such as Stefon Diggs, Adam Thielen and Kyle Rudolph.
Corey Davis (WR-TEN) – Titans rookie wide receiver Corey Davis aggravated his hamstring injury on Sunday putting his status for next weekend up in the air. He dealt with a hamstring injury during the preseason so it appears he never fully recovered. Davis has seven catches for 73 yards and no touchdowns in his first two NFL games. Even if he plays in Week 3, he will have to deal with Seattle’s dominant defense making him a very risky option to start in fantasy leagues.
Michael A. Stein, Esq. is the Chief Justice of Fantasy Judgment, the industry's premier dispute resolution service, and co-host of the Fantasy Alarm Podcast. You can contact him at michael.stein@fantasyjudgment.com or on Facebook and Twitter (@FantasyJudgment).