By The Hudsonian, Joshua Hudson
Here we go again. The inevitable NFL injury report. We saw who got banged up and lost for the season during the preseason, so allow us to share with you who got banged up during Week 1 of the NFL season.
Cardinals RB David Johnson suffered a dislocated wrist during Sunday’s tilt with the Detroit Lions. He’ll need surgery and will miss the next 2-3 months. (Photo from http://www.si.com)
RB David Johnson (ARI) – It’s never easy seeing a number one RB get hurt. It’s disconcerting when it’s arguably the best player in fantasy football. DJ went down with a wrist injury during the Cardinals’ game with the Lions on Sunday. The MRI revealed a dislocated wrist that will require surgery and he will miss the next two to three months. Gulp. If you didn’t handcuff DJ with Kerwyn Williams, be prepared for a fight. He’ll be the hottest waiver add of the week.
WR Danny Amendola (NE) – That didn’t take long. After losing Julian Edelman for the season during the preseason with a torn ACL, Amendola was the man tasked with filling Edelman’s role as Tom Brady’s safety valve. Amendola certainly played the part well, catching 6 passes for 100 yards on 7 targets. Then he got clocked in the head and didn’t return to the game. With several concussions already on his resume, it’s best to monitor this situation and see how many games Amendola may miss. If it’s a minor blip, Amendola should maintain WR2 status throughout the year – for the games he plays in, that is.
S Eric Berry (KC) – It’s not everyday I put defensive players on this list. Club Fantasy doesn’t partake in the world of IDPs. But this is a rather important injury. Berry tore his Achilles tendon and will miss the remainder of the season. So why the inclusion? If you watched the game, you saw that Berry was tasked with covering Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski for the better part of the game. As a result, Gronk had only 2 catches for 33 yards on 6 targets. Here is a list of tight ends the Chiefs have on their schedule this year: Zach Ertz, Hunter Henry/Antonio Gates, Jordan Reed, C.J. Fiedorowicz, Jason Witten, Evan Engram, and Julius Thomas. TEs against the Chiefs could be a thing this year.
WR Kevin White has suffered yet another season-ending injury, this time a fractured shoulder blade. Someone needs to stock his fridge full of milk. (Photo from http://www.bearswire.usatoday.com)
WR Kevin White (CHI) – For the third season in a row, Kevin White has suffered a season-ending injury. This one is a fractured shoulder blade. The Bears are now without their top 2 WRs due to season-ending injuries, so take note of RB Tarik Cohen. His breakout performance in Week 1 may not be a fluke. Without competent WRs, his stock will soar.
RB Danny Woodhead (BAL) – Hopefully this isn’t as serious as it looked. Woodhead was carted off the field on Sunday and reports suggest it’s his hamstring. He missed two preseason games because of a hamstring injury and now may miss more time. Javorius Allen received a ton of work in the 2nd half of Sunday’s game and will likely be the biggest beneficiary if Woodhead misses significant time.
Jaguars WR Allen Robinson will miss the rest of 2017 with a torn ACL. The Jags were already planning to be a run heavy offense this year, but without their number one WR, bank on an even heavier workload for rookie RB Leonard Fournette. (Photo from http://www.si.com)
WR Allen Robinson (JAX) – The phrase “number one wide receiver on the Jaguars” doesn’t hold much clout. Considering he was expected to be a top 25 option in fantasy as a result of his likely target volume, he was rostered in roughly all leagues. Robinson tore his ACL on Sunday and will miss the remainder of the season. WR Marqise Lee will likely be their new number one and will look to capitalize on a breakout 2016, and WR Allen Hurns will look to bounce back after a disappointing 2016. I would pick up Lee before Hurns, but both are flash-in-the-pan options in a clear run-first offense.
TE C.J. Fiedorowicz (HOU) – The Fedora (seriously, it’s going to be a thing) suffered a concussion on Sunday during Houston’s loss to the Jaguars. His back up, Ryan Griffin, also suffered a concussion. With a short week – they play the Bengals on Thursday – look for The Fedora to miss this week’s tilt. He should be ready for Week 3 with 10 days before playing.
QB Andrew Luck (IND) – Luck missed Week 1 against the Rams and has already been ruled out for Week 2 versus Arizona. Keep an eye on this one because it could linger.