A fairly shortlist for this Week 10 fantasy football injury report! Some welcomed positive news after so many starters already going down this year and four teams on bye this week. Fantasy football playoffs are peaking around the corner, and there are some key players on the verge of returning for the playoff push. For all that information and more, welcome to the Week 10 fantasy football injury report!
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Week 10 Late Inactives:
Chase Edmonds (RB) Arizona Cardinals
Jonathan Ward (RB) Arizona Cardinals
Kyler Murray (QB) Arizona Cardinals
DeAndre Hopkins (WR) Arizona Cardinals
Justin Jackson (RB) Los Angeles Chargers
Week 10 1 PM Inactives:
Curtis Samuel (WR) Washington Football Team
Zach Wilson (QB) New York Jets
Jonnu Smith (TE) New England Patriots
Ben Roethlisberger (QB) Pittsburgh Steelers
Julio Jones (WR) Tennessee Titans
Robert Woods (WR) Los Angeles Rams
Rob Gronkowski (TE) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Antonio Brown (WR) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Chase Claypool (WR) Pittsburgh Steelers
Alvin Kamara (RB) New Orleans Saints
Damien Harris (RB) New England Patriots
Austin Seibert (K) Detroit Lions
Jamaal Williams (RB) Detroit Lions
Greg Zurlein (K) Dallas Cowboys
11/13/21 Update
Ben Roethlisberger (QB) Pittsburgh Steelers
Reserve/COVID List
Pittsburgh will be faced with an unfamiliar situation on Sunday as their veteran QB will not be under center. According to reports, Roethlisberger is out for this week’s game due to being placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list. This news was announced Saturday, with Mason Rudolph being announced as the starter. With the news coming so late in the week, the young QB does not have much time to prepare for his first start of the season.
Big Ben is on the COVID-19 list and out for this week. – SIT
Robert Woods (WR) Los Angeles Rams
ACL Tear, Initial Injury: 11/12/21
Talk about having a bad weekend. Los Angeles Rams WR Robert Woods injured his knee in practice on Friday. Then, he found out that his team has traded for another WR, who doesn’t mind vocalizing his desire for more targets. Finally, to top it all off, Woods was confirmed to have an ACL tear via further testing of his knee. An ACL tear requires surgery to help restore some stability in his knee, and his season is over. This is an unfortunate break for Woods and the Rams. However, it does increase the importance of the Odell Beckham Jr. acquisition. WR2 in the Rams offense is up for grabs and it will be up to Beckham Jr. or Van Jefferson Jr. to fill it in. Woods should now be focused on rehabbing his knee for next season.
Woods tore his ACL and is out for the season. – DROP
11/10/21 Update
Sam Darnold (QB) Carolina Panthers
Shoulder Fracture, Initial Injury: 10/31/21
Sam Darnold has looked like the Sam Darnold of old these past couple weeks, horrible. After a promising start to the year, he has quickly strung together a series of poor performances and has taken his team down with him. There may be a reason for the poor play his past few weeks however. Darnold picked up a shoulder injury in his Week 8 game that was originally overlooked due to him also suffering a concussion. He was questionable for Week 9 with a shoulder issue but did wind up playing.
Well, he either hurt his shoulder further or the true nature of the injury went undetected as he picked up a serious injury at some point. After two days of extensive testing, he was found to have an incomplete fracture of his right scapula, or shoulder blade. This breaking of bone does not require surgery but will take several weeks to heal. With this injury occurring on his throwing shoulder, the Carolina QB is expected to be out at least a month. The Panthers currently have backup QB PJ Walker slotted in to take over the starting QB role while Darnold is out.
Darnold fractured his shoulder blade and will be out at least a month. – DROP/IR
Clyde Edwards-Helaire (RB) Kansas City Chiefs
MCL Sprain, Initial injury: 10/10/21
The Chiefs young RB has gotten off to a rough start this year, much like his team. After seeing his workload diminish, he now has a knee injury to deal with. Clyde Edwards-Helaire (CEH) had to be helped off the field after injuring his knee against Buffalo. He was found to have suffered an MCL sprain that was significant enough to land him on the IR.
An MCL injury refers to ligament damage to the inner part of your knee and is key in side-to-side knee stability. This injury usually comes with a two to three-week recovery timeline. An MCL sprain would limit the RB’s route running and change of direction ability due to lack of knee stability until properly healed.
CEH has officially made his return to practice this Wednesday, for the first time his injury on October 10th. However, it is unlikely that the Chiefs RB will make his return to the field this week but he should be ready to go next week barring any setbacks. Kansas City RB Darrel Williams will continue to carry the majority of the load in Edwards-Helaire’s absence.
The young Kansas City RB has returned to practice, but will likely not be ready to return to the lineup this week. – SIT/MONITOR
Chris Carson (RB) Seattle Seahawks
Neck Injury, Initial Injury: Preseason (Long Term Issue)
In a bit of surprise, Seattle’s starting running back made his way onto the injury report last Tuesday ahead of their Thursday night game. Initially, it was unclear how serious of an issue this would be but at this point, Carson has not practiced in two weeks and will miss his second straight game. There have also been talks about possibly putting Carson on the IR with this neck issue. A clear diagnosis has not been given but Carson is likely dealing with a disc issue in his neck. These types of injuries take a while to get under control and often require surgery or weeks of rehab to be fully treated.
This clearly has been bothering Carson for some time as the Seahawks running back was on the Week 1 injury report with a neck injury. He was able to fully practice that week and started all four games earlier in the year but he appears to have aggravated the injury in practice. Back up Alex Collins was a must-add for Carson fantasy owners last week and continues to be if available. Collins has provided a spark for this backfield and is in line to take over the starting duties until Carson returns.
Carson has returned to practice this week after missing the past four games on IR. He reportedly was determined to make his return this week and has taken a positive step in that direction by practicing. His status will have to be monitored to see how his neck handles the practice reps.
Carson has returned to practice from IR and has a chance to play this week. – MONITOR/START
Trevor Lawrence (QB) Jacksonville Jaguars
Low Ankle Sprain, Initial Injury: 11/7/21
The Week 10 injury report begins with an injury to the golden child of the 2021 NFL Draft. Jacksonville’s hopeful franchise QB went down after getting rolled up on by one of his offensive linemen. It was a scary sight for all those brave enough to still be Jaguars fans, seeing Lawrence limp off the field in the second quarter. Thankfully, he was able to return to the game and complete the biggest upset of the year with their win over Buffalo.
Lawrence has a low ankle sprain and received negative ankle X-rays, greatly improving his injury outlook. A low ankle sprain refers to your common ankle sprain where the lateral ankle ligaments are damaged from the foot rolling inward. These injuries typically only take one to two weeks to recover when mild damage occurs. The Jags QB being able to return to the game and perform at a sufficient level is evidence of the mild nature of the injury. The expectation currently is Lawrence will be able to play Sunday with some limited practices this week. His mobility outside of the pocket may be limited if the injury is still bothering him by game day.
Lawrence suffered a mild ankle sprain and is expected to play this week. – MONITOR/START
Nick Chubb (RB) Cleveland Browns
COVID-19/Reserve List
The Brown’s lead running back was placed on the COVID-19 list early this week after testing positive for the virus. Chubb is vaccinated so he has a chance to play this week still but would need two negative tests, 24 hours apart, before Sunday. With Kareem Hunt on the IR, D’Ernest Johnson is set to be the lead man in Cleveland’s backfield.
Chubb tested positive for COVID-19 and his game availability is in question. – MONITOR
Chase Edmonds (RB) Arizona Cardinals
High Ankle Sprain, Initial Injury: 11/7/21
Starting RB Chase Edmonds went down early in his game last week and was unable to return. An MRI has confirmed that he suffered a high ankle sprain and will likely be put on the IR, missing at least 3 games. A high ankle sprain refers to an injury above the ankle, with damage to the ligaments holding the lower leg bones together. These types of ankle injuries are more severe and require a longer recovery time than the usual low ankle or common ankle sprains. More force is required to cause this kind of injury and it has more potential to have lasting effects on a player’s ability. Edmond’s cutting and route running abilities are likely going to be hindered for at least four weeks, and up to six weeks. Cardinals RB James Conner shined in Edmond’s absence and is a fantasy start moving forward.
Edmonds suffered a high ankle sprain last week and will likely miss multiple weeks. – SIT/IR
Zack Moss (RB) Buffalo Bills
Concussion, Initial Injury: 11/7/21
Buffalo not only has to go into Week 10 thinking about the embarrassing loss they just had but also with a key offensive player on the injury report. The Bills backfield has been a bit of a mystery these past few years but it had seemed RB Zack Moss was finally separating himself. Unfortunately, he took a hard hit in last week’s game and was later ruled out with a concussion against Jacksonville. Moss only had three carries for six yards at this point and it was fellow RB Devin Singletary‘s show for the rest of the game.
A concussion refers to a mild traumatic brain injury that disrupts the function of the brain. Recovery and how long symptoms last is very variable and depends on how quickly the brain is able to safely and efficiently adapt to its environment again. Moss’ practice status will reveal his chances of being able to play this week. Singletary will see an increased workload if Moss is unable to go.
The Bills RB is in the league’s concussion protocol and his status needs to be monitored. – MONITOR
Devontae Booker (RB) New York Giants
Hip Injury, Initial Injury: 11/7/21
Devontae Booker is a player who has taken advantage of his opportunity and I hope is not on the Week 10 injury report for long. Filling in for the injured Saquon Barkley, Booker has been seeing a heavy workload and produced favorable numbers. After racking up over 100 all-purpose yards on the day, Booker injured his hip in the fourth quarter and was unable to return. There have not been many specifics given on the injury but Booker reportedly does not believe it is a serious issue. The Giants have a bye this week, giving both Booker and Barkley an extra week to heal up. I am expecting Barkley to return to his usual heavy workload after the bye, but if he has any setbacks, expect Booker to continue producing.
Booker’s hip injury may be less concerning than the return of Saquon Barkley regarding his fantasy production. He is on a bye Week 10. – SIT/MONITOR
Jonnu Smith (TE) New England Patriots
Shoulder Injury, Initial Injury: 10/24/21, Re-injury:11/7/21
Early in the season, the Patriots had been receiving production from both of their free agent TE additions. However, one of those pass-catchers, TE Jonnu Smith, has been dealing with a shoulder injury for the past few weeks. The injury is likely to be an AC sprain, which refers to a shoulder separation of varying severities. This injury occurs when a play falls or lands with their hand outstretched, causing the arm bone to jam into their shoulder. An AC sprain can be a painful injury that causes a restriction in a player’s catch radius. It will cause pain and difficulty when a player tries to reach across their body for a reception.
The shoulder injury likely began as a minor injury, as Smith has been able to play through it but it is clearly limiting his production. The Patriots TE had only one catch for four yards before exiting the game due to aggravating the injury. Smith’s practice status will need to be monitored closely this week. Fellow TE Hunter Henry would likely benefit if Smith misses time.
Smith is dealing with a shoulder injury and his practice status should be monitored. – MONITOR/SIT
Russell Wilson (QB) Seattle Seahawks
Finger Surgery, Initial Injury: 10/7/21
For the first time in his 10 year career, Russell Wilson was unable to start an NFL regular-season game. The Los Angeles Rams ruined this streak after Wilson injured his middle finger on a Rams player’s helmet. The injury was on his throwing hand and found severe enough to require surgery, which he underwent the next day. The surgery revealed injuries to two separate joints on his finger.
The Seahawks QB suffered both a Mallet finger injury and a PIP dislocation. Mallet finger refers to when the tendon on the very end of your finger is partially or fully torn. This prevents you from being able to fully straighten your finger and accurately throw a football. In addition, Wilson’s joint in the middle of his finger was found to be dislocated or forced out of place. A variable timeline has been given due to this being a rare double injury to one finger. Expect Wilson to be out a month but his progress should be monitored after about three weeks. Wilson is headed to the IR as expected and the earliest he can return is Week 10.
The Seahawks received good news coming off the bye week and into the Week 10 injury report. Star QB Russell Wilson has been cleared to return to the playing field by his surgeon. Wilson kicked ass on his post-surgical rehab and moved his recovery timeline up. The fact that he was able to impress the surgeon with his mobility and ability to use his finger, makes for less of a cause for concern.
Wilson has been cleared to return and is expected to start this week. – START
Zach Wilson (QB) New York Jets
Knee Injury- PCL, Initial Injury: 10/24/21
It’s hard to imagine but the New York Jets’ dismal season was very close to getting much worse. Luckily, they received some good news by ways of the Week 10 injury report. Their new franchise QB Zach Wilson suffered what looked like a gruesome and potentially career-altering in Week 7. The rookie QB went down in serious pain after being hit in the back of his knee by a Patriots LB.
Thankfully for Wilson and the Jets, an MRI on his knee confirmed that he will not miss the rest of the season. Wilson was diagnosed with a PCL strain and is expected to miss about two to four weeks. A PCL strain refers to damage to one of the four major ligaments that is responsible for the stability of your knee. Depending on the severity, this injury can take anywhere from two to six weeks to fully heal. Moving forward, Wilson’s practice status and if he is put on the IR will tell us more on a clearer timeline for his return to the field. The good news is Wilson did not completely tear his PCL and end his season.
Wilson was ultimately not put on the IR in hopes that he could return at least to practice in less than three weeks. According to reports, it appears this hope will become a reality as Wilson is likely to return to practice this week. However, the Jets have expressed no desire to rush the rookie QB back before he is ready. Expect him to log some limited practices this week but for new fan favorite Mike White to start at QB this week.
Wilson is likely to return to practice but not start this week. – MONITOR/SIT
Calvin Ridley (WR) Atlanta Falcons
Personal Matter
Atlanta Falcon’s WR Calvin Ridley was expected to have a break-out year after the departure of fellow WR Julio Jones. Although he has put together a couple of good performances, his season has been negatively impacted by a “personal matter”. It is still unclear what exactly this means but Ridley had missed two of the last three games as a healthy scratch. Ridley recently took to Twitter to share that he needs to “step away” from football and focus on his “mental wellbeing”. I am not going to speculate what is going on here and wish the best for this young man. Ridley has been officially placed on the non-football injury list and will be out a minimum of three games. It is unclear exactly how long Ridley will be out at this time, but I hope he is off the Week 10 injury report soon.
Ridley is stepping away from the team for an undisclosed amount of time. – SIT/IR
Michael Thomas (WR) New Orleans Saints
Ankle Surgery, Initial Injury: 8/13/20, Surgery: June 2021
Let’s finish this Week 10 injury report with the diva of the group. After a disappointing 2020 season due to an ankle injury, the general consensus was that Thomas was going to have offseason ankle surgery in the offseason and there would be no lingering effects going into the 2021 season. Of course, things didn’t go as planned and he had the surgery done in June, basically guaranteeing he would miss the start of the 2021 season.
The Saints will be without their number one receiver for at least the first six weeks of the regular season as Thomas was placed on the Injured Reserve (IR). On the injury front, the surgery should improve his route running and run after catch ability. Michael Thomas is not a WR you are going to be able to depend on to get you to your fantasy playoffs this year. However, he may help you win in the playoffs IF things go according to plan this time.
It looks like we are going to have our first full season member of the injury report. It has been reported that Thomas has suffered a new and different ankle injury in his rehab to return to the field. He has now been ruled out for the season and will play zero snaps this year. There is a reason he was on my Top 5 Most Worried list this year!
Thomas is out for the season after suffering a new ankle injury. – DROP
Derrick Henry (RB) Tennessee Titans
Foot surgery, Initial Injury: 10/31/21
Derrick Henry has been shattering opposing defenses, rushing records, and the stat sheet. Unfortunately, it has been announced that he suffered an injury that will shatter fantasy managers’ hearts. This is by far the biggest injury on this Week 10 report, and it can be league-altering in my opinion. The Titans running back is the heart and soul of this Tennessee offense and many fantasy teams across the globe.
Henry reportedly suffered a Jones fracture and will undergo surgery this week. A Jones fracture refers to breaking the base of your pinky toe and is a fairly common injury in the NFL. Wide recovery timelines have been reported ranging from six to twelve weeks but eight is likely a realistic goal. The bone needs proper healing time and this is an injury that can reinjure if Henry is rushed back to the field. The Titans RB should not be limited once the bone is healed, but whether that happens before the fantasy season is over is another story.
Henry will be undergoing foot surgery this week and will likely be out for around two months. – IR
Jameis Winston (QB) New Orleans Saints
ACL Tear, Initial Injury: 10/31/21
The New Orleans Saints currently sit in second place in the NFC South and are coming off a huge win against the Buccaneers. After much uncertainty this offseason, it seems like the Jameis experiment was working and the team was headed in the right direction.
Unfortunately, the Saints will have to carry on without their newfound starting QB. Jameis Winston was injured in last week’s game with a significant knee injury, having to be carted off the field. It has been confirmed that he has torn his ACL and suffered some MCL damage. These are major knee stabilizing ligaments, and this injury will require surgery. Winston’s season is done and it may be Taysom Hill’s team after all if he can recover from his concussion.
Winston has torn his ACL and will be out the rest of the season. – DROP
JuJu Smith-Schuster (WR) Pittsburgh Steelers
Shoulder Dislocation, Initial Injury: 10/10/21
Juju may have played his last snap for the city of Pittsburgh. In the second quarter of the game against the Broncos, he took a hard hit to his shoulder and instantly walked off the field. The Steelers WR dislocated his shoulder and required season-ending surgery. Let’s not forget that Smith-Schuster tested the free agency market before signing just a 1 year deal with Pittsburgh. Juju will have to work hard this off-season to build some stability in his shoulder as dislocations can become a chronic issue for players. Luckily for the Steelers, WRs Chase Claypool, Diontae Johnson, and James Washington are all capable playmakers.
Juju is out for the rest of the season after shoulder surgery. – DROP
Curtis Samuel (WR) Washington Football Team
Groin Injury, Re-injured: 10/10/21, Initial Injury: 6/2/21
Another player I have been concerned about for a while joins the Week 10 injury report. Washington’s offseason addition Curtis Samuel cannot seem to kick this groin issue. The speedy WR originally injured his groin back in June and took several months off before returning to practice. A week before the season started, he reinjured his groin again and started the year on the IR. I tried to warn y’all but this was the first BAD sign. Last Sunday, Samuel suffered another setback, aggravating his groin injury and being held out of the game.
A groin injury limits a player’s ability for a quick change of direction movements due to damage to the inner hip muscle. As a shifty and speedy receiver, Samuel will need his groin to be at full strength for a productive season. Groin injury also comes with a high reinjury risk, which is what we are seeing here. At this point, this injury is unlikely to go away any time soon and I would look for other fantasy options. Washington WR’s Terry McLaurin and Adam Humphries will see a boost in targets as some of the only healthy options left.
Samuel has again reinjured his groin and his health should not be trusted. – DROP/SIT
Logan Thomas (TE) Washington Football Team
Hamstring Strain, Initial Injury: 10/3/21
Washington survived an offensive shootout in Atlanta last week without one of their top targets. The converted tight end Logan Thomas limped off the field on the team’s first possession of the game and was unable to return. Thomas injured his hamstring in a non-contact injury while running upfield. Hamstring strains are tricky injuries that require at least two weeks to recover from.
These injuries have a high reinjury rate which often causes a more severe injury than the original. Hamstring strains can linger throughout the season will limit a player’s running and jumping ability. Thomas has been placed on the IR and is expected to miss four weeks. This move means there has been substantial damage to his hamstring and returning to play in four weeks seems optimistic.
Thomas is dealing with a hamstring strain and is on the IR – DROP/IR
DJ Chark (WR) Jacksonville Jaguars
Ankle Fracture, Initial Injury: 9/30/21
This Week 10 report contains an added injury to the insult that is Jacksonville Jaguars football. Last Thursday night, their big-play WR D.J. Chark was rolled up on by a fellow teammate and had to be carted off the field. Unfortunately, Chark fractured his ankle, which will require surgery and likely end his 2021 season. With the Jags looking abysmal, there is no reason for them to risk bringing back their young WR this year. Fellow WRs Marvin Jones Jr. and Laviska Shenault should see a boost in targets for the rest of the season.
Chark’s season is likely over with a fractured ankle. – DROP
Will Fuller (WR) Miami Dolphins
Broken Finger, Initial Injury:10/3/21
Will Fuller’s Miami career is off to a rocky start after missing the first two games for non-injury reasons and getting hurt early in Week 4. The Miami WR broke his finger while attempting to make a diving catch on an underthrown ball. He was immediately ruled out of the game and is now expected to miss “ a few weeks”. A broken bone is going to take about six weeks to fully heal normally but there is a possibility he returns closer to the four-week mark. His recovery timeline will be up to how much Fuller and the Dolphins want to risk a reinjury. The Dolphins are fairly healthy at WR otherwise, with DeVante Parker and Jaylen Waddle leading the way.
Fuller broke his finger and will likely be out four to six weeks. – IR/SIT
Maxx Williams (TE) Arizona Cardinals
Knee Injury, Initial Injury: 10/10/21
Just as the TE was becoming a big part of this Arizona offense, his season is likely over. Maxx Williams suffered a gruesome knee injury last Sunday and the belief is it is a season-ending injury. Finally, confirmation has been received and Williams is out for the year.
Williams suffered a season-ending knee injury. – DROP/MONITOR
Quintez Cephus (WR) Detroit Lions
Broken Collarbone, Initial Injury: 10/10/21
The Lions can ill afford any name added to the injury report for Week 10, especially a bright spot in their dismal passing offense. Quintez Cephus has emerged as Detroit’s WR1 and vertical deep threat this season. The big body receiver had been a productive and reliable target for QB Jared Goff. Unfortunately, Detroit can’t seem to have nice things as the promising young WR will miss an extended amount of time.
Cephus’ shoulder was driven down hard into the ground on a tackle last week and he broke his collarbone. The bone is going to take at least six weeks to heal but could very likely take two full months. He would then have to be slowly worked back into contact as the bone is vulnerable during the healing period. The Lions will turn to WR’s Amon-Ra St. Brown, Kalif Raymond, and KhaDarel Hodge to fill the void. However, these pass catchers are all unproven so it is hard to say which one Goff will trust if any.
Cephus broke his collarbone and will have an extended absence, maybe the rest of the season. – DROP/IR
This injury report updates until Week 10 ends. Make sure to stay up to date on all the latest injuries this season over on Twitter @SGPNFootballDoc!
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