We are officially four games into the NFL season, which used to signify the 25% mark. Now with 17 instead of 16 games, let’s just say we’re “kind of a quarter” way there! Math aside, we are entering the bulk of the fantasy season. With players shuffling in and out of lineups due to injury, being up to date on the status of your roster is vital. Heading into Week 5, there are plenty of big names to keep track of on the injury report.
Everyone can see the injury designation next to a player and simply know if they’re hurt or not this week. However, most people don’t know what that injury means and how likely their player will be able to produce points this week. This is where I come in. I’m here to provide injury analysis and guidance to give you an edge in your fantasy leagues. Welcome to the Week 5 Fantasy Football Injury Report!
Note: This injury report will be updated until the conclusion of Week 5. For the most current injury news and analysis, follow me on Twitter @SGPNFootballDoc!
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Week 5 Early Game Inactives
Kadarius Toney (WR) New York Giants
Keenan Allen (WR) Los Angeles Chargers
Michael Thomas (WR) New Orleans Saints
Jameis Winston (QB) New Orleans Saints
Tua Tagovailoa (QB) Miami Dolphins
Dawson Knox (TE) Buffalo Bills
D’Andre Swift (RB) Detriot Lions
Quintez Cephus (WR) Detroit Lions
D.J. Chark (WR) Detroit Lions
Mac Jones (QB) New England Patriots
Kyle Pitts (TE) Atlanta Falcons
Cameron Brate (TE) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Treylon Burks (WR) Tennessee Titans
Jahan Dotson (WR) Washington Commanders
Brevin Jordan (TE) Houston Texans
Week 5 Late Game Inactives
Dak Presott (QB) Dallas Cowboys
Rashod Bateman (WR) Baltimore Ravens
Week 5 Fantasy Football Injury Report
Isaiah McKenzie (WR) Buffalo Bills
Concussion, Initial Injury: 10/2/2022
Bills WR Isaiah McKenzie leads off this Week 5 injury report in the concussion protocol. The Buffalo WR suffered what he described as “the hardest hit I’ve ever gotten” last week in Baltimore. This hit leads to him suffering a concussion and his availability is in question for this week. A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury that leads to disruption in the function of the brain. This injury leads to a slower reaction time and reduced catch radius for players still dealing with symptoms. Research has shown that most NFL players return to playing in less than seven days from injury. However, concussions can present differently to different people. Make sure to monitor McKenzie’s practice status this week to get the best read on his Week 5 status. A full practice is needed to clear the league’s concussion protocol.
McKenzie is dealing with a concussion but has a chance to play this week. – MONITOR
Javonte Williams (RB) Denver Broncos
ACL/LCL Tear, Initial Injury: 10/2/2022
Here’s the biggest news on this Week 5 injury report. The Broncos’ young star RB Javonte Williams has officially been ruled out for the season with a torn ACL and LCL. An absolutely brutal injury for the Broncos, Williams, and his fantasy owners. These are two major ligaments in your knee that work to stabilize the knee. Williams is looking at a recovery road of about 11.5 months and potentially longer due to the injury involving multiple ligaments. The only decision now is to decide if Melvin Gordon will assume RB1 duties or if he will fumble it away to Mike Boone or the newly acquired Latavius Murray.
Williams is OUT for the season with a torn ACL and LCL. – DROP
Jonathan Taylor (RB) Indianapolis Colts
Ankle Injury, Initial Injury: 10/2/2022
Another huge name on the Week 5 injury report is the consensus #1 pick, Colts RB Jonathan Taylor. The Indianapolis RB suffered a twisted ankle late in the game last week against the Titans. There was some initial optimism that he might be able to play but he has been ruled out for Thursday’s game. Although the Colts and fantasy owners will miss him in their lineups this week, there is some optimism moving forward. The fact that he even had a chance to play on a short week means that he has a great chance to return next week.
The type of ankle injury he is dealing with has not been disclosed but him having a chance to play this week suggests he is likely dealing with a low ankle sprain. This refers to damage to the lateral ankle ligaments which occurs when a foot rolls inward. This is a much more common injury and has a significantly shorter recovery window than a high ankle sprain. The expectation is that Taylor should return in 1-3 weeks from his ankle sprain.
Taylor is OUT this week with an ankle injury but should return soon. – SIT
Jonnu Smith (TE) New England Patriots
Ankle Injury, Initial Injury: 10/2/2022
The Patriots have had a rough few weeks on the injury report and Week 5 is no different. One of their two-star TEs, Jonnu Smith suffered an ankle injury last week in Green Bay. Smith was unable to return to the game and he has been diagnosed with a low ankle sprain. This is good news that it is not a high ankle sprain, but the fact he is being described as week-to-week is not good. This indicates that he likely suffered a more moderate (Grade 2) ankle injury as opposed to mild one. A low ankle sprain refers to damage to the lateral ligaments of the ankle. This injury limits the stability of the ankle and negatively affects a player’s cutting ability. Monitor Smith’s practice status but at this point is unlikely that Smith suits up this week.
Smith is dealing with an ankle injury and is unlikely to play this week. – MONITOR/SIT
Daniel Jones (QB) New York Giants
Ankle Injury, Initial Injury: 10/2/2022
Vanilla Vick made quite the appearance last week! New York Football Giants QB Daniel Jones was showcasing his legs last week for two rushing TDs. Unfortunately, this also led to him being briefly knocked out of the game with an ankle injury, and his mobility was hindered. However, Jones appeared to be moving well at practice on Tuesday and the Giants declined to sign a QB this week. Due to his seemingly quick recovery, he is likely dealing with a minor low ankle sprain. These come with a 1-3 week recovery typically so it would not be unrealistic for him to play this week. His running ability may be hindered this week but there is a good chance he gets the start. Against a strong Packers defense, I wouldn’t be rushing to start Jones on my fantasy team, however.
Jones has a good chance to play this week but his mobility will likely be limited. – SIT
https://twitter.com/charlottecrrll/status/1577711392227991552
Cameron Brate (TE) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Concussion, Initial Injury: 10/2/2022
The Buccaneers’ TE found himself out of the game and in concussion protocol in the second half of last week’s game. Brate suffered a big hit to the head near the end of the first half and was held out of the rest of the game during halftime. A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury that leads to disruption in the function of the brain. It negatively affects a player’s reaction time and catch radius. Research has shown that most NFL players return to playing in less than seven days from injury. However, this is not set in stone as concussions are still largely a mystery and symptoms can differ. The league has a standardized protocol, requiring players to complete five steps before being able to play. Monitor Brate’s practice status to get an idea of his Week 5 availability.
Brate is in concussion protocol and has a chance to play this week. -MONITOR
Treylon Burks (WR) Tennessee Titans
Foot Injury, Initial Injury: 10/2/2022
The Titans rookie WR Treylon Burks finds himself on the injury report in Week 5 for the first time this season. Burks suffered a foot injury last week which has been diagnosed as turf toe and will likely require him to miss some time. The good news is that the injury was not significant enough to require surgery. Turf toe is a frustrating nagging injury that refers to an injury to the main joint of the big toe. This happens when the big toe is forced into hyperextension as a player is trying to move but their toe is stuck on the flat ground or turf.
Depending on the severity of the injury, the recovery timeline can be anywhere from 1 week to 12+ weeks. Whether the Titans place Burks on the IR and his practice status will give us the best indication on severity here. This injury affects a player’s ability to accelerate and sprint on the field. Also, there is a moderate reinjury risk with turf toe. It can be frustrating and linger throughout the season if not managed well. Players will often try to play through the pain and in turn delay their recovery time.
Burks is not practicing with a turf toe injury and will likely miss this week. – MONITOR/SIT
Tua Tagovailoa (QB) Miami Dolphins
Concussion, Initial Injury: 9/29/2022
Tua may be one of the most talked about players in the league these last few weeks. After suffering two gruesome-looking injuries in primetime on back-to-back weeks, that streak will thankfully end. The Dolphins QB was slammed down to the turf last week against Cincinnati and suffered a concussion. I’m not here to speculate whether this was his first or second concussion of the young year. However, the Dolphins are being much more cautious this time around as they have already ruled him out for Week 5. Although it is rare for a team to rule out a player in concussion protocol so early in the week, I think we all understand the optics here.
A concussion refers to a mild traumatic brain injury that leads to disruption in the function of the brain. In a football sense, the brain is vital to processing information quickly and helping players to react. Research has shown that most NFL players return to playing in less than seven days from injury. However, concussions are still largely a mystery and everyone’s recovery can be different depending on the symptoms. Typically, I would expect a player to be back in Week 6 but in this situation, we will just have to wait and see.
Tua is OUT this week with a concussion. – OUT
Cordarrelle Patterson (RB) Atlanta Falcons
Knee Injury, Initial Injury: 10/2/2022
A pleasant fantasy surprise in Falcons RB Cordarrelle Patterson finds himself on the Week 5 injury report. After a strong first half last week, Patterson mysteriously was found on the sidelines for most of the final two quarters. Well this mystery has been revealed as the Atlanta RB suffered a knee injury that required him to have a procedure on. Details of the injury have not been released but he has been placed on the team’s injured reserve. This means that Patterson will miss at least four games and the Falcons will turn to RBs Tyler Algier and Caleb Huntley.
Patterson is OUT for at least four weeks due to a knee injury. – Move to IR
Michael Thomas (WR) New Orleans Saints
Foot Injury, Initial Injury: 9/25/2022
It appears Saints WR Michael Thomas couldn’t stay away from the injury report as he returns for Week 4. Thomas suffered a foot injury last week and was ultimately sidelined for the rest of the game because of it. There have not been any reports on the exact nature of the injury but the belief is it is not a major injury. With all this mystery surrounding the injury, what we do know is that Thomas was not a participant in practice on Wednesday to start the week. After missing last week’s game, there has not been a lot of news helping to clear up Thomas’ injury. What we do know is that he did not practice in any fashion Wednesday, which is never a good sign.
Thomas is dealing with an undisclosed foot injury that is keeping him out of practice. – SIT
Dak Prescott (QB) Dallas Cowboys
Thumb Fracture, Initial Injury: 9/11/2022
Things went from bad to worse in Dallas for their season opener. While suffering a beat down via the hand of the Bucs, Dallas QB Dak Prescott injured his throwing hand during the 4th quarter. His thumb collided with a pass rusher’s arm and fractured a bone in his thumb. The initial recovery timeline was reportedly six to eight weeks. However, this may no longer be the case in this most surprising segment of the Week 2 injury report.
News broke Tuesday this week that the Cowboys will not in fact put Dak on IR as we all thought would happen. After speaking with medical personnel from the surgery, the team has decided to leave the window open for their QB to return as soon as possible. From a medical perspective, hardware (metal) was inserted to protect the healing bone from the surgery. He would not be at great risk for reinjury if he returned before the six to eight-week window, however, it is going to take time for him to feel comfortable throwing again.
With the Dallas Cowboys currently rolling without their franchise QB, it seems they will look to continue this hot streak for at least one more week. There were some rumors that Prescott could play Week 5 but this seems like a long shot. Prescott has not been ruled out yet but is still rehabbing off to the side of practice. His grip strength is still unlikely to be at the level he needs it to have a productive game.
Prescott is still not practicing and will likely be OUT this week. – SIT
Keenan Allen (WR) Los Angeles Chargers
Hamstring Strain, Initial Injury: 9/11/2022
Chargers reliable WR Keenan Allen had to exit the game in Week 1 with a hamstring injury. The severity of the injury is still unknown but he was quickly ruled out in Week 2. A hamstring strain refers to damage (tear) to the muscle in the back of the upper leg. Your hamstring plays a big role in generating the power in your legs that allows you to jump and sprint. Allen will need to be careful in his recovery as these injuries tend to be burdensome due to their high reinjury rate. His practice status next week will give us a better idea of a recovery timeline.
Allen practiced for the first time last Wednesday since his hamstring injury. After logging two limited practices, he was held out of practice last Friday and ultimately inactive for Week 3. His apparent regression in practice status is worrisome but the fact he returned for another limited practice this Wednesday is a better sign. It appears Keenan Allen is learning firsthand how frustrating hamstring injuries can be. After some hope he could return last week, it appears he was ruled out due to aggravating his hamstring injury in practice. His long stay on the injury report is a bad sign for his Week 5 availability. He will need to practice fully at least twice to have confidence in him.
Allen’s Week 5 status is in doubt after aggravating his hamstring. – SIT
Suspensions:
This a quick reminder of the impact of Fantasy Football players who will be suspended during the 2022 NFL season.
Deandre Hopkins (WR) Arizona Cardinals – 6 games
Calvin Ridley (WR) Atlanta Falcons – 17 games
Deshaun Watson (QB) Cleveland Browns – 11 games
