Playoffs?? Playoffs!?! Yes, Jim Mora, we are talking about fantasy football playoffs. If you’re reading the article this week, you have likely made it to your league’s playoff. If so, congratulations, but the job’s not done yet. However, don’t stop reading if you haven’t made your league’s playoffs this year. DFS exists for a reason, and injuries play a major role in helping to beat the sportsbook.
This is a massive week for many reasons, and you need to set yourself up for success. Fully understanding the injuries the biggest fantasy football players are dealing with can be invaluable info in the right hands. Welcome to the Week 15 Fantasy Football Injury Report!
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Week 15 Saturday Inactives
Lamar Jackson (QB) Baltimore Ravens
River Cracraft (WR) Miami Dolphins
Week 15 Sunday Early Inactives
Mike White (QB) New York Jets
Corey Davis (WR) New York Jets
Brandin Cooks (WR) Houston Texans
Dameon Pierce (RB) Houston Texans
Nico Collins (WR) Houston Texans
Kenny Pickett (QB) Pittsburgh Steelers
Chase Claypool (WR) Chicago Bears
Week 15 Sunday Late Inactives
Hayden Hurst (TE) Cincinnati Bengals
Russell Wilson (QB) Denver Broncos
Courtland Sutton (WR) Denver Broncos
Kendall Hinton (WR) Denver Broncos
DeVante Parker (WR) New England Patriots
Treylon Burks (WR) Tennessee Titans
Week 15 Fantasy Football Injury Report
Kyler Murray (QB) Arizona Cardinals
Knee Injury, Initial Injury: 12/12/2022
The Week 15 injury report kicks off with the most severe injury. Arizona QB Kyler Murray suffered a non-contact knee injury early in the game last week. He remained down on the field and had to be carted off the field.
The worst nightmare of an ACL tear was confirmed the following day. An ACL tear refers to a complete tear of a ligament in the front part of your knee. The ACL serves as a primary stabilizer of the knee. It helps players to decelerate and make a cut, as well as land from a jump
Cardinals QB is looking at an average return to play time over around 11.5 months. This season is over, and he will have to work diligently to return in the first half of next season. Lateral movements and acceleration bursts typically take the longest to come back.
Normal movement and mechanics may not come back for a full two years, so I would expect Murray not to be productive until the second half of 2023.
Kyler Murray tore his ACL and is out for the rest of the season. – DROP
Tee Higgins (WR) Cincinnati Bengals
Hamstring Injury, Initial Injury: 12/11/2022
The Bengals WR room has taken blow after blow this season with injuries. The Week 15 injury report provides more of the same; Tee Higgins was ruled out last week. Higgins suffered a hamstring strain, and his status is in question for this week. Hamstring injuries are very burdensome and one of the most frustrating injuries to deal with.
A hamstring strain is damage (tear) to the muscle in the back of the upper leg. The hamstring plays a BIG role in generating leg power and controlling deceleration. Players struggle with accelerating, sprinting, and jumping for the ball. The recovery timeline is 2-3 weeks with a minor strain, while a moderate strain is 3-6 weeks.
This injury comes with a high reinjury rate that is worst in the first two weeks after the injury. Higgins will have to be careful not to push himself too soon and risk suffering a second injury. He was able to begin the week with limited practice Wednesday.
Higgins is dealing with a hamstring strain but has an outside chance to play this week. – MONITOR
Dameon Pierce (RB) Houston Texans
Ankle Injury, Initial Injury: 12/11/2022
The Houston Texans nearly pulled off a miracle 2nd win of the season last week. However, in typical Texans’ fashion, they blew their chance. A big reason was not having RB Dameon Pierce available late in the game. The rookie RB was ruled out in last week’s game after suffering a high ankle sprain.
A high ankle sprain refers to damage to ligaments (syndesmosis) connecting the lower leg bones above the ankle. These ligaments play a role in stabilizing the lower leg during running and jumping.
A mild sprain has a recovery timeline of 4-6 weeks, while a moderate is 8-12 weeks. Pierce has already been ruled out for this week and will likely miss at least the next three weeks. Route running, run after the catch, and jump ball ability will be hindered while he recovers from this sprain.
Dameon Pierce is dealing with a high ankle sprain and is OUT for this week. – SIT
Tyreek Hill (WR) Miami Dolphins
Ankle Injury, Initial Injury: 12/11/2022
Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill may be the most impactful injury on the Week 15 report. Hill has been dealing with a nagging ankle injury despite not missing any games. The good news is that the ankle injury does not appear to be serious and looks to be behind him. Hill was a full participant in practice Wednesday after limited participation Tuesday.
Hill is likely dealing with a low ankle sprain. This less severe sprain refers to damage to the lateral ankle ligaments that resist excessive foot movement inwards. The recovery timeline for this sprain is 1-3 weeks for mild cases and 3-6 weeks for more serious cases. Hill’s cutting ability and balanced were likely limited the past few weeks. However, his speed and ability make him a must-start when active.
Hill’s ankle injury is progressing, and he is expected to play this week. – START
Deebo Samuel (WR) San Francisco 49ers
MCL and Ankle Sprain, Initial Injury: 12/11/2022
This Deebo Samuel injury is a brutal blow for fantasy managers expecting to rely on the stud WR. The good news is the Deebo injury looked much scarier than the end result. The bad news is that he will still likely be out for the rest of the fantasy football season.
After suffering a scary-looking tackle, Samuel was carted off with a knee and ankle injury. Despite initial fear of a severe injury, he has been diagnosed with an MCL and ankle sprain.
An MCL sprain is damage to a ligament on the inner (medial) knee. The MCL has a major role in lateral (side-to-side) stability. This injury comes with a fairly quick recovery timeline. For mild sprains, 1-2 weeks is the typical recovery window, and for moderate sprains, it’s 2-4 weeks.
Deebo’s run after the catch and route-running ability will be hindered due to this lateral instability. His ankle sprain is more of a mystery as there have been no reports on what type of ankle sprain he is dealing with.
Deebo Samuel is dealing with both knee and ankle sprains and is OUT for this week. – SIT
Rhamondre Stevenson (RB) New England Patriots
Ankle Injury, Initial Injury: 12/11/2022
Rhamondre Stevenson has played a huge role in the Patriots’ offense this season. With the health struggles of fellow RB Damien Harris, he has taken advantage of his increase in volume. However, he is dealing with his own injury concerns on the Week 15 report.
Stevenson injured his ankle in the game last week, and despite trying to return, he was later ruled out.
New England is not disclosing the exact type of ankle injury he suffered at this time. This prevents a full analysis, and his practice status will need to be monitored closely. He was unable to practice on Wednesday but has a chance to ramp up before the game.
A high ankle sprain would put Stevenson out for several weeks. A low ankle sprain is a much shorter recovery, and he could play this week.
Stevenson is dealing with an undisclosed ankle injury and is not practicing yet. – MONITOR
Tyler Huntley (QB) Baltimore Ravens
Concussion, Initial Injury: 12/11/2022
The Ravens were forced to rely on their third-string QB last week to secure a pivotal divisional win. Baltimore is hoping this will not be the case again for Week 15. QB2 Tyler Huntley was knocked out of the game last week due to a concussion. A concussion is 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, this Fantasy Football injury does provide the most uncertain expectations. Concussions are still largely a mystery, and everyone’s recovery can be different depending on the symptoms.
The league has a standardized protocol requiring players to complete five steps before being able to play. Practice status will be key in determining his likelihood of playing this week. Huntley is already practicing fully Wednesday and should play this week.
Huntley is practicing fully and is expected to play this week. – START
Lamar Jackson (QB) Baltimore Ravens
PCL Strain, Initial Injury: 12/4/2022
Dynamic Baltimore QB Lamar Jackson remains on the injury report for Week 15. Ravens fans and fantasy owners alike held their breath last Sunday as Jackson had to be helped off the field. He suffered a knee sprain and was quickly ruled out of the game. Tests revealed that Lamar suffered a PCL strain and is being referred to as “week-to-week.”
The PCL is a stabilizing ligament in your knee that is often injured by another player running into the back of a player’s knee. The strain appears to be mild, as the team’s recovery window is between 1-3 weeks.
With a capable backup in QB Tyler Huntley and already squarely in the playoff picture, it is unlikely the Ravens will rush to start Jackson this week. He will want to be fully able to trust his knee before returning to the field, as he relies on his legs so much to operate effectively.
The good news is that it is very realistic for Jackson to return and be productive either next or the following week. His practice participation will be a key indicator of his progress, as he begins this week by not practicing Tuesday or Wednesday.
Ravens QB Lamar Jackson has not been ruled out yet with a knee sprain but is likely to miss this week. – SIT
Courtland Sutton (WR) Denver Broncos
Hamstring Injury, Initial Injury: 12/4/2022
A hamstring injury is one of the last injuries you want your fantasy football player to come down with. They are frustrating and nagging injuries to manage, and unfortunately, Courtland Sutton managers have to deal with this nightmare for a crucial Week 1 injury report and likely beyond.
The Broncos WR already screwed you over in Week 13 as he injured his hamstring early on and posted a nice goose egg in the stat sheet. It’s going to be difficult to trust Sutton much moving forward, especially while he is dealing with such a burdensome injury.
A hamstring strain refers to damage (tear) to the muscle in the back of the upper leg. The hamstring plays a BIG role in generating lower body power and controlling the ability to slow down. A player’s speed, cutting, and route running are all negatively affected during this injury.
Based on the severity of the injury, the recovery timeline is 2-3 weeks for mild cases and 3-6 weeks for moderate cases. With the Broncos having virtually zero chance of making the playoffs, they may choose to shut Sutton down if the injury is anything more than mild.
One of the biggest downfalls of this injury is that it comes with a high reinjury rate that is hard to see coming. Reinjuries typically occur within the first two weeks of the injury when the player is trying to ramp up their rehab too fast. Sutton did not practice on Wednesday and his chances of playing this week are unlikely. I would not be surprised if this were a multiple-week absence.
Sutton is unlikely to play this week and possibly more due to his hamstring injury. – SIT
Kenneth Walker III (RB) Seattle Seahawks
Foot Injury, Initial Injury: 12/4/2022
There is a little mystery surrounding Seahawks rookie RB Kenneth Walker III’s injury situation. Walker was quickly ruled out of the game after suffering an injury to his foot and ankle area.
There have been some conflicting reports on where and what exactly the injury is. Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll described the injury as not an ankle sprain but that he “jammed” the ankle. Since an ankle “jam” isn’t really a thing, I’m going to go off what we do know.
Although the exact nature of Walker’s injury is still a mystery, his injury situation is clearing up. The Seahawks will appreciate the clarity brought by the Week 15 injury report.
Walker was unable to play last week but will be able to play this week. He was able to practice to start the week and has no injury designation for Thursday night. Walker no longer being on the injury report is a great sign. However, he’s going up against the 49ers’ defense is not.
Walker has no injury designation this week but has a tough matchup this week. – START
Treylon Burks (WR) Tennessee Titans
Concussion, Initial Injury: 12/4/2022
The rookie WR Treylon Burks in Tennessee has had a hard time staying on the field this season. While hauling in his first career TD catch, he paid the price with a big hit leading to a concussion.
A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury that leads to disruption in the function of the brain. This disruption makes it difficult for players to process information quickly and react while on the field. Research has shown that most NFL players return to playing in less than seven days from injury, but teams have taken more precautions with these injuries this year.
The league has a standardized protocol requiring players to complete five steps before being able to play, including having a full practice. Typically, a player can return in 1-2 weeks after injury.
However, concussions are still largely a mystery, and everyone’s recovery can be different depending on the symptoms. His practice status will be a biggies indicator of his progress. After sitting out last week, he is still in concussion protocol and not practicing as of Wednesday.
Burks is dealing with a concussion and is still not practicing this week. – SIT
