Well, folks, we’ve made it. This is what we have been working on for the entire season. Fantasy Football Championship week is here, and it’s time to bring it home. Congratulations to all of you who have secured your spot in the title game. For those who didn’t have the ball bounce their way this year, have no fear.
DFS, Underdog Fantasy, and sportsbooks were created for us losers to still WIN this week. Whether it’s to capture a fantasy championship or cash some bets, understanding the biggest injuries this week is key. Welcome to the Week 17 Fantasy Football Injury Report!
Week 17 Bye Weeks: None, but there are games on Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday this week, so plan accordingly!
Injury news happens fast and can change quickly, so for the most up-to-date news and analysis, follow me on X @SGPNFootballDoc! This article is updated daily until Monday Night Football, so check back in before setting your lineup!
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Week 17 Fantasy Football Injury Report
Week 17 Inactives
Dorian Thompson-Robinson (QB) Cleveland Browns
Dustin Hopkins (K) Cleveland Browns
Jerrick McKinnon (RB) Kansas City Chiefs
Zach Wilson (QB) New York Jets
Rhamondre Stevenson (RB) New England Patriots
Hollywood Brown (WR) Arizona Cardinals
Darnell Mooney (WR) Chicago Bears
Courtland Sutton (WR) Denver Broncos
Zack Moss (RB) Indianapolis Colts
Kadarius Toney (WR) Kansas City Chiefs
Trevor Lawrence (QB) Jacksonville Jaguars
Michael Mayer (TE) Las Vegas Raiders
Keenan Allen (WR) Los Angeles Chargers
Joshua Palmer (WR) Los Angeles Chargers
Jaylen Waddle (WR) Miami Dolphins
Juju Smith-Schuster (WR) New England Patriots
Jauan Jennings (WR) San Francisco 49ers
Greg Dulcich (TE) Denver Broncos
Jeremy Ruckert (TE) New York Jets
Rico Dowdle (RB) Dallas Cowboys
T.J. Hockenson (TE) Minnesota Vikings
Injury: ACL and MCL Tear
Injury Date: 12/24/2023
Expected Recovery Time: 10-12 months
Recovery Time to Week 17: 1 week
Replacement Player(s) to Target: Luke Musgrave (TE) Green Bay Packers
Let’s kick this Week 17 Fantasy Football Injury Report with the biggest news of the week. Minnesota Vikings TE T.J. Hockenson is out the rest of the season with a torn ACL and MCL.
While fighting for their playoff lives last week, the Vikings unfortunately lost one of their best offensive playmakers. Hockenson went up for a catch and was immediately hit in his knees by the defender. He struggled to get off the field and was quickly ruled out of the game, a bad sign for the severity of the injury.
An MRI confirmed these initial fears, as his knee injury will require season-ending surgery. The MCL and ACL are the primary stabilizing ligaments in the knee. When fully torn, the only way to repair them is through surgery. Multi-ligament knee injuries typically require 10-12 months of recovery time.
Normal movement can take as long as two years to return, however. Hockenson is 100% out for the rest of this season and likely limited for the first half of next season.
T.J. Hockenson is OUT for the remainder of this season with a serious knee injury – DROP.
Jaylen Waddle (WR) Miami Dolphins
Injury: High Ankle Sprain
Injury Date: 12/24/2023
Expected Recovery Time: 4-6 weeks
Recovery Time to Week 17: 1 week
Replacement Player(s) to Target: Demarcus Robinson (WR) Los Angeles Rams
The Miami Dolphins are an absolutely ELECTRIC team. There is not much in this world that can slow them down, but injuries are on this shortlist. While star WR Tyreek Hill is still on the mend with his high ankle injury, his running mate picked up the same injury. Speedy WR Jaylen Waddle is dealing with a high ankle sprain that he injured last week.
A high ankle sprain refers to damage to the ligaments connecting your tibia and fibula. These are your two lower leg bones, and the ligaments are located above your ankle. These injuries require more force to occur, which results in more damage and a longer recovery time than a typical low ankle sprain.
Even in mild cases, a high ankle sprain takes 4-6 weeks to fully recover. At this point, I expect Waddle to miss these last two regular season games and return for the playoffs. If the Dolphins do play on Wild Card Weekend in three weeks, Waddle would still be limited but has a good chance to play with the injury.
Dolphins WR Jaylen Waddle is dealing with a high ankle sprain and is unlikely to play this week – SIT.
Trevor Lawrence (QB) Jacksonville Jaguars
Injury: AC Sprain
Injury Date: 12/24/2023
Expected Recovery Time: 1-2 weeks
Recovery Time to Week 17: 1 week
Replacement Player(s) to Target: Tyrod Taylor (QB) New York Giants
Trevor Lawrence is becoming a staple on the fantasy football injury report, and Week 17 is no different. After clearing the concussion protocol in under a week, while dealing with an ankle sprain, the Jaguars QB found himself knocked out of ANOTHER game. The good news is that this injury is the least serious out of the three he has suffered these past few weeks.
The Jaguars were dominated from start to finish last week. In an attempt to be a spark for his team, Lawrence rolled out and picked up a short 4th down with his legs. This required a diving effort where he landed hard on his throwing shoulder.
This resulted in a minor AC sprain, which refers to damage to the joint connecting the shoulder to the clavicle. This is a painful but common injury that most players play through. Given Lawrence’s toughness and the magnitude of this game, I fully expect him to play this week.
He’ll likely receive a pain-relieving injection in the shoulder pregame and try to play through it with minor limitations.
Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence picked up another injury and is unable to play this week – SIT.
Ja’Marr Chase (WR) Cincinnati Bengals
Injury: AC Sprain
Injury Date: 12/17/2023
Expected Recovery Time: 1-2 weeks
Recovery Time to Week 17: 2 weeks
Replacement Player(s) to Target: Wan’Dale Robinson (WR) New York Giants
The Bengals have played themselves into a nice winning streak despite the loss of Joe Burrow. A good reason the team is succeeding is their stacked WR corps. Unfortunately, their alpha in the group is in danger of playing this week.
Cincinnati WR Ja’Marr Chase landed hard on his shoulder after a catch, and this led to him being unable to return to the field. He was later diagnosed with a separated shoulder, which refers to an AC Sprain.
The AC joint connects the shoulder to the collarbone and allows for full range of motion, especially overhead. This joint can be injured when a player lands directly on their shoulder or falls on their outstretched hand.
In mild cases, the typical recovery timeline is 1-2 weeks, and most guys play through the pain. This may not be the case here for Chase, as the team will want to make sure he is protected for the long term. After being called day to day by his head coach last week, Chase was able to log a limited practice on Thursday.
Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase avoided a major injury, but he’s questionable for this week – MONITOR.
Isiah Pacheco (RB) Kansas City Chiefs
Injury: Concussion
Injury Date: 12/25/2023
Expected Recovery Time: 1-2 weeks
Recovery Time to Week 17: 1 week
Replacement Player(s) to Target: Zamir White (RB) Las Vegas Raiders
Concussions are a popular injury on the Week 17 Fantasy Football Injury Report. The return of Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco was short-lived, as he left early with an injury in his first game back. Pacheco overcame shoulder surgery a few weeks ago but unfortunately became concussed after taking a knee to the head with no helmet on.
Expect the Kansas City RB to be in the concussion protocol this week and his status to be a question mark all week. Purely based on the injury, it is difficult to predict an exact recovery time as concussion symptoms and rehab are variable.
Typically, a player will clear the protocol in 1-2 weeks, missing either zero or one game. In the past few weeks, more players are clearing the protocol without missing a game but there are no guarantees. Although there is a small increase in reinjury risk after a concussion, the good news is there’s normally NOT a dip in production once the player returns to the field.
Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco is dealing with a concussion, and his practice status will determine his availability – MONITOR.
Michael Pittman (WR) Indianapolis Colts
Injury: Concussion
Injury Date: 12/17/2023
Expected Recovery Time: 1-2 weeks
Recovery Time to Week 17: 2 weeks
Replacement Player(s) to Target: Joshua Palmer (WR) Los Angeles Chargers
Concussions seem to be the hot topic for this Week 17 Fantasy Football Injury Report. On his way to a massive day, Colts stud WR Michael Pittman laid out for a ball and took a MASSIVE hit to the head.
The hit was so vicious that not only did it knock Pittman out of the game, but the Steelers safety who hit him has been suspended for the season. The Colts WR is in the concussion protocol, and his availability for this week is in question.
A concussion refers to a disruption in brain function following a direct or indirect hit to the head. This leads to a slower reaction time and impaired decision-making, which are detrimental to players on the field.
A typical recovery timeline for a concussion is 1-2 weeks, but symptoms are often variable from case to case. Earlier this season, almost every player missed at least one game after a concussion. However, in the past few weeks, we have seen a number of players clear the concussion protocol in time to play the next week.
Pittman’s situation further proves the complexity of concussion rehab. After being cleared from the protocol last Friday, he experienced some symptoms before the game and was ruled out. Due to these concussion symptoms returning, Pittman returns to the concussion protocol this week
Colts star WR Michael Pittman has cleared the concussion protocol and is likely to play – START.
CJ Stroud (QB) Houston Texans
Injury: Concussion
Injury Date: 12/10/2023
Expected Recovery Time: 1-2 weeks
Recovery Time to Week 17: 3 weeks
Replacement Player(s) to Target: Jake Browning (QB) Cincinnati Bengals
Houston Texans rookie QB CJ Stroud is BALLIN this season. Both on the field and in the fantasy football streets, the young QB is putting up numbers. Like most guys on a good streak, however, he hit a bump in the road last week.
Not only did he have his worst game of the season against a tough Jets defense, but he also picked up an injury late in the game. Stroud was knocked out of the game in the second half after his head hit the turf hard while being tackled.
CJ Stroud is officially in the NFL concussion protocol. Most players this season have missed at least one game with this injury, BUT recently, we have seen more and more players clear the protocol without missing a game.
A concussion refers to a disruption of brain function following a direct or indirect blow to the head. Reaction time and decision-making are typically negatively affected.
Although symptoms can be variable, the expected recovery timeline is 1-2 weeks. Stroud’s practice participation will be key to determining his chances of clearing the protocol this week. After missing two weeks with a concussion already, I would expect Stroud to play this week, but we shall wait and see.
Texans rookie QB CJ Stroud is out of concussion protocol and will return to the field this week – START.
Courtland Sutton (WR) Denver Broncos
Injury: Concussion
Injury Date: 12/24/2023
Expected Recovery Time: 1-2 weeks
Recovery Time to Week 17: 1 week
Replacement Player(s) to Target: Darius Slayton (WR) New York Giants
We continue this Week 17 Fantasy Football Injury Report with a bit of injury to insult. The Denver Broncos essentially destroyed their playoff chances with an embarrassing loss to the New England Patriots.
To make matters worse, they paired this defeat with the loss of their best WR, Courtland Sutton, during the game. Sutton had his helmet bounce off the ground after attempting to make a catch early in the game. He was quickly ruled out of the game after being taken to the locker room for evaluation.
The Denver WR is in the concussion protocol, and his Week 17 availability is in question. A concussion refers to a disruption in brain function after a direct or indirect blow to the head. A player’s reaction time and decision-making are negatively impacted, which are both crucial to their playing ability.
Concussion recovery is a bit tricky as symptoms and response to treatment change from person to person. Typically, the recovery time for a concussion is 1-2 weeks. Sutton’s practice participation will be key to determining his availability for this week. At this point, Sutton is not practicing and his availability is in doubt.
Broncos WR Courtland Sutton is questionable this week with a concussion and trending in the wrong direction – SIT.
Josh Jacobs (RB) Las Vegas Raiders
Injury: Quad Strain
Injury Date: 12/10/2023
Expected Recovery Time: 2-4 weeks
Recovery Time to Week 17: 3 weeks
Replacement Player(s) to Target: Zamir White (RB) Las Vegas Raiders
Nothing, and I mean NOTHING, on the Raiders’ offense worked two weeks ago. There are not many ways a shutout can get worse for an offense, but leave it to the Raiders to find a way. Starting RB Josh Jacobs injured his leg late in the game and missed the final few drives.
He is likely dealing with a quadriceps strain, referring to damage to the muscle in his upper leg. These injuries typically take a few weeks to heal and are tough to play with right away. At this point, Jacobs has missed the past two games and only logged a limited practice.
Raiders RB Josh Jacobs is practicing in a limited fashion and is still working his way back to full speed. – SIT.
Rhamondre Stevenson (RB) New England Patriots
Injury: High Ankle Sprain
Injury Date: 12/3/2023
Expected Recovery Time: 4-6 weeks
Recovery Time to Week 17: 3 weeks
Replacement Player(s) to Target: Ezekiel Elliot (RB) New England Patriots
The Week 17 Fantasy Football Injury Report rolls on with ANOTHER high ankle sprain. During the absolute snooze fest in Week 13, Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson injured his ankle and was carted off.
Unfortunately, the defender landed on the outside of his ankle while his foot was planted, leading to a high ankle sprain. This injury refers to damage to the ligaments holding the lower leg bones together.
This area located just above the ankle is responsible for lower leg shock absorption and stability. This is a difficult injury to come back from, but it does seem the sprain is fairly mild, as there was no fracture or talks of surgery.
However, even in mild cases, it typically takes 4-6 weeks for a player to fully recover. This is especially true for the RB position, which has to rely on their cutting ability and run after catch.
Stevenson has yet to return to practice, and I don’t expect to see him back this week.
Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson is dealing with a high ankle sprain and has been placed on IR, ending his season – DROP.
Top Waiver Wire Targets
Zanir White (RB) Las Vegas Raiders
Wan’Dale Robinson (WR) New York Giants
Darius Slayton (WR) New York Giants
Justice Hill (RB) Baltimore Ravens
Luke Musgrave (TE) Green Bay Packers
Demarcus Robinson (WR) Los Angeles Rams
Joshua Palmer (WR) Los Angeles Chargers
Tyrod Taylor (QB) New York Giants
Michael Mayer (TE) Las Vegas Raiders
Short-Term Injured Reserve
These players will miss a minimum of 4 games.
Skyy Moore (WR) Kansas City Chiefs
Luke Musgrave (TE) Green Bay Packers
Michael Thomas (WR) New Orleans Saints
Salvon Ahmed (RB) Miami Dolphins
Jerrick McKinnon (RB) Kansas City Chiefs
Dorian Thompson-Robinson (QB) Cleveland Browns
Zach Ertz (TE) Arizona Cardinals
Evan Hull (RB) Indianapolis Colts
Kenny McIntosh (RB) Seattle Seahawks
Justin Shorter (WR) Buffalo Bills
Jelani Woods (TE) Indianapolis Colts
Season Ending Injured Reserve
These players will miss the entire season.
Anthony Richardson (QB) Indianapolis Colts
Tank Dell (WR) Houston Texans
Justin Herbert (QB) Los Angeles Chargers
Mike Williams (WR) Los Angeles Chargers
Kirk Cousins (QB) Minnesota Vikings
Rhamondre Stevenson (RB) New England Patriots
Kendrick Bourne (WR) New England Patriots
Daniel Jones (QB) New York Giants
Joe Burrow (QB) Cincinnati Bengals
Deshaun Watson (QB) Cleveland Browns
Cam Akers (RB) Minnesota Vikings
Nick Chubb (RB) Cleveland Browns
JK Dobbins (RB) Baltimore Ravens
Aaron Rodgers (QB) New York Jets
Commissioner Exempt List
Players are unable to play or practice until allowed off the list.
Hassan Haskins (RB) Tennessee Titans – Aggravated Assault Charges
