NFL Week 8 Injury Roundup

  • While it wasn’t as bad as last week, it was still a rough week for injuries around the NFL. The wide receiver position again was hit especially hard this week and we will get in to all of that below.

     

    Quarterback

     

    Drake Maye – Patriots – Concussion

     

    The Patriots’ rookie quarterback suffered a concussion sliding after a run on Sunday and took a head to head hit. He left the game and did not return. Maye will presumably enter the concussion protocol now where he will have to pass through in order to play on Sunday against the Titans. Maye had put up high end QB2 numbers in consecutive weeks and was trending towards a third until the injury, however, he was likely a stash when he was picked up anyway and you should have other starting options available to you as a fantasy manager. 

     

    Jordan Love – Packers – Groin

     

    Love hurt his groin against the Jaguars, left the game and did not return. An MRI on Monday revealed a strained groin and it is nothing major. It’s a situation to monitor this week, however with a massive divisional showdown against the Lions at home, Love will be doing everything he can to be on the field for that game. However, this is the week before the Packers bye, which complicates matters. If he can go, he should be started, the game itself feels destined to be a high scoring affair. It is a late afternoon window game so if you need to, grab a quarterback playing in that same time frame should love be held out. 

     

    Derek Carr – Saints – Oblique

     

    Carr, who has missed the last three games due to an oblique injury is expected to return to practice this week and the team is optimistic about his chances to play this weekend. This is great news as it’s a matchup with the lowly Panthers, and with Carolina’s defense showing no signs of life, despite the Saints struggles Carr automatically has high end QB2 value going in and with his struggles and injury, could be available on a lot of waiver wires if you’re quarterback needy this week. 

     

    Running Back

     

    Tyrone Tracy – Giants – Concussion

     

    The rookie who has broken out over the last month or so suffered a concussion late in the Giants’ Monday night loss to the Steelers. He told reporters that he is currently in concussion protocol leaving his status for Week 9 in question. We will monitor this throughout the week but if Tracy can’t go, Devin Singletary will re-assume number one running back duties. If Tracy can go, he will likely take over as the top running back. He out carried Singletary 20 to 2 on Monday night and out-snapped him 25 to 9. He should be a solid RB2 on Sunday if available when the Giants take on the Commanders.

     

    Jordan Mason – 49ers – Shoulder

     

    Mason re-injured the shoulder that was affecting him in Week 6 against the Seahawks. He left the game, came back briefly and again did not return. The 49ers are heading into their bye here in Week 9, however, even if he is ok, the expected return of Christian McCaffrey has arrived which will give Mason’s fantasy value a significant hit. However, he is a must stash on your bench in case McCaffrey gets hurt again, or the 49ers try to manage his workload and still keep Mason in the mix. He will be no more than a flex play though for any game McCaffrey is active for.

     

    Christian McCaffrey – 49ers – Achilles 

     

    The time is finally nigh. The 49ers will have their bye in Week 9 but, after nine long weeks without him, 49ers fans and fantasy managers alike are ready to see the consensus 1.01 pick in this year’s draft make his season debut, which is expected to be in Week 10. He has not suffered any setbacks in his rehab and it is said he is poised to be back when the 49ers take the field in Tampa Bay a week from this coming Sunday. If all of that holds up, he is right back to RB1 status and a must start. For those of you who have Jordan Mason on your rosters, see above, make sure to stash him, or if he becomes a free agent, he becomes a priority add and stash. 

     

    Wide Receiver

     

    Stefon Diggs – Texans – Knee

     

    Diggs suffered a non contact knee injury running a route on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts and did not return. Head Coach DeMeco Ryans said Monday that Diggs is still being evaluated and the team will see where he is. The Texans are on a short week as they take on the Jets Thursday night, so it already seems like a longshot for Diggs to play. With Nico Collins already out due to a hamstring injury, losing Diggs would be a major blow to the Texans offense. Tank Dell would take over as the WR1 and from there it would give John Metchie, Xavier Hutchinson, and Robert Woods a boost in fantasy value for at least a week but not a priority add as Collins is expected back soon. 

     

    Deebo Samuel – 49ers – Ribs

     

    Samuel left the 49ers win over the Cowboys on Sunday night with a rib injury and did not return to the game. Samuel has already missed games this season with a calf injury and an illness. The 49ers are on their bye week so there won’t be any updates likely until next week. If Samuel is unable to play in Week 10, the 49ers should at least have Jauan Jennings back from a hip injury. This would boost George Kittle’s stock, but Jennings could be available on the wire after missing Week 8 with an injury. Don’t be afraid to pick up Ricky Pearsall either as he’s slowly but surely integrating himself into the 49ers offense, showing flashes of noteworthy fantasy plays and at the very least could be a Flex play sooner rather than later. 

     

    Brian Thomas Jr. Jaguars – Chest/Ribs

     

    The rookie receiver who has been one of the few bright spots for the Jaguars is expected to miss 2-4 Weeks with a Chest/Rib injury suffered on Sunday. We’re heading into the names you may not have heard of territory now as Parker Washington and Tim Jones expect to see an increase in playing time and despite Jacksonville’s struggles offensively, those two will at least have Flex appeal as the Jaguars top three wideouts are all expected to miss some time with injuries.

     

    Christian Kirk – Jaguars – Collarbone

     

    No team was hit harder by receiver injuries this week than the Jaguars. Along with Brian Thomas Jr. and Gabe Davis, Kirk suffered a broken collarbone and is now expected to miss the remainder of the season. See the previous blurb on Brian Thomas Jr. for who you should be looking to add. 

     

    Gabe Davis – Jaguars – Shoulder

     

    Davis reinjured his shoulder in a Week 8 loss to the Packers. Davis came into the week without a whole lot of fantasy value to begin with, although if available he could see an uptick as he becomes the defacto number one wideout in Jacksonville with Brian Thomas Jr. and Christian Kirk both sidelined. However, he is still no more than a Flex play until proven otherwise.

     

    DK Metcalf – Seahawks – Knee

     

    Head coach Mike McDonald said that it’s looking optimistic for Metcalf to return in Week 9 from his MCL sprain when the Seahawks host the Rams. Should he return for that game, Metcalf will hold WR1 value against a Rams secondary that is 18th in yards allowed to wide receivers and 25th in scoring defense. Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Tyler Lockett will have their fantasy values take a small hit but still be viable options as WR2 or Flex plays. 

    Click here to join us on Discord! And Follow us on Twitter by clicking here

    Come join us at SportsEthos by filling out an application by clicking here