Injury Roundup From Week 4

We are nearly a quarter of the way through the NFL season, but for some, most of their fantasy team has been decimated by injury. Week 4 was not any different as the injuries continued. I discuss this in more detail below.

Key: Position Player, Team | Injury | Projected Return to Play

QB Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis | Hip Pointer/Oblique | Projecting Week 5 Return

Anthony Richardson was unable to make it through the first quarter of Sunday's win vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers. Richardson injured his hip during a long scramble, missed a few snaps, returned, and then exited again for good.

Following the game, the Colts revealed that Richardson is dealing with a hip pointer. When asked about the injury, the Colt's QB downplayed the severity. 

"Feeling a little sore," he said. "But great execution [by] everybody on the field. I think I'm going to be good. Just a little sore."

While hip pointers do not result in structural damage; considered relatively minor, they are painful. Multiple NFL players have missed time with hip pointers and it was severe enough to keep Richardson out most of the game.

Should Richardson play in Week 5, could be less mobile. 43% of Richardson's fantasy points this season have come from his legs. Avoiding contact has never been Richardson's forte, but he should make it a priority so he can make it through the season.

Update: After originally being diagnosed with a hip pointer, Tom Pelissero from the NFL network reported that Richardson is "day-to-day with oblique and abdominal strains."  If this is the case, it would be a similar injury that sidelined Ken Walker III for 2 weeks and while we cannot make one-for-one comparisons with injuries it does provide some insight to the severity.

Regardless of the injury specifics, these are painful injuries that won't necessarily get worse if Richardson plays through them but they can be difficult to deal with. I originally projected Richardson to play this week (Week 5) but I would not be shocked to see him miss based on this new information.  

WR Christian Watson, Green Bay | High ankle sprain | Projecting Week 8 Return

Christian Watson was unable to finish Sunday's contest vs. Minnesota due to an ankle injury. The early belief is that Watson suffered a high ankle sprain.

Typically high ankle sprains carry a lengthy absence (average of 5 weeks) with very few players not missing any games (9%). A large majority of NFL WRs missed 2+ weeks, which is why as of now, I have him projected to return in Week 8.

I also would not rule out the possibility of Watson landing on the Packer's IR to give him ample time to recover, but we will have to see what Green Bay has to say about his injury this week. 

Update: Watson is unlikely to be placed on IR as the Packers have reported he is dealing with "a mild high ankle sprain."  Week 5 still seems like a long shot and I would have a backup plan if your fantasy team was relying on Watson. 

WR Rashee Rice, Kansas City | Knee Injury (Likely ACL) | Likely Season-Ending 

While trying to tackle a defender following an Patrick Mahomes II interception, Rashee Rice injured his right knee. By video, Rice's knee appeared to hyperextend – the mechanism for ACL/LCL tear. 

Right knee hyperextends for Rashee Rice pic.twitter.com/LzUztxlc2X

— Adam Hutchison (@TheRealAdam_H) September 29, 2024

Early reports from Kansas City echo this concern about an ACL tear. If this were the case, Rice's 2024 season would be over.

Although this weekly article focuses on redraft, if you do roster Rice in dynasty, typically WRs with his skill set and attributes do well the year following their ACL tear. There is however a wrinkle that complicates matters as the NFL could still enforce disciplinary action against Rice pending felony charges for his Dallas racing incident.  

Update: Well, there really isn't an update...at least not till next week. Rice has been ruled out for Week 5 but is seeking a second opinion for his knee. It would seem there is a glimmer of hope that Rice did not sustain an ACL tear. However, it's still possible he will miss a significant portion/remainder of the fantasy football season. 

WR Malik Nabers, NY Giants | Concussion | Projecting Week 6 Return 

Amidst his rookie breakout this past Thursday, Malik Nabers suffered a concussion. On average NFL WRs miss 1.4 weeks with concussions and 75% miss at least one game. Since Nabers played on Thursday, the extra 3 days could improve his odds of returning in Week 5, but for now, I am projecting the rookie misses next week.

Practice this week could be very telling, but even limited participation (LP) should not necessarily provide a ton of confidence. Since 2017, only 60% of players with LP following a concussion end up playing that week. A full participation in practice (FP) would go a long way. 85% of players with FP following concussion start that week.