Any team that survived the injury bug in the NFL in Week 2 had to feel more than a bit lucky; the same could be said for any fantasy football owner who got through the week without losing one of their top players.
In all, three high-end running backs and wide receivers went down, as well as one elite tight end and Washington quarterback Robert Griffin III, whose fantasy value is debatable.
With the rash of injuries to such pivotal fantasy players, as well as the uncertain future of Minnestoa Vikings’ star running back Adrian Peterson, it surely will be a busy week on the fantasy football waiver wire.
Running Back
Jamaal Charles and Knowshon Moreno were the two most notable running backs to leave games early in Week 2. Charles suffered an ankle sprain, and it is yet to be determined just how severe it is, and Moreno dislocated his elbow on his first carry of the game and surely will miss some time.
Charles, the top running back in points-per-reception leagues, and one of the top running backs in any league, was replaced admirably by Knile Davis in the Chiefs’ 24-17 loss in Denver.
Davis will be the hot commodity this week on the wire after rushing for 79 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries last week. Davis also picked up where Charles usually shines in the passing game with 26 yards on six catches – big points in PPR leagues. If you are high on your league’s wire priority, make Davis your No. 1 acquisition this week.
Adding to the Dolphins’ problems after Moreno’s elbow injury was an ankle injury to backup Lamar Miller, and that forced the Dolphins to sign castaway Daniel Thomas on Monday. Miller’s ankle injury doesn’t appear severe, and he is worth adding for Moreno owners who can’t snag Davis. Miller hasn’t shown much in his previous two NFL seasons, but he is a serviceable RB2 until Moreno returns.
Ryan Matthews also went down with a knee injury for San Diego on Sunday against Seattle. Matthews will miss anywhere from two to five weeks, depending on which injury expert you trust most, and that adds big value to Danny Woodhead, who primarily plays on passing downs for the Chargers. Donald Brown will get the majority of early-down carries in the coming weeks and is worth adding in all formats, but look for the Chargers to pass a bit more and involve Woodhead on more plays than usual.
Mark Ingram, the No. 1 running back for New Orleans, also left Sunday’s game in Cleveland with a broken hand, and he will miss at least one month. Though none of the Saints’ running backs are consistent enough to warrant fantasy starts most weeks, the timeshare will be down to two backs with Khiry Robinson and Pierre Thomas. If you were to add one, I would side with Robinson. The second-year back out of West Texas A&M has just 59 yards on 14 carries so far this season, but he has found the endzone once and will be used on the goal line more with Ingram out. His value will depend on those touchdowns, but consider Robinson worthy of a roster spot for now.
Owners of Adrian Peterson faced some tough luck last week, but it currently appears as though Peterson will be back in the lineup this week at New Orleans. Peterson is always safe to play if he plays, but continue to monitor his situation closely. Those who added Matt Asiata last week shouldn’t rush to drop him just because Peterson is back. You never know if Peterson may face a suspension, and Asiata clearly will be the guy if he does.
One more guy to watch is Ahmad Bradshaw in Indianapolis. Bradshaw went off Monday night with 70 yards on 13 carries and 26 yards receiving with two touchdowns on five receptions. The Colts have a lackluster Trent Richardon ahead of Bradshaw on the depth chart, but, if they’re smart, they will lean more toward the former Giants back.
Wide Receiver
The most valuable receiver to leave a game Sunday was Cincinnati’s AJ Green, who led the entire NFL in targets in 2013. Green, a certain second-round pick in most leagues, suffered a toe injury in Week 1 against Baltimore, and he tried to give it a go Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons. Green didn’t stay in the game long and failed to catch a single pass, and that left fantasy owners with a dud. That led to a much bigger day for Mohamed Sanu, who had 84 yards and a touchdown on three catches. Sanu also completed a pass for 50 yards. If Green is forced to miss any more time with the toe injury, consider Sanu a safe play, as he will be the top wideout on the depth chart for the Bengals, with Marvin Jones also out with a foot injury until at least Week 5 and top tight end Tyler Eifert out until at least Week 10 with an elbow injury.
Washington’s DeSean Jackson exited Sunday’s game against Jacksonville with a sprained shoulder muscle, but he may be able to play Sunday against his former Philadelphia Eagles team. Expect Jackson to do everything possible to play Sunday, but monitor his status throughout the week. Don’t be too eager to add Washington’s Andre Roberts just yet.
The Jets’ prized offseason acquisition, Eric Decker, went down with a hamstring injury late Sunday in Green Bay. His status still is unclear, but it is possible Decker could miss a bit of time. With the Jets playing next Monday night, be sure you have a backup option on your roster if Decker is a scratch come game time. I recommend the Bears’ Santonio Holmes, who will be playing one of his former teams, or New York’s Jeremy Kerley, who will be the top receiver on the Jets’ roster if Decker is out. Those two are not worth consideration any other week but should be added by Decker owners who may be in a pinch Monday night.
Don’t look past Pittsburgh’s Markus Wheaton, who was mentioned in this column last week, too.
Tight End
News out of San Francisco isn’t good for star tight end Vernon Davis, who also suffered an ankle injury Sunday against Chicago. Davis needed crutches to leave the stadium Sunday night, and he could miss as much as four weeks.
Last week, I mentioned Washington’s Niles Paul as a solid tight end option in place of Jordan Reed, who still is considered day-to-day with a hamstring injury. In Reed’s absence, Paul shined again Sunday with 99 yards and a touchdown in eight receptions on 11 targets. Paul likely won’t see enough snaps to keep up his production through two weeks (185 yards and one touchdown) once Reed returns, but the former Nebraska wide receiver is a must-start this week against the Eagles if Reed remains out of the lineup, which appears likely.
Jacksonville’s Marcedes Lewis also will miss some time with an ankle injury, so continue to consider guys such as the Giants’ Larry Donnell as an option if needed. If Tennessee’s Delanie Walker is available in your league, add him immediately.
Quarterback
With Griffin out for the foreseeable future in Washington, Kirk Cousins is worth stashing on your roster, if for no other reason than as a viable bye week option. Hopefully, if you drafted Griffin, you already had a comparable backup given Griffin’s injury history and inconsistent play. If not, consider Cousins the best available option for now. Cousins has proven he can win in the NFL, and the Redskins have plenty of weapons for him to spread the ball around to.
Defense
Last week was a big swing and a miss when it came to adding a fantasy defense. I did recommend the Houston Texans, though they should be added in every league by now. My pick on the Dolphins, however, was a stinker. There aren’t many widely available spot-start defenses I would suggest on the wire this week, so stand pat with who you have this week.
Survivor Pool
The Green Bay Packers gave me a scare after I made them the survivor pool pick for Week 2, but those who avoided picking the Saints at Cleveland might want to send over a thank you card.
This week’s pick is, ironically, the Saints at home to beat the controversy-ridden Vikings. Minnesota put up a dud against the New England Patriots last week and will face an angry 0-2 Saints team. No way the Saints fall to 0-3 with their talent, so consider them a safe pick this week.
John Livingston is a sports writer at The Durango Herald and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association. He can be reached at jlivingston@durangoherald.com or on Twitter @jlivi2.
