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Most fantasy football leagues are in the final week of the regular season, so there's no better time to be in the know when it comes to key injuries. Many key players were banged up on Sunday and have been reported on, but injury news continues to trickle in on Tuesdays. Our fantasy football injury reports as of Tuesday, December 5 will give you the latest news on the top banged-up players heading into Week 14 including Trevor Lawrence, Christian Kirk, Tank Dell, Derrick Henry, Puka Nacua, Kenny Pickett, Derek Carr, Christian Watson, and more.
Being up-to-date on NFL injury news can give you an edge over your league mates in fantasy football. It's early in the week, but there's never a wrong time to check in on key players on your fantasy rosters.
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Trevor Lawrence Injury Update
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence's (ankle) initial diagnosis has revealed an ankle sprain, and he will have an MRI on Tuesday. Offensive lineman Walker Little (hamstring) inadvertently stepped on the back of Lawrence's ankle late in Monday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals, causing the 24-year-old to get bent backward and emerge from a sack in visible pain. After being unable to walk off under his own power, a frustrated Lawrence slammed his helmet to the turf and was helped to the locker room.
The star signal-caller's night ended after completing 22-of-29 passes for 258 yards and two touchdowns plus his third straight outing with a rushing score. Lawrence's setback could shake up the race for the AFC South crown down the stretch, depending on the severity of the sprain. C.J. Beathard would figure to draw the Week 14 start in a nightmarish road spot against the Cleveland Browns if Lawrence needs to miss additional time.
Christian Kirk Injury Update
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk (groin) exited Monday night's game in the first quarter with a groin injury and did not return. He was able to haul in his only target of the game for 26 yards, but losing him is a big blow to this offense.
Kirk consistently sees either the most or second-most targets on the team in each game and he has been the most consistent fantasy contributor among the Jaguars' pass-catchers. If he has to miss time, Calvin Ridley, Zay Jones, Evan Engram, and potentially Parker Washington will be candidates to see more looks. However, if Trevor Lawrence has to miss time, all those pass-catchers could see reduced value.
Tank Dell Injury Update
Houston Texans rookie wide receiver Tank Dell (leg) underwent surgery on Monday for the broken fibula he suffered in the Week 13 win over the Denver Broncos, and head coach DeMeco Ryans confirmed that Dell will miss the rest of the season. It's a big blow to the Texans' offense, as Dell had become one of their top receivers after being taken in the third round earlier this year.
The promising 24-year-old pass-catcher will finish his first NFL campaign with 47 receptions for 709 yards and seven touchdowns in 11 games played. He added 51 rushing yards on 11 carries. It's a bad ending to his first season, but Dell should maintain plenty of long-term fantasy value with quarterback C.J. Stroud in Houston. With Dell now out, Nico Collins, Noah Brown, and veteran Robert Woods should see more targets as the Texans battle for a playoff spot.
Derrick Henry Injury Update
Updating a previous report, Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel clarified on Monday that running back Derrick Henry (head) is not in the league's concussion protocol. It was reported earlier on Monday that Henry was in the protocols after suffering a head injury in the Week 13 overtime loss to the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. It's good news for King Henry, but it's still concerning that he never returned to the game, and his status for Week 14 against the Miami Dolphins next Monday could be in question.
The good news is the bruising running back had a highly productive game before his injury, rushing 21 times for 102 yards and two touchdowns. Rookie Tyjae Spears had a season-high 16 carries for 75 yards against Indy and is deserving of a waiver wire pickup this week, especially if you have Henry rostered.
Kenny Pickett Injury Update
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett (ankle) underwent tightrope surgery on a high-ankle sprain on Monday and has been ruled out for the Week 14 game on Thursday night against the New England Patriots. The good news is he's week-to-week and will avoid injured reserve, which would require him to miss at least four games. Mitch Trubisky will make the start this Thursday, which is bad news for a Steelers offense that looked improved in their Week 12 win in the first game without offensive coordinator Matt Canada.
The 29-year-old Trubisky, a former second overall pick in 2017 by the Chicago Bears, has plenty of experience but will be a low-end QB2 in Superflex leagues for however long he's starting for Pittsburgh. He was 11-for-17 for 117 yards and a touchdown in relief of Pickett in the 24-10 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.
Derek Carr Injury Update
New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (concussion/ribs) is in concussion protocol and is being evaluated for a rib injury after suffering a vicious hit in the loss to the Detroit Lions on Sunday. The veteran signal-caller was also thought to have a shoulder injury, but it seems to be fine, according to a source.
Carr suffered his second concussion in a month, so there's a good chance he misses the Week 14 game against the Carolina Panthers. Jameis Winston will start for New Orleans in that case. Taysom Hill could also see more work as a wildcat quarterback. The Panthers have allowed the fourth-fewest fantasy points per game to quarterbacks this season, so Winston is not set up to be a viable single-QB league streamer.
Puka Nacua Injury Update
Los Angeles Rams rookie wide receiver Puka Nacua (shoulder) suffered an AC sprain in his right shoulder in the Week 13 win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, according to head coach Sean McVay, but the Rams don't expect the injury to impact Nacua's availability for a Week 14 showdown against the Baltimore Ravens.
The 22-year-old also had to leave Sunday's game briefly due to cramping, but he finished out the 36-19 win and had four receptions for 105 yards and a touchdown to continue his amazing rookie campaign. Fantasy managers should expect Nacua to miss some practice time this week but to ultimately suit up in a tough matchup this weekend against Baltimore. As long as he's active, Nacua has become a must-start in fantasy lineups in 2023.
Christian Watson Injury Update
Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said they don't know yet if the hamstring injury that wide receiver Christian Watson suffered at the end of the Sunday night win over the Kansas City Chiefs is as severe as the one that kept him out for the first three games of 2023. The good news is Watson looked to be moving around better on Monday during a brief sighting in the locker room. Before the 24-year-old's injury in Week 13, he had seven catches for 71 yards and two touchdowns while adding 15 rushing yards on two carries.
We may not know much more on Watson's status until Green Bay begins practicing on Thursday for their Monday night game in Week 14 against the New York Giants. A questionable tag would make fantasy managers' decision to start Watson even more difficult this week. If Watson is forced to miss time, Romeo Doubs and rookies Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks would work in three-receiver sets for the Packers.
Ezekiel Elliott Injury Update
New England Patriots running back Ezekiel Elliott (thigh) is on the Week 14 injury report and was listed as limited on Monday's estimated practice report. Elliott's status this week takes on added importance heading into Thursday night's clash against the Pittsburgh Steelers with lead back Rhamondre Stevenson (ankle) unlikely to play after spraining his ankle in the Week 13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.
Elliott saw a season-high 17 carries on Sunday but picked up only 52 rushing yards (3.1 yards per carry) and caught four of five targets for an extra 40 yards in the shutout loss. If Zeke is able to play in Week 14, he'll be a touchdown-dependent RB3/flex with an increase in volume as the Patriots' go-to option in their backfield.
Dorian Thompson-Robinson Injury Update
Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said that rookie quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (concussion) remains in the league's concussion protocol on Monday. Thompson-Robinson suffered a concussion in the Week 12 loss to the Denver Broncos and sat out in favor of veteran Joe Flacco in the Week 13 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
The 24-year-old will likely go back to starting under center for the Browns when he's healthy, but he should be considered questionable, at best, to play in Week 14 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. In his first action of 2023, Flacco went 23-for-44 for 254 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception in a serviceable performance after just recently being signed by Cleveland.
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