Fantasy Football Players Coming Off Major Injuries to Gamble on in 2024

Dave Ventresca analyzes five players coming off major injuries to gamble on in 2024 fantasy football drafts. 2024 fantasy football values and sleepers.

Injuries are probably the worst part of playing fantasy football. They can quickly derail your season and zap all the fun out of your team. While injuries can be tough on fantasy owners, they are even more difficult on the athletes that sustain them. The road to returning from injury is grueling and isn’t talked about enough.

Sometimes, an injury can derail a player's career. Frequently though, a player can return to the field and remain effective thanks to hard work in the rehabilitation process. This is the best outcome for athletes and fantasy football managers. So which players returning from injury are ones fantasy managers should consider targeting in drafts? Let’s examine a few options.

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Deshaun Watson, QB, Cleveland Browns

Watson’s 2023 season was cut short due to issues with his throwing shoulder. While he struggled with injuries and overall lousy play, Watson still found a way to be productive in fantasy football. He finished as a QB1 in three out of four games he started and finished.

There are still many concerns surrounding the Browns’ signal-caller. He’s only started 12 games in the last three seasons. However, these concerns are baked into this average draft position (ADP). He’s coming off draft boards as the QB20 in FFPC drafts. If he stays healthy, Watson can smash this ADP and be a massive value. If you adhere to the late-round quarterback strategy, Watson makes for a great selection, as he proved last year that he can still return QB1 production.

J.K. Dobbins RB, Los Angeles Chargers

Dobbins was set up for a career year in 2023. He was finally healthy after recovering from a massive knee injury that caused him to miss 26 games from 2021-2022, and the Ravens were committed to using him as their lead back.

J.K. Dobbins Rushing TD (1) pic.twitter.com/EEypdpzjAB

— NFL TD Videos (@NFLTDVideos2023) September 10, 2023

Unfortunately, that all changed when Dobbins suffered a torn Achilles tendon in Week 1. It was a devastating injury, and you can’t help but feel for him, considering he had been lobbying for a new contract entering the 2023 season. It was truly a bad break.

Dobbins landed in as good a situation as you can ask for when he signed a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Chargers. He reunites with former Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman. His main competition for touches is veteran Gus Edwards and rookie Kimani Vidal. Edwards is currently dealing with an undisclosed injury and enters his age 29 season. Vidal is an intriguing prospect to monitor, but the reality is that he was a sixth-round pick. Dobbins may re-emerge as an RB1 in this backfield.

The downside is that we haven’t really seen many running backs return to form after suffering an Achilles injury. D'Onta Foreman would probably be the best example we can use to make the case for a Dobbins revival. The good news is that he is relatively cheap in drafts this year, and the competition surrounding him isn’t particularly strong. He is worth a flier pick late in drafts on the off chance he remains one of the most efficient backs in the league and takes over as the Chargers' RB1.

Mark Andrews, TE, Baltimore Ravens

Andrews was enjoying another fine season in 2023, but things took a turn for the worse when he suffered a nasty-looking ankle injury in Week 11 against the Cincinnati Bengals. It was a tough blow for fantasy managers as Andrews had been one of the elite options at the tight end position. Despite the serious nature of the injury, he was able to return for Baltimore’s AFC Championship game loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. However, he was on a snap count and didn’t make much of an impact.

Andrews now enters 2024 fully recovered from his ankle injury, but he is being selected as the TE4 in FFPC drafts. Let’s compare some of Andrews’ advanced metrics (Courtesy of Fantasy Points Data Suite) to Sam LaPorta’s who is going as the TE1 in early drafts.

Sam LaPorta

Targets Per Route Run (TPRR): .26
Yards Per Route Run (YPRR): 1.95
Target Share (TGT %): 19.5%

Mark Andrews

TPRR: .23
YPRR: 2.11
TGT %: 20.8%

There doesn’t seem to be a huge difference between these two players, and that makes Andrews the better bargain. Now that he’s fully healthy expect him to remain one of fantasy football’s top tight ends.

Jonathon Brooks, RB, Carolina Panthers

Carolina selected Brooks with the 46th overall pick in April’s draft, and he was widely seen as the top rusher in the class.

Jonathon Brooks 40 YARD TOUCHDOWN

TEXAS 7-0 pic.twitter.com/A6ovcG8cwx

— Nash (@NashTalksTexas) September 24, 2023

While talented, the former Texas Longhorn is coming off a torn ACL that prematurely ended his final collegiate season. Carolina recently admitted that the rookie would not be ready to begin the year, so fantasy gamers will need to be patient. After all, the Panthers did not use a second-round pick on Brooks to sit behind Chuba Hubbard. New head coach Dave Canales has stated his desire for a strong running game, and he previously utilized Rachaad White as a workhorse back when he called plays in Tampa Bay. The club will eventually turn things over to Brooks once he’s fully healthy.

Fantasy managers should anticipate the rookie seeing a larger role in the offense as the season progresses. Don't expect an immediate return on investment, but keep him on your bench until he’s fully turned loose. He is a good target for zero RB drafters.

Nick Chubb, RB, Cleveland Browns

Chubb sustained a gruesome knee injury in a Week 2 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. He tore his MCL and suffered damage to his ACL as well as meniscus. Chubb underwent two surgeries to repair the injury, but he is expected to return for the 2024 season. Exactly when he returns is still unknown, and a stint on the P.U.P. list hasn’t been ruled out. Even still, Chubb has been one of the top backs in the league for the last several years.

NICK CHUBB TOUCHDOWN.

Browns 7-0 pic.twitter.com/dAyBmq8pk4

— Barstool Cleveland (@BarstoolCleve) January 3, 2021

An immediate return to form is unlikely, and he may not be the same player he was, given the severity of the injury. However, Chubb is worth an investment based on his draft price. He's currently being drafted 106th overall in FFPC drafts and could provide managers with a boost in the second half of the season as he gets further removed from his injury. If Chubb is healthy enough to start Week 1, then he could be one of the best deals in drafts.

Although to be realistic, managers should not expect the same numbers/production from past years. His injury undoubtedly affects his outlook, but given Cleveland’s commitment to the running game, he can still be a useful asset in all formats.

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