X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Inside the Tent - Week 15 NFL Injury Insight

Injury updates and analysis for Week 15 of the 2018 NFL season. Medical expert Aaron Burger, SPT, provides analysis on fantasy football's biggest injuries to help you make informed lineup start/sit decisions.

At RotoBaller, we can't stress enough the importance of keeping up with injuries and playing your best lineup week after week. Players are going to get injured, that's an unavoidable fact. What's avoidable though is making the wrong roster decisions based on the injuries surrounding your fantasy squad. If you want to dominate your leagues and win some dough in daily contests, you have to be proactive with injury research.

That's where I come in to serve you guys, the readers! I'm Aaron Burger, a third-year Doctor of Physical Therapy student, graduating in May. About a year ago, I decided to combine my love, fantasy football, with what I've been learning for three years now, injuries and the human body.

Each week, I'll be checking in on fantasy's biggest injuries to keep you informed. Be sure you also have RotoBaller bookmarked and follow us on social media to catch all the latest breaking NFL news and updates.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

Inside the Tent Updates

Melvin Gordon, RB - Los Angeles Chargers

Gordon obviously wasn't able to play in Week 15 because of the MCL sprain in his right knee. If the game would have been on Sunday, I fully believe he would have been able to play. Video of him running and cutting before the game showed he had confidence in his knee so he should be good to go for Week 16.

James Conner, RB - Pittsburgh Steelers

This one is suddenly very interesting. Initially, I thought Conner would definitely be out for Week 15's huge matchup against the Patriots but he was able to turn in a limited practice on Friday. High ankle sprains can be difficult to come back from while only missing one game but given the situation the Steelers have put themselves in, Conner may try to give it a go. Ultimately though, I think Conner misses another week.

Kerryon Johnson, RB - Detroit Lions

Johnson has been ruled out for the Lions' Week 15 game against the Bills. He is still dealing with a sprained ligament in his knee, likely the MCL. Although he's out this week, he certainly has a possibility of playing next week, or the Lions may be cautious with their running back of the future and let him rest for the rest of the season.

Matt Breida, RB - San Francisco 49ers

Breida was able to practice in a limited fashion on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday which puts him in a good spot to suit up this weekend against the Seahawks but there is still a certain level of uncertainty surrounding this situation. He re-aggravated an existing ankle sprain in Week 13 and he's battled ankle injuries all season long. There are certainly safer plays considering how well the Seahawks have been playing defense.

Odell Beckham Jr., WR - New York Giants

Odell Beckham Jr. has been ruled OUT for Week 15 with a quadriceps contusion. He did not have a setback but it simply wasn't ready for game action. Beckham was not at practice Thursday as he got further evaluation at the Hospital for Special Surgery (yes, that's actually a real place). He may be out next week as well so plan accordingly for that fantasy championship.

Keke Coutee, WR - Houston Texans

Truthfully, if his name wasn't so dang fun to say, I don't think I'd still be updating you guys about him. KeKe did not travel with the team to New York for their game against the Jets and is OUT for Week 15. The Texans have really been committing to the run as of late but DeAndre Hopkins still has a 37% target share (that's a lot).

 

Week 14 Injury Updates

Ben Roethlisberger, QB - Pittsburgh Steelers

  • Injury: Roethlisberger was held out for the majority of the second half of Week 14's loss to the Raiders and is likely dealing with bruised ribs heading into Week 15. Bones have a blood supply and can become bruised like anything else in the body. Bone contusions often are fairly painful and the main issue is pain control.
  • News: He missed practice on Wednesday but was able to practice in full on Thursday. He will be able to start against the Patriots.
  • Outlook: It's a home game and it's a big one against the AFC rival Patriots for Roethlisberger. Usually, Roethlisberger shows up with big numbers in these situations and the Steelers will likely have to throw to keep up with the Patriots. Start Ben with confidence this week.

LeSean McCoy, RB - Buffalo Bills

  • Injury: McCoy suffered a minor hamstring strain in Week 14 and is questionable for Week 15 as a result. The hamstrings run along the back of the thigh and help athletes both accelerate as well as decelerate. They can become strained if there is a stress placed upon them that is outside their normal limits or they are stretched beyond their normal limits.
  • News: He exited Week 14's game in the first half and was not able to return for the Bills. An MRI was done and he was tagged as "day-to-day" which is a positive.  McCoy did not practice on Wednesday but was able to practice in a limited fashion on Thursday and Friday.
  • Outlook: McCoy is trending in the right direction considering he was able to practice two consecutive days in a limited fashion but if you've read my stuff before then you know hamstring injuries can be reaggravated fairly easily. In the fantasy playoffs, you can't afford a goose egg so tread carefully with McCoy this week.

Spencer Ware, RB - Kansas City Chiefs

  • Injury: Ware was dealing with both shoulder and hamstring injuries from Week 14's slugfest with the Ravens. He likely sprained the AC, or acromioclavicular, joint of his shoulder and suffered a hamstring strain. He did not exit the game in Week 14 so everyone was surprised when he popped up on the injury report heading into Week 15.
  • News: Ware obviously missed Week 15's game in which the Chiefs were beaten at home by the Los Angeles Chargers on TNF. His practice availability coming off the long break will be worth monitoring.
  • Outlook: Given the short week, that could have been the reason that Ware was not able to suit up on TNF. Depending on the severity of the sprain and strain, the longer break may allow him to play in Week 16. Damien Williams was great in Ware's absence and could be on a lot of fantasy championship game rosters.

Isaiah Crowell, RB - New York Jets

  • Injury: Crowell was on the Week 14 injury report with a toe injury and exited the game with a toe injury. The exact injury is unknown at this time.
  • News: Crowell was placed on the IR on Friday, December 14th.
  • Outlook: With Crowell out, Elijah McGuire will likely lead the backfield in Week 15 against the Texans. He could have some value in PPR formats if the Jets fall behind and have to pass in order to play catch-up.

Jordan Reed, TE - Washington Redskins

  • Injury: Reed suffered a right foot sprain during the first quarter of the Redskins' Week 14 loss to the Giants. There are plenty of ligaments that could be sprained in the foot but given his history of toe injuries, that is likely the area of the sprain. He has had surgery on his toes before so these structures may have been weakened and made more vulnerable to future injury.
  • News: Reed has been ruled out for Week 15. He could still possibly be placed on the IR.
  • Outlook: With Reed and fellow pass catcher Josh Doctson out for Week 15, Jameson Crowder and Vernon Davis should be busy this week. With that being said, Josh Johnson will be leading the Redskins this week so this is clearly not optimal.

Give me a follow on Twitter at @FFAchesAilments - Check back next week and all season for insight regarding fantasy's biggest injuries!

More NFL Injury Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Derrick Lewis

Scores First-Round TKO
Michael Lorenzen

Royals Put Michael Lorenzen on Injured List With Oblique Strain
Stephen Thompson

Loses Controversial Split Decision
Stefon Diggs

Likely to Begin Camp Working on the Side
Gabriel Bonfim

Wins Controversial Split Decision
Calvin Kattar

Gets Outclassed At UFC Nashville
Xavier Legette

Should be More Productive
Steve Garcia

Extends His Win Streak
Cole Bishop

has Good Shot to Win a Starting Job
Nate Landwehr

Gets Knocked Out
Nate Wiggins

Ravens Think Nate Wiggins has Star Potential
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere Scores Third-Round Knockout
Kel'el Ware

Collects 21 Points in Summer League Loss on Sunday
Austen Lane

Suffers Submission Loss
Vitor Petrino

Scores First-Round Submission In Heavyweight Debut
Cam Spencer

Contract Being Restructured
Drew Timme

Scores 30 Points in Summer League Loss to Wizards
Quinshon Judkins

More Details Emerge on Quinshon Judkins' Arrest
Tuco Tokkos

Earns His First UFC Win
Alexandre Sarr

Logs Impressive Outing in Summer League Action on Sunday
Junior Tafa

Unsuccessful in his Light-Heavyweight Debut
Kaden Elliss

Could be Atlanta's Most Impactful Pass-Rusher
Kyle Filipowski

Scores 21 Points in Summer League Loss to Warriors
Darius Robinson

Ready to Make his Mark in 2025?
Jauan Jennings

Expected to Report for Training Camp
Trey Smith

the Only Player Still on the Franchise Tag
Cody Williams

Collects 22 Points in Summer League Loss on Sunday
Chase Elliott

Charges to A Finish of Third At Sonoma
Chase Briscoe

Finishes Second With his First Career Road-Course Top-Five at Sonoma
Christopher Bell

Rollercoaster Day Ends With Top-5 Finish at Sonoma
William Byron

Maintains the Regular-Season Points Lead
Kyle Busch

Earns A Hard-Fought Top-10 Finish At Sonoma
Jauan Jennings

Seeking New Deal or Trade From 49ers
Alex Ovechkin

Not Thinking About Retirement
PIT

Penguins Acquire Arturs Silovs
NHL

Nikolai Kovalenko Returns to Russia
Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Tosses Gem Against Giants
Shota Imanaga

Shuts Down Yankees on Sunday
Nathan Eovaldi

Dominant Again in Seventh Win
Tyler Reddick

Evades Near Upset to Remain Alive in In-Season Challenge
Ty Gibbs

One of Three Tylers to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinals
Kyle Larson

Curiously Mediocre at Sonoma Before Late-Race Crash
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek Edges Out Teammate to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Alex Bowman

Ty Dillon Bumps Alex Bowman to Advance to In-Season Challenge Semifinal
A.J. Dillon

Not a Lock for a Roster Spot?
Chicago White Sox

Billy Carlson Goes 10th Overall to White Sox
Cincinnati Reds

Steele Hall Selected Ninth by Cincinnati
Toronto Blue Jays

Blue Jays Select JoJo Parker with Eighth Overall Pick
Boston Celtics

Damian Lillard Drawing Interest from the Celtics
Miami Marlins

Marlins Select Aiva Arquette With Seventh Overall Pick
Pittsburgh Pirates

Pirates Select Seth Hernandez with Sixth Overall Pick
Kyle Stowers

Punishes Former Team with Three-Homer Game
St. Louis Cardinals

Cardinals Select Liam Doyle with Fifth Overall Pick
Daniel Gafford

Agrees to Contract Extension with Dallas
Colorado Rockies

Rockies Select Ethan Holliday Fourth Overall
Seattle Mariners

Kade Anderson Selected Third Overall by Seattle
Ha-Seong Kim

X-rays on Ha-Seong Kim's Foot Come Back Negative
Los Angeles Angels

Tyler Bremner Selected Second Overall by Angels in 2025 MLB Draft
Washington Nationals

Nationals Select Eli Willits First Overall
Jake Meyers

to Miss More Than Three Weeks With Calf Injury
Cooper Flagg

Shut Down for Rest of Summer League
LeBron James

Hasn't Requested a Trade
Quinshon Judkins

Following Quinshon Judkins Arrest, NFL Declines Comment
Travis Hunter

Earning Praise in Jaguars Camp for Work Ethic
Memphis Grizzlies

Cole Anthony, Grizzlies Agree to Contract Buyout
Edward Cabrera

Hopeful to Avoid Injured List
Oneil Cruz

Absent on Sunday
Lars Nootbaar

Placed on 10-Day Injured List
Jake Burger

Scratched on Sunday
Shane Van Gisbergen

Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen at Sonoma?
Tyler Reddick

Better at Sonoma Than Record Shows
Chase Elliott

a Prime DFS Option at Sonoma
Julius Chestnut

Kalel Mullings Competing for RB3 Role
Michael McDowell

Struggling a Bit at Sonoma
Kimani Vidal

Fighting for No. 3 Job
Cam Hart

Recovering From Shoulder Surgery
NASCAR

Christopher Bell Has Never Finished Better Than Ninth at Sonoma
Ryan Blaney

Has Top-10 Upside at Sonoma
Quentin Johnston

Might Not Get Many Chances to Prove Himself
Tre Harris

Officially a Holdout
NASCAR

Sunday at Sonoma Will Likely Be a Long Race for Bubba Wallace
Kyle Larson

Is A Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Ryan Preece

Points Position Could Affect Race at Sonoma
Todd Gilliland

Struggling to Find Speed at Sonoma
Ty Gibbs

May be an Underrated Favorite to Compete for the Win at Sonoma
Travis Etienne Jr.

Needs to Bounce Back in 2025
Wan'Dale Robinson

Wants More Downfield Opportunities this Season
Quinshon Judkins

Arrested on Saturday for Battery and Domestic Violence
Alexandre Sarr

Plays Well in Summer League Loss to Phoenix
Yang Hansen

Looks Good on Friday Night
Erik Karlsson

Open to Move Away From Pittsburgh
Zach Hyman

Hopes to be Ready for Start of Next Season
SJ

Jeff Skinner Joins Sharks on One-Year Contract
Kon Knueppel

Struggles in Summer League Win
Walter Clayton Jr.

Plays Well on Friday Night
Cody Williams

Scores 21 Points in Summer League Loss
Kyle Filipowski

Leads the Way on Friday Night
Isaiah Jackson

Signs Three-Year Extension
Marvin Bagley III

Joining the Wizards
Herbert Jones

Signing Extension with Pelicans
Jacob Toppin

Returning to Hawks
Ryan Reaves

Traded to Sharks
Vladislav Kolyachonok

Moves to Dallas
Matt Dumba

Lands in Pittsburgh
Mackie Samoskevich

Re-Signs with Panthers on One-Year Deal
Josh Manson

Inks Two-Year Extension with Avalanche
EDM

Isaac Howard Signs Three-Year, Entry-Level Contract With Oilers
Tallison Teixeira

Set For His First UFC Main Event
Derrick Lewis

Set To Headline UFC Nashville
Gabriel Bonfim

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Stephen Thompson

Returns At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Calvin Kattar

In Dire Need Of Victory
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere A Favorite At UFC Nashville
Nate Landwehr

Aims To Bounce Back
MMA

Austen Lane Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Vitor Petrino

Set For His Heavyweight Debut
Gary Woodland

Looking to Find Rhythm at Scottish Open
Aaron Rai

Brings Consistent Play to Scottish Open
Maverick McNealy

a Solid Value Play at Scottish Open
Aldrich Potgieter

Making Scottish Open Debut
Tom Kim

Looks to Rebound at Scottish Open
Brian Harman

a Safe Option at Scottish Open
Luke Clanton

a Sneaky Value Play at Scottish Open
Sam Burns

Looking to Stay Hot at Scottish Open
Nicolai Hojgaard

May Feel More at Home in Europe
Harry Hall

Showing Fine Form Heading to Scotland
Ryan Fox

Playing Well Since Early Spring Struggles
Max Greyserman

has Solid History at the Genesis Scottish Open
Harris English

Aims High for Scotland Next
Corey Conners

Primed for the Genesis Scottish Open
Daniel Brown

Attempts the Scottish Swing Again
Jacob Bridgeman

Needs Putter to Work at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Headlines Field at Genesis Scottish Open
Rory McIlroy

a Smart Play for Scottish Open
Adam Scott

Looking to Build on History at The Renaissance Club
Justin Rose

Hopes Month Hiatus Helps Him Bounce Back at Scottish Open
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF