Inside the Tent - Week 9 NFL Injury Insight

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, the readers! I'm Aaron Burger, a Doctor of Physical Therapy in Pittsburgh, PA. About two years ago, I decided to combine my love, fantasy football, with what I've been learning for 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 NFL news and updates.

Inside the Tent Updates

Patrick Mahomes, QB - Kansas City Chiefs

• Mahomes was not able to play in Week 8 as he rehabs from a dislocated patella and although he practiced in a limited fashion all week, I expect the Chiefs to wait one more game before bringing him back. Once a patella is dislocated once, it is more likely to happen again compared to a person that's never dislocated a patella.

Alvin Kamara, RB - New Orleans Saints

• Kamara is coming back from a knee sprain as well as a low-grade high ankle sprain. He was not able to play in Weeks 7/8 and Latavius Murray turned in great fantasy performances as a result. With the Saints heading into their bye, I expect Kamara to be 100% as the second half of the season progresses.

David Johnson, RB - Arizona Cardinals

• Johnson did not play in Week 9 against the San Francisco 49ers and as a result, Kenyon Drake dominated the Cardinals backfield. With another week of rest and rehab, Johnson should be ready to play in Week 10 against the Buccaneers and their stout run defense.

Davante Adams, WR - Green Bay Packers

• Adams is trying to get back on the field after a diagnosis of turf toe sustained in Week 4. This injury is difficult to recover from considering how the underside of the big toe is stretched every time an athlete takes a step, let alone sprints. Adams has been doing more at practice this week and a video surfaced of him leapfrogging a teammate. Adams is questionable for Week 9 but I believe he plays.

Matt Ryan, QB - Atlanta Falcons

• Dealing with an ankle sprain, Ryan should be back for Week 10's matchup against the Saints after their Week 9 bye. A game between the Saints and Falcons with healthy players is always good for the fantasy community.

Week 9 Injury Updates

Joe Flacco, QB - Denver Broncos

• Injury: Flacco is dealing with a herniated disc in his neck. The intervertebral discs between each vertebrae have two parts: the annulus and the nucleus pulposus. The nucleus pulposus is the inner structure and is often compared to jelly within a doughnut. With various, repeated spinal movements, this nucleus pulposus can cause the outer annulus to herniate and impinge on a spinal nerve root causing numbness, tingling, and pain into the arm(s).
• News: He was placed on IR on 11/1 and his 2019 season is over. 
• Outlook: The Broncos will now look to Brandon Allen to lead their offense. He is a career backup and until we learn more about him, expectations for Courtland Sutton, Phillip Lindsay, Royce Freeman, and Daesean Hamilton have to be tempered.

James Conner, RB - Pittsburgh Steelers

• Injury: Conner is dealing with an AC, or acromioclavicular, joint sprain. This is the joint where the clavicle, or collarbone, meets the shoulder blade via a bony protrusion known as the acromion. There are 3 types of sprains: Grade I, Grade II, and Grade III. Considering he did not have surgery, which would be required for Grade III, he is likely dealing with a Grade II sprain.
• News: He was not able to practice all week which is not a good sign for his Week 9 availability.
• Outlook: With Conner sidelined for Week 9 and likely Week 10, Jaylen Samuels will see a ton of work for the Steelers. Benny Snell Jr. would be available to help lighten the load but he underwent knee surgery this week as well to trim some of the meniscus in his knee. 

T.Y. Hilton, WR - Indianapolis

• Injury: Hilton strained his calf in practice leading up the the Colts' Week 9 matchup against the Steelers. When calves are strained, they are simply stretched past their anatomical limits. Hilton's strain is likely a Grade II strain which is more severe than a Grade I but not a complete rupture (Grade III).
• News: Hilton has been ruled out for Week 9 and there are reports he will be out for 3-4 weeks. This timeline is accurate given a Grade II strain of the calf but soft tissue injuries are always suceptible to reinjury. 
• Outlook: The Colts' passing attack obviously takes a hit with Hilton out and facing an improved Steelers Defense certainly doesn't help either. With Hilton sidelined, look for Zach Pascal to get more run and spread the defense out for Eric Ebron and Jack Doyle to work the middle of the field.

Brandin Cooks, WR - Los Angeles Rams

• Injury: Cooks is unfortunately dealing with another concussion, his fourth since the Super Bowl. Obviously a concussion is the result of a blow to the head and the symptoms that present like dizziness, disorientation, nausea, visual changes, and mood swings present due to the chemical changes that occur in the brain as a result of the blow. 
• News: Cooks has actually been sent to Pittsburgh to see concussion specialists, likely with UPMC as they have a great concussion program and are renowned for the strides they've made in concussion research. He will not play in Week 9 and is likely out for anywhere from 2-3 weeks. 
• Outlook: Josh Reynolds now steps up as the starting wide receiver for the Rams in Cooks' absence. Reynolds will lineup with Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods and provide a large target during red zone situations. Jared Goff loved looking Reynolds' way last year when Cooks missed time.

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