2012 Fantasy Football, Week 7 Injury Report: MJD Takes a Trip to the MD
Maurice Jones-Drew (RB| Jacksonville 100% owned in Y!) – This is the injury we’ve been waiting for since Jones-Drew held out of training camp this season. MJD suffered an indeterminate foot injury on Sunday. Jones-Drew was carted off the field and was on crutches during the game and had a walking boot on after the game. According to John Oehser, Coach Mike Mularkey says he is unsure how long MJD will be out.
Fantasy Spin: MJD is the heart, soul and everything else of the Jaguars offense. He has been a clear RB2 this year. His backup Rashad Jennings (21% owned in Y!) is a bigger back (6’1” 218 lbs) who is likely on your waiver wire. If you are an MJD owner, Jennings is a must add this week. For all others, he will probably be at the top of all waiver wire lists. However, QB Blaine Gabbert was also injured so Jennings value remains unclear. Jennings became the safety valve for backup Chad Henne this week picking up seven receptions in only a half of play. Jennings’ backup Montell Owens suffered a concussion in Week 7 which leaves his status uncertain for Week 8 and would solidify Jennings’ value if Owens is out.
Trent Richardson (RB| Cleveland 99% owned in Y!) – Richardson was benched in the second half, but allegedly it was not due to a set back with his injured ribs. Richardson stated after the game that his injury is worse than he’s let on which isn’t good for fantasy owners.
Fantasy Spin: If you cannot run well against the Colts defense, then there must be something wrong. Montario Hardesty and Chris Ogbonnaya picked up the slack with Hardesty the first and second down back and Ogbonnaya as the third down back. Both players should be available in your league though neither player will likely have much value going forward unless Richardson is out for a prolonged period.
Fred Davis (TE| Washington 76% owned in Y!) – Davis tore his Achilles tendon in Sunday’s game against the New York Giants. Davis is out for the remainder of the season.
Fantasy Spin: Davis ranked near the bottom of the top 20 TEs in fantasy points, but was leading Washington in receptions and receiving yards. The Redskins have Logan Paulsen and Niles Paul (a converted WR) as backups. They are also bringing back veteran Chris Cooley. Paulsen ended the game with four catches for 76 yards and could have value as a bye week fill-in or in deeper leagues where two TEs are required. Cooley should be ready to go on Sunday as he knows the offense well. Paul will probably maintain little value.
Pierre Garcon (WR|Washington 73% owned in Y!) – This is not a new injury for Garcon, but an update based on new information received after the Week 7 game. Garcon’s injury now is being reported as worse than originally feared as he now has a torn tendon in his foot.
Fantasy Spin: The original idea was that Leonard Hankerson would move into the lineup for Garcon and pick up the slack. He’s moved into the starting lineup, but he had not been fantasy-relevant for the last couple of weeks. He picked up six catches on eight targets for 70 yards in Week 7. Santana Moss had two TDs, but lost a critical fumble on the final drive of the fourth quarter. The Redskins offense is dominated by Robert Griffin III and Alfred Morris. Both Hankerson and Moss will likely remain bye week fill-ins at best.
Doug Baldwin (WR| Seattle 7% owned in Y!) – Baldwin hurt his ankle in the first half of Thursday night’s game and did not return to the lineup against the 49ers. There have been no additional reports on his status for next week.
Fantasy Spin: Baldwin had some PPR-league value last year, but has been a dud this season. He was third on the depth chart in Seattle and Baldwin’s injury only solidifies the value of Golden Tate and Sidney Rice. The offense in Seattle relies on Marshawn Lynch and expects Russell Wilson to manage the game and throw only when absolutely necessary.
Blaine Gabbert (QB| Jacksonville 5% owned in Y!) – Gabbert injured his left (non-throwing shoulder) and did not return in Week 7. Gabbert has struggled most of the season.
Fantasy Spin: Gabbert is clearly not fantasy relevant in many leagues. Gabbert’s backup Chad Henne did not show anything that would make me want to acquire him. You’ll have to look elsewhere to replace Gabbert should he be on your roster and out for an extended period of time.
Sean Lee (LB| Dallas 55% owned in Y!) – Lee suffered a sprained big toe and did not return in Dallas’ game versus the Carolina Panthers. He does not believe the injury is serious, but will get checked out by team doctors on Monday.
Fantasy Spin: When a LB goes down in an IDP league, it is important to see how the playing time is divided. It is rare that an NFL team has another three-down LB who can step right in for a stud like Sean Lee. And as we saw in Dallas, there wasn’t one LB who stepped into that void. So, if Lee is out for an extended period of time, you should look elsewhere for a replacement.
Written by Chris Garosi for FantasyFix.com. You can follow Chris on Twitter @chrisgarosi.
Fantasy Spin: MJD is the heart, soul and everything else of the Jaguars offense. He has been a clear RB2 this year. His backup Rashad Jennings (21% owned in Y!) is a bigger back (6’1” 218 lbs) who is likely on your waiver wire. If you are an MJD owner, Jennings is a must add this week. For all others, he will probably be at the top of all waiver wire lists. However, QB Blaine Gabbert was also injured so Jennings value remains unclear. Jennings became the safety valve for backup Chad Henne this week picking up seven receptions in only a half of play. Jennings’ backup Montell Owens suffered a concussion in Week 7 which leaves his status uncertain for Week 8 and would solidify Jennings’ value if Owens is out.
Trent Richardson (RB| Cleveland 99% owned in Y!) – Richardson was benched in the second half, but allegedly it was not due to a set back with his injured ribs. Richardson stated after the game that his injury is worse than he’s let on which isn’t good for fantasy owners.
Fantasy Spin: If you cannot run well against the Colts defense, then there must be something wrong. Montario Hardesty and Chris Ogbonnaya picked up the slack with Hardesty the first and second down back and Ogbonnaya as the third down back. Both players should be available in your league though neither player will likely have much value going forward unless Richardson is out for a prolonged period.
Fred Davis (TE| Washington 76% owned in Y!) – Davis tore his Achilles tendon in Sunday’s game against the New York Giants. Davis is out for the remainder of the season.
Fantasy Spin: Davis ranked near the bottom of the top 20 TEs in fantasy points, but was leading Washington in receptions and receiving yards. The Redskins have Logan Paulsen and Niles Paul (a converted WR) as backups. They are also bringing back veteran Chris Cooley. Paulsen ended the game with four catches for 76 yards and could have value as a bye week fill-in or in deeper leagues where two TEs are required. Cooley should be ready to go on Sunday as he knows the offense well. Paul will probably maintain little value.
Pierre Garcon (WR|Washington 73% owned in Y!) – This is not a new injury for Garcon, but an update based on new information received after the Week 7 game. Garcon’s injury now is being reported as worse than originally feared as he now has a torn tendon in his foot.
Fantasy Spin: The original idea was that Leonard Hankerson would move into the lineup for Garcon and pick up the slack. He’s moved into the starting lineup, but he had not been fantasy-relevant for the last couple of weeks. He picked up six catches on eight targets for 70 yards in Week 7. Santana Moss had two TDs, but lost a critical fumble on the final drive of the fourth quarter. The Redskins offense is dominated by Robert Griffin III and Alfred Morris. Both Hankerson and Moss will likely remain bye week fill-ins at best.
Doug Baldwin (WR| Seattle 7% owned in Y!) – Baldwin hurt his ankle in the first half of Thursday night’s game and did not return to the lineup against the 49ers. There have been no additional reports on his status for next week.
Fantasy Spin: Baldwin had some PPR-league value last year, but has been a dud this season. He was third on the depth chart in Seattle and Baldwin’s injury only solidifies the value of Golden Tate and Sidney Rice. The offense in Seattle relies on Marshawn Lynch and expects Russell Wilson to manage the game and throw only when absolutely necessary.
Blaine Gabbert (QB| Jacksonville 5% owned in Y!) – Gabbert injured his left (non-throwing shoulder) and did not return in Week 7. Gabbert has struggled most of the season.
Fantasy Spin: Gabbert is clearly not fantasy relevant in many leagues. Gabbert’s backup Chad Henne did not show anything that would make me want to acquire him. You’ll have to look elsewhere to replace Gabbert should he be on your roster and out for an extended period of time.
Sean Lee (LB| Dallas 55% owned in Y!) – Lee suffered a sprained big toe and did not return in Dallas’ game versus the Carolina Panthers. He does not believe the injury is serious, but will get checked out by team doctors on Monday.
Fantasy Spin: When a LB goes down in an IDP league, it is important to see how the playing time is divided. It is rare that an NFL team has another three-down LB who can step right in for a stud like Sean Lee. And as we saw in Dallas, there wasn’t one LB who stepped into that void. So, if Lee is out for an extended period of time, you should look elsewhere for a replacement.
Written by Chris Garosi for FantasyFix.com. You can follow Chris on Twitter @chrisgarosi.
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