The biggest story to rock the fanatsy world this week was the news of Arian Foster's groin injury. The injury requires surgery and will likely land him on the injured reserve/designated to return list rendering him out until Week 10 (Houston has a Week 9 bye). Foster's fantasy value for the season is almost completely sapped, depleting the elite fantasy running back pool by one. The Texans will scramble to fill the void left by Foster and the entire Houston offense is likely to suffer from his absence. The Foster news was big, but there are a slew of other injuries to make note of around the NFL. That's why we've compiled this handy list that you can use to ensure you avoid drafting an hobbled player this season. Check back all preseason long as we'll be updating as more news breaks.
Of major concern
Martavis Bryant, WR, PIT
Injury: Elbow
Severity: Moderate
Analysis: Unfortunate news came out of Steelers camp earlier this week as sophomore receiver Martavis Bryant reportedly underwent a minor procedure to clear up an infection in his elbow. He will be sidelined for about two weeks and will miss the Hall of Fame Game against the Vikings on Sunday. Bryant, a popular breakout candidate, was inching his way up draft boards as his hype train had left the station weeks ago. With Bryant absent, Markus Wheaton has a chance to cement a consistent role for himself if he can make the most of this opportunity. Ben Roethlisberger talked Wheaton up earlier in the week dubbing him a "breakout player" and confirming that he is the team's No. 2 wideout in two-receiver sets. This camp competition is officially on, once Bryant is healthy enough to return to practice.
Michael Floyd, WR, ARI
Injury: Hand/fingers
Severity: Severe
Analysis: There has been a fair deal of hype surrounding the potential of the Cardinals' receiving corps this offseason with the return of a healthy Carson Palmer. But late Wednesday evening, it was reported that Michael Floyd had suffered a hand injury that required surgery, which the receiver confirmed on social media:
DeSean Jackson, WR, WAS
Injury: Shoulder
Severity: High
Analysis: According to NFL Media's Rand Getlin, DeSean Jackson will be out for "a few weeks" with a separated shoulder. Jackson is the No. 1 wideout in Washington and other than Pierre Garcon, there isn't much depth at the position behind him. Hopefully the "few weeks" estimate doesn't carry into regular season games, but it is something to be cautious of when drafting.
Breshad Perriman, WR, BAL
Injury: Knee
Severity: Moderate
Analysis: The Ravens rookie receiver is in a prime situation to become the top target in Baltimore's offense this season with the lack of depth at his position. Unfortunately, Breshad Perriman hasn't practiced in several days as he deals with a knee injury and, according to head coach John Harbaugh the wideout may be out "a couple days," leaving the matter open-ended. Missed practice time in training camp can be extremely detrimental for any rookie looking to develop his pro skills and catch up to the speed of the NFL game. At his current Round 11 ADP in NFL.com leagues, Perriman comes as a bargain with a ton of potential, but if this knee becomes a long-term issue it could hamper his early season production.
Minor tweaks
Eddie Lacy, RB, GB
Injury: Foot
Severity: Low
Analysis: One of fantasy's elite running backs, Eddie Lacy, had to leave a practice session earlier this week with foot soreness. Packers coach Mike McCarthy implied that it was minor, but it's something worth bookmarking in case it becomes a lingering issue. In Lacy's stead, James Starks received all of the first team reps, solidifying his role as the clear-cut handcuff in the Green Bay backfield. Any fantasy owners who draft Lacy, who is locked in as a top-five running back this season, would be remiss to not target Starks later in drafts for insurance.
LeSean McCoy, RB, BUF
Injury: Toe
Severity: Low
Analysis: Shady missed some practice time in training camp due to what was referred to as a "minor toe injury." McCoy returned to practice on Thursday, so it doesn't seem like anything that would be worth fantasy fans panicking over, but it is worth noting since toe injuries can be of the lingering nature. In McCoy's stead, veteran Fred Jackson received first team reps in practice and will likely serve as Shady's handcuff during the season. We feel much better about McCoy's fantasy status now that he is back at full strength in practice.
Alshon Jeffery, WR, CHI
Injury: Shoulder
Severity: Low
Analysis: The Bears' No. 1 receiver apparently suffered a shoulder injury in training camp practice. Alshon Jeffery said he was "fine" the same day that he was injured but was seen in practice without pads on the following day. It was reported as a sprained AC joint, but fortunately it is not considered to be serious. Let's hope Jeffery, who is arguably a top-10 fantasy receiver this season, can get back to action sooner rather than later.
Julian Edelman, WR, NE
Injury: Ankle
Severity: Low
Analysis: A report from Patriots training camp confirm that Julian Edelman"tweaked something, possibly an ankle," toward the end of a practice session last weekend. Fortunately it seems like just a minor issue as Edelman donned full pads a few days later but remained limited as a precaution. This is one to monitor as preseason games approach, since Edelman will remain one of the Patriots most targeted receivers. But knowing the way New England likes to keep injury information under wraps, we may not know more about his status until something is witnessed by beat reporters on the scene.
Recovery updates
Todd Gurley, RB, STL
Injury: Knee/torn ACL
Severity: Moderate
Analysis: At this point, one can expect a weekly update on Todd Gurley's ACL rehab. The latest word from Rams coach Jeff Fisher is that the team plans to take a "long-term" approach with the talented Gurley. Fisher said that the Georgia product is making progress, but he can't say if there will be any preseason snaps in store for the rookie just yet. So just a week after the fantasy world rejoiced about Gurley avoiding the PUP list to start camp, it's a situation that still requires close monitoring. Right now, it doesn't seem like Gurley will be a factor in fantasy early in the season, so draft accordingly. Also, Tre Masonput out a public service announcement this week that Tre Mason is still around. Mason is getting overlooked in drafts due to Gurley hype, so if you have an opportunity to steal him later in your draft, pull the trigger. If you're looking for additional analysis on the subject, our @NFLFantasy staff weighed in on the value of Gurley vs. Mason in an instant debate earlier in the week.
Sam Bradford, QB, PHI
Injury: Knee/torn ACL
Severity: Low
Analysis:Sam Bradford was cleared for 11-on-11 drills and has "no restrictions" according to Eagles coach Chip Kelly. Bradford is one of our top 25 fantasy players to watch this preseason and could be a sneaky valuable steal on draft day, as long as he remains healthy.
Joique Bell, RB, DET
Injury: Knee, Achilles
Severity: Moderate
Analysis: The Lions No. 1 running back remains on the PUP list in camp, and therefore has yet to practice. A recent report by Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press claimed that Bell will likely suit up for the Lions preseason games, the first of which is on August 13th against the New York Jets. While that is a good sign, we cannot be certain that he's 100 percent healthy until we see him get some practice reps in camp. Rookie Ameer Abdullah remains a late-round target with loads of upside in fantasy drafts. If Bell does have to miss any regular season action, we could see Abdullah joined by an assorted committee of Theo Riddick, George Winn and undrafted rookie Zach Zenner. For now though, the Lions remain confident about Bell's status for the season opener, so fantasy owners should be as well.
Kevin White, WR, CHI
Injury: Shin
Severity: High
Analysis: First-round pick Kevin White may miss the first six weeks of the season as he recovers from a shin injury that has kept him sidelined since OTAs back in June. According to a report from NFL Media insider Ian Rapoport early Thursday, the rookie "may not be back anytime soon. Actually a real chance right now that he will not be ready, will remain on PUP list when the season starts." The West Virginia product has a Round 8 ADP in NFL.com fantasy drafts, but that number is sure to slip, especially if he remains sidelined into the preseason. If White does indeed sit out for the fist half of the fantasy regular season, veteran Eddie Royal could be featured in the Bears' passing attack. White's injury also leaves the door open for third-year receiver Marquess Wilson to emerge as a viable fantasy option as he could end up as the team's No. 2 opposite Alshon Jeffery. Fantasy fans will want to pay close attention to Chicago's passing corps once preseson games are underway.
DeVante Parker, WR, MIA
Injury: Foot
Severity: Moderate
Analysis: Miami's first round draft pick remains sidelined as he rehabs from foot surgery. Wide receiver DeVante Parker began camp on the PUP list after going under the knife just two months ago. The original timetable for Parker's return was Week 1 of the regular season, but Maimi head coach Joe Philbin said Tuesday that he is "not sure exactly when [Parker is] going to get back." If the Louisville product misses most or all of the preseason it would be tough to recommend him as a fantasy option especially with the Dolphins depth at wide receiver. Jarvis Landry, Kenny Stills, Greg Jennings and Rishard Matthews are all in the mix for targets.
Hamstrung
Darren McFadden, RB, DAL
Injury: Hamstring
Severity: Low
Analysis: Dallas running back Darren McFadden missed a significant chunk of OTAs, has yet to practice in training camp and remains on the PUP list with a hamstring injury. But Cowboys owner Jerry Jones doesn't seem concerned about the veteran's status for the team's season opener against the New York Giants in September. "I'm thankful it's happening right now," Jones told the Fort-Worth Star Telegram. "The plan for these guys is to be out there against the Giants ... everything I see, he should be ready," the owner added. McFadden's status is concerning from a fantasy perspective as he's been notoriously fragile throughout his career. While McFadden is sidelined, Joseph Randle has a window of opportunity to prove that he's capable of being Dallas' starting running back. Fantasy fans would love nothing more than for a leader to emerge in a featured role here, but reports from Cowboys camp keep pushing the notion that a frustrating running back committee will be in place once the season is underway. When McFadden is healthy and practicing again, the Dallas backfield situation will only grow murkier than it already is.
Tevin Coleman | Devonta Freeman, RBs, ATL
Injury: Hamstring
Severity: Low
Analysis: Atlanta is looking to revamp its run game this season after a 2014 campaign in which the team ranked in the bottom half of the league in terms of rushing production. Enter rookie Tevin Coleman, a favorite among fantasy enthusiasts to usurp the starting role over incumbent Devonta Freeman. Alas, Coleman suffered a strained hamstring this week which will keep him sidelined for an unknown amount of time. Adding to the chaos in the Atlanta backfield, Freeman suffered a similar injury and will also miss some time. It's unfortunate news, as Freeman was apparently impressing thus far in camp. Antone Smith is next in line for reps with Coleman and Freeman out, followed by Jerome Smith and undrafted rookie out of Oregon State Terron Ward (brother of Devner Broncos defender T.J. Ward). According to Andrew Hirsh of AtlantaFalcons.com, Ward has shown that "he can be a versatile asset if needed" and "looks like a potential steal," so his progress is something to keep tabs on while the starters are out.
Terrance West | Duke Johnson, RBs, CLE
Injury: Calf | Hamstring
Severity: Moderate
Analysis: The Browns backfield was decimated early in camp as two of the team's top three backs suffered injuries during Cleveland's first padded practice. Terrance West (calf) and rookie Duke Johnson (hamstring) are both slated to miss some practice time. While West's injury isn't severe, there have been whispers that the sophomore back is "on thin ice" as far as making Cleveland's final roster due to maturity issues. Johnson's hamstring injury is more cause for concern as the young Miami product has a history with similar ailments. We're taking a wait-and-see approach when it comes to the Browns backfield for fantasy purposes, but as it stands now, Isaiah Crowell is the safest draft pick mainly because he's the only healthy runner in Cleveland.
Honorable mentions
Anthony Dixon, RB, BUF
Injury: Calf
Severity: High
Analysis: Anthony "Boobie" Dixon was steeped in a camp battle for backup duty in the Bills backfield behind LeSean McCoy and Fred Jackson. That is until he pulled a calf earlier in the week. It's an injury that coach Rex Ryan said is "pretty substantial" and could cause Dixon to be out for up to a month. Dixon's injury leaves room for Bryce Brown and Karlos Williams to compete for the No. 3 role. For fantasy purposes though, none of Buffalo's backups will have much value unless McCoy or Jackson have to miss playing time, so don't go rushing out to draft any of the aforementioned alternates.
Devin Smith, WR, NYJ
Injury: Ribs
Severity: Severe
Analysis: The New York Jets upgraded at wide receiver this offseason with the acquisition of Brandon Marshall. Gang Green also selected Ohio St. product Devin Smith in the second round of the draft, a wideout who was battling for the No. 3 receiver spot with Jeremy Kerley. But Smith suffered a devastating rib injury in practice late last week which will keep him out for four to six weeks according to reports. While he may be healthy enough to play at some point early on in the regular season, it will be difficult for him to make an impact as he's missing camp and preseason reps. Smith is not a factor in fantasy drafts.
Terrelle Pryor, WR, CLE
Injury: Hamstring
Severity: Low
Analysis: Although it's a longshot for the former quarterback transitioning to wide receiver Terrelle Pryor to bring any value to the table in fantasy this season, his hamstring injury is worth noting. He reportedly "tweaked" the hamstring earlier this week which led to missed practice time. As noted by our Around The NFL cohort Kevin Patra, missing practice time for a player learning a new position is never a good thing. Again, Pryor is a far cry from landing on the fantasy radar, so don't lose sleep over this one.
Matt Franciscovich is an associate fantasy editor at NFL.com. His nickname around the NFL Media office is Franchise, and he's totally cool with it. If you're looking to kill some more time, be sure to check out his player rankings and follow him on Twitter for fantasy advice all season long _@mfranciscovich_.
