The New England Patriots could be without one of their top offensive weapons going forward, as running back Dion Lewis left Sunday’s game with a knee injury. Lewis will go for an MRI to see the severity of the injury that forced him from Sunday’s 27-10 win over Washington.
Dion Lewis injures knee, Patriots, fantasy owners worry for the future
The New England running back could be done for the year, though an MRI will say for sure. We break down the fantasy implications.
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Lewis had averaged 12.2 fantasy points a game coming into Sunday, though he had missed Week 7 with injury. Sunday, he had four carries for 14 yards and four receptions for 39 before suffering the injury.
Early reports are that it’s at least an MCL problem, and there was no reported swelling Sunday night, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that his ACL was “loose,” which isn’t a good sign.
Fantasy impact: Either way, it sounds like fantasy owners will be without Lewis for at least a handful of weeks, if not the rest of the season. Lewis has been a strong fantasy contributor most of the year, and there’s no easy replacement for his numbers.
Brandon Bolden and James White will replace some of his pass-catching, as will Danny Amendola. LeGarrette Blount will get some more carries, but no one player will take over the Lewis role.
The good news for fantasy is that Lewis has been such a surprise contributor that many fantasy owners at least had another running back in the mix. Those that were relying on Lewis, though, will need to make alternative plans for at least a few weeks.
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