Denver Broncos wide receiver Wes Welker has been ruled out of Sunday's Week 17 matchup against the Oakland Raiders, according to Mike Klis of the Denver Post. Welker is dealing with a concussion and still has not been cleared to play. The veteran wide receiver has been cleared for practice, but not for contact as per the NFL's concussion protocol.
Wes Welker ruled out for Week 17, fantasy owners need to stick with backup
Wes Welker has been ruled out for Week 17. We break down the fantasy implications.
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Welker sustained the concussion in Week 14 against the Tennessee Titans. It's his second concussion of the season, as he also had one against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 11. He returned quickly from the first concussion, but this one is more serious. Not only that, but having two concussions in such a short amount of time is even worse.
At this point, Welker is no guarantee to even return for the playoffs. The Broncos are in the playoffs for certain, but need a win in Week 17 to lock up the No. 1 seed, and Welker certainly would be valuable to have. He’d be even more valuable for the playoffs, though the jury remains out on whether or not that’s likely to happen.
Fantasy Impact: If you’re still playing in Week 17, then you’re set to fight for the championship. Unfortunately, Welker is out for this one and whatever backup option you’ve been using for the last two weeks will need to be in action again.
• Week 17 fantasy football position rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | D/ST
