While we were speculating on whether Denver Broncos wide receiver Wes Welker would miss time due to his third concussion in a nine-month span, he went and got himself suspended for four games for violating the league's policy against performance-enhancing drugs.
Wes Welker suspended 4 games; Emmanuel Sanders, Cody Latimer get more fantasy value
Wes Welker has been suspended four games for violating the league’s policy against performance-enhancing drugs. We break down the fantasy implications.
Ronald Martinez
Welker will miss games against the Indianapolis Colts, Kansas City Chiefs, Seattle Seahawks and the Arizona Cardinals. He'll be able to return to the lineup on Oct. 12 when the Broncos take on the New York Jets. It's unclear if he was going to miss any time due to his concussion, but he was working his way through the protocol when the suspension was handed down.
Fantasy Impact: Welker was set to be the No. 2 receiver in Denver this season, behind only Demaryius Thomas. Now, Thomas and tight end Julius Thomas are even better fantasy options, while Emmanuel Sanders, a free agent addition this offseason, can now expect to be in on all two-wide sets as well. Welker owners will have to look elsewhere for help, since Sanders is likely already drafted.
One potential pickup would be rookie receiver Cody Latimer. We're not anticipating his snap count to dramatically increase, but he was always expected to get some premium looks in the red zone and this might help him get onto the field.
