Throughout the season, SB Nation Medical Expert Dr. Ali Mohamadi will provide his insights on the most notable injuries in the fantasy landscape and how they might affect your roster decisions on game day. Here are some key injuries and their impact for Week 3.
Marshawn Lynch, Eddie Lacy expected to play in Week 3
The injury report is heavy on running backs this week, but most of the names on the list are expected to play.
Leading off this week’s list is Green Bay RB Eddie Lacy, who suffered an ankle sprain early in last Sunday night’s win over Seattle. Lacy was carted to the locker room after the injury, and although it appeared worse at first, the Packers star running back was lucky to escape with a Grade 1, low ankle sprain. The severity prognosis for recovery for ankle sprains are often a source of confusion, primarily because of misunderstanding over what exactly the different “grades” of sprains actually mean. In brief:
- A Grade 1 sprain is a mild sprain that occurs when there is slight stretching and some damage to the fibers of the ankle ligaments. Individuals can usually place pressure on the foot and walk afterward.
- A Grade 2 sprain is a moderate sprain where a partial tearing of the ligaments occurs. If the ankle joint is examined and moved in certain ways, abnormal looseness (laxity) of the ankle joint occurs.
- A Grade 3 sprain is a severe sprain in which a complete tear of the ligaments occurs. If the examiner pulls or pushes on the ankle joint in certain movements, gross instability occurs.
The timetable for recovery from a Grade 1 low ankle sprain is typically 1-2 weeks, and Packers fans should be heartened to hear that Lacy did practice — albeit on a limited basis — on Friday. At last report, Lacy was expected to play.
Speaking of ankle injuries, Dolphins’ Lamar Miller exited in the fourth quarter of last week’s loss to Jacksonville with an ankle injury and has been limited in practice. Like Lacy, Miller appears to have a Grade 1 low ankle sprain. He is expected to play.
A surprising addition to the injury list this week is Seattle RB Marshawn Lynch, who was held out of practice with a calf strain. Lynch will play, according to Ian Rapoport. If he is limited during the game, the Seahawks would turn to newly acquired Fred Jackson and Thomas Rawls at RB.
In Philadelphia, the Eagles hoped to get DeMarco Murray going this week after two largely ineffective efforts, but that’s not going to happen. Murray was ruled out late Sunday morning with a hamstring issue, and backup Ryan Mathews is expected to take the bulk of his carries.
Highly touted St. Louis RB Todd Gurley is slated to make his season debut this week. The Rams have wisely been careful not rushing Gurley back from the ACL tear he suffered last November as a member of the Georgia Bulldogs, but he has been on the field this week. Gurley may split reps with Tre Mason, which is what he’s been doing in practice.
For this second consecutive week, New York Jets RB Chris Ivory shows up on the injury report. Now, not only is he dealing with the same groin injury as before, but now a quadriceps strain as well. Ivory suffered the latter injury in last Monday night’s victory over Indianapolis and has been listed as questionable for this week’s matchup with the Eagles. The Jets are “optimistic” that Ivory will play, but if he is unable to suit up, backup Bilal Powell will likely get the start.
Quarterback Drew Brees won’t suit up for the Saints this week, and could be out of action for longer than expected with a rotator cuff sprain. NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reported Sunday morning Brees is currently considered a “long shot” for Week 4’s Sunday night showdown against the Cowboys.
The Jets will not have wide receiver Eric Decker this week, who is recovering from a PCL sprain of his left knee. As opposed to the dreaded ACL sprain, low-grade PCL sprains are much quicker to recover. Decker stands a good chance to take the field in Week 4 after an additional week of rest.
Miami’s Jordan Cameron is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against Buffalo with a groin injury, but, like Miller, he is also expected to play. Cameron had missed practice early in the week but did not appear to suffer any setbacks upon his return.
| Player | Team | Injury | Status |
| Jahleel Addae, S | SD | Ankle | Out |
| Branden Albert, LT | MIA | Hamstring | Doubtful |
| Cortez Allen, CB | PIT | Knee | Out |
| Dwayne Allen, TE | IND | Ankle | Out |
| Kiko Alonso, LB | PHI | Knee | Out |
| Drew Brees, QB | NO | Shoulder | Out |
| Duane Brown, T | HOU | Hand | Out |
| Desmond Bryant, DE | CLE | Ankle | Questionable |
| Dez Bryant, WR | DAL | Foot | Out |
| Jairus Byrd, S | NO | Knee | Out |
| Jordan Cameron, TE | MIA | Groin | Questionable |
| Chris Canty, DE | BAL | Calf | Out |
| Tevin Coleman, RB | ATL | Ribs | Out |
| Willie Colon, G | NYJ | Knee | Questionable |
| Jay Cutler, QB | CHI | Hamstring | Out |
| Johnathan Cyprien, S | JAC | Calf | Questionable |
| Vontae Davis, CB | IND | Concussion | Questionable |
| Eric Decker, WR | NYJ | Knee | Out |
| Andre Ellington, RB | ARZ | Knee | Doubtful |
| Justin Ellis, DT | OAK | Ankle | Out |
| Jahri Evans, G | NO | Knee | Out |
| Ego Ferguson, DE | CHI | Knee | Questionable |
| Arian Foster, RB | HOU | Groin | Out |
| Sammie Hill, DT | TEN | Knee | Out |
| Mike Iupati, G | ARZ | Knee | Questionable |
| Chris Ivory, RB | NYJ | Knee | Active |
| Alshon Jeffery, WR | CHI | Hamstring | Out |
| Luke Joeckel, T | JAC | Ankle | Questionable |
| Charles Johnson, DE | CAR | Hamstring | Questionable |
| Mychal Kendricks, LB | PHI | Hamstring | Out |
| Luke Kuechly, LB | CAR | Concussion | Out |
| DeAndre Levy, LB | DET | Hip | Doubtful |
| Keenan Lewis, CB | NO | Hip | Questionable |
| Brandon Linder, G | JAC | Knee | Questionable |
| D.J. Fluker, G | SD | Ankle | Questionable |
| Brandon Fusco, G | MIN | Concussion | Questionable |
| Marshawn Lynch, RB | SEA | Calf | Expected to play |
| Pernell PcPhee, LB | CHI | Knee | Questionable |
| Breshad Perriman, WR | BAL | Knee | Out |
| Sen'Derrick Marks, DT | JAC | Knee | Questionable |
| Jason McCourty, CB | TEN | Groin | Questionable |
| Gerald McCoy, DT | TB | Shoulder | Questionable |
| Lamar Miller, RB | MIA | Ankle | Expected to play |
| Jeremy Mincey, DE | DAL | Concussion | Out |
| Eugene Monroe, OT | BAL | Concussion | Out |
| Earl Mitchell, DT | MIA | Back | Questionable |
| DeMarco Murray, RB | PHI | Hamstring | Out |
| Darrelle Revis, CB | NYJ | Groin | Active |
| Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE | TB | Shoulder | Out |
| Ryan Shazier, LB | PIT | Shoulder | Out |
| Evan Smith, C | TB | Ankle | Doubtful |
| Jonathan Stewart, RB | CAR | Knee | Expected to play |
| Julius Thomas, TE | JAC | Hand | Out |
| Cedric Thornton, DE | PHI | Hand | Out |
| Gregory Toler, CB | IND | Neck | Out |
| Jason Verrett, CB | SD | Foot | Questionable |
| Chance Warmack, G | TEN | Knee | Out |
| Aaron Williams, S | BUF | Neck | Out |
| Major Wright, S | TB | Abdomen | Doubtful |
* * *
SB Nation presents: Previewing the top games of Week 3
See More:
