Week 1 Injury Report: Fantasy Impact
Injuries always seem to have a major impact on fantasy football leading up to the regular season and 2016 is no exception. Between training camp and four preseason games, it should come as no surprise. We’ve already seen Tony Romo go down, which shouldn’t surprise anyone either, giving rookie QB Dak Prescott a ton of upside as a starter.
More news has been announced this week that is sure to make an impact in leagues and for DFS. Some big names that were high draft picks in most leagues are not expected to play in week 1. You’ll want a backup plan in place or to avoid the situation altogether if possible. Below are some of the top players we don’t expect to see hit the field this week.
Jamaal Charles
Just a month ago, Jamaal Charles seemed to be ready and expected to be at full strength in time for Kansas City’s home opener against San Diego. Charles had gone off draft boards in rounds 2 & 3, expecting to be the workhorse of Andy Reid‘s offense.
While that still may be so, it will have to be put on hold for at least a week. The Chiefs have Charles listed as doubtful for Sunday’s contest, making Spencer Ware for an intriguing play. Ware and Charcandrick West are expected to split the reps, with Ware getting the start. They both make for excellent value plays in DFS against a bad rushing defense.
Rob Gronkowski
Gronk did not travel with the team to Arizona and was listed as ‘out’ for Sunday night’s game as of Friday evening. The matchup against the tough Cardinals defense wasn’t attractive to begin with, but Gronk fantasy owners are now scrambling with what to do this week. The news of Gronk’s absence from a lingering hamstring injury couldn’t have come at a worse time for his owners.
His performance for the first four weeks was already up in the air with Tom Brady‘s suspension. The Cardinals did rank in the bottom half of the league against tight ends last year, having many to believe that Martellus Bennett could have a big game. If Brady were under center I could believe it, but with Jimmy G I just don’t know. I would avoid the situation if you can. There are some nice streaming options this week.
Jay Ajayi
A guy once considered a top breakout candidate this is season is falling fast. In a shocking move on Friday, the Dolphins declared Ajayi a healthy scratch for Sunday. He did not travel with the team to Seattle. If the Dolphins were not matched up against Seattle’s solid defense, it would be all systems go on Arian Foster. The Dolphins matchup against Seattle is the worst on the board though.
He could make for an interesting play in PPR if you wanted to chance it. Miami will look to get him the ball often, and possibly through the air. The matchup is horrible though on paper with much better options elsewhere. With that said, Foster should be observed in all leagues going forward.
Ajayi has apparently shown frustration with his demotion since Foster’s arrival, hence a possible reason for the healthy scratch. This could mean more reps coming for Foster or an opportunity for another Dolphins running back to step up in a bigger role. With a laundry list for an injury history, who knows how long Foster can hold up as the season goes on. The Dolphins kept 5 running backs to their active roster, a sign they are not confident in their backfield.
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