Fantasy Football Injuries: Key Updates on Lamar Jackson, Quinshon Judkins & More

Nothing can wreck a fantasy season like injuries.

But injuries also present opportunity. We can gain an edge over our competition by having a better understanding of injuries, how long they’ll keep players out, and how they’ll impact performance upon return.

That’s why we’re bringing in Tyler Smola -- a Doctor of Physical Therapy with more than a decade of sports medicine experience -- to break down what these injuries really mean for fantasy managers.

Each week, Tyler will separate rumor from reality, explain timelines, and give you the performance outlook you need to make sharper fantasy decisions.

Fantasy Football Injuries: QBs

Lamar Jackson, Ravens

Injury: Back contusion
Expected Games Missed: 0-2
Performance Impact Upon Return: Medium

Jackson left in clear pain after taking a knee to his back. A unique mechanism of injury. HC John Harbaugh said Monday that that Lamar is “day to day” with a significant back contusion. 

This will now become a pain- and swelling-management situation. The main limiting factor for Jackson will be rotation, based on the location of the impact. Rotation is a key movement when throwing a football. And Jackson has already been limited as a runner due to a hamstring strain earlier in the season. 

Expect Jackson to be limited or a non-participant in practice for most of the week. It’s unlikely we’ll know whether he will play against the Packers on Saturday until late in the week.

J.J. McCarthy, Vikings

Injury: Right hand
Expected Games Missed: 0-2
Performance Impact Upon Return: Medium-High

McCarthy exited Sunday’s game with a right hand injury and did not return. We do not yet have specifics on the pathology of the injury as of Monday night. 

The key concern is that the injury is to McCarthy’s throwing hand, which increases its potential impact. X-rays were negative, and McCarthy will undergo an MRI to evaluate for soft-tissue damage. 

With the Vikings playing on Thursday, McCarthy now faces a short week. Keep an eye on updates in the coming days regarding the severity of the injury.

Fantasy Football Injuries: RBs

Quinshon Judkins, Browns

Injury: Dislocated ankle with fibula fracture
Expected Games Missed: Season Ending
Performance Impact Upon Return Next Season: Medium

Judkins was quickly air-casted on the field following a fracture dislocation of his ankle.

It was a severe injury, but some good news came Monday with confirmation that Judkins did not sustain any ligament damage to his knee.

He now faces a long and challenging rehab in an effort to be ready for Week 1 next season. While the fracture itself should heal relatively quickly, the likely full tearing of several ankle ligaments will be the primary limiting factor in his recovery over the next six months.

We can expect Judkins to be ready for Week 1, but similar situations have taken longer in the past (see Chris Godwin). Regardless, Judkins is likely to experience a moderate performance impact to burst and change of direction early next season.

TreVeyon Henderson, Patriots

Injury: Concussion
Expected Games Missed: 0-2
Performance Impact Upon Return: Low

As we’ve seen many times this season, a concussion often causes a player to miss at least one game.

Everything will need to go perfectly over the next several days for Henderson to progress through the five-step return-to-play protocol in order to play next week. Teams typically provide clearer updates by Thursday on whether players are progressing through the protocol.

If TreVeyon does play vs. the Jets on Sunday, we would expect a low performance impact but an increased risk of re-injury.

Jordan Mason, Vikings

Injury: Ankle
Expected Games Missed: 0-season ending
Performance Impact Upon Return: Low-Medium

Mason was carted off the field early Sunday and did not return.

When a player is carted off, we usually assume there is a significant injury, but the Vikings did not provide an update on Monday.

With Minnesota playing Detroit on Thursday, it’s safe to assume Mason will not be ready in just a few days. Look for an update out of Minnesota by Wednesday to confirm.

Kimani Vidal, Chargers

Injury: Neck strain
Expected Games Missed: 0-2
Performance Impact Upon Return: Low

Great news came Monday for Vidal, as an MRI of his neck confirmed a neck strain.

When we hear the word “strain,” we know the injury involves muscle tissue, meaning he avoided a more serious disc or ligament injury. This significantly improves his chances of returning this season.

Rehab will now focus on helping the damaged muscle fibers heal while rebuilding strength and stability in the neck. As with all strains, the grade of the injury is important and is currently unknown.

The greatest risk upon return will be re-injury if the neck is jarred by a significant hit.

Fantasy Football Injuries: WRs

Pat Bryant, Broncos

Injury: Concussion
Expected Games Missed: 2-season ending
Performance Impact Upon Return: Low

Bryant was taken to the hospital as a precaution and was released with a diagnosed concussion.

This was clearly a severe concussion, and we should expect Bryant to miss several weeks. We’ll see if he can make it back for the playoffs.

What Do These Injuries Mean For Your Fantasy Team?

The smartest managers don’t just track injuries ... they act on them faster than the rest of the league.

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Tyler Smola, Injury Analyst

Tyler brings over a decade of sports medicine knowledge to Draft Sharks. He will be writing weekly injury analysis articles this season and will bring an expertise in sports medicine, rehabilitation, and sports performance to Draft Sharks.