LeSean McCoy RB, Bills: concussion
Already a High Injury Risk at 36%, McCoy’ Injury Risk jumped even higher (35%) after a head injury on Sunday. McCoy appeared to tweak his ankle but ended up being ruled out due to a concussion. He remains in concussion protocol and is in a race against the close to clear ahead of the Bills’ tough week 8 matchup with the Patriots. McCoy hasn’t suffered a concussion in recent years, but he did miss 4 games in 2012 with a very serious concussion. That could complicate his recovery a bit as we know repeat head injuries increase the overall concern going forward.
Sony Michel RB, Patriots: knee injury
Michel dodged a bullet after suffering a very scary looking knee injury against the Bears. Michel already has a concerning history of problems with his left knee that includes a past ACL tear, multiple sprains and a cleanup procedure earlier this summer. It even caused many teams to remove him from their draft boards. Michel was then limited at practice last week when his knee flared up, but he was cleared to play in the game. Then on a second quarter run his left leg was twisted as he was tackled, resulting in a fumble and help from the trainers getting off of the field.
An MRI showed no structural damage, meaning all ligaments are intact. Meniscus damage is still possible (this was Inside Injuries’ initial speculation), but surgery doesn’t sound like it is being considered at this point. Michel sounds week-to-week, so don’t expect him to play week 8, especially when you consider his history of left knee problems. Michel should return sometime in November, but his Injury Risk will continue to be at a high level going forward. It won’t take much to aggravate his left knee once again. [More]
Matt Breida RB, 49ers: aggravated ankle sprain
Breida won’t hit his Optimal Recovery Time for a moderate ankle sprain until the end of the month, so it was no surprise that he aggravated his ankle injury on Sunday. Breida played just five snaps and was hurt on his first carry of the game. He was initially hurt week 5 and somehow returned to play week 6. He did very well playing through the injury, but that doesn’t mean his Overall Injury Risk improved. It now sits as 21% and won’t improve much if he continues to try to play through this. Taking a week off to rest and allow the ankle to fully heal would be very beneficial for his long-term health.
Keke Coutee WR, Texans: hamstring strain
Coutee initially injured his hamstring during the preseason and aggravated it a few weeks ago. Inside Injuries continued to warn that this could be easily re-aggravated. Sure enough he wasn’t able to finish the game on Sunday. With the Thursday night game, Coutee won’t be able to recover in time to take the field. Our algorithm is showing a new two week Optimal Recovery Time if it really is mild, but because this is a recurring injury, he needs closer to 4 weeks for it to heal. Coutee also had issues with his hamstring in college.
The Texans should take a cautious approach with their young WR. Just look at Will Fuller – he already missed the start of his rookie season last year and has battled a hamstring strain on and off since the preseason this year. The last thing this offense needs is long-term hamstring injuries to two of their top receivers.
Adam Vinatieri K, Colts: groin strain
Vinatieri has been kicking through a groin strain since he popped up on the injury report in week 5. He missed two extra points on Sunday after aggravating the injury and could now be looking at a multi-week absence. Groin strains are one of the toughest injuries for a kicker to recover from and play through. If it’s very mild he could recovery in 2-3 weeks, but based on his age and the fact that this is a lingering problem, he likely needs closer to 4-6 weeks. If he plays week 8 his Injury Risk will be incredibly High.
Kenny Stills WR, Dolphins: groin strain
Stills pulled up with an injury on the Dolphins final drive. He is dealing with a groin strain that will sideline him for week 8, and possibly longer. It’s a tricky injury to recover from and could lead to a lengthy absence. A mild strain comes with a 2 week Optimal Recovery Time but a moderate strain jumps up to 5 weeks. His Injury Risk is High (32%) while his HPF (Health performance Factor – our metric for predicting performance) is Poor, so he won’t play well if he tries to tough it out and play through the injury anytime in the next few weeks.
Albert Wilson WR, Dolphins: hip injury
A hip injury could end Wilson’s season. It’s clear he is going to miss multiple games, but a second opinion could result in season-ending surgery to repair a labrum tear. Even if he avoids surgery, I.R. is a possibility. Wilson took an awkward step while trying to avoid a tackle at the end of a reception. He had to be helped off of the field and limped to the locker room. No matter what there won’t be any good news here, and it’s time to drop him in all leagues.
Updates:
Rob Gronkowski TE, Patriots: back spasms
Everyone knows about Gronk’s history of back problems that includes season-ending surgery in 2017. So his setback ahead of week 7 is a serious concern going forward. Painful back spasms popped up on Friday, forcing him to miss the game. While the Patriots don’t expect this to be a lengthy absence (he could return in week 8), it is another warning sign that his back could flare up at any moment.
Marshawn Lynch RB, Raiders: groin surgery
The Raiders were forced to place Lynch on I.R. with a groin injury. Unfortunately with an older running back with a concerning injury history, a season-ender can quickly pop up without warning. Lynch previously landed on I.R. in 2015 to undergo surgery for a sports hernia. That’s likely what is in his future yet again. It is fairly common for a player to suffer a sports hernia on one side and later suffer the same injury to the other side (it’s less common to have multiple sports hernias to the same side). We may have seen Lynch play his final NFL snap.
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