Notable Injuries from week 3:
- De’Von Achane (ACL)
- Travis Etienne (Hamstring)
- Breece Hall (Thigh)
- Mike Evans (Rib)
- Jalen Coker (Quad)
- Justin Jefferson (Ankle)
- Puka Nacua (Hip/Groin)
- Nico Collins (Hamstring)
- Jalen McMillan (Knee)
- Terrance Ferguson (Ankle)
- Baker Mayfield (Thumb)
Ollie Gordon (Rostered in 1.6% of ESPN leagues)
It’s always tough seeing guys get injured like this. Especially when they are on bad teams going full rebuild. With De’Von Achane set to miss the remainder of the year, we go to the next man up, Ollie Gordon. I will say that for me personally, I’m not going all in on Gordon or many of the other RBs on this list. It’s more of a situation where I had Achane or my starter is out and I need an immediate fill in kind of deal. With that being said, Gordon does have some potential for fantasy relevance even if the Dolphins manage to go 0-17. Jaylen Wright is lurking about but he is working his way back from a foot injury. Don’t overspend but more snaps often lead to some more points.
Braelon Allen (Rostered in 14.3% of ESPN leagues)
Just like my mention of Ollie Gordon, Braelon Allen fits the exact same context. The big thing to note here is that there was zero competition once Breece Hall exited the game. Allen got all of the snaps at RB. Next up is a matchup with a Browns defense in the bottom half of run defenses. Keep an eye on the injury status of Hall but Allen could be a weekly stop gap if given the chance.
Tank Bigsby (Rostered in 22.9% of ESPN leagues), Emmett Johnson (Rostered in 23.5% of ESPN leagues) and Kaelon Black (Rostered in 43.8% of ESPN leagues)
I won’t harp on this one too much as these guys were on last week’s list. The gist is each one of these players is primed for a large workload should the starter go down. If you have Barkley, Walker or CMC you should definitely have their handcuffs.
Tyler Higbee (Rostered in 0.3% of ESPN leagues)
There are a lot of factors to consider here. First, both Terrance Ferguson and Colby Parkinson are dealing with injuries that could keep them from playing in week 4 against the Eagles. The second is that Puka Nacua has been dealing with a hip injury and is working up to hopefully playing this week. Lastly, Higbee got a boatload of targets (11) in what very quickly turned into a shootout. If Ferguson misses time, Higbee could still see an elevated role within the offense.
Darren Waller (Rostered in 10.4% of ESPN leagues)
It feels so weird to put Darren Waller on this list but here we are. Against the Browns, Waller saw 8 targets which he was able to turn into 5 catches for 51 yards. Xavier Legette not playing and Jalen Coker exiting with an injury probably contributed to the uptick in targets but Coker could be kept out before the BYE to properly rest leaving the door open for more work for Waller. One other note to consider is that Waller has seen his snap share increase every week so far.
Cade Otton (Rostered in 2.9% of ESPN leagues) Genius Pick of the Week
Not a sexy pick, Cade Otton could start to fill the void in this Buccaneers offense. We know Jalen McMillan is set to miss an extended period of time due to a knee injury suffered in Sunday’s loss to the Vikings. We also know Baker Mayfield is set to miss time with a thumb injury. What I like the most about Otton, is that time and time again when injuries start to accumulate in the WR core, he steps up. Through 3 games so far he has seen 6 targets each game except for game 1 where he saw 5. The usage is decent and could increase slightly with McMillan out. I also think a gamble on Jalon Daniels in place of an injured Mayfield could pay dividends for Otton. QB/TE connections are so underrated and the TE often performs as the safety valve and picks up a few more targets as a result. Admittedly this is a risky play but one that could bear fruit should WR injuries continue and chemistry builds with Daniels.
Sam Darnold (Rostered in 33.9% of ESPN leagues)
Sam Darnold was able to suit up last week after missing the better part of 2 games with a hip injury. In his first game back, he lit up the Commanders defense to the tune of 379 yards and 4 touchdowns which was good for 27.66 fantasy points. While the Seahawks would ultimately lose that game, for fantasy managers it was a win. Next up is a Chargers team who look absolutely helpless. I expect Darnold to have a solid game.
Michael Penix (Rostered in 4.2% of ESPN leagues)
On Thursday against the Packers, the Falcons actually looked like something. Now I know the Packers are a hot bag of ass right now, so have the Falcons up until this point. With Michael Penix under center they seem to have more of an offensive identity. Bijan Robinson is still the main superstar in the offense but Penix is able to elevate everyone else around him. At least more than Cooper Rush. If you feel like taking a risk, a matchup against the New Orleans Saints could get a bit competitive offensively. The Saints are middle of the pack in regards to passing yards allowed and these NFC South matchups always seem to have a way of forgetting how to play defense. If you’re in a deeper league or are looking for a weekly fill in, consider Penix.
*Point totals mentioned assume full point PPR scoring.
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