It's week five, and injuries are taking over the NFL and fantasy football. This week, we have a number of key players at each position expected to miss some time or play through challenging injuries. Fantasy football managers need to fully understand each injury and how they do or don't impacts fantasy stats. Read on below for the NFL week 5 injury updates & fantasy outlooks.
Quarterbacks
Lamar Jackson
Injury: Hamstring injury
Analysis: Lamar Jackson will miss a few weeks with a right hamstring injury. Jackson has been given a 2-3 week estimated timeframe, which matches a grade II injury where there is true muscle damage and loss of strength and range of motion. These aspects must be restored before he can safely and effectively return. This being his right hamstring is critical as a right-handed thrower pushes off the right leg for power. The hamstring is highly involved in extending the hip during the throwing motion, and the presence of injury can impact throwing power. Obviously, a hamstring injury also would limit Jackson's elite rushing upside. Hamstrings have a 20-30% recurrence rate, a number that is higher than any other soft tissue injury.
Baltimore has a week 7 bye. The safe route would be to sit Jackson until week 8, which would significantly reduce re-injury risk; however, Baltimore is quickly entering must-win territory, which could force Jackson to return before he should next week.
Jayden Daniels
Injury: PCL injury
Analysis: Daniels is expected to return in week 5 after missing two games with a presumed PCL injury on his left knee. The PCL is a passive knee stabilizer, meaning it plays a crucial role in maintaining the stability of the relationship between the shin and the thigh, which is essential for an athlete's ability to quickly and confidently plant and cut. The PCL also plays a massive role in proprioception, which is the body's ability to know where its limbs are in space without looking. Because of these functions, we often see players look slow in the first few weeks after injury (think Brock Bowers right now).
Fortunately for Daniels, this is his left knee, so it will not affect his throwing as he powers off his right leg, but his rushing upside may be curbed for the next few weeks.
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