Week 13 delivered another chaotic slate of injuries, with several key fantasy contributors going down and others gutting through significant limitations that will impact playoff-bound rosters. From Justin Herbert undergoing surgery on his fractured left hand to Amon-Ra St. Brown and Kyren Williams injuring their ankles, we've got a packed list of offensive playmakers whose health status could determine fantasy playoff seeding. With only one week left before the fantasy postseason in many formats, understanding how these injuries affect performance, risk of re-injury, and expected timelines is critical. Below is the Week 13 injury recap and what fantasy managers need to know heading into Week 14.
Quarterbacks
Justin Herbert
Injury: Left hand fracture
Analysis: Herbert played through a fracture to one of the metacarpal bones in his left hand on Sunday. I was suspicious of a fracture right away when we got a shot of Herbert heading into the locker room, just minutes after the injury occurred, and the backside of his hand was already extremely swollen. Herbert underwent surgery on Monday and has a real shot at playing this upcoming Monday night against Philadelphia. With this being Herbert's left hand, it's not going to affect his throwing at all. The challenge will be whether or not he can regain enough dexterity within the hand to help hold the ball while in the pocket, and fumbles are a real concern. It is extremely unlikely Los Angeles will put Herbert under center at all, and will likely utilize the pistol and shotgun, similar to Pittsburgh with Aaron Rodgers last week. If Herbert is able to play, his fantasy outlook is largely unchanged from this injury.
Running Backs
Kyren Williams
Injury: Ankle injury
Analysis: Williams banged up his ankle on Sunday but was able to finish out the game, logging 67% of snaps and running for 72 yards and a touchdown. On Monday, Williams reported feeling pretty good, and at present, his week 14 status does not appear in jeopardy. Ankle injuries often feel worse the following day as swelling sets in, so the fact that he was feeling good on Monday is positive. I would not be surprised if he misses time in practice early this week, and it will be important to keep a close eye on his status. Running backs average just a 7% dip in fantasy points after an ankle injury, so Williams should remain a valuable starter.