Fantasy football aftermath: The injuries of Week 13

Just no torn ACLs, please.

I'm well aware that, by writing this here, I'm invoking some kind of mythical jinx, and half the NFL is going to lose a limb in Week 14. But it certainly seems to me -- and it's even possible I'm wrong -- while the NFL hasn't lacked for injuries in recent weeks, it has at least been a while since we've seen any catastrophic, crowd-goes-silent type of injury in an NFL game.

That's great, of course. The Ravens are my least favorite team in the world, and if a Raven gets the wind knocked out of him, I get sad. The cart just tears me up.

The other side (and I'm not calling it a downside -- there's no downside to avoiding catastrophic injuries) is so many of the injuries suffered the last few weeks have been on the "we'll see" side of things. A tight end hurts his ankle: "Maybe he'll play in Week 11. Oh, wait. No, maybe Week 12. How about Week 13? Well, he'll be back eventually."

It's a tiny price to pay, but it is a price. So let's look at what happened over Week 13 and see where we stand:

Quarterback injuries in Week 13

• The Titans lost quarterback Zach Mettenberger early in the third quarter with what was called after the game a sprained AC joint. It's been a common injury this season, and it has hindered some guys (Jordan Cameron) while apparently causing fewer problems for others (Lamar Miller). For now, it sounds like Mettenberger is optimistic, though we'll see what it sounds like after some time passes and the Titans learn more. If Mettenberger can't go, it'll be Jake Locker back at the helm, not that you'll be using him in fantasy.

Running back injuries in Week 13

• To quote from the Reggie Bush page on Rotoworld, "The Lions are hopeful he can play in Week 14, but it's far from a certainty." Substitute just about any week number for "14" in that sentence, and it could have been said about Bush most of this season. He's still dealing with his ankle injury that's robbed him of five of the last six games. At this point, you can't put Bush in your lineup based only on someone's word that he should play. You have to wait and see Bush okay a game before you use him.


• Andre Ellington left Sunday's game in the second quarter with a hip pointer. That's the kind of issue that can fade relatively quickly, but it also, you know, couldn't. If Ellington can't go, the Cardinals will resort to some mix of Marion Grice, Michael Bush and Stepfan Taylor at running back, which is a big pile of "meh." Even if Ellington can go, that injury on top of his others and the Cardinals' brutal schedule the rest of the way combine to make him really tough to use in fantasy.


• The Giants were without Rashad Jennings as they tried to make a late push to win against the Jaguars, as the running back was nursing a sore ankle. The early reports as to his injury are that it isn't serious, but let's see what comes when he rests the ankle for a night. Whichever running back starts next week between Jennings and Andre Williams will be an attractive fantasy option against Tennessee.


• Without Jerick McKinnon on the field Sunday, the Vikings used a running-back group of Matt Asiata, Ben Tate and Joe Banyard, which is uninspired to say the least. The trio averaged 3.6 yards per carry against Carolina, in a game the Vikings led early and would have liked to be able to run the ball to drain the clock. It's far too early to know how McKinnon's back will be for Week 14, but for fantasy, it's hardly relevant; no Minnesota running back is worth a lot right now.

Wide receiver injuries in Week 13

• Miles Austin spent Sunday night in the hospital in Buffalo after kidney pain after the game. It wasn't clear if the injury was suffered in the game or if it happened on its own. As such, there's no way to guess at a prognosis yet, but with Josh Gordon and Andrew Hawkins backed up by Taylor Gabriel and Travis Benjamin, any absence by Austin won't be significant to the Browns or fantasy owners.


• Titans' receiver Justin Hunter suffered a lacerated spleen on a big hit early in the game. He came back in the game for a bit, but couldn't stay on the field, and ended up staying Sunday night in a Houston hospital. That's an injury which will cost Hunter at least a few weeks, and it might make him miss the rest of the season. His absence will help Nate Washington have a bit more value, but it's not like Hunter has been doing a whole lot himself.


• DeSean Jackson was limping around after leaving Sunday's game with a leg injury, described as a fibula contusion. Nothing about the injury seemed very severe Sunday, though it's the sort of thing that could change after he lets it sit for a night or two. Keep an eye on Jackson's reports; if he misses Week 14, Andre Roberts stands to reap the benefits.


• As hot as he's been lately (at least nine fantasy points in six of his last seven games), seeing Torrey Smith limp around after Sunday's game had to be terrifying for fantasy owners. It sounds like he might have aggravated a knee problem late in the game, and Smith didn't play on the team's last possession. Keep an ear on what Baltimore has to say about Smith Monday and Tuesday.


• It took until Sunday for word to come out, but Roddy White did end up missing Sunday's game with an ankle injury. So many reports in the middle of the week had White likely to play, and most times players seem so close to playing, they end up making a comeback the next week, so expect White to be on the field for Week 14.

Tight end injuries in Week 14

• Two tight ends -- Dwayne Allen and Julius Thomas -- are still working their way back from the ankle injuries they suffered in Week 11. It sounds like Thomas is closer to returning than Allen -- and for the better, as Thomas' backups have been far less productive than Allen's. They're both top-10 tight ends when healthy, so keep a close eye on their injury reports in the days to come.

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