Week 15 Fantasy Football Injury News: George Pickens, Justin Herbert, and More
Chris Allen and Jorge Martin bring NFL injury news impacting fantasy football in Week 15. George Pickens, Justin Herbert, and Bucky Irving are headliners.
Chris Allen and Jorge Martin deliver the Fantasy Football Week 15 injury news to help with setting playoff lineups.
OK, if you're reading this, it means you made the fantasy playoffs. Congratulations. Take a look around, enjoy the scenery. Now it's time to get to work, because no one is satisfied just making it to the dance. Flags fly forever, and no one remembers second place. It's winnin' time!
Start/sit decisions are as important as ever, so let's get into the NFL injuries that are impacting fantasy football in Week 15 so you can set a winning lineup in the first round of the fantasy playoffs. FYI, this article will be updated periodically through Sunday morning as more injury news comes out impacting players. Let's go!
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Quarterbacks
Justin Herbert (ankle): Herbert took a big hit to his thigh against the Chiefs on Sunday that knocked him out for a play, but it is his ankle that has limited him in practice. The Chargers’ QB has played through so many injuries that were not to his throwing hand/arm the past couple years, it’s hard to picture him sitting.
This is a great matchup, as the Buccaneers are tied with the Bengals in allowing 20.4 FPG to quarterbacks, good (or bad) for second in the league. The Bucs gave up Bryce Young’s biggest game of the season, 298 yards and a score in Week 13. He’s the consensus QB14 in our rankings.
Derek Carr (hand/concussion): Carr has a fractured hand and a concussion. He has yet to practice, and likely is going to sit out this week, and maybe the season. This is a tough situation for the entire Saints roster, even Alvin Kamara, with so many injuries impacting the team. Downgrade all the pass catchers on this team no matter who is behind center.
Running Backs
Jonathon Brooks (knee) He’s out for the season, and probably most, if not all, of next season with a re-tear of his ACL. It’s often a longer road back after a second ACL tear. Brutal news for the talented young running back. Wishing him a smooth rehab.
Bucky Irving (back): Irving finished Week 14 playing just 17% of the team’s snaps. Then he sat the first two practices of this week, making it look like the player who gave so many rosters a late-season lift is going to sit. Rachaad White totaled 109 scrimmage yards and 2 TDs seeing increased action that put a smile on the faces of those fantasy managers who invested a mid-round pick on him. UPDATE: It looks like Irving is going to play. That's big news for the Bucs, and brings down those who had expected White to have a similar workload as last week when he put up 24.9 points. It's a tough matchup, though, as the Chargers allow the sixth-fewest fantasy points to running backs at 17.8 per game.
Breece Hall (knee): After consecutive DNP designations to start the week, Hall is looking like a sit for this week. With teams in the fantasy playoffs, unless people are in 14 or 16-team leagues, it’s hard to recommend Isaiah Davis or Braelon Allen. Both had double-digit touches last week, so anyone having to start them in place of Hall is hoping for a touchdown. This is a great matchup, though, as the Jaguars are allowing the third most fantasy points to RBs. UPDATE: Hall appears ready to play. Workload could be an issue, but if he gets 20 touches against this Jaguars defense he could help fantasy lineups in the playoffs.
Tony Pollard (ankle): Coming off a game where he turned 23 touches into 124 total yards, it had to be disheartening for fantasy managers to see Pollard sit out two practices ahead of Week 15. This could open the door for Tyjae Spears, who has double-digit touches in two games this season and would be facing a Cincinnati defense that just gave up 131 rush yards on 18 carries to Rico Dowdle and now goes to Tennessee on short rest. UPDATE: Pollard looks like he's a go for today and could reach the 1,000-yard milestone. In this matchup against the Bengals, Pollard is an easy start.
Kenneth Walker (calf): In a day where there were a fair share of star players to sit after last-minute decisions, Walker was one of the toughest to swallow in a smash spot against Arizona. All Walker did was hand the keys to Zach Charbonnet, who trampled the Cardinals to the tune of 193 yards and 2 TDs.
Charbonnet could have the backfield to himself again, and Green Bay is surrendering 22.4 FPG, tied with the 49ers for 11th most in the league. UPDATE: Walker is listed as doubtful. If you have Charbonnet, be ready to fire him up with confidence.
Wide Receivers
George Pickens (hamstring): The Steelers' WR1 had an MRI after Pittsburgh's Week 14 matchup, and the results indicated his hamstring injury was "a little bit more significant." His multiple DNPs line up with the idea HC Mike Tomlin wants his WR1 healthy before getting them back to action, likely for the postseason. Dr. Edwin Porras said that it might be time to make some hard decisions on fantasy playoff rosters.
However, even with Pickens out, there isn't a receiver we can trust catching passes from Russell Wilson. Mike Williams and Scotty Miller got 20.0% of the targets in Week 14. Calvin Austin wasn't too far behind with a 15.0% share. The Steelers have been a run-heavy offense in two of their last three games. With limited volume, staying away from the remaining PIT WRs is the best move for Week 15. UPDATE: Pickens is OUT. This is an upgrade for Pat Freiermuth, who saw his season high in targets last week at 7. The Eagles are a tough defense against TEs—5th in the league at just 9.5 fantasy points per game—so if Freiermuth gets home it would be purely on volume.
Noah Brown (torso): Brown was ruled out after the second day of practice, which is tough because he has been running as the Commanders’ WR2 behind Terry McLaurin. This makes Scary Terry an even more emphatic play, though it’s curious who could be the secondary target for Washington.
Dyami Brown and Luke McCaffrey have not touched 50% route participation since Week 5, so there’s no way to trust them in the fantasy playoffs. Can we interest you in some Zach Ertz? Dwain McFarland has Ertz as a sicko start. So you would not be alone in playing Ertz as a shot play. He's TE11 in our rankings.
Mike Evans (hamstring): Evans and his hamstring history are rearing their ugly heads again, as he missed the first two days of practice of the week. He followed this same pattern last week, practiced on Friday and then played 83% of snaps and saw 5 targets. He faces a trip out west to play the Chargers on the fast track of SoFi Stadium.
The Chargers are tied for 10th in fewest fantasy points allowed to WRs, though they have gotten beaten up by top wideouts in Drake London (9-86), Ja’Marr Chase (7-75-2), and Tee Higgins (9-148-1) in recent games. With a 45.5 over/under in the game, if Evans is healthy he could be needed for some production in a possible shootout. UPDATE: Evans has no injury designation going into today's game in the late window.
Ladd McConkey (knee/shoulder): One of the top rookie wideouts of 2024, McConkey went over 100 yards in three of his last six games before missing last week’s contest against the Chiefs. He also caught at least 6 balls in five of those games, so he’s become the top target in LA’s passing attack. Porras said that enough time has passed for McConkey to return to a full workload, and that’s good because as mentioned above, this game could see some points.
The Buccaneers are ninth in the league, giving up 32.7 FPG and 12th with 144.8 receiving yards allowed to WRs. If he’s active, it’s going to be hard to keep McConkey out of your lineup. He’s the consensus WR22 in our rankings. UPDATE: McConkey looks like he could play, but is going to be a game-time decision. This was the same scenario as last week, though this time the game is in the later window. Joshua Palmer and Quentin Johnston are contingency plans if the rookie sensation can't go.
DK Metcalf (shoulder): After a full practice Wednesday, Metcalf was limited the second session of the week. He was also limited in Week 14, then was on the field for 87% of routes and was targeted 5 times (21%). If he’s on the field, it’s going to be hard to sit Metcalf against a beat-up Green Bay secondary that has allowed 80+ yards to Tyreek Hill and Jameson Williams the past two games. Metcalf is WR24 in our rankings.
Sterling Shepard (foot): Shepard missing the first two days of practice is unfortunate because he’s become a vital part of the Tampa Bay offense. In the past three weeks, he’s had target shares between 21-23% and totaled 20 targets in that span. At best, Shepard is a bench stash or flex option on playoff rosters. The Bucs-Chargers game has already gotten enough play in this space. We’ll keep monitoring his status to see if he might be startable. UPDATE: Shepard got in a limited practice on Friday and appears like he could play. Foot injuries are tricky, so the recommendation here is to look elsewhere for a flex play in the fantasy playoffs.
Cedric Tillman (concussion): Tillman has been ruled out as of Friday morning, which along with the next player puts even more focus of this offense on Jerry Jeudy and Elijah Moore.
Tight Ends
David Njoku (hamstring): After drawing 30 targets, catching 16 for 94 yards and 3 scores in the past two games, Njoku missed the week of practice looks like he could be forced to miss the game with a bad hammy. That’s rough timing, as his solid play of late probably put some fantasy rosters in the playoffs. Adam Ronis recommended Pat Freiermuth, Hunter Henry, and Zach Ertz might be available in certain leagues.
Evan Engram (shoulder): Engram also sat out the first two days of practice, then Friday morning he was ruled out for the rest of the season with a torn labrum that will require surgery. Huge blow to the Jaguars’ passing game, especially on the heels of losing Trevor Lawrence as well. Again, with the playoffs on the line, there is no TE to step in for a player like Engram, who is 11th in the league with 9.9 FPG. From a sheer volume perspective, BrIan Thomas Jr. should be in starting lineups and is a candidate for 10 targets per game, even from Mac Jones. BTJ has 22 targets in the two games since the Jags’ Week 12 bye.
Will Dissly (shoulder): Dissly was ruled OUT on Friday. Big blow for him in such a good matchup. Stone Smartt saw an increase in usage last week and caught 3 targets for 54 yards. Still, with the fantasy playoffs on the line, the hope is that you have better options at TE than a flier on Smartt.
Many Happy Returns
There are four players returning from injury absences who could all warrant at least some consideration for starting in deeper leagues, like 14 or 16-teamers, and 12-teamers with multiple flex positions. We have some quick hits on each:
Josh Downs (shoulder): The Colts’ top wideout looks to return after sitting Week 13 and then the Colts’ bye. A trip to Denver could be a mixed bag, as the Broncos are now No. 18 in FPG to wideouts and are still smarting from the Jerry Jeudy explosion in Week 13.
Romeo Doubs (concussion): Doubs has been practicing fully, which lines him up to return in a trip to Seattle. The Seahawks, though, have been revitalized on defense since their Week 10 bye. Aside from Jauan Jennings’ 91 yards in Week 11, no WR has topped 66 yards since the bye week.
Keon Coleman (wrist): The Bills are getting healthier in time for the postseason, but is it going to be too little too late for Coleman after missing four games with a wrist injury. With Amari Cooper and Khalil Shakir dominating over 50% of the target share the past two weeks, there might not be enough to go around for the rookie, who is WR66 in our rankings. Stash him on the bench, in case he shows signs of life.
Dalton Kincaid (knee): The second-year TE is returning after missing three games with a knee injury that derailed some good momentum that he’d been building. Weeks 2-9, Kincaid topped a 20% target share six times. Even in a game with a 54.5 over/under, it’s hard to picture teams in the fantasy playoffs putting Kincaid in the lineup except for those deep starting rosters with multiple flexes.
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