This article is part of our Injury Analysis series.
The fantasy football postseason is well underway, but that doesn't mean injuries have slowed down. The latest NFL Injury Report is filled with impact players, particularly at the quarterback position.
The Packers quarterback room is looking more like an infirmary after both Love and Willis sustained injuries in Week 16. Love sustained a concussion in the loss to Chicago and was unable to return to the game. Fortunately, Love doesn't have a long history of head injuries since joining the NFL, though he did sustain at least one concussion while at Utah State. Still Love could be hard-pressed to return for Week 17 as the Packers play on Saturday, limiting Love's recovery time. This season every quarterback to sustain a concussion has missed at least one game before clearing the league's mandated protocol, a list that includes C.J. Stroud and J.J. McCarthy. As a result, it seems likely Love sits against the Ravens.
It remains unclear who will start if Love cannot play. Willis suffered a shoulder injury on the final play of regulation and was able to play in overtime, but reported lingering soreness on Monday. The nature of the injury has not been revealed, but the effected joint is on his throwing arm. He will need to make legitimate progress to be considered a trustworthy fantasy option. Fantasy managers would be wise to avoid the situation all together and downgrade all Green Bay offensive weapons.
The Bills quarterback finished with his worst fantasy performance that wasn't cut short by injury since his rookie season. While he managed to play the entire game, Allen did briefly leave to have his right foot examined. X-rays taken at halftime were negative, and he returned without missing a snap. The setback may have attributed to the poor showing, but it doesn't appear it will cost him any additional time. Despite reporting continued soreness in the foot, the Bills consider their quarterback day-to-day. It seems likely Allen is dealing with a mild foot sprain that could limit his mobility against the Eagles. He remains a must-start in all formats, but those rostering the former NFL MVP may want to scale back their expectations.
Jackson was unable to finish the team's loss to the Patriots after suffering a back injury just before halftime. Testing on the area revealed a "significant contusion" according to coach John Harbaugh. A contusion to the back could be a soft tissue injury or a bone contusion to one of the vertebrae of the spine. Both injuries can be very painful and limit trunk mobility. Baltimore is listing Jackson as day-to-day. Monitor Jackson's availability throughout this week's practices but, like Love, the amount of recovery time is truncated due to the Saturday night draw. Tyler Huntley will start if Jackson is out. Huntley completed nine of 10 passes for 65 yards after replacing Jackson.
One week after Patrick Mahomes tore the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and lateral collateral ligament (LCL) in his knee, his backup also sustained a significant knee injury. While it was initially feared that Minshew also tore his ACL, testing on the joint revealed a different injury to a different type of tissue. Minshew suffered a nondisplaced tibial plateau fracture in his knee. The tibia (shinbone) is the bigger of the lower leg bones and bears most of the body's weight. At the end closest to the knee, the tibia widens, forming the tibial plateau. Here the menisci of the knee sit atop the plateau, articulating with the distal end of the femur. Fortunately, these soft tissue structures remain intact, and Minshew's fracture was nondisplaced, meaning surgery will not be needed. Minshew has been placed on the injured reserve, ending his season, elevating Chris Oladokun to the starting quarterback role.
Turf Burns
TreVeyon Henderson: The Patriots running back is in the concussion protocol and may be forced out of Week 17. Henderson will have seven days to complete the protocol though most cases result in missed time. While there have been running backs, like Hunter Luepke and Kyle Juszczyk, who have managed to clear the protocol without missing a game, the Patriots likely will take a conservative approach with their prized rookie with a playoff berth secured and a soft schedule to finish out the regular season. Rhamondre Stevenson will see an increase in usage if Henderson sits.
Josh Jacobs: Jacobs' troublesome knee continues to be a problem. The issue first surfaced in Week 11 and has been marked by pain and swelling ever since. He's also dealing with an ankle injury and was limited on Sunday, though the team said he did not aggravate his ailments in the contest. With Jacobs sidelined, Emanuel Wilson saw an increase in usage in the game, finishing with 82 yards on 14 carries. Green Bay may opt for a running back by committee approach given Jacobs' health and Wilson's performance, especially if Love and Willis remain out or limited with injury.
Marcus Mariota: The Commanders quarterback did not participate in Monday's walkthrough due to two injuries sustained against the Eagles. The injuries are to his right (throwing) hand and one of his quadriceps muscles. The hand injury appears to be a contusion and laceration that required stitches to close. The location of the sutures could impact Mariota's grip on the ball and could reopen if he hits the area again. With Jayden Daniels already lost for the season, Josh Johnson would be the next man up in Washington if Mariota is unable to play.
J.J. McCarthy: McCarthy also suffered an undisclosed injury to his throwing hand and remains a question mark entering the team's Christmas Day game with the Lions. X-rays on the injured hand were negative, though the short week of preparation could come into play here as well. McCarthy did not practice Monday as he underwent additional evaluations on the injured hand. Rookie Max Brosmer will be the starter if McCarthy misses his seventh game of the season.
Jordan Mason and Aaron Jones: Both Vikings running backs sustained ankle injuries in the win over New York, though only Jones was able to return to action. Mason was listed as a nonparticipant for Monday's practice estimate, while Jones was reported as limited. Given the limited information available, Jones seems like the healthier of the two and the most likely to be in uniform against the Lions on Thursday.
Quinshon Judkins: Jenkins suffered a season-ending injury in the team's loss to the Bills. The rookie running back dislocated his right ankle, breaking his fibula in the process. The injury is comparable to the one sustained by fellow rookie running back Cam Skattebo earlier in the season. Fortunately, the two injuries appear to differ in one major way. Skattebo's injury was an open dislocation, meaning the bone broke through the skin. There have been no reports to suggest Jenkins' injury was open. Surgery will still be needed to repair the damage, and Jenkins will spend the next four to five months rehabbing, though he should be ready for the start of training camp.
