Maxxcash There is a lot for fantasy football managers to be keeping an eye on in the Week 13 RB injury report. With teams heading back to practice ahead of games on Sunday and Monday, we will keep you up to date with the latest injury updates on Christian McCaffrey, Leonard Fournette, Travis Etienne Jr., Josh Jacobs, Joe Mixon, and more.
Please note that practice status listings are as follows: DNP – did not participate, LP – limited participant, FP – full participant.
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RB Injury Report Heading into Week 13
Christian McCaffrey, SF | Knee (DNP)
Ahead of practice on Wednesday, San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters that McCaffrey would not participate in practice. While that will have set some alarm bells ringing for fantasy managers, there was some positive news. McCaffrey was seen wearing his jersey in the locker room, indicating he would likely be taking part in the walkthrough.
That is usually a good sign for a player’s status looking ahead to Sunday. As expected, the 49ers appear to be managing the load on McCaffrey’s knee, and that means little to no practice time.
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The only thing that remains up in the air is how limited McCaffrey will be in the game Sunday, as that could have huge fantasy ramifications. If he is on a snap count heading into Week 13, both his floor and ceiling will be impacted. It will be close to impossible to bench McCaffrey if he is active, but the risk will be high.
If McCaffrey does end up missing the game, then this backfield is up for grabs. With Elijah Mitchell heading to injured reserve, the 49ers have Jordan Mason and Tyrion Davis-Price as their only two other active RBs. However, they have Tevin Coleman on their practice squad, who they could elevate and lean on this week.
Whether McCaffrey does suit up or not, this backfield may end up being better suited to Underdog Fantasy Best Ball leagues this week. Then you can take a shot on the guy you like among this group and hope that he is the one that finds the end zone or breaks a big run. This could end up being a really strange committee situation.
Leonard Fournette, TB | Hip (N/A)
We will not get official designations for Fournette until the Buccaneers open practice on Thursday ahead of the Tampa Bay Buccaneer’s Monday Night Football game. Heading into that time, Fournette is expected to be at practice as he continues to deal with a hip injury, but it is uncertain in what capacity.
Last week, Fournette was limited all week, tagged as doubtful, and then ruled out Saturday. Therefore, even if Fournette does practice this week, we cannot assume he is a lock to play unless he can get back to being a full participant. If Fournette does suit up, it is uncertain what his role would even be with rookie RB Rachaad White emerging in recent weeks.
In the absence of Fournette in Week 12, White had 14 carries for 64 yards and caught all nine of his targets for 45 yards. White remains an intriguing starter in leagues of all sizes if Fournette is out. However, if Fournette suits up, this backfield becomes very messy.
It has been an intriguing few days for the fantasy managers of Etienne. Things did not look good when he was ruled out of Sunday’s game reasonably quickly with a foot issue. However, after the game, and then again on Monday, head coach Doug Pederson played down the severity of the injury.
On Wednesday, Pederson told reporters that he is optimistic that Etienne will play in Week 13. He added that Etienne will go through walkthrough practices and be listed as day-to-day. It seems as though Etienne will be on the field Sunday, but he could be limited, and there will be a concern of re-injury to consider.
It will be hard to sit Etienne in a really nice matchup with the Lions, but he will be a risky option this week. How confident fantasy managers will feel about putting Etienne in their lineups will ultimately come down to how he progresses at practice this week and his final status heading into Sunday.
If he did end up missing the game, we could see a combination of JaMycal Hasty and Darrell Henderson Jr. The Jaguars did not have Henderson active last week after claiming him off waivers from the Los Angeles Rams, but he has a shot to be active this week. Both would have intriguing deeper league value if they suit up without Etienne against the Lions.
Joe Mixon, CIN | Concussion (LP)
While Joe Mixon will open the week listed on the Cincinnati Bengals injury report as limited with a concussion, this should hopefully be a procedural situation in Week 13. Zac Taylor told reporters that Mixon would practice Wednesday. He also added that Mixon needs to have a full practice before he is able to clear the concussion protocol.
At the open portion of practice, Mixon did not appear to have any limitations, which should be a good sign for Sunday. Returning from a concussion does not normally have much of a performance impact. Therefore, if Mixon is healthy, he should find his way back into starting lineups.
Josh Jacobs, LV | Calf (DNP)
We saw Josh Jacobs added to the injury report with a calf issue last week. However, he shrugged that off to produce an incredible 303 yards from scrimmage, including a massive 86-yard walk-off touchdown on Sunday. We then found out from NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero that Jacobs will not practice much this week, if at all, as the Raiders manage the injury.
The most concerning element of the tweet from Pelissero is that he said Jacobs would get “around-the-clock treatment in the hopes of playing Sunday.” That does not sound great and means Jacobs is likely to be questionable at best heading into Sunday.
This is an issue for fantasy managers, with the Raiders a late-afternoon kickoff in Week 13. Jacobs just proved why he is impossible to bench if active, but fantasy managers could have a tough decision to make if they do not have insurance in that late window.
If Jacobs misses the game, then Zamir White and the combination of Ameer Abdullah and Brandon Bolden are the backup options. White would likely have the biggest workload and carry the most fantasy value.
Najee Harris, PIT | Abdomen (DNP)
It is no surprise to see that Najee Harris has started the week listed as a non-participant after being ruled out with an abdomen injury on Monday. Wednesday’s practice was a “glorified walkthrough” for the Steelers, so this was a predictable situation, but it does mean we need to watch things carefully this week.
Earlier on Wednesday, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Harris had avoided a major injury. That is good news as it pertains to seeing Harris on the field again this season, but does not mean we will definitely see him available on Sunday in Week 13.
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How Harris’ status progresses through the week will be key. If he can get back into practice, he will at least have a shot at playing. The Steelers’ season is hanging by a thread, so if he can play, it would not be a surprise to see the Steelers try and have him out there.
If Harris misses the game, then the attention turns to the combination of Jaylen Warren and Benny Snell. We saw Warren miss last week with a hamstring injury, so his status is one to watch. Whoever starts out of the two could have intriguing fantasy value this week against the Atlanta Falcons.
Jaylen Warren, PIT | Hamstring (FP)
The good news is that Warren has opened the week as a full participant at practice on Wednesday. He told reporters that he has been cleared by doctors and expects to play on Sunday. The fact Warren is straight back in as a full participant should also mean there are fewer concerns over him being limited in the game this week.
If Warren plays and Harris is out, then Warren will be a fascinating 12-team fantasy option. However, expect to see still the veteran option of Benny Snell involved a little, so the ceiling will not be as high as it otherwise could be.
Aaron Jones, GB | Shin/Glute (LP)
It appears to be a weekly tradition that Aaron Jones will be listed on the Green Bay Packers injury report as a limited participant. He spent all last week as limited and then carried no designation into the weekend. Until we hear otherwise, this is nothing for fantasy managers to be concerned about.
AJ Dillon, GB | Quad (LP)
It was a bit more of a surprise to see AJ Dillon listed as a limited participant to open practice on Wednesday. The Packers’ RB dealing with a quad injury is something that will be worth monitoring.
Initially, Dillon opening the week limited is a positive sign he should play Sunday, but it further clouds an already complicated picture when it comes to his fantasy value this week.
Raheem Mostert, MIA | Knee (LP)
There are two bits of good news on the Miami Dolphins Week 13 injury report. First, Raheem Mostert opened the week as a limited participant with his knee issue, opening the door for him to return. Mostert was a non-participant through the first two days last week and ultimately missed Sunday’s game.
The other bit of good news is that after leaving the game on Sunday with an ankle issue, Jeff Wilson Jr. does not have a status at all. Therefore, Wilson should be good to go, and Mostert has every chance to be active as well. The pair splitting touches could complicate the picture for fantasy managers.
Against their former team, both Mostert and Wilson will be desperate to prove themselves, but will either get enough touches to have secure fantasy value? Wilson has been the better of the two since arriving from the trade deadline, but if Mostert is fully healthy, he is also a dynamic runner.
If both are active, Wilson will have the slight edge, but Mostert could have Flex value in 14-team leagues as well. With both active, they will be risky starts against a good San Francisco 49ers defense.
Michael Carter, NYJ | Ankle (DNP)
After leaving Sunday’s game with an ankle injury, Michael Carter opened Week 13 as a non-participant in practice. The injury for Carter has been called a “low ankle” ailment, which is good news. High ankle sprains usually result in a prolonged absence of two to four weeks. However, low ankle issues can sometimes mean players escape without missing a game.
Even if Carter ends up playing this week, he could be heavily limited. Additionally, there would be a high risk of re-injury. It would be extremely tough to start him or anyone in this Jets’ backfield if he is active.
If Carter misses the game, then Zonovan Knight, who took over as the lead back last week, will likely be the next man up. However, if Carter is inactive, James Robinson will likely be active and could cut into Knight’s work. Whatever way you look at it, this backfield is going to be a messy one for fantasy managers.
J.K. Dobbins, BAL | Knee (N/A)
We will not see J.K. Dobbins on the Baltimore Ravens injury report this week as he is still on injured reserve. However, he returned to practice today, and his participation will be closely monitored by fantasy managers as he tries to return to the field for the second time this year.
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The Ravens have 21 days with which to activate Dobbins to the 53-man roster. Therefore, we may not see him back in game action until Week 16 if the Ravens decide to use all of that clock. Even if he ends up being activated this week, it would be tough to trust Dobbins to get on the field enough to have significant fantasy relevance.
Jerick McKinnon, KC | Hamstring (DNP)
We have seen Jerick McKinnon battling various injuries over recent weeks, but this hamstring issue might be the most serious. So far, McKinnon has not missed any time and has been a big part of this offense, but the Chiefs appear to be preparing as though he might miss some time.
The arrival of Melvin Gordon came with reports that he will be active soon, which seems odd given the Chiefs’ backfield. However, it makes much more sense if McKinnon is at risk of missing the game. The biggest winner if McKinnon misses time in Week 13 would be Isiah Pacheco, who could very well see his role in the passing game expand if Gordon is not fully up to speed in the offense.
