D’Andre Swift’s recent injury issues have resulted in a frustrating few weeks for fantasy football managers. With Swift now managing a shoulder injury following an earlier ankle issue, his status for Week 5 remains up in the air. Let’s examine the latest injury updates and what it all means for fantasy managers this week.
D’Andre Swift Injury Update for Week 5
It never looked like Swift was going to be in a position to suit up last week. Entering Week 5, there appears to be a touch more optimism from Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell, as he said Swift and wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown are both feeling better to open the week.
Neither of them took to the practice field on Wednesday, making it four straight days without practice for Swift. It will be important to see Swift progress during the week if there’s to be any hope of him playing come Sunday. After the injury, Campbell made reference to Swift being out through Detroit’s bye. That falls on Week 6, so that would mean Swift could sit out one more game and be back for Week 7.
That would mean fantasy managers could face two more weeks without Swift in starting lineups. Then again, if you have Swift on your roster, you’d probably prefer he get back to full health than have him rushed out in a limited fashion and potentially aggravate the injury.
What Does Swift’s Injury Mean for Fantasy Managers?
You might be able to buy low on Swift this week if his fantasy manager is panicking. If his manager is 1-3 or 0-4, they may not have the luxury of waiting two more weeks to get Swift back. Swift managers may be looking to sell him now to get a usable asset for the short term.
If your roster is in a situation such that you can afford to acquire and stash Swift, it could be wise to make a move and hope it pays off long-term. We know how electric Swift is, even when limited. There is little doubt that when Swift is on the field, he can produce, so taking advantage of your league-mates’ concerns regarding when he will be back and acquiring him now is a prudent option.
Elsewhere, this is good news for the fantasy managers of Jamaal Williams. With Swift out or limited over the past two weeks, Williams has averaged 19.5 rushing attempts and 2.5 targets. He is the clear leader of the Lions backfield without Swift and continues to see the entirety of the goal line work. That combination gives Williams a huge ceiling for Week 5. With Swift potentially back for Week 7 and the Lions on bye in Week 6, this might be the final week that Williams is a no-questions-asked, plug-and-play option.
Behind Williams, there is no real fantasy value to be found. Craig Reynolds touched the ball just three times in Week 4 and Justin Jackson four times. Neither has any real value in that role. With Swift expected back soon, neither is a necessary stash at this point.