Detroit prepares for their Week 14 Thursday Night Football showdown against the Dallas Cowboys following their disappointing Thanksgiving loss to divisional rival Green Bay. Amon-Ra St. Brown exited in the first quarter with a low-ankle sprain and did not return. How long will fantasy football managers be without their star wide receiver?
Amon-Ra St. Brown Injury Update
St. Brown got rolled up on while blocking on a run play during Detroit’s second offensive drive on Thanksgiving. The injury occurred with 6:19 remaining in the first quarter when offensive lineman Kayode Awosika inadvertently rolled onto St. Brown’s right ankle from behind during a rushing attempt by Jahmyr Gibbs.
St. Brown remained on the turf for several minutes while trainers evaluated him. He eventually got up and walked off the field under his own power, heading straight to the locker room. The Lions initially listed him as questionable to return with an ankle injury, but it didn’t take long for news to break that he wouldn’t be returning to the field.
After the game, head coach Dan Campbell provided an encouraging assessment. Campbell indicated that while St. Brown did not suffer a severe injury, the veteran receiver would likely miss some time. “So that’s the positive aspect, but it doesn’t imply that he won’t be out for possibly a week or two, if we’re fortunate,” Campbell commented regarding St. Brown’s condition.
Campbell obviously isn’t a doctor, but he’s got all of the information and was transparent with the meida, a good sign for our purposes when it comes to gauging when we will have his services again.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported that St. Brown has a low ankle sprain. This represents the best-case scenario given the concerning nature of how the injury occurred. The low ankle sprain diagnosis is far better than the high ankle sprain that many feared when watching the replay. High ankle sprains typically require 4-6 weeks of recovery, while low ankle sprains can heal in 1-3 weeks depending on severity.
On Tuesday, Tim Twentyman reported the following: “Just talked to Amon-Ra St. Brown and he said it’s still up in air if he’s able to play Thursday vs. Dallas. The ankle is getting better but him playing will depend on if he feels he can stop and cut like he needs to. He said every day ankle has gotten better. Will hopefully take to Thursday before deciding.”
This is a very encouraging update. He missed practice the next day and will enter this game listed as a gametime decision. It should be noted that this Thursday night game isn’t like most with both teams operating on full rest after playing last Thursday.
That said, the Lions get an extended week before heading to Los Angeles to face the Rams next Sunday.
As much as the Lions need this game, though, it’s unlikely they will push him back in one week unless the team is sure it is safe to do. What this does mean is it’s much more likely St. Brown only misses one week, rather than two and that’s a net win for where we stood last week.
Given that the injury occurred on a Thursday, St. Brown will have the benefit of extra time to recover ahead of Week 15. There’s a good chance he could play in Week 15, the first week of the fantasy postseason in standard leagues. The latest he should return is Week 16 (vs. Steelers), which would give him nearly three full weeks of recovery.
Both the Lions and fantasy managers alike need St. Brown back on the field. The fantasy playoffs are coming up, and the Lions are fighting to secure a postseason berth. That makes it more likely they let St. Brown play even if he is not quite 100% healthy, especially given their playoff positioning.
St. Brown’s Fantasy Outlook
This is a tough situation for fantasy managers navigating the critical final weeks of the season. If you’re locked into a first-round bye, this is actually manageable news. St. Brown should be back by Week 16 at the latest, which is when you would need him for the semifinals.
However, there are undoubtedly many fantasy managers who need to win to make the playoffs or who are in the playoffs without a bye and need to compete in Week 15. Unfortunately, you will likely have to go without St. Brown for at least Week 14, and possibly Week 15 as well.
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You will likely see Isaac TeSlaa’s name pop up as a potential replacement on waiver wires. Don’t fall for it. TeSlaa was a hot sleeper candidate in August on the heels of a big preseason showing, but there has been no deliberate effort to get him on the field during the regular season despite opportunities.
Even though TeSlaa ran just one fewer route than Jameson Williams on Thanksgiving, he saw only two targets compared to Tom Kennedy’s four. The coaching staff has shown no indication they view TeSlaa as a significant part of the offensive game plan with or without St. Brown.
The main impact of St. Brown being out is that fantasy managers will see Jahmyr Gibbs operate as a pure wide receiver more frequently. Gibbs’ receiving role should expand to help fill the void left by St. Brown’s absence. Additionally, Williams becomes a much more stable weekly option with increased target share.
Williams posted seven catches for 144 yards and a touchdown after St. Brown exited on Thanksgiving against Green Bay. That type of volume should continue as long as St. Brown remains sidelined, elevating Williams into WR2 territory for fantasy purposes with upside that could land him in the top 10.
Monitor practice reports next week closely as kickoff nears. If the Lions make a surprise decision, a limited St. Brown is still a viable WR3/flex option. Inactives will be announced by 7:00 PM EST on Thursday night.
