It’s always a challenge to navigate through injuries in fantasy football, and the WR position has several players dealing with issues right now. As the time to set Week 17 lineups is near, what are the latest fantasy injury updates on Ja’Marr Chase, Noah Brown, and Wan’Dale Robinson?
Latest News and Injury Updates Impacting Fantasy
Ja’Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
Editor’s note:Â Chase was seen participating in practice for the Bengals on Thursday.
It has not been fun rostering Chase this season. When everything is right with the world, Chase is easily a top-five fantasy WR. Unfortunately, there were very few weeks when everything was right this year.
Fantasy managers drafted Chase to average 20+ fantasy points per game. Sixteen points per game is roughly the WR1 threshold, and Chase has only hit that bar five times this season.
First, Chase’s season was held back by Joe Burrow’s balky calf. Then, things were finally getting right, and Burrow tore a ligament in his wrist, ending his season. Finally, when Chase and Jake Browning were looking like they were clicking, the talented WR suffered a sprained AC joint, knocking him out of his Week 15 game and costing him Week 16.
Unfortunately, when fantasy managers needed Chase the most, he wasn’t there. Now, as we look ahead to Week 17, Chase did not practice on Wednesday. Normally, this would be of no real bearing. However, Wednesday practices are very telling for players who missed the previous week due to injury.
With that said, a guy like Chase can play even if he only gets in one or two limited practices. In a spot like this, where the Bengals are clinging to playoff life, Chase will play if it is safe.
It is a little bit encouraging that Chase was active on a rehab field, going through some work. Although he was officially listed as a DNP, there is a difference between spending the entirety of practice in the locker room and getting in actual rehab work. The latter suggests Chase is nearing a return. There’s just no guarantee it will be in Week 17.
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I can confidently say Chase is not going to play if he can’t practice all week. We will need to see him at least get in one limited session by Friday if he’s going to have a chance to suit up.
If Chase can’t go, Tee Higgins will have the misfortune of being the Bengals’ WR1 against a Kansas City Chiefs defense that has been unforgiving to WR1s all season. Even so, he will remain a must-start player on volume alone.
Noah Brown, WR, Houston Texans
This season, Noah Brown has epitomized “all or nothing.” He has three games with 22+ fantasy points. When he’s not putting up elite WR1 numbers, though, he’s been a complete non-factor. There has been nothing in between.
Before we get to Brown’s production, he has to play football. Brown was limited at Wednesday’s practice with a knee issue.
While we don’t know the specifics of what Brown is dealing with, the limited session on a Wednesday is a positive sign for his chances of playing this week. Unless Brown surprisingly misses practice on Thursday or Friday, fantasy managers should expect him to play in a crucial divisional showdown against the Tennessee Titans, a team he put up 82 yards and a touchdown against just two weeks ago.
Brown is a boom-or-bust WR4 regardless this week, but the likelihood of him booming rather than busting would increase if C.J. Stroud is able to return.
Wan’Dale Robinson, WR, New York Giants
It feels like Wan’Dale Robinson is perpetually on the injury report. He made his season debut late recovering from a torn ACL. Since then, he’s dealt with multiple separate issues that have cost him practice reps. Fortunately, he has yet to miss a game.
Robinson’s newest ailment is evidently a quad issue that kept him limited at Wednesday’s practice. The good news is quad injuries are not overly concerning. It is most likely a bruise or a minor strain. Robinson’s limited status suggests he is not at risk of missing this Sunday’s home contest against the Los Angeles Rams.
Fantasy managers should not remove Robinson from their lineups based on this practice report. They should remove Robinson from their lineups because he is not a fantasy-relevant player.
Robinson has scored more than 6.7 fantasy points just once in his last six games. He’s hit double-digit fantasy points three times all season.
Tyrod Taylor resuming his role as the starting quarterback is definitely a boost for the Giants’ entire offense. However, it’s not enough to justify starting Robinson outside of the deepest of leagues.
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