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Fantasy Football Week 11 Injury Updates

Fantasy Football Week 11 Injury Updates
Will Alshon Jeffery be able to play through injuries once again?

Will Alshon Jeffery be able to play through injuries once again?

Are last-minute injury decisions ruining your fantasy lineup every week? The Jocs and Docs Show is here to help. Not only are we going to break down the biggest injury question marks every week but we are also going to give you insight on who is likely to sit and who you can pick up to bolster your lineup.

This week we show our thanks to our great followers by comparing Week 11 questionables to our favorite Thanksgiving dishes. Gather up the cranberry and yams and dig in!

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Marshawn Lynch (Mashed Potatoes and Gravy)

Docs: Dr. Khalid

Although Marshawn Lynch has been recovering from an abdominal injury in the past few weeks, he has been playing through the pain. The biggest medical concern for Lynch at this time would be the possibility that he will develop a sports hernia, an injury that usually requires invasive surgery. However, if Lynch was scheduled to have surgery anytime soon, we would have heard about it by now. The normal recovery time for a sports hernia operation is about six weeks, delaying Lynch’s return until the start of the playoffs. Nonetheless, Lynch seems to be playing through the injury even though he did not seem to be on top of his game last week.

In addition to that, Lynch hasn’t practiced this week either, which is not surprising given the fact that he needs to be resting. Two to three days is not enough time to heal such an injury, and I would expect him to still be hampered by the ailment given that at this point, he has not had sufficient time to heal. I could also see Lynch splitting more carries with Thomas Rawls and Fred Jackson because his injuries. All in all, it looks like Lynch will play this week, but his athletic capabilities will surely be limited. Just like mashed potatoes and gravy, a stalwart of any thanksgiving feast, Lynch has been an RB1 stalwart for a football eternity. However, sometimes you just want something more, which is why Lynch moving forward will be like mashed potatoes and gravy. Just a side.  

Jocs: Adi

Well, the positives are Lynch averaged over 5.0 yards a carry and had two-thirds of all the Seahawks rushing attempts last week against Arizona. The reality is that it was 52 yards on eight carries out of a team total of 12 carries. This week the matchup is considerably more favorable, as the Seahawks are going up against the 49ers. However, this won’t play into Lynch’s favor because his team won’t really need him to win this game. Look for him to be rested as soon as the game is in hand. He may get a touchdown before it’s all said and done, but I don’t see him gaining more than 60 yards.  

Alshon Jeffery (Cranberry Sauce)

Docs: Dr. Khalid

Alshon Jeffery is a frequent flier on this article who is braving the Thanksgiving airport mess this week to make another appearance. This time, we can add a shoulder injury to his long list of groin, calf, and hamstring injuries. The damage just does not seem to be stopping for Jeffery this season. As a result of his injuries, he was held out of practice Thursday. But this is not surprising whatsoever, as he needs time to heal his numerous muscle injuries. Luckily, none of his injuries are serious. Rather, they are natural consequences of a heavy season.

Jeffery missed practice last Friday as well and still played, but he is looking less likely to play on Sunday given the following week will be short due to the team’s upcoming trip to Green Bay for Thanksgiving. I give Alshon a 40% chance of playing this Sunday.

Alshon is like cranberry sauce because he is the side that gets the whole feast going with his chemistry. Often when I introduce my foreign friends to a Thanksgiving meal they often marvel at how cranberry sauce fits in with the rest of the dishes. However, as any true American knows, it ain’t a proper turkey day without that cranberry! Some things are better left unexplained.

Jocs: Aman

With Alshon Jeffery, Eddie Royal, and Matt Forte all likely to be out this week, who will the Bears rely on against a stellar defense? Martellus Bennett has been rather quiet these past few weeks. Marquess Wilson has stepped up admirably, but against the Broncos’ secondary, his chances of production are bleak. I strongly believe that Jeremy Langford will step up to be the man. Langford is able to effectively run through the tackles, excellently catch the ball, and use his 4.38 speed to beat defenders. He’s the total package. Look forward to Langford giving us a big game this week.

Tony Romo (The Turkey)

Docs: Dr. Khalid

Tony Romo went somewhat against a modern medical trend by deciding not to undergo surgery to fix his clavicle fracture in Week 2. Romo has had a full nine weeks to recover from that injury, so I do not expect any issues with his shoulder. At this point, his shoulder bone should be completely healed. He has also had enough time to practice and recover his conditioning. Although there is a slight risk of re-injury, it is not significant enough to hold Romo back.

Usually, bones take multiple months to heal to 100% after a fracture, but they can be strong enough to withstand hits well before reaching that point. I don’t think Romo will have any issues with his clavicle this week. Expect Romo to return and not miss a beat.

Romo is the premier player on America’s team. He is the turkey. A side may be bad (Bryant) or surprisingly good (McFadden). But, without a great turkey there is no feast. Romo is that turkey. He brings the family to the table.

Jocs: Aman

Tony Romo will come back in full-on desperation mode. With him, playoff hopes come back to the Cowboys. In the time that Romo was gone the Cowboys were not totally as useless as their record indicates. The Cowboys gained their most valuable WR, Dez Bryant, from injury and have finally established the run, through Darren McFadden and the best offensive line in football. Romo should have no trouble returning to his usual fantasy stardom since he has all the tools to be a successful quarterback. Dial Romo in against the 4-5 Dolphins, and expect some magic.

DeAndre Hopkins (Grocery Store Bought Pumpkin Pie)

Docs: Dr. Khalid

DeAndre Hopkins reportedly has missed Wednesday and Thursday practice with an unknown knee injury. This could be a multitude of things from a bruise around the knee to a minor knee sprain. However, he has stated that his knee is 100% and his coach has stated that he will be a go come Sunday. At this point, this is all we have to go on. There is no reason to believe that he won’t play and be effective. Just like grocery store bought pumpkin pie, he needs little preparation but can be expected to deliver. The best part is the in-laws will never realize it came from such an average place (the Houston offense).  

Jocs: Adi

Those of us from Houston have known for two years that Hopkins, aka Nuk, was an elite receiver. He is officially one of the few quarterback-proof wide receivers in the league. Even though he isn’t practicing, he is at near 100% health. Nuk is a must-start every week, as he is essentially the sole source of offense on a decrepit Texans’ attack. With a one-way ticket to Revis Island coming up this weekend, Hopkins will have his platform to show the league that he may just be the best wide receiver around.  

Malcom Floyd: (The Stuffing)

Docs: Dr. Khalid

In last Monday’s game against the Bears, Malcom Floyd suffered what looked to be a dislocated shoulder. Although it was never confirmed, you could see from the video that his athletic trainers were attempting to put his shoulder back in while he was laying on the ground. The worry with shoulder dislocations is always the amount of damage to the surrounding labrum and glenoid. Unfortunately, Floyd does have a labral tear. This injury usually requires surgery and a six- to eight-month recovery. Floyd has decided to forego surgery and play through his injury.

There are numerous questions that arise as a result of his decision. Can he play with a labral tear? Yes. Will it hurt? Yes. Is he at risk of further damage to the shoulder? Absolutely. While you cannot doubt Floyd’s passion, he is at risk of further damage to his shoulder joint that could cause significant issues later in his life. Also, it is not easy to play with a labral tear. He is still not practicing and there is no doubt that the pain in the shoulder will become difficult to deal with as time goes on. I don’t think we’ll see Floyd this week, and his effectiveness for the rest of the season is a serious question.

Quite simply put, Floyd is the stuffing. He is the tried and tested dish that packs the carbs and builds the feast. Just like stuffing, which always delivers, Floyd can be counted on to put the team on his back when needed.

Jocs: Adi

It has not been a good season for the Chargers’ receiving corps. After the Keenan Allen injury, the last thing the Chargers needed was for their wily veteran to get injured. However, if there is one thing I’ve learned in life it is never to count out a man on a mission much bigger than himself. Floyd is playing for one last shot at glory with one more chance to build his legacy. I’m not going to put it past him. If you see your competitors dropping him and have a bench spot or a dire need at wide receiver I would definitely pick him up. While he may not be able to go this week, I’m intrigued as to what he offers going forward. We all know Philip Rivers is going to throw a lot, and with the other injuries surrounding him Floyd may be able to get his last run at fantasy glory after all.  

The views of this show are strictly our own personal opinions and are in no way affiliated with any institution or any of our employers. All medical knowledge expressed is solely based off our own knowledge and no private patient information was obtained or used to formulate these opinions.

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Asad Khalid, M.D., Jie Chen, M.D., and Rob Williams, M.D. are orthopedic surgeons and sports maniacs at heart. Aman Khalid and Aditya Patel are law students and former “athletes.” Follow the show @jocsanddocs and listen to them on iTunes.

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