Playing on Monday night in Week 5 gives Cam Newton one more day to recover from his concussion

Admittedly, every week is going to seem like a slow injury week after we endured Week 2. But Week 4 gave us another reason to count our lucky stars, as not too many players were lost to training tables and MRI tubes.

It wasn’t all horseshoes and four-leaf clovers, though. Let’s take a look at who’s okay, who might be fine, who’s going to miss some time and who you should target as a replacement.

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Quarterbacks

Cam Newton (CAR): concussion
Newton slowed to a stroll when scoring a two-point conversion, which led to a concussion and an early exit. Concussions are unpredictable, and there’s no way of knowing if Newton will be ready to go. The good news is the Panthers play Monday next week so he’ll have an extra day to get ready.

The bad news is, well, the Panthers play Monday next week. If the Panthers give us the “you’ll know when we know” song-and-dance that usually accompanies concussions, Newton will be a game-time decision. You may want to play it safe and start someone who plays on Sunday.

Next up: Derek Anderson

If you don’t want to do that, you could always try to roster Jameis Winston or Derek Anderson and plug them in if Newton is out. Anderson had 172 passing yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions in relief of Cam.

Carson Palmer (ARI): concussion
The hits keep coming for the surprisingly 1-3 Cardinals. Like Newton, there’s no way of knowing when exactly Palmer will be fully healed. The difference is the Cardinals play Thursday night, so it would be a surprise to see him play against the 49ers.

Next up: Drew Stanton

Stanton was pretty brutal in his brief cameo. He threw 11 passes and had 37 yards and two interceptions to show for them. You’ve probably got a better option on the waiver wire.

Trevor Siemian (DEN): AC joint sprain
Siemian left in the middle of the second quarter on a cart, which was a bit puzzling considering it was a shoulder injury. Luckily, it was his non-throwing shoulder. He should play next week.

Next up: Paxton Lynch

Lynch played pretty well, though he didn’t have to do much with Denver’s defense shutting Tampa out after the first quarter. It was a decent debut, as he showed that he at least wouldn’t hurt the value of the weapons around him.

Running Backs

Matt Forte (NYJ): undisclosed injury
Forte left the field on a cart, but there was no indication of the location or severity of the injury.

Next up: Bilal Powell

Powell played well even before Forte went down. He turned 10 touches (four rushes, six receptions) into 80 yards and saw nine total targets, meaning he should be on your radar in PPR leagues regardless of Forte’s status. He’s a high-value handcuff with flex appeal if you’re in a pinch.

Wide Receivers

Eric Decker (NYJ): partially-torn rotator cuff
Decker is “week-to-week” since we don’t know how severe the tear is. He could be back next week, but he could also require season-ending surgery. He’s not on injured reserve yet, so there must be at least some optimism that he’ll be able to return in the next few weeks.

Next up: Quincy Enunwa

Enunwa has been good but not great so far. He has a decent floor with a much higher ceiling as long as Decker is out. In his defense, he’s had some tough matchups, so it’s possible we haven’t seen the best of him yet.

Kevin White (CHI): undisclosed ankle injury
White left the game in the third quarter and didn’t return. He’s scheduled for an MRI, but we won’t know the results until Wednesday. He was supposedly in a lot of pain.

Next up: Eddie Royal

Royal caught all seven of his targets for 111 yards and a touchdown, but he has a long, storied history of boom games between four bust games. He’s worth a pickup if you’re desperate, but don’t be surprised if he follows up his excellent performance with a no-show.

Reexaminations

Quarterbacks

Russell Wilson (SEA)
There were worries that Wilson would struggle this week since he was playing with a sprained MCL and a high-ankle sprain. Naturally, he had his best game of the season. He should be back to normal after Seattle’s bye.

Jacoby Brissett (NE)
Though he managed to suit up, the Patriots were shut out for the first time in the Bill Belichick era. Tom Brady is back next week, so what little value Brissett had is gone.

Running Backs

Jamaal Charles (KC)
He’s back! At long last! The slowest-healing ACL of the millennium is back to normal! Well, maybe.

He only got two carries for seven yards. Hopefully, he’ll be his old self after Kansas City’s bye.

Wide Receivers

Dez Bryant (DAL)
Bryant didn’t play and could miss another week. Let’s hope all of the national hatred doesn’t exacerbate his injury.

Willie Snead (NO)
Snead played this week but was a non-factor against San Diego. He saw just one target, but he played 49 snaps.

Tight Ends

Zach Ertz (PHI)
Ertz has been cleared and will play against the Lions on Sunday.

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Derek Norton is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from Derek, visit his archive or follow him on Twitter @mdereknorton.