Week 14 is finally here, and we are left to determine if the light at the end of the tunnel is hope and salvation, or the headlamps of an oncoming train. This marks the final week when teams are on bye in 2025 (Carolina, New England, San Francisco and the New York Giants), and rosters should be set to return to full strength for the playoff push. I’m hopeful that you were able to dodge and avoid anything cataclysmic to your rosters this season, and didn’t have too many shares of Malik Nabers, Tucker Kraft or Mike Evans.
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Fantasy Football Injuries to Know
From an injury perspective, Week 13 thankfully didn’t throw anything significant our way, but I’ve managed to round up the latest news from the blue medical tent and beat writer blurbs for everyone, just in case.
Here is a quick rundown of Week 13’s injury fallout and information that you’ll need to consider when making waiver wire claims.
Quarterback
Justin Herbert (QB – LAC)
I’ll start by tipping my cap to Herbert, as he managed to play through an injury to his non-throwing hand against Las Vegas, only missing a drive or two before returning with a glove and padding. Head coach Jim Harbaugh later revealed that he had sustained a broken bone in the hand, and he underwent surgery on Monday to correct it. The team currently has him listed as “day-to-day” before Week 14’s showdown against Philadelphia on Monday Night Football.
Fantasy Impact: Initially, I was worried that this injury would keep Herbert out of action for at least some time, but the team sounds hopeful that he can play through it. Did I mention that Herbert is one tough hombre? Los Angeles benefits from playing the final game of Week 14, but that does present an issue to fantasy managers, since if this turns into a “we will see how Herbert is faring in warmups prior to the game starting” situations and he is ruled out mere hours before gametime, they have nowhere to pivot. Trey Lance would be Herbert’s replacement, and his presence under center would represent a significant downgrade to all of the Chargers’ pass-catching options.
J.J. McCarthy (QB – MIN)
With McCarthy being placed into concussion protocol after taking a beating in Week 12, Minnesota opted to give Max Brosmer a try under center against Seattle on Sunday, and things went about as well as you’d expect. Brosmer passed for a mere 126 yards on 19 completions, was sacked four times, and threw four interceptions. Clearly the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. With McCarthy no longer experiencing concussion symptoms any longer, the team is confident that he will be able to pass through the protocol and return to action against the Washington Commanders at home on Sunday.
Fantasy Impact: McCarthy currently sits on a dismal 6:10 TD:INT ratio, and has looked utterly lost when provided playing time. His athletic ability will allow him to at least scramble and pick up rushing yards in a pinch, but his poor decision-making and accuracy issues leave much to be desired. At least “JJMC” will try to get the ball to Jordan Addison and Justin Jefferson, something that Brosmer struggled with in his lone start. McCarthy is a streamable pivot this week, but nothing more.
Running Back
Aaron Jones Sr. (RB – MIN)
During the third quarter in Sunday’s beatdown against Seattle, Jones sustained a shoulder injury and fumbled the ball after a nasty hit. Unable to return to the game, Jordan Mason handled backfield duties for the remainder of the contest. Jones has been struggling with this shoulder issue since Week 10, and it appears to be a pain-management issue at this point. ESPN’s Adam Schefter said that Minnesota is currently calling Jones “day-to-day.” Given Jones’ age and the fact that the Vikings are all but out of playoff contention, it makes sense for the team to allow him a week’s rest at this point in the season.
Fantasy Impact: If Jones misses Week 14 against Washington, we’d expect Mason to handle the lion’s share of backfield work against the Commanders. Mason flourished with the feature role earlier this year from Weeks 1-7, but has been mired in a committee situation ever since. The Commanders surrender the sixth-most rushing yards per contest in the league, so this is an above-average matchup to exploit.
Omarion Hampton (RB – LAC)
Hampton had his 21-day practice window opened last Tuesday, but was unable to log a full practice during his ramp-up period. The team has expressed optimism for his return in Week 14 against Philadelphia, and has to be satisfied with the job that Kimani Vidal has done in his stead. Managers should keep an eye on practice reports early in the week to see if Hampton sheds his non-contact jersey and is able to log a full session.
Fantasy Impact: One of this season’s most electric rookies coming out of the draft, Hampton has been sidelined since Week 5, dealing with an ankle issue. Should he return we’d expect Los Angeles to ease him back into action, rather than immediately handing him 20-25 touches out the gate. Hampton is a phenomenal short-yardage back with sure hands, and will be facing an Eagles team that was just gashed on the ground by Chicago last week.
Trey Benson (RB – ARI)
The Arizona backfield has been an absolute mess in 2025, with both Benson and veteran James Conner missing the majority of the season. Out of action since Week 4, Benson’s practice window was opened, and he managed to get in a limited session last Wednesday, before being absent later on due to “maintenance” concerns. Head coach Jonathan Gannon reported last week that Benson was considered “day-to-day”, and he has a chance of suiting up this weekend against the Los Angeles Rams.
Fantasy Impact: Arizona has implemented a committee approach over the last few weeks, rotating through Bam Knight, Emari Demercado, and Michael Carter. If Benson were to return to action against the Rams, he would fall into the “upside RB2” area in my rankings, given Arizona’s ability to move the ball downfield behind Jacoby Brissett. I’d still expect him to initially split carries his first weekend back.
Dylan Sampson (RB – CLE)
Sampson was removed during the third quarter against San Francisco after sustaining a calf strain and was unable to return to the game. Cleveland’s head coach, Kevin Stefanski, said later on Monday that his status is “day-to-day”, and it sounds like he avoided a serious injury.
Fantasy Impact: Sampson wasn’t likely to crack many lineups regardless, but it never hurts to be thorough when sifting through weekly injuries. Should he be able to play through the strain, he would continue his role as the pass-catching back for the Browns, handling leftover work from starter Quinshon Judkins. If he is forced to miss any time, we’d expect veteran Jerome Ford to assume the duty instead.
Wide Receiver
Amon-Ra St. Brown (WR – DET)
“ARSB” had his legs rolled up by two Detroit linemen on Thuersday during the first quarter, and was unable to return to the game. For those who aren’t familiar with his history, ARSB is one of the toughest receivers in the league, and if he was unable to play through the pain, it must have been severe. Thankfully, head coach Dan Campbell said that the low-ankle sprain he suffered wouldn’t require placing the star receiver on the IR, but that he did expect him to miss some time.
Fantasy Impact: Given the fact that Detroit plays on Thursday against Dallas, we’d be absolutely shocked to see ARSB back on the field after the quick turnaround, and a return in Week 15 against the Los Angeles Rams was more realistic. Should he be held out, Jameson Williams would benefit the most from a significant bump in targets, with rookie Isaac TeSlaa fielding more snaps and entering FLEX discussion in deeper formats.
Marvin Harrison Jr. (WR – ARI)
Boy, this guy can’t catch a break. After missing two games following emergency appendectomy surgery, Harrison Jr. returned for Sunday against Tampa Bay. During the second half he came up lame on a passing target, hopping around on one foot on the sidelines. An insert was placed into his cleats to help him feel better, but he was later pulled from the contest. Head coach Jonathan Gannon stated on Monday that he is dealing with a heel injury, and further evaluation was necessary.
Fantasy Impact: Harrison Jr.’s status for Week 14 is murky at best, but I’d currently lean towards him missing the game against Los Angeles if I was a betting person. If that is the case, Michael Wilson would handle the No.1 role again, with Greg Dortch and Xavier Weaver picking up additional targets. Wilson thrived in Harrison’s absence earlier, catching 25 passes for 303 yards over a two-week span.
Parker Washington (WR – JAC)
After catching one of his three targets for 26 yards against Tennessee, Washington was pulled from action with a hip injury and missed the remainder of the game. No further information is currently available regarding the severity of the injury, or a designation for his status.
Fantasy Impact: With Washington out of action in Week 13, Jakobi Meyers exploded with six receptions for 90 yards and a touchdown against the Titans. The team has been oddly quiet about his status, which leads me to believe he could be held out of action during Week 14 against Indianapolis. With Brian Thomas Jr. and Dyami Brown back at full health, we’d anticipate quarterback Trevor Lawrence to spread the ball around in Washington’s absence. Brown or Tim Patrick would see the biggest bump in looks.
Tight End
Dalton Kincaid (TE – BUF)
Buffalo’s offense has looked out of sorts since Kincaid left in Week 10 with a hamstring injury, as the Bills don’t have an alpha receiving option to fall back upon in times of need. Thankfully, after logging limited practices on Thursday and Friday of last week (before eventually being ruled out), we’d expect Kincaid to make his return in Week 14 against Cincinnati.
Fantasy Impact: There are few impactful players at the tight end position, so getting Kincaid back on the field represents a significant return for Buffalo. Veteran Dawson Knox is a capable enough receiver with steady hands, but isn’t particularly explosive after the catch, nor can he separate from defenders with the same ease as Kincaid. Given the extremely advantageous matchup against a Bengals secondary that is allowing the most passing yards per game in the NFL, Kincaid would be ranked as a must-start option on his return.
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