This article is part of our Injury Analysis series.
The Tampa Bay tight end was not able to make his return to New England in the team's win over the Patriots. Gronk was sidelined by a significant rib injury sustained in Week 3. The final diagnosis was multiple rib contusions, including at least one fracture, and a punctured lung. I have detailed rib injuries multiple times this season as they appear to be this year's "trendy" ailment. However, very few of these issues have included underlying organ damage.
The lungs sit below the rib cage and are integral to breathing. The pair of organs is protected by the ribs and a double-layered membrane known as the pleura. However, even these various lines of protection can fail if a high enough force is applied, like with a direct blow and/or a perforation. Occasionally when a rib breaks, it is forced backward through the pleura. Since the fluid-filled pleura helps maintain the pressure of the cavity, the involved lung collapses as air makes its way into the area. This is clinically known as a pneumothorax and results in difficulty breathing and pain.
While any injury involving a vital organ should be considered serious, a collapsed lung often heals nicely. Oddly enough, Gronk does have a history of lung injuries, having suffered a pulmonary contusion (bruised lung) during the 2016 season. He missed just one game following that incident but is expected to miss at least one more week recovering with a Week 6 return likely. In the meantime, Cameron
The Tampa Bay tight end was not able to make his return to New England in the team's win over the Patriots. Gronk was sidelined by a significant rib injury sustained in Week 3. The final diagnosis was multiple rib contusions, including at least one fracture, and a punctured lung. I have detailed rib injuries multiple times this season as they appear to be this year's "trendy" ailment. However, very few of these issues have included underlying organ damage.
The lungs sit below the rib cage and are integral to breathing. The pair of organs is protected by the ribs and a double-layered membrane known as the pleura. However, even these various lines of protection can fail if a high enough force is applied, like with a direct blow and/or a perforation. Occasionally when a rib breaks, it is forced backward through the pleura. Since the fluid-filled pleura helps maintain the pressure of the cavity, the involved lung collapses as air makes its way into the area. This is clinically known as a pneumothorax and results in difficulty breathing and pain.
While any injury involving a vital organ should be considered serious, a collapsed lung often heals nicely. Oddly enough, Gronk does have a history of lung injuries, having suffered a pulmonary contusion (bruised lung) during the 2016 season. He missed just one game following that incident but is expected to miss at least one more week recovering with a Week 6 return likely. In the meantime, Cameron Brate becomes the feature tight end in Tampa Bay, though his Week 4 productivity left a lot to be desire. Brate finished with two receptions for 29 yards despite being targeted six times.
The Panthers running back is progressing in his recovery from a strained hamstring and could return ahead of schedule. He hopes to return to practice by midweek and receive clearance to play Sunday against the Eagles. While it would be nice to have the fantasy friendly McCaffrey back in action, hamstring injuries are notoriously fickle and easily re-injured or aggravated if a player returns prematurely. His ceiling is too high to consider benching him against the Eagles, but scale back your expectations until he proves he's 100 percent. The same could be said for Pittsburgh receiver Chase Claypool who's hamstring injury also kept him out for Week 4. Claypool was a late addition to the injury report last week but will try to return to practice on Wednesday.
Turf Burns
Teddy Bridgewater: The Denver quarterback is in the league's mandated concussion protocol after suffering the head injury on Sunday. He does have a history of concussions, having sustained one back in 2015. The effects of concussions are cumulative, meaning he may experience longer-lasting or more significant symptoms this time around. Drew Lock would start at quarterback for the Broncos should Bridgewater fail to complete the protocol in time.
DJ Chark: The Jaguars wide receiver could be done for the year after suffering a broken ankle on Thursday night. He has been placed on the IR, and surgery remains a possibility. He likely suffered a distal fibula fracture that may need to be plated to stabilize. Any possible ligament damage would be addressed at that time. Marvin Jones and Laviska Shenault will become the top receivers for Jacksonville moving forward.
Jimmy Garoppolo: After it was initially believed Jimmy G would miss multiple weeks with a calf injury, there's growing optimism that he could play in Week 5. Garoppolo suffered a calf contusion, not a strain, and could realistically play if the associated symptoms subside. However, some symptoms like swelling could resurface with exertion, and his status may come down to a game-time decision. Trey Lance would start at quarterback should Garoppolo miss time.
A.J. Brown and Julio Jones: The aerial duo for the Titans was grounded in Week 4 due to hamstring injuries. The pair will remain limited in the week ahead, with a decision hopefully coming before the weekend. Receivers put an extreme amount of stress on and through the hamstring muscle group based on the demands of the position. As a result, they often need substantial time to move past these types of injuries. Don't count on them for Week 5.
Joe Mixon: Mixon is currently considered day-to-day after suffering a low-grade lateral ankle sprain. Thankfully he avoided the dreaded high ankle sprain, and it seems likely he plays against the Packers, even if the team limits his workload in this week's practices. Samaje Perine and Chris Evans will move up the depth chart should Mixon suffer a setback or be unable to play.
David Montgomery: The Bears running back is expected to miss four-to-five weeks after suffering a knee sprain in Chicago's win over Detroit. The specific ligament involved has yet to be revealed, but for now it sounds like he will not need surgical intervention for the issue. Damien Williams is in line to become the feature back in Chicago but is dealing with a minor injury of his own. Williams has a thigh contusion and could be limited in the week ahead. Williams finished Sunday's win with 10 carries for 70 yards and a touchdown.
Ben Roethlisberger: The Steelers quarterback is dealing with two nagging injuries. He has been managing a left pectoral injury for several weeks but is now tending to a hip injury. Pittsburgh has been relatively tight-lipped regarding specifics but have not suggested Big Ben will miss time. However, he's been a disappointment through the first quarter of the season, averaging 258 passing yards a game while tossing four touchdowns to four interceptions. Fantasy managers still clinging to hope for a rebound should use these injuries as an excuse to look elsewhere.
Logan Thomas: The Washington Football Team will be without the services of Thomas after the tight end suffered a hamstring strain. The team did not reveal the severity of the strain or give a firm timetable about a possible return to play. They did label him as "week-to-week," suggesting the injury is more than a mild or Grade 1 strain. Thomas does have a short history of hamstring problems, having suffered a Grade 2 strain in 2018. Ricky Seals-Jones will see an uptick in usage with Thomas sidelined.
