This article is part of our Injury Analysis series.
The big news out of Week 9 is centered around the Bills quarterback and his throwing elbow. Allen injured the joint near the end of Buffalo's loss to New York and was undergoing testing late Monday. Reports have surfaced that the injury involves Allen's ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) and the nearby ulnar nerve.
The UCL is commonly injured in professional sports, most notably baseball. Pitchers are notably susceptible to the injury, with severe UCL tears requiring the infamous Tommy John procedure. The UCL's location on the medial elbow is the primary reason the ligament is so frequently damaged. The area is highly stressed when delivering an overhead pitch and can fail if the stress is too much or if continuous stress is repeatedly applied over time.
The associated recovery for Tommy John is a lengthy one for pitchers but, the mechanics for throwing a football and baseball vary enough that the injury occurs less frequently in football. Furthermore, quarterbacks are often able to come back quicker than baseball players from UCL-related injuries. As a result, quarterbacks are more likely to receive and respond to conservative treatment options like rehab and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections.
Still, former quarterbacks Ben Roethlisberger and Carson Palmer lost major chunks of various seasons after suffering significant UCL injuries. Allen is no stranger to UCL injuries, having missed four games during his rookie season with a sprain of the same elbow. He avoided surgery then, and there is hope he can do the same
The big news out of Week 9 is centered around the Bills quarterback and his throwing elbow. Allen injured the joint near the end of Buffalo's loss to New York and was undergoing testing late Monday. Reports have surfaced that the injury involves Allen's ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) and the nearby ulnar nerve.
The UCL is commonly injured in professional sports, most notably baseball. Pitchers are notably susceptible to the injury, with severe UCL tears requiring the infamous Tommy John procedure. The UCL's location on the medial elbow is the primary reason the ligament is so frequently damaged. The area is highly stressed when delivering an overhead pitch and can fail if the stress is too much or if continuous stress is repeatedly applied over time.
The associated recovery for Tommy John is a lengthy one for pitchers but, the mechanics for throwing a football and baseball vary enough that the injury occurs less frequently in football. Furthermore, quarterbacks are often able to come back quicker than baseball players from UCL-related injuries. As a result, quarterbacks are more likely to receive and respond to conservative treatment options like rehab and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections.
Still, former quarterbacks Ben Roethlisberger and Carson Palmer lost major chunks of various seasons after suffering significant UCL injuries. Allen is no stranger to UCL injuries, having missed four games during his rookie season with a sprain of the same elbow. He avoided surgery then, and there is hope he can do the same again.
To complicate the problem Allen is also managing associated issues with the ulnar nerve. The ulnar nerve runs through an area known as the cubital tunnel, located below the attachment site of the UCL and several other muscles and ligaments. Mild injuries to the area are relatively common when the elbow is irritated; we just call it hitting your "funny bone." However, that resulting tingling sensation isn't bone but the vulnerable ulnar nerve.
The ligament injury is likely the bigger concern of the two as it impacts stability of the joint. A multi-week absence isn't out of the question, though specifics should trickle out in the coming days. Those invested in Allen should prepare for at least a week lost.
The Packers running back was removed from Sunday's loss to the Lions after suffering a mild ankle sprain. While he did not return to the game after the injury occurred, Jones suggested Monday the decision was purely a precautionary one. Testing on the joint seemed to validate the approach, as X-rays and additional tests were negative for any significant structural damage. Jones is expected to play in Week 10 against the Cowboys, though the team could opt to give AJ Dillon a few more carries to safely manage Jones' workload.
Jones' rookie teammate wasn't quite as lucky as the receiver is expected to miss time with a high ankle sprain. The team is reportedly considering using the injured reserve, meaning he would not return to action until after Green Bay's Week 14 bye. High ankle sprains have been a multi-week injury all season, so the approach will at least provide a bit of clarity for fantasy managers.
Turf Burns
Ezekiel Elliott: The Cowboys running back did not practice Monday but hopes to return to practice at some point this week. Elliott missed Week 8 with a Grade 2 medial collateral ligament (MCL) sprain in his knee but did report improvement after a Week 9 bye. However, Tony Pollard's success may buy Elliott another week of recovery or eat into this workload if he is cleared to return. Furthermore, it is worth mentioning that Elliott's productivity during the 2021 season took a significant dip following a sprained knee. While that injury involved the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), it is hard to imagine Elliott being an overly reliable fantasy option for the week ahead. Consider other options here even if he can suit up.
David Njoku: The Browns tight end plans on returning to the field Sunday against the Dolphins after missing one week with a high ankle sprain. Njoku benefited from an extra week with a well-timed bye and will be a welcome addition to fantasy teams in need of his services.
Deebo Samuel: The 49ers welcomed Samuel back to the practice field Monday, an encouraging development for the receiver's Week 10 availability. Samuel suffered a strained hamstring in Week 7 and has spent the last two weeks resting and rehabbing. The time off appears to have beneficial but, as we have seen with multiple wide receivers over the years, hamstring injuries are susceptible to re-injury or aggravation. Consider the case of Chargers receiver Keenan Allen who has appeared in just two game this season due to a lingering hamstring strain. Couple this concern with Samuel's history of hamstring injuries, and it's easy to understand why this situation isn't exactly cut and dry. Samuel's upside is too high to consider benching him, but fantasy mangers must understand his inherent injury risk will be elevated for the remainder of the season. Scale back your expectations for the week ahead and hope he can put together a stretch of sustained good health.
Ryan Tannehill: The Titans quarterback has missed back-to-back outings with an ankle injury though it appears the injury is improving. Tannehill's availability was a true game-time decision, and he was only ruled out after testing the ankle in pregame warm-ups. Look for this week to be more of the same with Tannehill hoping to practice in preparation for the Broncos. Rookie Malik Willis would make a third straight start if Tannehill is unable to play. Unfortunately, Willis hasn't done much to garner fantasy attention.
Michael Thomas: The New Orleans wide receiver is out for the remainder of the season after it was determined he will need surgery to address a dislocated second toe on his right foot. The new injury is on the foot opposite his previous ankle surgery. While the return to play rate for the toe surgery is relatively high, the combination of two significant lower extremity injuries over the past three seasons is too much to ignore. As a result, Thomas' dynasty or keeper value also takes a hit and it is unlikely Thomas will be able return to his record-setting level of play seen during the 2019 season.
