Owners were once again hit with the injury bug after Packers QB Aaron Rodgers was knocked out of the team's Week 9 game against the Bears with a "broken collarbone." The extent of the injury is sketchy, but it doesn't sound like a full break. Initial reports seemed to have Rodgers out for the next 3 weeks. But now with Rodgers listed as week-to-week, it appears that Rodgers' recent diagnosis could bring him back a bit earlier than that. The fact that the break was to his non-throwing shoulder also helps.
So what do owners do? Trudge along like always. It's been a bad last few weeks for fantasy owners and injuries. Doug Martin, Jay Cutler, Reggie Wayne, etc. have all left owners scrambling for replacements. Injuries haven't been the only thing that have killed owners' records. The lack of numbers by guys like Ray Rice and Dwayne Bowe have left many teams in shambles. What can you do? Use the waiver wire, make trades and try your best to at least get into your league's playoffs. Getting to the playoffs is the first step. Once you get there, miracles do tend to happen.
Keep An Eye On Players Coming Back
While some players recently got knocked out, several others are expected to make their return within the next month or so. Guys like Percy Harvin, Shane Vereen, Mario Manningham, Michael Crabtree and Andre Brown could help those owners who were recently hit by the injury bug. While we don't know what these guys will do after missing so much time, all of these guys should be picked up within the next week or two.
The two guys I look forward to the most are Harvin and Vereen. For a first-round pick, you better believe that the Seahawks will get Harvin involved early and often. But how much is his fantasy value really worth? The Seahawks have been winning with Marshawn Lynch and a strong secondary. Russell Wilson only completes 16 passes a game. Harvin might be a big addition to the team itself, but I still can't see him being anything more than a WR3. Maybe a WR2 if they get him involved in more designed running plays. In the offseason, Harvin was ranked as the No. 7 overall receiver. I didn't believe it then and I don't believe that now. Owners shouldn't be ready to anoint Harvin their next WR1.
Vereen is a whole other story. Coming off a broken wrist, it will be easier to get him going in the offense right from the start. This is bad news for Stevan Ridley owners. Vereen was the swiss army knife of the offense, with the ability to run for big gains and also by catching passes lining up at receiver. The Patriots' offense finally clicked last week. They will get that much better with Vereen back. If he is sitting on the wire because an owner couldn't wait any longer for him to come back, snatch him up and get him in your flex spot. In PPR leagues, this guy could be gold sooner rather than later.