Outside of the broken hearts that multiple fanbases suffered in Week 10, it was a relatively light week for fantasy-relevant injuries. That's a welcome sight after the run we've been on for a few weeks now, with Sunday being the first time in a long time that a major star didn't leave with some sort of ailment. However, we can't dodge them all, and unfortunately for Alexander Mattison and Michael Thomas, they were the sacrifices ahead of Week 11.
Below, we'll give you the latest news on these injured skill position players and break down how their injuries could potentially affect the Week 11 fantasy landscape.
For injury updates on guys like Justin Fields, De'Von Achane, Justin Jefferson, and more banged-up stars, see the links below.
EARLY WEEK 11 INJURY UPDATES:
Higgins | QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs
Alexander Mattison injury update, Week 11 fantasy outlook
Mattison's disappointing season continued on Sunday when he totaled just eight carries for 27 yards and one catch for six yards. To make matters worse, he left the Vikings' win over the Saints in the third quarter and was later ruled out with a concussion. The team was already down Cam Akers heading into Sunday, who is out for the year with a torn Achilles. That left Ty Chandler to take over the RB1 role in Mattison's absence. The Vikings' next game isn't until Sunday night against the Broncos, but most players have struggled to clear the five-step concussion protocol within a week's time this season, leaving Mattison's status in doubt for Week 11. Until he clears it, Chandler appears to be in line to handle the bulk of the workload.
Vikings' running backs aren't anything to get excited about in 2023 considering the team ranks near the bottom of the league in yards per game (85.7). Mattison has proved incapable of being the starting running back that the team hoped for, surpassing 100 total yards in only one game this season. The trade for Akers was supposed to help matters, and now it will be up to Chandler to find success. With Josh Dobbs being not only the quarterback but also the de facto running back, Chandler is worth the waiver claim in a highly favorable matchup.
WEEK 11 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Michael Thomas injury update, Week 11 fantasy outlook
After coming into the week with off-field troubles, Thomas added an on-field issue to the list, as well. The receiver suffered a knee injury early on in Sunday's game and was later downgraded to out. That left the Saints to figure things out on the fly, especially after losing Derek Carr, who was being evaluated for a shoulder injury and concussion. A.T. Perry filled the void in Thomas' absence, catching his first career touchdown from Jameis Winston early in the fourth quarter. Perry ultimately hauled in two of his four targets for 38 yards and the score.
WEEK 11 FANTASY: Full waiver list | FAAB budget planner | Trade advice
The extent of Thomas' injury is not yet known, but fantasy owners shouldn't worry too much thanks to a Week 11 bye looming for the Saints. New Orleans doesn't return to action until Nov. 26 in Atlanta, so unless it's something serious, don't worry about the receiver's status. The Saints have been a frustrating offense to watch all year, so it will be interesting to see if the bye can help Thomas and Carr get healthy enough to start moving their team in the right direction in a wide-open division.
