Odell Beckham Jr. suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Week 5, and as devastating as that is for his fantasy football owners, at least they know what to do with him -- drop him, grab someone off the waiver wire, and move on. It's not quite so easy with other players, like Jordy Nelson, Travis Kelce, Charles Clay, DeVante Parker, Brandon Marshall, and more. We have the latest updates on these players and more as you start preparing for Week 6. (For updates on Matthew Stafford, Derek Carr, Marcus Mariota, Rob Kelley, Julio Jones and more, click here.)
Yes, with bye weeks here, even a one-week absence can really hurt your fantasy team, so owners are hoping for the best in regards to players who left games early.
MORE: Week 6 waiver wire list | RB handcuff chart
Jordy Nelson injury update
UPDATE: Nelson is dealing with a hamstring injury, though the severity is unknown.
Nelson was having a quiet game against the Cowboys, though he did manage to get in the end zone. Most alarming was that he didn't play on the Packers game-winning drive. No reason was given, as Nelson was standing on the sideline with his helmet on, but it's to imagine it wasn't injury-related.
Nelson essentially missed all of Week 2 because of a sore quad, but he played in Weeks 3 and 4, catching a pair of TDs in each game. At this point, his absence is a mystery, so anything is in play here. If Nelson can't go for Week 6, Geronimo Allison would once again have some perspective value.
Travis Kelce concussion update
Kelce exited Week 5 late in the second quarter after a helmet-to-helmet hit, but he returned a few plays later. However, he did not play in the second half after complaining of memory issues during halftime.
Fantasy owners should know the drill at this point. Kelce will be in the concussion protocol and likely be questionable for Week 6 against the Steelers. If he's out, Demetrius Harris would start in his place.
WEEK 6 RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker
Charles Clay injury update
UPDATE: Clay has already undergone arthroscopic knee surgery and will miss "multiple weeks."
Clay was carted off in Week 5 after suffering what appeared to be a knee injury on a play with minimal contact. The first thought is always "ACL" in these situations, but we're still waiting for official word from the Bills.
Clay had been one of the few dependable TEs this year, so this is a fairly big loss for his owners. Nick O'Leary would take over as Buffalo's starter, and given how much the Bills throw to their TEs, he could have some value. Buffalo has a bye next week.
DeVante Parker injury news
Parker was seen on crutches after spraining his ankle in Week 5, so it seems likely he'll be questionable, at best, leading up to Miami's Week 6 game in Atlanta.
Prior to Week 5, Parker had seen a consistent amount of targets and yards, making him a quietly dependable fantasy asset despite the Dolphins' offensive struggles. If he misses time, Kenny Stills would likely see more targets.
Sterling Shepard, Brandon Marshall injury updates
In addition to Beckham, the Giants lost Shepard (ankle) and Marshall (ankle) to injuries on Sunday. Shepard is considered "week to week" (Update: Now "day to day"), while Marshall is dealing with a "sprain", which is also likely a week-to-week injury. At this point, neither is a sure thing to play in Week 6 against the Broncos.
That leaves Roger Lewis Jr. as New York's de facto No. 1 receiver. He might not have much value against the Broncos, but if Shepard and Marshall remain out, he could work as a WR3 in the right matchup.
Bilal Powell injury update
UPDATE: Powell is considered "day to day" with a strained calf.
Powell failed to return after limping to the sideline in the second quarter of Week 5's game against Cleveland. The injury didn't look too severe at the time, but obviously it was bother Powell.
With Matt Forte (toe) already sidelined, Elijah McGuire took over as New York's lead back. Despite not doing much on Sunday, he's shown ability in the past and should be a top waiver wire pickup this week.