Fantasy Football Injury Updates: Josh Allen, Sam Darnold, Case Keenum affecting Week 5 start-or-sit decisions

Billy Heyen

Fantasy Football Injury Updates: Josh Allen, Sam Darnold, Case Keenum affecting Week 5 start-or-sit decisions image

The Bills and Jets are awaiting positive injury updates on their second-year starting QBs heading into Week 5. Josh Allen is still in concussion protocol, while Sam Darnold is waiting to be cleared for contact after dealing with mono. Fantasy football owners are more likely to be counting on Allen than Darnold, but both might have DFS interest if they're able to take the field -- and their respective active/inactive statuses would have a big effect on other plays on the start 'em, sit 'em bubble. Week 5 QB rankings are less affected by the mess of a quarterback situation with the Redskins, but Case Keenum, Dwayne Haskins, Colt McCoy and Jay Gruden seem to have no clue what's happening.

MORE WEEK 5 INJURY UPDATES: 
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WEEK 5 NON-PPR RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker

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Josh Allen concussion update

UPDATE: Allen remained in the concussion protocol on Thursday.

Allen took a vicious hit to the head from Patriots safety Jonathan Jones on Sunday that knocked him out of the game and forced him into concussion protocol. After the game, Bills coach Sean McDermott said there's no room in the NFL for hits like that. Matt Barkley took over at QB in the Buffalo loss. Allen remains in concussion protocol ahead of Sunday's game in Tennessee. He did participate in individual drills and sit in on meetings Wednesday.

This is a tough one to predict because concussion recoveries always seem to vary. An Allen absence would be the biggest hit to John Brown's value for Week 5, although the Titans' pass defense has been solid, so it wasn't shaping up as a great week for the Bills' passing attack anyway.

WEEK 5 DFS LINEUPS:
Y! cash | Y! GPP | FD cash | FD GPP | DK cash | DK GPP

Is Sam Darnold playing in Week 5?

UPDATE: Darnold said Thursday he's still unsure if he'll play this week.

Darnold (mono) returned to the practice field Wednesday for the Jets and participated in non-contact drills. The last step for him to return to game action is to be cleared for contact, which has yet to happen. Darnold and Luke Falk have shared first-team reps in practice so far this week.

The Jets' face off with a terrible Eagles' secondary Sunday, meaning Darnold is at least an intriguing DFS play if he makes it back in time. If it's still Falk under center, Jamison Crowder and Robby Anderson still get a downgrade, but the matchup is such you can take a shot with them in both season-long and DFS leagues.

WEEK 5 PPR RANKINGS: Running backWide receiver | Tight end

Who's the Redskins' starting QB?

UPDATE: Keenum practiced on a limited basis on Thursday.

Case Keenum was in a walking boot Wednesday after getting pulled from last Sunday's game and replaced by rookie Dwayne Haskins. Colt McCoy is also just about back from a keg injury he's been dealing with. Jay Gruden was asked what the Washington quarterback plan is for Week 5 on Wednesday, and he replied, "We don't have one."

Hopefully you're not in a spot where you're counting on any of these quarterbacks in your fantasy lineup. The Patriots' defense is also the league's best so far, and it might be just to avoid this passing attack altogether, even if Terry McLaurin is active.

Billy Heyen