It's the final week of the fantasy football regular season in most leagues, and the last thing owners need right now is injuries to regular starters or key bench options. Unfortunately, the WR position had four such casualties on Sunday, including stud rookie Tank Dell. Amari Cooper, Christian Watson, and Marquise Brown also exited their respective games early and failed to return, potentially creating some roster crunches for Week 14 and beyond.
Below, we'll give you the latest news on these key WRs and break down how their injuries could potentially affect the Week 14 fantasy landscape.
For the latest on ailing RBs Derrick Henry, Rhamondre Stevenson, D'Andre Swift, Brian Robinson Jr., and Zach Charbonnet, click here. For news on more injured RBs Kenneth Walker III, Aaron Jones, and D'Onta Foreman, go here. For updates on more injured WRs like Christian Kirk, Justin Jefferson, Demario Douglas, and Rashid Shaheed, click here. For the latest on banged-up TEs Dalton Schultz, Darren Waller, and Dallas Goedert, go here.
WEEK 14 FANTASY: Full waiver list | FAAB budget planner
Tank Dell injury update
Dell fractured his right fibula in the first quarter against Denver, and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported after the game that Dell will go on IR and miss at least the next four games, ending his fantasy season in the process.
It was quite a run for Dell, who sat as WR12 in half-point PPR leagues entering Week 13. His absence opens the door for Noah Brown to step up again and see more targets. Brown failed to record a catch on his two targets last week, but in Weeks 9 and 10, he posted 13 catches, 325 yards, and a TD while alternately filling in for Nico Collins and Dell. Robert Woods (who didn't see a target on Sunday) and John Metchie III (three targets) will also be involved, but Brown has the most upside based on what we've seen this season.
WEEK 14 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Amari Cooper injury update, Week 14 fantasy outlook
For the second straight week, Cooper exited early and did not return. In Week 12, it was because of a rib injury late in the fourth quarter. In Week 13, it was because of a concussion at the end of the first half. Now, Cooper is at the mercy of the NFL's concussion protocol, which is always unpredictable.
Early in the season, players who entered the protocol almost always missed the following game, but it hasn't been quite so automatic lately. Most recently, Chris Olave played in Week 13 after being knocked out of his Week 12 due to a concussion. Even when healthy, Cooper's fantasy value has taken a hit since Deshaun Watson's season-ending shoulder injury, catching nine-of-19 targets for just 84 yards in the past three weeks. He looked better with Joe Flacco under center in Week 13 (three catches, 34 yards), but at this point, he can't be considered more than a WR3. If he's out against Jacksonville, Elijah Moore and Cedric Tillman will pick up most of the slack, with the former looking like the priority pickup. Moore has a history with Flacco, and it showed last week when he caught four of a team-high 12 targets for 83 yards.
WEEK 14 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Christian Watson injury update, Week 14 fantasy outlook
Watson (hamstring) was in the midst of his best game of the season, catching seven-of-nine targets for 71 yards and two TDs, but just as the Packers were salting the game away on Sunday night, he went down clutching his hamstring. The oft-injured second-year receiver has dealt with hamstring issues in the past, so this is an especially concerning development.
It seems likely that Watson will miss at least one game, if not more, and if that's the case, look for Jayden Reed and Romeo Doubs to continue seeing steady opportunities. Dontayvion Wicks will also factor into the Packers' passing game, but he's a little less reliable than Reed and Doubs, who will both have flex upside next week against the Giants.
Marquise Brown injury update, Week 14 fantasy outlook
Brown (heel) failed to practice last week, but he still suited up for Sunday's game against Pittsburgh. His return might have been premature, though, as he was on and off the field all afternoon, failing to catch any of his three targets.
Fortunately for Brown and his fantasy owners, the Cardinals have a bye in Week 14, so he'll have time to rest and recuperate. None of Arizona's wide receivers stepped up to claim the targets vacated by Brown, shown by Greg Dortch leading the way with three. This situation will bear watching after the bye, as Arizona has some favorable passing matchups in Weeks 16 (@ Bears) and 17 (@ Eagles).
