From tough draft dilemmas to impossible start 'em, sit 'em decisions, fantasy football is inherently frustrating, but few things are worse than injuries, especially to early-round draft picks. Some fantasy owners try to avoid potential injury-prone busts, but narrowing down which players to cross out on your 2023 draft cheat sheet isn't easy.
Don't worry, we're here to help.
Draft Sharks has an industry-leading Injury Predictor tool that shows every player’s complete injury history. You can also see a risk factor, the probability that a player gets hurt during the season, and the probability of injury in each game. Perhaps most important, there’s a projection for games missed in 2023. Try it out free below!
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Let's break down the best way to use the Draft Sharks' Injury Predictor, using Darren Waller as an example. He's one of the biggest tight end injury worries heading into 2023. According to the Injury Predictor tool, Waller has been injured 11 times since entering the NFL (knee, concussion, thigh, ankle, thumb), and he has a 79-percent chance of injury this season (8.8-percent chance in each game). Overall, he’s projected to miss 2.5 games, but obviously, the risk is there for more.
Is Waller too risky to be an early-round pick? That’s up for debate, but at least you have all the data and insight needed to make a more informed decision.
The Injury Predictor really comes in handy when you’re choosing between two similar players. If you’re an especially risk-averse owner, you might always opt for a player who’s projected to miss fewer games. Going back to Waller, he’s being drafted in the same tier as George Kittle this year. Kittle is also known for being injury-prone, but he hasn’t missed nearly as many games as Waller has over the past two seasons (14 compared to five). So, Kittle is "safer," right?
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Not so fast. According to the Draft Sharks’ Injury Predictor, Kittle has had 12 career injuries, which plays into his 89-percent risk factor. Overall, Kittle is projected to miss 3.4 games in 2023, almost one more than Waller.
It's impossible to predict injuries -- and you might still opt to draft Kittle over Waller -- but having another tool in your draft-day arsenal, particularly a tool that helps with the most unpredictable part of fantasy football, is extremely clutch.
We invite you to check out Draft Sharks’ Injury Predictor for free here on Sporting News. Not only is it an invaluable tool on draft day, but it can also help throughout the season as you research how long players are usually out with specific types of ailments.
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Bookmark this page and check back as injuries pop up and new players come on your radar.
