This article is part of our Injury Analysis series.
For many the start of the NFL season offers the promise of a bit of normalcy that has been missing since the words COVID-19 and social distancing entered our everyday lexicon. Yet, as the NFL attempts to get the 2020 season started in the middle of a pandemic, it's important to remember these players are also people. They are having to make difficult choices regarding the health and well being of themselves and their families at home. The decision to opt out of the upcoming season should be respected, especially as we learn more about the potentially long-term effects of COVID-19. In addition to its effect on the respiratory systems and lungs, studies have shown a bout with coronavirus can impact other organs and organ systems, including the heart and digestive tract. Keep that in mind as you begin your draft preparation for what is likely to be a rollercoaster season.
The First Round of COVID-19 Opt-Outs
The first wave of players electing to sit out the 2020 season due to coronavirus concerns included several wide receivers who carried fantasy value. In Green Bay, Devin Funchess will have to wait a year to make his Packers debut after opting out. Funchess was added in the offseason to give quarterback Aaron Rodgers a big target opposite Davante Adams. Now the team will have to turn back to Allen Lazard and Marquez Valdes-Scantling. The duo failed to seize extra opportunities last year when given the chance and finished the year
For many the start of the NFL season offers the promise of a bit of normalcy that has been missing since the words COVID-19 and social distancing entered our everyday lexicon. Yet, as the NFL attempts to get the 2020 season started in the middle of a pandemic, it's important to remember these players are also people. They are having to make difficult choices regarding the health and well being of themselves and their families at home. The decision to opt out of the upcoming season should be respected, especially as we learn more about the potentially long-term effects of COVID-19. In addition to its effect on the respiratory systems and lungs, studies have shown a bout with coronavirus can impact other organs and organ systems, including the heart and digestive tract. Keep that in mind as you begin your draft preparation for what is likely to be a rollercoaster season.
The First Round of COVID-19 Opt-Outs
The first wave of players electing to sit out the 2020 season due to coronavirus concerns included several wide receivers who carried fantasy value. In Green Bay, Devin Funchess will have to wait a year to make his Packers debut after opting out. Funchess was added in the offseason to give quarterback Aaron Rodgers a big target opposite Davante Adams. Now the team will have to turn back to Allen Lazard and Marquez Valdes-Scantling. The duo failed to seize extra opportunities last year when given the chance and finished the year with a combined 929 receiving yards and five touchdowns. The total is particularly uninspiring when you consider Adams alone finished the year with 997 yards and five touchdowns in just 12 games played. Lazard, who appears to have gained the trust of Rodgers, will have the most upside of the two.
The Eagles face a similar situation as a receiver added in the offseason has opted to sit out the season. Speedster Marquise Goodwin was acquired in a trade with the 49ers but will not play this year electing to stay at home with his wife and newborn daughter. Philadelphia had hoped Goodwin would add depth behind often-injured veterans DeSean Jackson and Alshon Jeffery. Instead a trio of rookies, including first-round selection Jalen Reagor, will get a chance to move up the depth chart with Reagor looking like a strong WR2 with potential WR1 upside.
It isn't just wideouts sitting out the upcoming season, as Kansas City running back Damien Williams also opted out. Injuries limited Williams to just 11 regular season games, but he exploded down the stretch and throughout the postseason, scoring six touchdowns in KC's three playoff games. The injuries may have been the reasoning behind the Chiefs' decision to draft Clyde Edwards-Helaire in the first round of the 2020 Draft. The choice now seems particularly important as Edwards-Helaire has a real chance at playing a significant role in Kansas City's high-octane offense. He will be a receiving threat out of the backfield and likely will see his ADP skyrocket after Williams' announcement. Edwards-Helaire did battle a minor hamstring injury while at LSU but has a relatively clean injury history.
DeSean Jackson and Alshon Jeffery
Jackson's return to Philadelphia was cut short by a core muscle injury that limited him to just three games played. He ultimately underwent surgery to repair the issue but has since declared himself healthy. The return to play rate following a core muscle repair is high, and Jackson should be ready to go to start camp. However, he has amassed an assortment of injuries throughout his 12-year career including multiple concussions, shoulder sprains and several minor lower extremity injuries. Furthermore, Jackson is now 33 years old, an age when wide receiver productivity often drastically drops. As a result, it seems unlikely Jackson plays in a full slate of games and will be a high-risk investment this season.
Jeffery may be in street clothes to start the regular season as he was recently placed on Philadelphia's Active/PUP list. He continues to rehab a foot injury he suffered last season that required a trip to the operating room. Jeffery underwent surgery for a Lisfranc injury in December. As previously discussed, the Lisfranc joint is located in the midfoot and is important to the stability of the entire foot. The initial recovery window was set at nine months, but it wouldn't be unusual to see that extended. It's hard to imagine a scenario in which Jeffery will carry much fantasy weight, especially if he is shifted to the Reserve/PUP list and required to sit out the first six weeks of the season.
Turf Burns
Cole Beasley: The Bills have placed Beasley on the Active-NFI list with an upper back injury though the team has downplayed the severity of the issue. Look for Beasley's draft stock to remain unphased as he takes a backseat to Stefon Diggs and John Brown.
Marquise Brown: Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson gave one of his top wide receivers his personal thumbs up and is looking forward to seeing Brown at 100 percent. The second-year wideout was limited throughout his rookie season after suffering a broken foot during the 2019 NFL Combine. Brown has the hardware removed this offseason, a fairly common procedure in these types of surgeries. Now at full strength, Brown has a chance to become a valuable fantasy option.
Todd Gurley: While the Falcons have not publicly stated how they plan on managing the workload of their new running back, look for Gurley to get ample rest during this season's unique training camp. Knee issues have plagued Gurley since he joined the league and were the primary reason behind the Rams moving on from him and his massive contract. Reports continue to suggest his problem stems from arthritis in the knee, a chronic condition that will require routine maintenance. Scheduled days off seem a likely part of the plan to minimize the overall wear and tear placed on and through the joint. Atlanta knows Gurley can still be effective in bursts, but fantasy players shouldn't count on him playing in 16 games.
Tua Tagovailoa: The fifth overall pick was cleared by team physicians to be a full participant in training camp. Tagovailoa endured a myriad of injuries during his time at Alabama, including multiple surgeries on his ankle and hip. The hip dislocation occurred in mid-November, and his recovery has progressed smoothly up to this point. There are still concerns about his long-term durability, and the Dolphins may still elect to treat his recovery conservatively. However, the odds of Tagovailoa seeing action in the upcoming season do slightly improve with this latest development.
