This article is part of our Injury Analysis series.
The Cardinals receiver is likely done for the year after injuring his left foot in a loss to the Seahawks. While specifics of Brown's injury remain unclear, he does have a history of foot problems on this side of his body including a Lisfranc injury that required surgery prior to the 2019 NFL Combine. He later had the hardware removed from the foot and is now once again facing a significant injury to the area.
The Lisfranc joint is in the midfoot, acting as a cornerstone for the integrity of the entire foot. The midfoot is made up of five joints located where the metatarsal bones of the foot articulate with the tarsal bones. The Lisfranc joint is the second of these five articulations. It is stabilized by a strong ligament known as Lisfranc's ligament. This ligament can be sprained and in some extreme cases create an avulsion fracture in which a small piece of bone is torn away from the rest of the involved bone. Moderate to severe damage to any of the other numerous ligaments of the midfoot could also result in substantial time lost. Initial X-rays were negative, and Brown continues to seek the advice of specialist for his next course of action. Coach Kliff Kingsbury has said the wideout is out "indefinitely," but those invested in Brown should find a long-term substitute.
The Cardinals acted quickly to replace Brown, trading for Panthers receiver Robbie Anderson. Anderson started the year quickly, hauling in five
The Cardinals receiver is likely done for the year after injuring his left foot in a loss to the Seahawks. While specifics of Brown's injury remain unclear, he does have a history of foot problems on this side of his body including a Lisfranc injury that required surgery prior to the 2019 NFL Combine. He later had the hardware removed from the foot and is now once again facing a significant injury to the area.
The Lisfranc joint is in the midfoot, acting as a cornerstone for the integrity of the entire foot. The midfoot is made up of five joints located where the metatarsal bones of the foot articulate with the tarsal bones. The Lisfranc joint is the second of these five articulations. It is stabilized by a strong ligament known as Lisfranc's ligament. This ligament can be sprained and in some extreme cases create an avulsion fracture in which a small piece of bone is torn away from the rest of the involved bone. Moderate to severe damage to any of the other numerous ligaments of the midfoot could also result in substantial time lost. Initial X-rays were negative, and Brown continues to seek the advice of specialist for his next course of action. Coach Kliff Kingsbury has said the wideout is out "indefinitely," but those invested in Brown should find a long-term substitute.
The Cardinals acted quickly to replace Brown, trading for Panthers receiver Robbie Anderson. Anderson started the year quickly, hauling in five receptions for 102 yards and a touchdown in Week 1. In the following five games he totaled 104 yards and never found the endzone. He should be more productive in Arizona but will battle with DeAndre Hopkins for targets. Hopkins has not played this season as he served a six-game suspension for violating the league's performance-enhancing drug policy but will return against the Saints.
The Cowboys quarterback is expected back against the Lions after missing the last five games. Prescott suffered a fractured thumb in Dallas' Week 1 loss to the Buccaneers, an injury that required surgery. Cooper Rush filled an admirably, winning four of his five starts but failed to put up the stats we are accustomed to seeing from a Dallas signal-caller. Rush threw five touchdowns and three interceptions during his time as starter while averaging 13.7 fantasy points. Prescott will not have the surgical hardware removed from his digit at this time. As a result, his biggest remaining hurdles are managing any lingering symptoms like pain or swelling and any diminished grip strength. A limited grip could prove functionally limiting and result in potential issues throwing the football with velocity and precision. Those invested in Prescott may want to scale back their expectations initially despite a fantasy friendly schedule that includes upcoming games against the Lions and Bears. Prescott's return should help boost the productivity of Cowboys receiver CeeDee Lamb. Lamb has averaged 10.3 points in standard leagues with Rush as quarterback, including three games where he failed to score more than 10 points.
Turf Burns
J.K. Dobbins: The Ravens running back did not play in the second half of Baltimore's Week 6 loss. Head coach John Harbaugh said the decision to remove him from the game came after Dobbins reported the knee had "tightened up." He went on to imply that the unyielding turf at MetLife Stadium may have contributed to the issue. While turf fields are common across the league for both practice and game fields, studies do suggest that injury rates are higher on artificial turf than grass fields. For a player like Dobbins who is still working his way back from a serious injury, the hard surface could become problematic due to the load and stress placed on and through the joint. I wouldn't consider this a major setback in Dobbins' recovery, but it will likely impact his usage. The impending return of Gus Edwards will only further influence Dobbins' number of carries, suggesting those utilizing Dobbins may want to look elsewhere for Week 7.
Dalton Schultz: While Prescott is progressing, Dallas' top tight end is moving the opposite direction. Schultz "tweaked" his knee over the weekend and did not suit up for the team's loss to the Eagles. Schultz suffered a low-grade sprain of his posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) in Week 2 and did not dress for Week 3. He has not recorded a reception since suffering the injury and will be a question mark moving forward. PCL injuries can be slow to heal and very constraining as the stabilizing structure acts as an axis point for the joint. Look for Schultz to remain limited for the foreseeable future. Jake Ferguson may be worth a speculative add for those in desperate need of a tight end. Ferguson put together an impressive outing against the Eagles, finishing with four receptions for 40 yards and a touchdown.
Jonathan Taylor: Taylor was close to returning in Week 6, practicing on Thursday and Friday. The Colts running back is nursing a sprained ankle, likely a high ankle sprain, sustained in Week 4. A return against the Titans seems plausible, but Taylor will need to log a few more practices this week to provide some clarity about his availability. The rest of the Indianapolis backfield remains unclear as well, with Nyheim Hines still working through the concussion protocol and Deon Jackson tending to a quadriceps injury.
Carson Wentz: The Commanders quarterback will likely miss multiple weeks after suffering a fractured right ring finger. The injured digit required surgery, but the team has yet to decide if Wentz will be placed on the IR. An IR stint would keep Wentz on the sidelines for the next four weeks, but keeping him off the list would provide a degree of flexibility should the bone mend quicker than expected. Like Prescott, Wentz would need to display good grip strength and full range of motion in the finger before he can safely and effectively return to the field. Taylor Heinicke will take over at quarterback for the Commanders but will face a Green Bay defense that has given up the fewest fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks through the first six weeks of the season.
