Naomi Feinstein
2 min read • July 13, 2022
Posted in
With Fantasy Football draft season in full swing, our staff at Sports Injury Central has detailed the top fantasy-relevant players at each position.
Below is a breakdown of the players who were derailed by injuries last season. The following list of players have little to no medical hurdles facing them this upcoming season.
Barkley is bound to have a big bounce-back season two years removed from tearing his ACL. While his left ankle slowed him last season, the fourth-year running back out of Penn State should not be marred by previous injuries. The second year after ACL repair surgery is when a player is typically back at full-strength, according to our team of Pro Football Docs.
The Giants revamped their offensive line with four new starts after being one of the worst lines last season. Even behind an ineffective offensive line, the Penn State product tallied 659 touches for 2937 yards and 19 touchdowns through his three-year career.
He posts an ADP of 22.7 according to Fantasy Pros. He could be a steal in redraft leagues considering he has dropped into the second tier of running backs in fantasy.
Before last season, it was rare to see “King Henry” slowed down by injuries. A “Jones” fracture in his right foot limited the Titans' running back to only eight games. Although he missed the rest of the reason, he still contributed 10 rushing touchdowns.
Henry's foot injury should be completely healed. Henry should be back to his dominant ways of leading the league in rushes, rushing yards, rushing touchdowns and rushing yards per game. The video showing the former Alabama star cutting up hill solidified the King is back.
Smith-Schuster should thrive receiving passes from elite quarterback Patrick Mahomes. He has the potential to replace departing Chiefs’ receiver Tyreek Hill and slide into the WR1 spot. The 25-year-old wide receiver had a short 2021 campaign after dislocating his right shoulder mid-game on Oct. 10.
Surgery kept him out for the rest of the regular season though he did make it back for the Steelers’ Wild Card playoff game. The shoulder should not impact the USC product so projects as a potential steal this fantasy season.
While a collection of injuries limited the Panthers’ running back to only 10 games the past two seasons, none are expected to linger. He still put up great averages considering his long laundry list of injuries. In those 10 games, the Stanford alum averaged 115.9 yards from scrimmage and 5.5 yards per touch.
With more than a nine-month long rest, McCaffrey could rise to the top player in fantasy. The 26-year-old running and receiving threat is now paired with Baker Mayfield who showed the ability to pass to running backs as he did with former teammate Kareem Hunt.
In his second year back from his off-season Achilles injury, our Docs said Akers should be back to his pre-injury self. The former Florida State running back contributed 761 yards from scrimmage and three total touchdowns during his rookie season in 2020.
The departures of receivers Robert Woods and Odell Beckham Jr. will pave the way for more running room for Akers in the dynamic Rams offense. His recent absence from OTAs is not a matter of concern.
The former No. 1 overall pick is coming back from his brutal season-ending left knee injury from last season. The arrivals of receivers Jarvis Landry and rookie Chris Olave will provide Winston with explosive offensive weapons.
He still exhibited a limp and mobility issues during mandatory OTAs though Winston should display more mobility as the year progresses, according to our panel of Pro Football Docs. The Saints will look to run the ball more as Winston regains his strength and mobility in and outside the pocket.
The Broncos projected starting tight end is two years removed from his ACL tear as he slides into the starting tight end role for the Broncos. The 24-year-old has the potential to be a breakout fantasy tight end receiving passes from quarterback Russell Wilson.
In his short career, the former fourth round pick has totaled 451 yards and 3 touchdowns while playing behind recently traded tight end Noah Fant. Wilson’s arrival should increase sleeper Albert O’s fantasy production.
Written by Naomi Feinstein
