A quarter through the season and I am sure we will see more visits inside the medical tent week 5. We have plenty to talk about after a week of some major injuries. A good group of players are going to get shots to prove their worth to their teams. Brian and I are here to help you navigate and see what is really happening inside the medical tent.

Keenan Allen

Andrew Leduc: What is going on with his hamstring? It felt like this would be a one or two-week injury. Now he has been ruled out again.

Brian Scott, MEd, PA-C, ATC-ret: This is a very classic scenario when one is dealing with a hamstring injury. At one point, he returned to practice, but had to remove himself midway through. This was likely because he felt some continued pain or tightness. Safe to say, he will not play this week after two DNPs.  He will likely need some additional time but is already 4 weeks into his recovery. Things do not look promising for a return anytime soon.

Prognosis: As a Keenan Allen owner in a couple of leagues, this scenario is frustrating. What started off as hopefully only missing one week has really gone off the rails here. I am happy to see the safe approach being taken with him. I am hoping that means when he comes back he will be able to jump right into his role again. In the meantime, we have seen Mike Williams have relative success with spotty appearances from Josh Palmer. The most consistent piece in this offense right now though is Gerald Everett. Everett is a tightened I was pushing all offseason as a top 10 performer. He is well on track for that and should continue that trend.

Rashod Bateman

Andrew Leduc: Is Harbaugh downplaying a more serious injury here, or is this a true day-to-day situation?

Brian Scott, MEd, PA-C, ATC-ret: Coach Harbaugh has been optimistic that Bateman will be ready for Sunday night’s game. He is nursing a midfoot sprain of some kind. The good news here is that despite a DNP Wednesday and Thursday he is not walking in a boot. That tells me that it is a mild injury he could be getting optimal rest in order to be game ready. It may come down to a game-time decision. He will test it out Sunday, otherwise, we could see him miss another week.

Prognosis: Since speaking with Brian, Bateman has been ruled out for this week. Bateman has not exactly been lighting it up yet this year which has disappointed a lot of optimistic owners. Coming in at the wide receiver 38 so far, he has been very touchdown dependent. It is clear however that after Mark Andrews, Bateman is really the only go-to guy in that offense. I see him as a flex the rest of the way through. I expect the rest of the offense to continue to run through Jackson and Andrews. Temper expectations on the other receivers.

Jonathan Taylor

Andrew Leduc: Having already missed this week’s game, is this a multiple-week injury or can we expect him back next week?

Brian Scott, MEd, PA-C, ATC-ret: Obviously he did not suit up last night against the Broncos, which was not shocking given the quick TNF turnaround time. Unfortunately for the Colts, Nyhiem Hines went down with a concussion. Taylor is a third-year back who has been healthy throughout his career. Sounds like a low ankle sprain that might keep him out for at least a week or two. Until he gets back on the field and tests it out, it will be hard to predict. Hines going down might accelerate his recovery. The key to gauging his return is when he can get back on the field.

Prognosis: Deon Jackson became the clear running back for Indianapolis Thursday night and he did pretty well with his opportunity. He did not flash completely off the page, but he had some moments of explosiveness. Going up against a decent Jacksonville defense in Indianapolis next week may not be the best matchup, but if Taylor misses again after the extended week of rest, Deon Jackson could be a nice flex option.

Mac Jones

Andrew Leduc: Opting to not get surgery and making progress, do you think this sprain was not as bad as originally thought?

Brian Scott, MEd, PA-C, ATC-ret: Very surprising turn of events when talking about his “severe” high ankle sprain as it was initially reported. At one point, there was even talk about possible surgical treatment with a Tight Rope procedure, but that quickly faded when it was then reported that Mac might actually suit up last weekend. Smart move not rushing him back out there, but with Brian Hoyer down with a concussion, and Mac back to limited practice on 2 consecutive days, we could see him back in action this week.  You must keep a close watch on the reports coming out of Patriots land Friday and Sunday morning before game time. There is a chance we see Mac suit up as a backup for Bailey Zappe, but my guess is he is either good to go, or not.

Prognosis: As a native New Englander it seems the early unconfirmed reports from inside sources are saying that Bailey Zappe will be starting this week. There was a lot of talk last week about whether the team was wanting him to do the surgery and he was pushing back on them. We have not gotten clarity on that specifically, but we have seen him on the practice field. This either means the injury was not as bad as they thought, or Mac Jones is a tough player who is going to try to play through anything to help his team. Either way, best to be hesitant with the Patriots’ offense until we see him back and healthy.

Brian Robinson

Andrew Leduc: Returning to practice after being shot before week one, do you see the trauma his body suffered holding him back on the field, or is it reasonable to expect a full physical recovery in this short of time?

Brian Scott, MEd, PA-C, ATC-ret: This is a story of pure luck. He was shot multiple times during a robbery attempt, and while he did sustain gunshot wounds that required surgery, it appears and has been reported that he did not sustain any serious injuries as a result. This means that he likely sustained low velocity bullet wounds to the soft tissue and did not injure any major structures related to nerves, arteries, or veins in the process. A remarkable story and recovery after just a short period of time from the incident (4 weeks). He has returned to practice and could be ready if not this week, then definitely next. Being a rookie and having missed the beginning of the season, he likely returns in a limited role in order to get acclimated, but the fact that he is even on the field is a true miracle.

Prognosis: Brian Robinson has already been ruled out ahead of this week’s game, but as Brian said, this is a crazy situation and I think the entire league is cheering for him. Antonio Gibson has been the lead back in Robinson’s absence, but I believe that has been forced on Washington given the situation. They showed signs of limiting Gibson’s involvement before the season by moving him to special team work. I believe Robinson is the lead back they want and he will return to that role even if it takes a couple of weeks. I would try to buy him now if you can. Gibson’s production has gone down each week since his week one 20-point game. I believe that was his ceiling and I believe Washington knows that too.

The Discharge

With big names going down come big opportunities for smaller names coming up. With the season being so young still, I think we have some more shocking injuries in-store. When the injury bug comes knocking on your team’s door, don’t panic. Even if you cannot get an immediate replacement, that is alright. The best answer in this case is not always the obvious answer. Even before Hines got hurt Thursday night, Deon Jackson was more involved then a lot of people expected. We need to try and predict the swerve, and Brian and I will be here each week to help you navigate the intricacies that happen inside the medical tent.

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