This article is part of our Injury Analysis series.
Odell Beckham Jr.
The dynamic receiver suffered a sprained ankle in Monday's preseason loss to the Browns but appears to have successfully avoided a more costly injury. The injury occurred when Cleveland cornerback Briean Boddy-Calhoun tackled Beckham as he came to the ground following a leaping catch. The hit was legal, but the timing of the impact could have easily resulted in significant damage.
When examining an injury, athletic trainers and other medical personnel closely watch the incident in question to see if the mechanism of injury can offer any clues about the nature of the injury. In this case, Beckham's left leg is fully extended when it first makes contact with the turf. Normally this scenario is a combination for a more traumatic injury. If a player is fully extended and has his foot planted in the ground, he creates what is known as a closed chain. This position leaves the knee and ankle vulnerable to injury, as the rigid extremity cannot effectively distribute applied stress. When Boddy-Calhoun made contact with Beckham's left leg, the impact created a stress known as a valgus force on the extremity. Fortunately, the receiver's foot had not made complete contact with the ground and the chain remained partially open. As a result, the stress applied to Beckham's knee doesn't overload the ligaments of his knee, specifically the MCL. Instead the ankle assumes more of the excessive force, leaving Beckham with a sprained ankle.
Further testing will be conducted to determine the extent of
Odell Beckham Jr.
The dynamic receiver suffered a sprained ankle in Monday's preseason loss to the Browns but appears to have successfully avoided a more costly injury. The injury occurred when Cleveland cornerback Briean Boddy-Calhoun tackled Beckham as he came to the ground following a leaping catch. The hit was legal, but the timing of the impact could have easily resulted in significant damage.
When examining an injury, athletic trainers and other medical personnel closely watch the incident in question to see if the mechanism of injury can offer any clues about the nature of the injury. In this case, Beckham's left leg is fully extended when it first makes contact with the turf. Normally this scenario is a combination for a more traumatic injury. If a player is fully extended and has his foot planted in the ground, he creates what is known as a closed chain. This position leaves the knee and ankle vulnerable to injury, as the rigid extremity cannot effectively distribute applied stress. When Boddy-Calhoun made contact with Beckham's left leg, the impact created a stress known as a valgus force on the extremity. Fortunately, the receiver's foot had not made complete contact with the ground and the chain remained partially open. As a result, the stress applied to Beckham's knee doesn't overload the ligaments of his knee, specifically the MCL. Instead the ankle assumes more of the excessive force, leaving Beckham with a sprained ankle.
Further testing will be conducted to determine the extent of the damage, but for now it looks like Beckham avoided a severe injury. A high ankle sprain or syndesmotic sprain may still be in play, though the Giants downplayed the injury following the game. Regardless of the final diagnosis, look for Beckham to spend the next two and half weeks rehabbing and recuperating the ankle in anticipation of playing in Week 1 against the Cowboys. He may fall a spot or two in upcoming drafts but this shouldn't make a huge impact on his overall ADP.
One of last year's breakout surprises, Howard has emerged as a top-10 talent entering draft season. Unfortunately, the Bears running back has been slowed in recent days after suffering an eye injury in a practice late last week. The injury, officially diagnosed as a cornea abrasion, kept him out of Chicago's preseason win over Arizona. The cornea is the outer layer of the eyeball. Its primary function is protection, though it also helps control the amount of light allowed into the eye. A deep, significant cut can alter the affected player's vision and take a considerable amount of time to heal. Fortunately, superficial abrasions of the cornea, like the one sustained by Howard, often heal quickly and smoothly. Look for Howard's value to go unaffected by this minor setback.
Turf Burns
Isaiah Crowell: The Browns' starting running back didn't play Monday in the team's preseason win over the Giants. Crowell was a late scratch due to soreness in his groin. The move was touted as precautionary with Crowell firmly atop the depth chart. However, keep a close eye on just how long he remains sidelined. Groin injuries often linger and they limit the affected individual's lateral movement. That's a big problem for a running back who's expected to make hard cuts to hit holes and avoid oncoming defenders. Duke Johnson got the start on Monday with Crowell out.
Matt Forte: The veteran running back remains limited by a hamstring strain and could be out for Week 1. Forte's current status likely is the result of a difficult combination of age, career workload and previous injury. All three factors contribute to an increased level of inherent injury risk and can also limit an individual's natural response to injury. As a result, Forte could be in line for another year of diminished productivity. Bilal Powell appears to be the Jets running back with the most upside, though he's getting over an injury of his own. Powell missed time with a sore neck but did see extended action in New York's preseason loss to Detroit.
Leonard Fournette: The rookie running back won't play in Thursday's preseason contest against the Panthers, as he continues to nurse an undisclosed foot injury. Fournette remains an intriguing prospect, but the vagueness of his current ailment and his lengthy injury history are adding substantial risk to anyone willing to invest in him. Tread cautiously here and be willing to offset a Fournette selection by drafting another more reliable running back in the early rounds of your draft.
Devonta Freeman: The Atlanta running back remains in the concussion protocol, and his availability for Saturday' preseason game against Arizona is in doubt. The team wisely appears to be taking things slow with Freeman so that he is ready to go for Week 1. The lengthy recovery isn't overly surprising considering the effects of concussions are cumulative. Freeman does have at least one prior concussion in his NFL career, which he sustained back in 2015. Tevin Coleman remains a wise handcuff for Freeman owners.
DeAndre Hopkins: Houston continues to limit Hopkins' participation as he nurses an undisclosed hand injury. This is likely a situation where the team is proactively protecting a proven player, but the ambiguity surrounding the nature of the injury remains frustrating. His value should hold steady for now, but I'd knock him down a spot or two if this vague injury is still a problem entering Week 1.
Brandon Marshall: Beckham's injury overshadowed the fact that Marshall also left Monday's game with an injury. The veteran wide out made an early exit due to shoulder soreness. The soreness was bad enough to warrant an X-ray, though no true diagnosis was provided. Remember soreness is a symptom, not an injury, and the root of the problem should be properly identified and treated. Marshall will likely be fine moving forward, but look for a more detailed update in the coming days.
Cam Newton: The Panthers could have their starting quarterback back in uniform on Thursday for the team's matchup against the Jaguars. He continues to progress from offseason shoulder surgery and has steadily increased his workload in practice. I'm still anticipating some early season struggles as he builds up his arm strength, but Newton could be a nice find for an opportunistic fantasy owner.
