Week 6 NFL Injury Report

1. Jamaal Charles (Chiefs) – ACL Tear

Chiefs at Vikings (Sunday, 1:00 PM ET)

Just brutal luck for Charles, who has torn his ACL for the second time in the last few years, and will be forced to try another comeback after surgery and a long rehab. He's one of my favorite players in the NFL to watch, and I had him on a couple re-draft teams, but that's why DFS is king, I can forget that and focus on his possible replacement(s). We've been down this road before, and Knile Davis filled in admirably for Charles the last time he was injured. For now though, it appears Charcandrick West not only has the better name, but will also get the first crack the being the lead running back in Andy Reid's offense. Apparently, Reid has told both of them to expect carries, so it will be a very interesting situation to monitor. This weekend they get the Minnesota Vikings, who have a solid pass rush and secondary, but are ranked in the bottom third of the league against the run according to Pro Football Focus (PFF). West is the better play right now, but I wouldn't be surprised if Davis supplanted him sooner than later.

2. Karlos Williams (Bills) – Concussion

Bengals at Bills (Sunday, 1:00 PM ET)

The Bills backfield situation seems to get muddier by the week, and this past Sunday, Daniel 'Boom' Herron, who wasn't even on the team 10 days ago, appears to be the lead back going forward. Karlos Williams missed the game due to a concussion, and the prospects of him playing this weekend against the Bengals are uncertain. Head Coach Rex Ryan said he felt good about Williams progress, but concussion recovery is a hard thing to predict. Quarterback Tyrod 'TyGod' Taylor led the Bills in rushing against the Titans averaging over nine yards per carry, and will remain a high floor-high ceiling play going forward. Herron and Anthony Dixon both looked inept against the Titans, so hopefully Williams will be back this weekend. If he isn't, Herron will be the running back to target, just don't expect big numbers to go with that guaranteed workload.

3. Sammy Watkins (Bills) – Calf Injury

Bengals at Bills (Sunday, 1:00 PM ET)

Unlike Williams, the prognosis for Watkins looks much better, and is a virtual lock to return to action this Sunday. This will greatly benefit quarterback Tyrod Taylor, who was only able to complete ten passes for 109 yards against the Titans. Although the Bengals are 5-0, their defense is liable to give up points, especially through the air. PFF has them ranked 20^th against the pass, and a mobile, accurate quarterback like Taylor will be able to expose them. If Watkins is able to return, I love him as a tournament play who will most likely be under 5% owned.

4. Blake Bortles (Jaguars) – Sprained Shoulder

Texans at Jaguers (Sunday, 1:00 PM ET)

Bortles is coming off his best game as a pro, and has found some chemistry with wideout weapons Allen Hurns and Allen Robinson. Bortles is expected to suit up Sunday against the Texans, and I like him as a cheap tournament play if he does. The Texans are very stout against the run, ranked 7^th, but are ranked 17^th against the pass. Bortles will probably have to throw the ball more than 30 times again, so the volume will be there to return value in DFS. If he isn't able to play, Chad Henne will step in, and can be ignored in all formats unless you are trying to be super contrarian, I just don't see any upside there.

5. Odell Beckham Jr. (Giants) – Hamstring Injury

Giants at Eagles (Monday, 8:25 PM ET)

Beckham came out of last nights game against the 49ers briefly, and returned on the final drive to draw a penalty flag that helped set up the winning touchdown. He looked a bit hobbled, but was probably out there as a decoy more than anything. I would expect him to play against the Eagles, but we've seen this year already with multiple players (see: Alshon Jeffery, Lesean McCoy etc.) that hamstring injuries have a way of lingering and getting worse if re-aggravated. If he isn't able to go, Reuben Randle is going to be a very popular play, and one that I really like. Tight end Larry Donnell will also see a big boost in targets without Beckham in the lineup, and has earned Eli Mannings trust in the red zone. Victor Cruz could also return from injury as well, so the Giants will be extra careful with Beckham if the injury happens to be worse than originally thought.