Week 14 NFL Injury Report: James Conner, More Fantasy Football Starters to Monitor

Pittsburgh Steelers stud running back James Conner suffered a lower leg contusion according to head coach Mike Tomlin. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport later reported that the injury isn’t considered major, but it remains to be seen how much it will swell.

Conner has an elite smash-spot against the Raiders this week, so his potential absence could make a huge impact in both DFS and season-long fantasy leagues. Hybrid-back Jaylen Samuels would be the next man up if Conner doesn’t suit up, but old man Stevan Ridley could be involved as well.

FantasyLabs‘ Editor-in-Chief Matthew Freedman had this to say about Samuel in his prospect scouting report.

A mismatch chess piece, Samuels (I expect) will ultimately be leveraged by an innovative play caller as an early-down H-back (fullback and slot receiver) with the flexibility to move across the formation and a third-down halfback with the ability to run and catch out of the backfield. If he also turns into a short-yardage rusher with a proclivity for scoring touchdowns, he might become the NFL’s most valuable non-lead back as a discounted version of David Johnson.

Some other key injury notes from around the league:

• Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green (foot) is expected to undergo season-ending surgery, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Tyler Boyd will work as the offense’s No. 1 receiver in Green’s absence.
• Panthers tight end Greg Olsen (foot) suffered a ruptured plantar fascia and told reporters he expects his season to be over. Backup Ian Thomas will take over as the starting tight end.
• Rams backup running back Malcolm Brown (shoulder) should be monitored closely considering the chance that the teams rests Todd Gurley during fantasy playoffs. It’s not a bad idea to add No. 3 running back John Kelly, either.
• Seahawks running back Chris Carson suffered a dislocated index finger, but is tentatively expected to suit up on Monday night against the Vikings.
• Niners running back Matt Breida (ankle) worked behind undrafted free-agent Jeff Wilson, who racked up 15 carries and nine targets in Week 13.

We’ll be tracking injuries and suspensions for every starter and fantasy-relevant player below, with updates until kickoff.

Daily practice participation will be included to give a clear idea of how healthy a player truly is. Official injury designations will be added once they are available, but the FantasyLabs Status will be updated throughout the week.

NFL Week 14 Fantasy Football Injuries