What do I even say at this point? First it was David Johnson. Next it was Odell Beckham, Jr. Now it is Aaron Rodgers likely done for the season. The only thing predictable about fantasy football is that injuries will happen, and when they do they can completely turn your season upside down. Hopefully GMs have already drafted or added backup quarterbacks to soften the blow of this loss, but realistically there is no way to sugarcoat how catastrophic a loss this is. There will be a chain reaction down the line as Rodgers’ loss directly effects the values of players like Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Davante Adams, Martellus Bennett, Ty Montgomery, etc. My condolences to all GMs out there who are in mourning right now. So, without further ado, let’s delve into the next edition of the fantasy football emergency room.
Aaron Rodgers (QB-GB) – There are no words to describe how devastating this is in both real and fantasy football. The best quarterback in the league is 
essentially done for the season after breaking his right collarbone in Sunday’s loss to the Vikings. Rodgers is set to undergo surgery this week and for all intents and purposes he will miss the rest of the season. Much like David Johnson and Odell Beckham, Jr., fantasy GMs will not be able to replace Rodgers production. Brett Hundley will be the starter for Green Bay, but he is not the answer in terms of replacing Rodgers. It would behoove GMs to try and negotiate a trade for a 2nd string quarterback rather than break the bank seeking another elite one.
Leonard Fournette (RB-JAX) – It is hard to imagine starting an NFL career any better than Leonard Fournette who has scored a touchdown in each of his first six games. He has immediately become an elite RB1 and has a salivating matchup next Sunday against the Colts. He did twist his ankle this past weekend against the Rams but the injury does not appear to be serious and his status for Week 7 should not be in jeopardy. It would not be surprising if he held to a limited capacity in practice this week so do not be alarmed if you read that over the next few days. Plan on having him in your lineup and expect more of the same results.
Jameis Winston (QB-TB) – Winston suffered a sprained AC joint in his right shoulder on Sunday against the Cardinals. Tampa Bay considers him day-to-day right now so we won’t have a good sense of his status for Week 7 until later in the week. It is reported that Tampa Bay does not feel the injury is severe enough for an extended absence and they have not ruled him out yet for playing this Sunday against Buffalo. Winston has thrown for 1,259 yards along with seven touchdowns and three interceptions thus far making him a QB2. Check in later in the week for an update on his progress but be prepared for Tampa Bay to take a conservative approach with their franchise quarterback.
Golden Tate (WR-DET) – It appears that Tate is also dealing with a sprained AC joint in his shoulder and he is projected to miss a couple weeks. Tate underwent an MRI and the results are still outstanding, so we should know more once those come in. Detroit has a bye this week so Tate will get an extra week of rest which is helpful for fantasy GMs who have netted 36 receptions for 363 yards and two touchdowns from their WR2. Marvin Jones had a big game against New Orleans this week so he would become the Lions top receiver and rookie Kenny Golladay would become their WR2 if he can return from injury by Week 8 against the Steelers.
Demaryius Thomas (WR-DEN) – Thomas has been banged up all season but has managed to play through injuries thus far. He was temporarily taken out of Sunday night’s loss to the Giants with a leg injury but x-rays came back negative which was great news for fantasy GMs. Thomas has 28 catches for 380 yards and no touchdowns thus far and could see even more targets now that Emmanuel Sanders may miss a week or two. The Broncos offense is not prolific so touchdowns will be at a premium, but Thomas is still a solid WR2 who consistently produces when targets are headed his way.
Emmanuel Sanders (WR-DEN) – Sanders went down with what looked like a severe injury on Sunday night but fortunately all it was is a sprained ankle. It looked worse on TV as he writhed in pain on the field. Sanders is expected to miss Week 7 so the hope is he can come back the following week. He is merely a WR3 at this point with 25 catches for 266 yards and two touchdowns on the season. Look for Bennie Fowler to see an increased role this coming week in Sanders’ absence.
Teddy Bridgewater (QB-MIN) – Bridgewater could possibly return within the next couple weeks as he will begin practicing on Wednesday. He has been out for over a year after sustaining a serious knee injury in the 2016 preseason and it looked like it could possibly be a career-ending injury. Now he will have a few weeks for the Vikings to decide whether to activate him or put him on injured reserve for the remainder of the seasons. It would be surprising if he was not activated at some point, especially with the shady quarterback play between Case Keenum and Sam Bradford. He is worth a flier on the waiver wire if you are in need of quarterback depth.
Charcandrick West (RB-KC) – West was taken out of Sunday’s game against Pittsburgh with a possible concussion and would have to go through the NFL concussion protocol this week before being cleared to return. He has not seen a lot of snaps due to Kareem Hunt’s emergence but he has made the most of his opportunities with one rushing touchdown and two receiving touchdowns. He is worth holding into in most leagues as Hunt’s handcuff but is not a great starting option until we see Hunt’s performance start slipping on a consistent basis.
Trevor Siemian (QB-DEN) – The Broncos got embarrassed by the Giants on Sunday night and had a plethora of injuries on top of it. Siemian sustained a shoulder injury which cost him a little time during the game but he did come back and finish it out. Siemian has struggled over the past few games and is also working with a depleted wide receiving core. He has 1,264 yards passing along with eight touchdowns and six interceptions making him a low-end QB2 hardly worthy of playing except in deep two-quarterback leagues.
Robert Turbin (RB-IND) – Turbin suffered a dislocated elbow on Monday night against the Titans and is likely going to be out for a significant amount of time. He had been effectively running the ball before the injury but he was still only a third string back on the Colts behind Frank Gore and Marlon Mack. Turbin has one touchdown on the season but was most likely not on anyone’s roster except in very deep leagues. Leave him on the waiver wire where he belongs.
Patrick Peterson (DB-ARZ) – Peterson was taken out of this week’s game against Tampa Bay due to a quadriceps injury. He had been dealing with this all week and it cost him significant playing time later in the game which almost was fatal to the outcome of the game. He is one of the league’s best defensive backs so any absence of his diminished the value of the Cardinals defense from a fantasy perspective. Monitor his status during the week for further updates.
Michael A. Stein, Esq. is the Chief Justice of Fantasy Judgment, the industry's premier dispute resolution service, and co-host of the Fantasy Alarm Podcast. You can contact him at michael.stein@fantasyjudgment.com or on Facebook and Twitter (@FantasyJudgment).