NFL Offensive/Defensive Line Injury Impact: Week 8
Each week we will provide a game-by-game breakdown of offensive and defensive line injuries and what that impact they may have for DFS purposes._
Week 8
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Sunday Games
Philadelphia @ Jacksonville
Philadelphia Breakdown
Offensive Lineman – None
Defense – Haloti Ngata (Q) Corey Graham (O) Sidney Jones (O)
Jacksonville Breakdown
Offensive Lineman – None
Defense – A.J. Bouye (O) D.J Hayden (D) Tyler Patmon (O)
Fantasy Impact:
We have a bunch of health issues on the defensive side of the ball for both squads in this matchup. The Jaguars are extremely thin in the secondary with three players out or unlikely to go. You can actually target this unit with the Philly skill players here given the skill dropoff Jacksonville will have. The Eagles are also hurting in the secondary, but the impact is not quite as large.
New York Jets @ Chicago
New York Breakdown
Offensive Lineman – Kelvin Beachum (Q) Spencer Long (Q)
Defense – Marcus Maye (Q) Morris Claiborne (Q) Trumaine Johnson (D)
Chicago Breakdown
Offensive Lineman – Eric Kush (O)
Defense – Khalil Mack (Q)
Fantasy Impact:
The Jets continue to be beat up overall and they have several players listed for this article that will impact the game quite a bit. Long and Johnson did not practice this week with the rest of the players listed only getting in limited practice in. It is shaping up pretty well for Chicago on both sides of the ball.
Tampa Bay @ Cincinnati
Tampa Bay Breakdown
Offensive Lineman – None
Defense – Vinny Curry (O) Gerald McCoy (O)
Cincinnati Breakdown
Offensive Lineman – Billy Price (D)
Defense – Vontaze Burfict (O) Nick Vigil (O)
Fantasy Impact:
The Tampa defense has two extremely valuable players missing again in Curry and McCoy to go along with the three other starters that have landed on the IR. Much like Atlanta, this is a team we can attack with key skill players due to the effects of injuries. For Cincinnati we see two key linebackers will be out this week in Burfict and Vigil, which potentially opens up things for the underneath routes and tight ends.
Seattle @ Detroit
Seattle Breakdown
Offensive Lineman – None
Defense – Neiko Thorpe (O)
Detroit Breakdown
Offensive Lineman – None
Defense – Ziggy Ansah (Q) Jarrad Davis (Q)
Fantasy Impact:
This game is pretty clean in comparison to most at this time of the season. We have slight secondary downgrade for Seattle with their depth impacted and Detroit is possibly without Ziggy once again as he works his way back.
Denver @ Kansas City
Denver Breakdown
Offensive Lineman – Jared Veldheer (O)
Defense – Brandon Marshall (Q) Von Miller (Q) Darian Stewart (D)
Kansas City Breakdown
Offensive Lineman – Mitch Morse (O)
Defense – Eric Berry (D) Justin Houston (D)
Fantasy Impact:
The Broncos are a team we want to keep an eye on the inactives this week as both Von Miller and Brandon Marshall have been limited heading into the weekend. If either or both cannot suit up it would be a pretty sizable downgrade to the defense. The Chiefs are dealing with their own injuries, but on the offensive side of the ball with two lineman on IR and now Mitch Morse out due to concussion woes. I would expect Kansas City to move Patrick Mahomes a bit more this week, which presents some added value in the rushing category potentially.
Washington @ New York Giants
Washington Breakdown
Offensive Lineman – None
Defense – Quinton Dunbar (Q)
New York Breakdown
Offensive Lineman – None
Defense – Alex Ogletree (O)
Fantasy Impact:
Although Dunbar carries a questionable tag he was not able to practice this week, which has him closer to doubtful more than likely. On the flip side Ogletree will be out as he continues to deal with hamstring issues. Overall this game is not severely impacted by injuries covered in this article.
Cleveland @ Pittsburgh
Cleveland Breakdown
Offensive Lineman – JC Tretter (Q)
Defense – E.J. Gaines (O) Damarious Randall (Q)
Pittsburgh Breakdown
Offensive Lineman – Marcus Gilbert (O)
Defense – None
Fantasy Impact:
The Browns are dealing with the same injuries that we have seen for a couple weeks now as starting center JC Tretter is questionable after being limited with an ankle injury. Starting right tackle for Pittsburgh, Marcus Gilbert will miss this weeks game with a knee injury, which is something to keep an eye on moving forward.
Baltimore @ Carolina
Baltimore Breakdown
Offensive Lineman – Alex Lewis (D) James Hurst (O) Bradley Bozeman (Q)
Defense – Marlon Humphrey (O) Jimmy Smith (Q)
Carolina Breakdown
Offensive Lineman – None
Defense – None
Fantasy Impact:
Anytime a team is going to be without two starters on the offensive line it is worth mentioning. For the Ravens that is the case and potential depth player Bradley Bozeman is also questionable, which could leave them very thin up front. Carolina at home is a pretty good bet to put some pressure on Flacco here and I give the defense a slight uptick.
Indianapolis @ Oakland
Indianapolis Breakdown
Offensive Lineman – None
Defense – Jabaal Sheard (Q) John Simon (Q) Clayton Geathers (Q) Malik Hooker (O) T.J. Green (O)
Oakland Breakdown
Offensive Lineman – Kelechi Osemele (Q)
Defense – None
Fantasy Impact:
The Colts continue to be one of the most injured squads in the entire league and it has hit both sides of the ball. In terms of non-injured reserve injuries we have the majority showing up on the defensive side of the ball for the purposes of this article. All things considered they have performed pretty well overall, but we have seen some decent fantasy production coming from their games. The Raiders are pretty healthy overall and this could be a spot where some value can be had.
Green Bay @ Los Angeles Rams
Green Bay Breakdown
Offensive Lineman – None
Defense – None
Los Angeles Breakdown
Offensive Lineman – None
Defense – None
Fantasy Impact:
This is the healthiest game we have on the slate with the Packers finally getting right after a week off.
San Francisco @ Arizona
San Francisco Breakdown
Offensive Lineman – Weston Richburg (Q)
Defense – Richard Sherman (Q)
Arizona Breakdown
Offensive Lineman – Justin Pugh (Q) Mike Iupati (Q)
Defense – Corey Peters (Q)
Fantasy Impact:
The lineman take center stage on this injury report, with all but Richard Sherman representing the battle in the trenches. It is always tough to judge the depth of impact we will see here, unless we have impact rushers that can attack a weakness. Overall our fantasy impact is limited at best.