Editor's note: You may have heard of SportsLine.com. We want to introduce you to what they can offer, so today all over CBS Sports, we'll be posting some of their exclusive content here. That includes their newly launched Fantasy analysis, featuring experts from around the industry. This piece comes from Brandon Bowers, SportsLine's injury expert. Brandon is a Doctor of Physical Therapy currently practicing in the outpatient orthopedic setting on northeast side of Columbus, Ohio. He'll be providing in-depth analysis on the latest injuries from around the NFL all season long. Here's his latest.
Wentz continues to work his way back following surgery to address tears to his ACL and LCL which he sustained last season. At this juncture, Wentz has not been cleared for unrestricted practice or game repetitions as he has not completed the entirety of his rehabilitation protocol.
Following knee injuries, specifically ACL injuries, return to play clearance is pretty stringent. There are usually a very specific set of benchmarks which must be met in order for an individual to be cleared to return to unrestricted sport. When considering the specific scenario involving the third-year quarterback and the Eagles, there is no sense of urgency from either party right now. With Nick Foles a more than serviceable backup, rushing Wentz back to game action prior to being 100% would be nonsensical.
As things stand, the 25-year-old is coming up on nine months from when he had surgery, which is nearing the typical return to play timetable for an isolated ACL tear and subsequent reconstruction. Wentz should be ready to return to full, unrestricted football activity early in the season, however, it is clear the Eagles do not plan to disclose how soon his return will be.
Tyrod Taylor went down with a nasty looking wrist injury during Week 3 of the preseason against the Philadelphia Eagles. Taylor's wrist appeared to go into a hyperflexed position (over-bending of the wrist towards the palm side of the forearm), but luckily for the Browns and their newly acquired signal caller the injury is far less severe than what it looked in real time.
Taylor sustained a dislocated pinky finger on his non-throwing hand, which was set back into place prior to Taylor's return to the game for three additional offensive series. Following the game, the team indicated Taylor incurred some bruising to his hand and is expected to be available to start for Week 1 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
This injury should not significantly impact Taylor's ability to perform at a high level; his re-injury risk moving forward is low.
Doug Baldwin has dealt with knee soreness since the beginning of training camp; on Tuesday, August 28th Baldwin offered some clarity as to the nature of his status. This appears to be the type of injury that may linger and Baldwin indicated he may only feel 80-85% at maximum while he plays this season.
The Seahawks haven't provided a specific diagnosis at this time, however, with the information Baldwin disclosed, this injury is more than likely related to one of two issues: The first possibility here for the veteran wideout is the development of osteoarthritis in his knee joint; the second possibility involves minor cartilage damage. Neither of these injuries are structurally "fixed" with rest and rehab, and are usually situations where management of pain and optimization of function are the priorities. That being said, unless the symptoms become really bothersome, these aren't diagnoses that are usually managed surgically during the season, either.
Baldwin still has the potential to contribute at a high level on the field, but may be a step slower than what fantasy owners are used to seeing. Consider his risk of continuation of this injury throughout the season to be moderate to high.
Jerick McKinnon has dealt with a calf injury for most of the preseason and has not seen game action since Week 1 against the Cowboys. The good news for the 49ers, McKinnon was able to return to conditioning workouts as of August 28th, with the target for his return the first week of the NFL regular season.
McKinnon and his calf injury are worth monitoring as the regular season nears; soft tissue injuries have a high recurrence rate if not managed appropriately early on. Being that this injury occurred early during training camp and the Georgia Southern product has been working tirelessly through rehab, there is a chance he is ready to go for Week 1. The news on August 28th was positive for McKinnon and the 49ers, however, there has been no definitive answer as to the 26-year-old's availability for the start of the regular season just yet.
Sony Michel returned to practice on Monday, August 27th for the Patriots after being sidelined with a knee issue for a decent portion of the preseason. Michel underwent a procedure to address fluid buildup and "clean up" the knee, due to a meniscus issue, and has been out of practice since early August.
Meniscus injuries typically involve fraying, slight tearing, or wearing down of the cartilage in the knee, which can cause pain and an inflammatory response, among other reactions. This is a structural issue that can respond very well to conservative intervention, depending on the location and size of the meniscus damage. The Pats don't appear to be too concerned with Michel's status and are encouraged by his return to practice at this time, however the team has not provided a clear cut answer as to the former Georgia Bulldog's status for Week 1 of the regular season.
All things considered, the news out of New England regarding their first-round pick is all pointing in the right direction for a potential Week 1 NFL debut for Michel. Monitor this injury and Michel's return for the Patriots as the regular season continues to creep closer.
Marlon Mack continues to make progress in his rehabilitation from a hamstring injury which has had him sidelined for the bulk of Colts' preseason action. Being that this injury involves soft tissue structures, it is important to take time and to be diligent with the rehab process to reduce injury recurrence later in the season.
Recovery from hamstring injuries is dependent on the location of the muscle strain as well as the severity of the injury, luckily for Mack this injury appears to be of the mild variety. Mack's availability for Week 1 of the regular season currently is in question; don't be surprised if the Colts hold him out on September 9th against Cincinnati if not 100 percent ready to go.
Evan Engram found himself in the NFL concussion protocol following the Giants' third preseason game of 2018. A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury which occurs as a result of a forceful blow to the head with coup and countercoup injuries. Coup refers to the location of impact to the head (i.e. the ground, another player's helmet) and countercoup refers to the location opposite the impact to the head. Concussions are more than simply "getting your bell rung" and should be treated and taken seriously.
The NFL currently utilizes their concussion protocol in order to successfully and safely return players to sport once medically cleared. Engram has progressed through the protocol as expected to this point, however, has not been cleared to return to play as of Wednesday. Most, first time sport related concussions resolve over a period of 1-2 weeks as a result of treatment and careful medical management. Given Engram's history of a concussion last season, this return to play timetable could be slightly lengthened. The severity of his concussion also plays a role in his return for the Giants as well. Moving forward, Engram's risk of subsequent concussions should be considered moderate.
DeVante Parker has been dealing with a broken middle finger on his right hand and has not been cleared to return to pass catching at this time. Lack of clearance to return to play is indicative that the healing of the fracture in Parker's finger is not sufficient in order to avoid re-aggravation of the injury.
Considering that the regular season has not yet begun, it is important the Dolphins take a conservative approach with Parker to avoid this becoming a season long issue. Parker may experience difficulty gripping the football initially upon his return for Miami, however, long term, this injury shouldn't pose significant concern. Parker's status for Week 1 is questionable at best from a medical perspective.
Zack Martin is currently working his way back from a hyperextended knee and bone bruise which he sustained in Week 2 of the preseason. Martin returned to practice on August 27th for the Cowboys, and is progressing as expected and the team anticipates he will be ready to go for the start of the regular season. However, don't be surprised if Martin is not quite up to full speed upon his return.
Bone bruises as a result of knee hyperextensions can be painful and pose activity limitations as a result. When considering an offensive lineman, this injury may affect his mobility initially off the line of scrimmage as well as his lateral mobility. Long term this injury should not pose significant concern for Martin.
Travis Frederick was recently diagnosed with Guillen Barre Syndrome (GBS), which is an auto immune disease in which the body attacks its own nerves. GBS can lead to deterioration of the nerves resulting in impaired sensation (numbness, tingling) as well as impaired motor function. Unfortunately, the cause of GBS is unknown and there is no readily available cure for the syndrome. Symptoms can improve in response to medical management and treatment via plasmapheresis and/or immunoglobulin therapy.
For Frederick, don't expect him to make a return to the football field at any point this season as the return to full function following GBS is variable. A 2019 return to play for Frederick would be realistic, although motor and sensory deficits can linger following recovery from GBS.
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