This article is part of our Injury Analysis series.
The Vikings running back left Monday's loss to the Seahawks early in the second half and never returned. The injury has been referred to as both an aggravation of a preexisting shoulder injury and as a chest injury. While this may cause of degree of confusion, the description would be accurate if the injury involved the sternoclavicular (SC) joint. The SC joint is formed where the medial end of the clavicle (collarbone) comes in contact with the sternum (breastbone) of the chest. A small cartilage disc in the area allows the collarbone to move within multiple planes, making it an integral part of the shoulder complex. Dislocation of the SC joint can be extremely dangerous and potentially life-threatening as the windpipe and several major blood vessels are located directly behind the area. Kansas City wide receiver Tyreek Hill missed four weeks with a SC dislocation earlier this season. Fortunately, Cook appears to have avoided in injury of this magnitude and downplayed the injury following the game.
Those invested in Cook may want to consider adding Alexander Mattison as an insurance policy just in case the injury lingers. The rookie running back finished Monday's game with four rushes for 22 yards and caught four passes for 51 yards. The Vikings have a favorable matchup in Week 14 against a Lions defense that has given up 118 rushing yards per game.
The Colts continue to manage significant injuries to key contributors. Mack has missed back-to-back
The Vikings running back left Monday's loss to the Seahawks early in the second half and never returned. The injury has been referred to as both an aggravation of a preexisting shoulder injury and as a chest injury. While this may cause of degree of confusion, the description would be accurate if the injury involved the sternoclavicular (SC) joint. The SC joint is formed where the medial end of the clavicle (collarbone) comes in contact with the sternum (breastbone) of the chest. A small cartilage disc in the area allows the collarbone to move within multiple planes, making it an integral part of the shoulder complex. Dislocation of the SC joint can be extremely dangerous and potentially life-threatening as the windpipe and several major blood vessels are located directly behind the area. Kansas City wide receiver Tyreek Hill missed four weeks with a SC dislocation earlier this season. Fortunately, Cook appears to have avoided in injury of this magnitude and downplayed the injury following the game.
Those invested in Cook may want to consider adding Alexander Mattison as an insurance policy just in case the injury lingers. The rookie running back finished Monday's game with four rushes for 22 yards and caught four passes for 51 yards. The Vikings have a favorable matchup in Week 14 against a Lions defense that has given up 118 rushing yards per game.
The Colts continue to manage significant injuries to key contributors. Mack has missed back-to-back outings after suffering a fractured metacarpal. Surgery was needed to mend the broken bone in his right hand though he is reportedly making progress. There's a good chance Mack returns to action against the Buccaneers but he will need to be an active participant in practice to garner some level of confidence moving forward. The Colts have adopted a running-back-by-committee approach with Mack sidelined with Jordan Wilkins, Nyheim Hines, and Jonathan Williams each getting an opportunity. Wilkins led the team in carries in Week 13 while Hines was the feature back at the goal line.
Hilton missed his fourth game in Indianapolis' last five outings after aggravating his troublesome calf injury. I've previously warned about the risk linked to this type of injury, especially among wide receivers. The team remains "hopeful" Hilton can return by the end of the year but that doesn't sound promising for his Week 14 availability. Hilton is a top-tier talent when healthy but it doesn't appear as though he will reach that status for the remainder of the year. Zach Pascal will move up the depth chart, though his level of productivity has been erratic. He was impressive in Week 13 hauling in seven receptions for 109 yards against the Titans after totaling 119 receiving yards in the four games prior.
Turf Burns
Randall Cobb and Amari Cooper: Two of Dallas' top aerial threats are listed on the team's injury report for their upcoming matchup with Chicago. Cobb did not practice Monday due to an undisclosed illness. Normally a mild bug early in the week would not be a cause for concern but Cobb will have diminished recovery time with the team playing on Thursday for the second consecutive week. He should be back in pads by Tuesday but keep a close eye on his level of participation in the coming days to get a better idea on his level of health.
Cooper was a full participant in Monday's practice after sustaining a left knee injury in the team's Thanksgiving Day loss to the Bills. Cooper took a direct blow to the area and appeared to hyperextend the joint. Fortunately, testing performed on the joint revealed no structural damage had occurred and the Pro Bowl wide out should be fine by Thursday.
Matt Breida: The 49ers backfield remains volatile with Breida recovering from an ankle injury. Tevin Coleman started for San Francisco in their Week 13 loss to Baltimore but played just 10 snaps. Instead it was Raheem Mostert who carried the bulk of the load, finishing with 154 total yards on 21 touches. Breida's impending return could further complicate things, making the situation a nightmare for fantasy owners. Breida has not played since Week 10 when he suffered a low-grade ankle sprain against the Seahawks but is expected to be back in action Sunday in New Orleans.
James Conner: The Steelers running back continues to take a cautious approach with his injured shoulder. Conner admitted his sprained acromioclavicular (AC) joint is still unstable and said he will not return until 100 percent. Pittsburgh's leading rusher wants to avoid a possible trip to the operating room and will continue to focus on rehab and recovery. For now, it appears as though Benny Snell will once again get the start for the Steelers. Snell has been effective as of late rushing for 161 yards on 37 attempts over the past two weeks.
Julio Jones: The Falcons receiver did not play in Atlanta's loss to New Orleans on Thanksgiving Day. Jones suffered a sprained shoulder in Week 12 and simply ran out of time with the team playing on an abbreviated week of preparation. However, he is "trending upward" and seems likely to suit up on Sunday against the Panthers. Jones is believed to be nursing a sprained AC joint. AC sprains can be padded and braced and additional stability can be utilized using the shoulder pads. Feel free to use him as you normally would if Jones receives the greenlight to return.
Baker Mayfield: It appears as though the Cleveland quarterback avoided a serious injury to his hand after x-rays taken on the area came back negative. Mayfield suffered the injury late in the second quarter when he struck the helmet of a defender. He missed just two snaps but was seen sporting a large wrap on his throwing hand and later admitted to experiencing some numbness in the area. However, the injury isn't expected to keep him off the field for the team's upcoming game against the Bengals. The matchup is appealing though it may be best to scale back your expectations for now.
