NFL Injury Update

In this article we will address those players that missed a significant portion of the 2008 season, which may cause them to be good values on draft day as many owners may not be willing to roll the dice on a player coming off an injury. Many of the players mentioned below will present the ultimate risk/reward to those that are willing to gamble that 2009 will see these players bounce back and avoid a lengthy stay on the trainer's table.

QB Tom Brady, NE (QB - #4)

Less than halfway through the very first game of the '08 season many fantasy owners saw their first round pick go down in a heap with a torn ACL. Fortunately, the timing left plenty of time to heal and Brady is participating fully in off-season programs. Despite an infection that set him back, reports are that Brady is ready to go for 2009 and we can expect top five performances from him at his position this year. Moss and Welker are back, while Galloway and Fred Taylor have been added to an already potent mix. Despite the loss of OC Josh McDaniels (head coach in Denver), the offense figures to be back on par in 2009 and a 4,000 yard, 30 TD season is realistic from Mr. Gisele Bundchen.

QB Matt Hasselbeck, SEA (QB - #15)

Hasselbeck missed nine games in 2008 with a back injury. He appears to be healthy and ready to compete in 2009 with a stacked group of receiving weapons. TJ Houshmandzadeh joins oft injured Deion Branch (anything/everything) and Nate Burleson (ACL) at WR and TE John Carlson should be even better than his fine rookie showing. Hasselbeck insists that he feels fine and that his off season workout program has been more intense than ever. His weapons (and the lack of a real running game) would suggest that he is worthy of being drafted as a fantasy starter. His poor performance in the games he did suit up for in 2008 (and the fact that one blind side hit could injure a healthy back, let alone one on the mend) would suggest proceeding with caution. This Seattle slinger could pay great dividends if he falls to a position where you can get him as a #2 or in the middle rounds.

QB Carson Palmer, CIN (QB - #11)

Elbow injuries can be tricky things for pitchers and QBs. The 2003 #1 overall draft pick missed 12 games in what was a disastrous 2008 season for the Bengals. Things are looking up a bit for Palmer and the crew of convicts he calls teammates. Housh may be gone (to Seattle), but some believe that Laveranues Coles offers a more versatile target serving as the possession receiver, Ochocinco is saying all the right things (and maybe even doing a couple of them), Brian Leonard may provide a reliable backfield receiver on third downs, and they even drafted a pass catching TE. Palmer's situation needs to be monitored more closely than Brady's simply because it's an elbow as opposed to a knee. Positive news is coming out of Cincy and a healthy Palmer should push the 4,000 yard mark as he averaged close to 4000 yards a season from 2005-2007. He makes for a great value pick on draft day if you miss out on Brady, Peyton, Brees, and Romo.

RB Joseph Addai, IND (RB - #10)

Addai was a consensus first round fantasy pick in 2008 and may have been the biggest bust of the season as he missed four games and finished with only 750 yards and 7 TDs. The Colts lost Dominic Rhodes to Buffalo, but selected UConn RB Donald Brown with the No. 27 overall pick in the NFL Draft. Addai has a long injury history that has included shoulder, knee and hamstring issues. He had arthroscopic knee surgery this offseason and is a big question mark heading into 2009. Buyer beware! Addai makes for a decent value if he remains on the board toward the end of the 3rd round.

RB Reggie Bush, NO (RB - #27)

With the emergence of Pierre Thomas in 2008 (909 total yards, 4.8 yards / carry, and 12 total touchdowns), the Saints' backfield figures to be a time share which will limit the fantasy value of both backs heading into 2009. Bush has never been a goal-line back but his elite pass catching talents make a monster in yardage leagues. His 2008 season was marred by a knee injury that cost him six games and limited his production to only 844 yards and six TDs. At OTAs, Drew Brees was quoted as saying that Pierre Thomas will be the lead back but Bush will see plenty of time on the field as the Saints split him out at WR when he's not in the backfield. He has missed 10 games the last two seasons, but when healthy usually gets at least 15 touches per game. In standard leagues he's a borderline #2 RB and a much safer #3 RB based on the shared workload and limited TD potential.

RB Felix Jones, DAL (RB - #38)

The 22nd overall pick in the 2008 draft was only able to stay on the field for six games of his rookie campaign, but he showed glimpses of his home run hitting ability as evidenced by his insane 8.9 yards per carry average. Marion Barber remains the workhorse of the Dallas backfield, but Felix will see around 10 touches a game and has the ability for a game changing run at any time. He struggled with hamstring and toe injuries in 2008, but he is a great sleeper to target late in drafts as Jerry Jones has hinted that the 2009 Cowboy backfield could resemble the split that happened in 2007 when Barber totaled 248 touches to Julius Jones' 167 in 2007. One concern to be aware of is the presence of Tashard Choice, who figures to also get some touches after his impressive performances late in 2008.