Ahead of the fantasy football playoffs kicking off in NFL Week 15, we assess the impact of injuries to Daniel Jones, CeeDee Lamb, De’Von Achane
De’Von Achane is the fourth-highest scoring running back in fantasy football this season(Image: Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images)
Three heavily owned fantasy football assets suffered untimely injuries ahead of NFL Week 15.
The worst of the bunch occurred in Jacksonville, where Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones suffered a torn Achilles, ending his season and perhaps his team’s playoff hopes.
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (concussion) and Miami Dolphins running back De’Von Achane (rib) also left their Week 14 games and did not return, with both offensive superstars’ injury statuses up in the air for the opening weekend of the fantasy playoffs.
Let’s assess the impact of each player’s injury and how it impacts the fantasy football playoffs.
READ MORE: Fantasy football playoffs: Drop these five players including Colts wide receiverREAD MORE: Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl probability takes hit after third straight lossDaniel Jones
Jones’ season-ending Achilles tear comes as a massive blow to not only the Colts’ playoff chances, which were at one point sky-high, but fantasy owners of Indy’s many pass-catchers or the NFL’s leading rusher, Jonathan Taylor.
With either rookie Riley Leonard or 44-year-old Philip Rivers looking the likely replacement under center, players like Taylor, Michael Pittman Jr., Alec Pierce, and Tyler Warren immediately drop in fantasy value.
Despite Indy’s recent dip in form, Jones was still enjoying a great season as the Colts’ leader on offense.
Taylor remains an auto start throughout the fantasy playoffs, but benching Pittman and Pierce is a legitimate option. Warren, one of 2025’s standout rookies, should remain in your starting lineup due to the scarcity of top tight ends.
Colts QB Daniel Jones went down with a non-contact leg injury in the Colts’ Week 14 loss to the Jaguars(Image: Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images)CeeDee Lamb
Lamb went down with a scary injury last Thursday night against the Detroit Lions, and now must pass concussion protocol to be cleared for Week 15 against the Minnesota Vikings.
Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said on 105.3 The Fan that Lamb is “meeting all the thresholds that you need to meet” to play on Sunday, although his status remains up in the air as of Tuesday evening.
If the star wideout misses out, George Pickens, who is a must-start anyway, will be Dak Prescott’s top target. Ryan Flournoy, who posted a season-high nine catches and 115 yards in Lamb’s absence, is a worthy flex play as well.
READ MORE: Jalen Hurts broke ESPN’s special MNF broadcast with never-before-seen NFL playREAD MORE: Philip Rivers’ shock NFL comeback could come at huge cost for his talented sonDe’Von Achane
Achane has been fantastic this season, so a lingering rib injury ahead of the fantasy playoffs, during which the Dolphins play a favorable schedule against the Steelers, Bengals, and Buccaneers, is the opposite of what the star running back’s fantasy owners want to hear.
Achane reportedly told Miami head coach Mike McDaniel that he could have re-entered the Week 14 game against the Jets if needed, which bodes well for his chances to play on Monday night against Pittsburgh. With one extra day of rest, it seems unlikely Achane will miss out.
It’s worth noting that second-year RB Jaylen Wright excelled in place of Achane last Sunday, rushing 24 times for 107 yards and a touchdown.