The Buffalo Bills head into a crucial Week 17 matchup with their franchise quarterback at less than 100%. Josh Allen appeared on the injury report after tweaking his foot last week, which naturally drew attention given how much of his fantasy value is tied to his dual-threat profile. Will fantasy football managers have their superstar quarterback available for the fantasy championship slate?
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Josh Allen Injury Update
Allen tweaked his foot during last week’s win over the Cleveland Browns when he was sacked in the second half near his own end zone. The injury flared up immediately, though the pain subsided enough for Allen to finish the game without missing a snap. X-rays taken at halftime came back negative, ruling out any fracture concerns.
The Bills held Allen out of Tuesday’s walkthrough as a precautionary measure, with head coach Sean McDermott describing the quarterback as “obviously sore”. Allen was listed as a limited participant for Wednesday’s walkthrough and would have been limited again on Thursday had the Bills held a formal practice session. The team did not practice on Christmas Day due to the holiday schedule.
Allen has already addressed his availability and left no doubt about his intentions. “Feels good. Feels good. Ready to go,” Allen said when asked about the injury. He confirmed that he is “planning on playing” in Sunday’s matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles, making it clear there is no realistic concern about him missing this weekend’s game.
The only meaningful question for fantasy managers is whether the foot issue alters Allen’s rushing usage. There is some risk that designed runs may be scaled back slightly to protect him from unnecessary hits, which could trim his ceiling on the ground.
Even if that happens, Allen’s arm talent and red-zone involvement still keep him firmly locked in as an elite QB1. Fantasy managers should start him with confidence and treat the foot tweak as a minor storyline rather than a reason to pivot.
Allen’s Fantasy Outlook
The Bills had the ball for under 25 minutes and James Cook was running hot (117 yards and two TDs on 16 carries), a combination of events that resulted in a rare off fantasy game for the reigning MVP.
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You hate to see it in Week 16, but if you managed to advance, you shouldn’t hesitate for even a second this week. If you’ve been riding Allen (an in-game foot injury was checked out but resulted in no missed time), you are likely a fan of the direction of this team. Prior to last week, their star QB is averaging 27.2 fantasy PPG in victories: the floor/ceiling tandem is unlike what any other quarterback has access to.
— PFSN Fantasy Analyst Kyle Soppe