Every year before the season (and during) starts a few big name, high impact fantasy players get hurt sometimes for a significant part of the season, but mostly when the bug hits it hits the player(s) for the whole season.
The first big time player that was impacted was WR Kelvin Benjamin of the Carolina Panthers. Benjamin tore his ACL last week and with that tear placed Cam Newton in stress mode. Benjamin had a great rookie season and seemed to be heading into an even better 2nd year being that he and Newton had another year of chemistry in the books. Last year Benjamin caught 73 passes for 1,008 yards and 9 touchdowns. Not bad for a guy that many considered a reach late in the first round. Benjamin will be out for the year this is a big loss for the Panthers and for people playing fantasy football. Benjamin was borderline number one option/strong number two in fantasy football. Greg Olson and Devin Funchess will reap the benefit of more targets because of his absence.
A week after Benjamin went down with an ACL injury The Green Bay Packers number one receiver Jordy Nelson went down with an ACL injury himself. Packers fans everywhere have to be sad along with Aaron Rodgers. Fantasy owners across the board have to be sad especially if you have him as a keeper. Nelson is a number one option in fantasy football also so this will boost Randall Cobb and Devante Adams stock, Cobb was already a legit number one option, but now Adams has to be a serious early to mid round pick. Nelson was coming of a 98 catch 1,519 yard 13 touchdown season, so to say he was on everyone’s board would be an understatement.
I personally wish these two men speedy recoveries. Every year the injury bug hits and this year it happened to cover two prominent receivers (others have been hit this offseason, but they play non fantasy “draftable’ positions).
