This article is part of our Injury Analysis series.
Kelvin Benjamin
The second season of Benjamin's career is off to a bumpy start as the wide receiver suffered two separate hamstring strains in the final two weeks of Carolina's minicamp. He reportedly showed up to camp overweight and the team suspects the extra pounds were a contributing factor to his injuries. While Benjamin's strains are minor and he has time to shed the extra nine pounds before training camp, his situation is a good reminder that there are multiple attributes fantasy owners can keep an eye on to help gauge the amount of injury risk a player carries entering training camp and the regular season:
Weight
Multiple players will report to camp out of shape and overweight having spent more time on the couch than in the weight room. Studies have shown being overweight or carrying a high body mass index can be a contributing factor to lower extremity injuries. Furthermore, the risk for non-contact injuries at the knee and ankle drastically increases if the player is both overweight and has suffered a previous injury. Benjamin won't be the only player to report carrying extra weight, and fantasy owners would be wise to appropriately adjust their rankings as reports of out of shape players begin to surface.
Age
Time eventually begins to take its toll on an athlete's body, resulting in an increase in conditions like osteoarthritis and a significant increase in overall injury risk. Furthermore, skills directly tied to performance, including acceleration, speed and jumping ability, decrease over
Kelvin Benjamin
The second season of Benjamin's career is off to a bumpy start as the wide receiver suffered two separate hamstring strains in the final two weeks of Carolina's minicamp. He reportedly showed up to camp overweight and the team suspects the extra pounds were a contributing factor to his injuries. While Benjamin's strains are minor and he has time to shed the extra nine pounds before training camp, his situation is a good reminder that there are multiple attributes fantasy owners can keep an eye on to help gauge the amount of injury risk a player carries entering training camp and the regular season:
Weight
Multiple players will report to camp out of shape and overweight having spent more time on the couch than in the weight room. Studies have shown being overweight or carrying a high body mass index can be a contributing factor to lower extremity injuries. Furthermore, the risk for non-contact injuries at the knee and ankle drastically increases if the player is both overweight and has suffered a previous injury. Benjamin won't be the only player to report carrying extra weight, and fantasy owners would be wise to appropriately adjust their rankings as reports of out of shape players begin to surface.
Age
Time eventually begins to take its toll on an athlete's body, resulting in an increase in conditions like osteoarthritis and a significant increase in overall injury risk. Furthermore, skills directly tied to performance, including acceleration, speed and jumping ability, decrease over time and often negatively impact an individual's productivity. Quarterbacks often age the most gracefully as they are less dependent on speed and elusiveness than running backs or wide receivers. It appears that running backs begin to show signs of slowing down in their late 20s while wide receivers start to slow down after turning 30. Running backs currently in this phase of their life include Matt Forte (29 years old), Arian Foster (28) and Marshawn Lynch (29). Receivers now in their 30s include Larry Fitzgerald (30), Jordy Nelson (30), Brandon Marshall (31) and Marques Colston (32).
Flexibility
This one is harder to gauge, as most fantasy owners aren't able to measure a player's degree of motion at specific muscles and joints. However, the importance of good flexibility shouldn't be understated. Studies suggest muscle tightness in the hip flexors, hamstrings and quadriceps increase the likelihood of muscle strains as well as other injuries like ankle sprains and several overuse injuries. Pay attention to reports that say a player spent the offseason looking to improve their flexibility through methods like yoga or active stretching. Other players with a history of flexibility issues include Kenny Britt, Torrey Smith and Aaron Rodgers.
Todd Gurley
The Rams rookie continues to work his way back from a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) sustained in college. He underwent surgery in late November and hopes to be available for the regular season, though his availability for training camp remains unclear. He will be eight months removed from surgery when camp is slated to start, which would fall in the six-to-nine month window Gurley reported prior to the draft. However, the Rams are expected to bring him along slowly, giving Tre Mason a majority of the early reps. Head coach Jeff Fisher admitted how the team utilizes the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list would be a good indicator of where Gurley stands in the recovery process.
Victor Cruz
The former Pro Bowl receiver is another candidate for the PUP list. Cruz, who suffered a ruptured patellar tendon in Week 6 last season, is confident he can pass the necessary physical requirements and hopes to be an active participant in training camp and the preseason. However, Cruz's injury is one that often alters careers and results in various complications and setbacks. Fantasy owners looking to draft Cruz should only do so after investing in multiple, more reliable options.
