NFL Injury Roundup: Week 8

Another Sunday’s worth of NFL action brought on another round of major injuries that will affect the long-term outlooks of some teams around the league. The Cleveland Browns lost a former All-Pro wide receiver for the season, while the Seahawks and Cardinals both saw their starting running backs go down in Arizona’s 37-34 win in overtime on Sunday night.

How do the latest injuries affect NFL betting odds moving forward?

Odell Beckham Jr., WR, Cleveland Browns (Knee)

The Cleveland Browns announced Monday morning that Odell Beckham Jr. is done for the year after injuring his knee in Sunday’s win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Beckham went down with an apparent left knee injury in the first quarter and did not return to the game. An MRI on Monday morning confirmed that Beckham tore the ACL in his left knee.

Beckham was injured on just the second play of the game after trying to chase down a Bengals defender following a Baker Mayfield interception. After the game, Mayfield blamed himself for the poor throw that led to the interception and, ultimately, Beckham’s season-ending injury. Mayfield said, “I’m probably going to beat myself up about that one for a long time. He’s a guy who fights for this team, and in doing that, he got hurt.”

Odell Beckham Jr just text me that his ACL is torn and that his season is over.

— IG: JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) October 26, 2020

Beckham missed significant time last year with groin and hip injuries in his first season with the Browns. He was traded to Cleveland back in 2019 after beginning his career with the New York Giants, where he became a Pro Bowler. Beckham had 23 catches for 319 yards with three receiving touchdowns on the year before going down.

Beckham’s absence means Jarvis Landry will take on a bigger role in the passing game, while Taywan Taylor, Rashard Higgins, and Donovan Peoples-Jones will move up on the depth chart. The Browns were also playing without tight end Austin Hooper on Sunday, who missed the game after undergoing an emergency appendectomy last week. Tight ends Harrison Bryant and David Njoku combined to score three touchdowns on Sunday in his place.

Despite the 5-2 start, the Browns are listed at just +1400 to win the AFC North, which also features the heavily-favored Ravens and the unbeaten Steelers. The Browns will host the Las Vegas Raiders next Sunday before their Week 9 bye.

Chris Carson, RB, Seattle Seahawks (Foot)

The Seattle Seahawks‘ leading rusher, Chris Carson, left Sunday’s loss to the Cardinals in the second quarter with a foot injury. Carson didn’t return to the game, and Pete Carroll said afterward that Carson will undergo an MRI to determine the extent of the issue. If the problem is a Grade 1 foot sprain, he may not have to miss more than one week’s worth of action. A Grade 2 sprain or worse, however, could keep him out much longer.

Carson has appeared in all six games for Seattle so far this season, but he did suffer a knee strain earlier in the year. He came down with the knee injury after a questionable tackle back in Week 4 by Cowboys lineman Trysten Hill, who was subsequently fined by the league for the hit.

Carson had five carries for 34 yards before going down. Carlos Hyde led the Seahawks with 15 carries in his place. The former Ohio State standout racked up 68 yards with a touchdown while getting the bulk of the work out of the backfield. He also caught three passes for eight yards in the losing effort.

If Carson is sidelined in Week 8, we can expect Hyde to get the lion’s share of the carries again next week when the Seahawks host the 49ers. Sunday’s defeat dropped the Seahawks to 5-1 on the year, which is still good for the best record in the ultra-competitive NFC West. In spite of the loss, Seattle still has the fifth-best odds (+1000) of any team to win Super Bowl 55.

Kenyan Drake, RB, Arizona Cardinals (Ankle)

The Arizona Cardinals lost their own starting running back, Kenyan Drake, late in Sunday’s game. Drake wound up being carted to the locker room with about four minutes left in the fourth quarter after appearing to injure his ankle. The Cardinals said shortly thereafter that he would not return to the game. The team will have Drake undergo an MRI to determine the severity of the injury on Monday.

X-rays on Cardinals’ RB Kenyan Drake’s ankle at the stadium last night were negative, per source, but he will have an MRI today to determine extent of injury and how much time he could miss.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 26, 2020

Arizona improved to 5-2 on the year despite another underwhelming showing from Drake. The former Dolphin has totaled 512 yards on 119 carries with four touchdowns on the year. He had accrued just 34 yards on 14 carries before getting hurt against Seattle. Chase Edmonds, who has served as Drake’s backup all year, was actually more productive. Edmonds amassed 58 yards on just fie attempts while also adding another 87 yards on seven receptions.

Edmonds has averaged better than six yards per carry so far this season, and his 222 receiving yards rank third on the team behind DeAndre Hopkins and Christian Kirk. Arizona’s impressive start has resulted in their odds to win the NFC West improving to +450 after starting the year as +2000 long shots.

Arizona will have a bye this week before a matchup at home against Drake’s former team, Miami, in Week 9.

Andy Dalton, QB, Dallas Cowboys (Head)

A miserable season for the Dallas Cowboys got even more miserable on Sunday. Not only did Dallas get trounced by the Washington Football Team, 25-3, but they have also lost their second starting quarterback. Andy Dalton, who replaced the injured Dak Prescott two weeks ago, came out in the third quarter of Sunday’s game after taking a brutal hit from Washington linebacker Jon Bostic.

Dalton was injured on the helmet-to-helmet hit, and he was replaced immediately by rookie Ben DiNucci. Dalton had completed just nine of his 19 throws for 75 yards and an interception at the time of the injury. In his place, DiNucci went two-for-three with 39 yards.

The hit on Andy Dalton that sent him to the locker room 😬

Bostic was ejected. pic.twitter.com/6RnlR0WFyJ

— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) October 25, 2020

Dalton suffered a concussion on the play. He was said to be in “good spirits” after the game, and he flew home with the rest of the team, as scheduled. Dallas dropped to 2-5 on the year after the loss, though they are still within striking distance in the dreadful NFC East. The Eagles currently lead the woeful division with a record of 2-4-1.

Whether Dalton will be healthy enough to suit up next Sunday night against Philadelphia remains to be seen. The Cowboys signed former SMU standout Garrett Gilbert to the practice squad last week, and he will likely serve as DiNucci’s backup in Week 8 if Dalton is unable to play. Despite beginning the season as minus-money favorites to win the NFC East, Dallas has dropped to +350 amid a rash of injuries and a horrific start to the new campaign.

Jeff Wilson Jr., RB, San Francisco 49ers (Ankle)

The San Francisco 49ers stormed into Foxborough and thrashed the New England Patriots on Sunday, but injury woes continue to plague the reigning NFC champs. Jeff Wilson Jr., who started Sunday’s game in place of the injured Raheem Mostert and Tevin Coleman, left the game with an ankle injury of his own.

Wilson sustained the injury to his ankle while scoring his third touchdown of the game in the third quarter. He carried the ball 17 times for 112 yrads before going down, but he didn’t return to the game afterward. Jamycal Hasty got the bulk of the carries after Wilson was injured, with Jerick McKinnon carrying the ball just three times in the game.

The 49ers believe Wilson suffered a high ankle sprain on the play. The team may place Wilson on injured reserve, which would keep him sidelined for at least three weeks. Mostert and Coleman are both already on IR. Head coach Kyle Shanahan attributed McKinnon’s light workload to the team’s desire to get him some rest after he missed each of the last two seasons with knee trouble.

Deebo Samuel, WR, San Francisco 49ers (Hamstring)

The 49ers also lost a pair of wideouts in Sunday’s 33-6 win. Deebo Samuel exited the game with a hamstring issue, while Richie James Jr. injured his ankle.

Shanahan said after the game that Samuel is unlikely to play next week when the 49ers visit the Seahawks in Seattle. San Francisco then has a Thursday night date with the Packers just four days after that.

Samuel has played in four games this season after missing the beginning of the year. The second-year pro has 16 catches for 175 yards with a score across those four appearances. If he’s sidelined next week, the Niners will have to rely more heavily on Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle, and Kendrick Bourne in the passing attack. The team has reportedly held trade discussions surrounding another receiver, Dante Pettis, in recent weeks.

The Niners actually own the worst odds to win the NFC West at +600 despite improving to 4-3 on the year.