Check out all of Stephania's injury outlooks by position: QB | RB | WR | TE
Quarterbacks get all of the glory and score a ton of fantasy points, but they also take plenty of hits. While QBs are a bit more reliable than their backfield teammates at the running back position, they're still prone to ailments that can limit their fantasy upside.
Before you draft your 2017 teams, here's a list of notable quarterbacks coming off of injuries in 2016 and my assessment of their health and outlook for the year ahead.
Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts
Luck played through a torn labrum last year and still threw for over 4,000 yards. The one game he did miss was because of a concussion. In 2015 Luck was, well, unlucky, suffering a kidney laceration that forced him onto injured reserve after only seven games played. Remarkably resilient, Luck did not miss any games in his first three seasons in the NFL.
The decision to have shoulder surgery was certainly not rushed, given his attempt to treat it conservatively and continue playing. While no surgical outcomes are guaranteed, there is no reason to think Luck won't return to top form and the Colts clearly have a plan in place. He opens training camp on the PUP list, working on throwing in the background, away from the scrutiny of others.
When he is ready and the team is comfortable, Luck will be progressed to throwing with his teammates and a return to practice. The unpredictable aspect of a throwing progression is how the athlete will respond as the workload increases. Obviously, everyone in the organization and, of course, Luck himself are aware of the season start date, but the big-picture goal has to be the long-term health of his shoulder. There is no reason to say now that his readiness to start the season is in jeopardy, but his outlook should become much clearer in a few weeks.
Newton went under the knife in March to repair his partial rotator cuff tear after it failed to respond to conservative treatment. Newton has already resumed throwing and although the Panthers plan to control his activity in camp so as not to stress his shoulder too much too soon, he is progressing according to plan. Just how much he will play in the preseason is unclear, but the ultimate goal is to ensure his readiness for Week 1.
The second goal is to reduce Newton's injury risk this season. He missed one game in Week 5 because of a concussion. His shoulder injury occurred in Week 14 when Newton's pass intended for Kelvin Benjamin wound up in the hands of Chargers cornerback Trovon Reed instead. As Reed headed toward the end zone, Newton made a diving attempt to tackle him. Not only did he miss, but he also injured his shoulder in the process. These are the types of situations the Panthers would like to avoid to help keep their quarterback on the field.
Coach Ron Rivera insists there will be less running for Newton and there will be a focus on unloading the ball quickly. This strategy should help Newton given the physical toll his body is taking via the contact he willingly absorbs, although it decreases one of the means by which he provides fantasy points. There's a balance the Panthers are trying to strike with their quarterback. Will they find it?
Update (Aug. 21): When I visited Panthers camp on Aug. 2, Newton was not throwing in practice due to shoulder soreness. I spoke with head athletic trainer and physical therapist Ryan Vermillion who offered this: "He's had a little bit of soreness in the morning before practice and rather than trying to push through it, rather than ignore it, we thought the best thing to do was to shut it down and take a break. He's been doing very well. He's had a bunch of days back to back and we've slowly increased his throws without any issues. Now there's a little bit of soreness, so we pulled him back. He also saw Dr. Connor. Dr. Connor agreed with the program and we're just going to slowly build him back up."
It's not unusual for throwers returning from an injury to have some ups and downs in the course of their throwing progression. The key is responding to any reports of soreness or stiffness right away and then adjusting the program as necessary. On Aug. 13, Newton resumed throwing to receivers during team drills and, as of this writing, the Panthers remain confident that he is on track for the start of the season.
Update (Aug. 26): Newton saw his first preseason action in Week 3. He was in the game for a single series, leading his team 75 yards on 10 plays. The majority of those plays came on the ground with Newton handing the ball off, but he did complete two passes for 21 yards and a touchdown. The important notes for Newton were that his passes were on point, he was able to get into game mode and he exited with no setbacks. If there were any concerns about his availability for Week One, they should now be alleviated.
A right-sided fibula fracture in Week 16 crushed the hopes of Raiders fans with an eye on the postseason and fantasy owners with an eye on a Week 17 championship victory. The good news is that after undergoing surgery to stabilize the fracture, Carr's recovery was swift and he was a full participant in the team's offseason activities. He enters the 2017 season healthy.
Marcus Mariota, Tennessee Titans
Mariota suffered a nasty fibula fracture, more complex and requiring more extensive surgical repair than that of his fellow quarterback Carr. Early reports from the team about Mariota's progress have been promising and he says he will be a full go in training camp, but he needs to pass the eye test.
Given that regaining mobility at the ankle is one of the most challenging parts of returning from this type of injury, it will take seeing just how well Mariota moves around the field to be convinced that he is indeed back to normal. It might be that Mariota is able to play while still working toward his maximum recovery. Assuming he does regain his mobility, the next question for the quarterback whose two seasons in the league have ended prematurely because of injury is can he endure 16 games?
Update (Aug. 21): Mariota has now played in the Titans' first two preseason games and is giving fantasy owners reason to be encouraged. He has dropped back, thrown with accuracy, pivoted to hand the ball off and he's ripped off a couple of short-yardage runs, even sliding at the end of one, looking like his normal self in the process. He also absorbed a sack in his first preseason game and bounced right back up, clearing an important hurdle to show he can take the contact without issue.