NFL Rumors: Bills QB Josh Allen Has Elbow Sprain Injury; Uncertain for Vikings Game
Nov 9, 2022
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) reacts during the first half of an NFL football game against the New York Jets on Sunday, Nov. 6, 2022, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)
Buffalo Bills star quarterback Josh Allen's status for Sunday's game against the Minnesota Vikings is uncertain because of an injury to his throwing elbow.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday that Allen has a sprained UCL in his right elbow, and while it is not considered a "major" injury, it is "up in the air" if he will play Sunday:
From @GMFB: #Bills QB Josh Allen is dealing with a sprained right elbow, sources say, a UCL injury that will limit him this week. While it’s no sure thing that Allen plays vs the #Vikings, belief is it’s an injury he can manage moving forward. How he responds this week is key. pic.twitter.com/86HQb0Kdzz
Rapoport added that the belief is that Allen will be able to manage the injury and play through it even if he isn't available against the Vikings.
On Wednesday, Bills head coach Sean McDermott told reporters Allen would not practice but also said the team will "see where it goes" with the quarterback and that the team would use "common sense" regarding his status.
Any injury to Allen is a huge concern for the Bills, especially if lingers. He is putting together a potentially MVP-worthy campaign, throwing for 2,403 yards, 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions while completing 64.1 percent of his passes.
The 26-year-old has also rushed for 392 yards and four scores, helping lead the Bills to a 6-2 record.
Allen's elbow injury occurred last week when he was hit in the throwing arm by New York Jets defensive lineman Bryce Huff during a strip-sack, the decisive play for the Jets in a 20-17 upset.
"There's some slight pain," he told reporters after the contest. "But we'll get through it."
McDermott added at the time:
"We all know Josh and how competitive he is, and he loves to compete, loves to be out there with his teammates. So, you know, I would never count him out. That's the one thing I do know about him is that right now, the medical piece, we're still evaluating it. I'll know more, again for myself even, tomorrow morning a little bit more."
That same injury caused him to miss four games during his rookie season. But he hadn't missed a game since in an impressive run of durability for a player who doesn't shy from contact once he tucks the ball and runs.
If Allen can't play Sunday, Case Keenum will start against one of his former teams.
The 34-year-old journeyman has only made 10 starts in the past four seasons and was last a regular starter for the Denver Broncos in 2018, throwing for 3,890 yards, 18 touchdowns and 15 interceptions that year.
In 2017, Keenum went 11-3 as a starter with the Vikings and led them to the NFC Championship Game.
Deep breath, fellow fantasy football fanatics. With nine weeks of the 2022 NFL season in the books, it's now-or-never time to salvage your own campaign....
Josh Allen on Bills' Loss to Jets: Tough to Win When QB 'Plays Like S--t'
Nov 6, 2022
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) during the first half of an NFL football game against the New York Jets, Sunday, Nov. 6, 2022, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen took responsibility after his team's 20-17 road loss to the New York Jets on Sunday.
#Bills QB Josh Allen: “It’s tough to win when your quarterback plays like shit.”
Allen completed just 18 of 34 passes for 205 yards, no passing touchdowns and two interceptions. He also took five sacks.
The Bills signal-caller did dominate on the ground with 86 rushing yards and two touchdowns on nine carries, but Buffalo's offense went dormant in the second half.
Buffalo gained just 43 total yards on four drives that ended in a field goal, an interception, a punt and a turnover on downs.
The Bills entered the game as 10.5-point favorites, but this appeared to be a tough matchup on paper to some extent given the rainy and windy weather on the road against a stingy Jets secondary led by shutdown rookie cornerback Sauce Gardner.
The pass defense ultimately won the day. Outside of Stefon Diggs (five catches, 93 yards), no Bills receiver did much against the Jets. Gabe Davis (33 yards) was second in receiving.
Despite the tough game, Allen is playing at an MVP level. He entered Sunday completing 65.5 percent of his passes for 19 touchdowns (six interceptions) and 2,198 passing yards alongside 306 rushing yards and two scores.
The Bills are also excelling thanks to a 6-2 record that has them atop the AFC standings. They'll have another difficult matchup next Sunday, though, when they welcome the 7-1 Minnesota Vikings to Buffalo.
Josh Allen Called out by NFL Twitter for Sloppy Game in Loss to Zach Wilson, Jets
Nov 6, 2022
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) throws a pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the New York Jets, Sunday, Nov. 6, 2022, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
Josh Allen has been the consensus front-runner for MVP to start the 2022 NFL season. That campaign may have come to a screeching halt Sunday, however.
Allen had arguably his worst game of the season, throwing two interceptions in a 20-17 loss to the New York Jets (6-3) that suddenly has the race for the AFC East title looking pretty tight.
The Bills now sit at 6-2, just a half-game ahead of the Jets. And Allen's rough day was the main culprit, as he finished 18-of-34 for 205 yards, no passing touchdowns, two interceptions and five sacks taken.
He did rush nine times for 86 yards and two scores, but it was not enough to compensate for his struggles through the air. The performance was poor enough that NFL Twitter offered as damning an indictment as Allen might see this season—that he was outplayed by Jets starter Zach Wilson:
Zach Wilson is outplaying Josh Allen and it's not overly close. #Jets
The best thing about 2021/2022 Josh Allen is those six random plays where he becomes 2019 Josh Allen, just to remind you where he came from and what it used to look like
really thought josh allen had eliminated all silliness from his game after the first month of the season (plus how he ended last year) but that is clearly not the case.
Wilson didn't exactly play the part of a superstar (18-of-25 for 154 yards and a touchdown) Sunday, and he also lost a fumble. A physical run game (34 carries for 174 yards) allowed them to win the time-of-possession battle (32:44 to 27:16) while keeping the ball out of Allen's hands.
Allen won't, and shouldn't, shoulder all of the blame for the loss. Buffalo's run defense, which entered the week ranked fourth in the league, is now a cause for concern. The Jets defense, meanwhile, appears to be legit. This New York team has turned a corner.
But Allen is the leader of the Bills and, at least coming into Sunday, was an MVP candidate. For the second straight week, he didn't perform like one.
The Bills got away with it last week against the floundering Green Bay Packers. They weren't so lucky against the ascending Jets.
At the midpoint of the 2022 NFL season, you could reasonably find novels written about the performances of all 32 teams. Strengths and weaknesses have become...
Bills' Josh Allen Tops Eagles' Jalen Hurts for MVP in Peter King's Midseason Awards
Oct 31, 2022
ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 30: Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills throws a pass during the fourth quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Highmark Stadium on October 30, 2022 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Joshua Bessex/Getty Images)
ProFootballTalk's Peter King handed out his midseason awards Monday, and Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen took home MVP ahead of Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith and New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley.
King wrote:
"Allen, best player on the best team having his best season, beat the former MVP and Super Bowl winner (Mahomes) on his turf in week six ('Josh Allen feels impossible to play against,' the former Kansas City tackle, Mitchell Schwartz, tweeted Sunday night. Schwartz is right.)"
It's hard to argue with the selection. Allen, 26, has led the Bills to a 6-1 record, throwing for 2,198 yards, 19 touchdowns and six interceptions in seven games and completing 65.5 percent of his passes. He's also rushed for 306 yards and two touchdowns.
Hurts may give him a run for his money. He's led the Eagles to a 7-0 record, throwing for 1,799 yards, 10 scores and just two picks while rushing for 303 yards and six touchdowns. The Eagles are the lone undefeated team in the NFL, and the play of Hurts has been a big reason.
Allen has looked like an MVP, though, and the Bills don't appear likely to slow down anytime soon. But a lot of football is left to be played.
The Buffalo Bills and a few other AFC powers are exactly where we expected them to be in the AFC standings going into Week 9. Josh Allen and Co. sit on top of...
Bills' Josh Allen Touted as 'Best Player in the NFL' During Win Over Packers
Oct 31, 2022
ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 30: Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills looks to pass during the first quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Highmark Stadium on October 30, 2022 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images)
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen entered the 2022 season as the favorite to win NFL MVP, and he continued his march toward fulfilling that prediction in Sunday's 27-17 win over the Green Bay Packers.
Allen threw for 218 yards and two touchdowns while also adding 49 rushing yards. He did throw two interceptions in the second half, but they were fairly insignificant with the game well in hand.
Allen and the Bills offense looked like a well-oiled machine to open the game, using explosive plays to excite the home crowd at Highmark stadium. Buffalo scored 17 points in the second quarter and took a 24-7 lead into halftime.
Allen's connection with Stefon Diggs was on full display, as the receiver finished with six catches for 108 yards and a touchdown. The Bills also totaled 153 yards on the ground.
Fans online were impressed with what they saw from Allen and the Bills offense Sunday, with many proclaiming them to be the best in the NFL:
The Bills improved to 6-1 with Sunday's victory and look like the front-runners to represent the AFC in Super Bowl LVII. With Allen leading the way, it appears that the sky's the limit for Buffalo.
Next Sunday will see the Bills go for their fifth straight win when they visit the New York Jets.
Fantasy Football Week 7: Examining Trade Value for This Year's Top 100 Players
Oct 20, 2022
KANSAS CITY, MO - OCTOBER 16: Travis Kelce #87 of the Kansas City Chiefs pushes away Kaiir Elam #24 of the Buffalo Bills during the fourth quarter at Arrowhead Stadium on October 16, 2022 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)
With playoff baseball in full swing, it's hard not to compare of the quirks that make America's Pastime so unique to the whimsies of fantasy football.
That broken-bat looper that drops between three fielders? Well, that's your classic, "I have Russell Wilson and Austin Ekeler in a Monday night game that goes into overtime and I still lose by 0.4 points." (If that sounds extremely specific...well, it was. And it hurt.)
The opposing pitcher who struggled during the regular season but suddenly is painting the corners and can't be touched? That's the player in your league who has a pretty average team but for whatever reason keeps facing opponents who only manage like 65 points total against them.
Fantasy, in other words, can be cruel. Mysterious. Downright painful or utterly joyous. Sometimes, a perfect trade can take you from the former to the latter. That's where we come in with the weekly trade value chart.
The usual disclaimers: This guide is just that, a tool meant to give you a general idea of how to best value your players. You should always take your league format and rules into consideration. It was made with PPR scoring in mind. Any player not listed below has a trade value of one.
And of course, may the fantasy points be with you!
Trade Value: 15
1. Cooper Kupp, WR, Los Angeles Rams
Trade Value: 14
2. Austin Ekeler, RB, Los Angeles Chargers
3. Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants
4. Nick Chubb, RB, Cleveland Browns
5. Christian McCaffrey, RB, Carolina Panthers
6. Derrick Henry, RB, Tennessee Titans
Trade Value: 13
7. Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs
8. Stefon Diggs, WR, Buffalo Bills
9. Tyreek Hill, WR, Miami Dolphins
10. Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings
11. Ja'Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
12. Davante Adams, WR, Las Vegas Raiders
13. Deebo Samuel, WR, San Francisco 49ers
Trade Value: 12
14. Mark Andrews, TE, Baltimore Ravens
15. Dalvin Cook, RB, Minnesota Vikings
16. D'Andre Swift, RB, Detroit Lions
17. Leonard Fournette, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
18. Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints
19. Breece Hall, RB, New York Jets
20. Joe Mixon, RB, Cincinnati Bengals
21. Josh Jacobs, RB, Las Vegas Raiders
Trade Value: 11
22. A.J. Brown, WR, Philadelphia Eagles
23. Jaylen Waddle, WR, Miami Dolphins
24. Michael Pittman Jr., WR, Indianapolis Colts
25. CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys
26. Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, Detroit Lions
27. Amari Cooper, WR, Cleveland Browns
28. Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
29. Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills
Trade Value: 10
30. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts
31. Najee Harris, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers
32. DeVonta Smith, WR, Philadelphia Eagles
33. Tyler Lockett, WR, Seattle Seahawks
34. D.K. Metcalf, WR, Seattle Seahawks
35. Mike Williams, WR, Los Angeles Chargers
36. Keenan Allen, WR, Los Angeles Chargers
Trade Value: 9
37. Dameon Pierce, RB, Houston Texans
38. Kenneth Walker III, RB, Seattle Seahawks
39. David Montgomery, RB, Chicago Bears
40. Miles Sanders, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
41. Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Dallas Cowboys
Trade Value: 8
42. Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens
43. Jalen Hurts, QB, Philadelphia Eagles
44. Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs
45. Zach Ertz, TE, Arizona Cardinals
46. Dallas Goedert, TE, Philadelphia Eagles
Trade Value: 7
47. Rhamondre Stevenson, RB, New England Patriots
48. Jeff Wilson Jr., RB, San Francisco 49ers
49. Darrell Henderson Jr., RB, Los Angeles Rams
50. Aaron Jones, RB, Green Bay Packers
Trade Value: 6
51. Chris Olave, WR, New Orleans Saints
52. Courtland Sutton, WR, Denver Broncos
53. Tee Higgins, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
54. Terry McLaurin, WR, Washington Commanders
55. Christian Kirk, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
56. Gabe Davis, WR, Buffalo Bills
57. Allen Lazard, WR, Green Bay Packers
58. Chris Godwin, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
59. Adam Thielen, WR, Minnesota Vikings
60. Diontae Johnson, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
Trade Value: 5
61. Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
62. Kyler Murray, QB, Arizona Cardinals
63. Justin Herbert, QB, Los Angeles Chargers
64. Darren Waller, TE, Las Vegas Raiders
65. George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers
66. Jamaal Williams, RB, Detroit Lions
67. Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, Kansas City Chiefs
68. James Conner, RB, Arizona Cardinals
69. Brian Robinson, RB, Washington Commanders
Trade Value: 4
70. Brandon Aiyuk, WR, San Francisco 49ers
71. Drake London, WR, Atlanta Falcons
72. Jakobi Meyers, WR, New England Patriots
73. Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas Cowboys
74. Kyle Pitts, TE, Atlanta Falcons
75. Tyler Higbee, TE, Los Angeles Rams
76. David Njoku, TE, Cleveland Browns
Trade Value: 3
77. James Robinson, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars
78. Devin Singletary, RB, Buffalo Bills
79. Tony Pollard, RB, Dallas Cowboys
80. J.K. Dobbins, RB, Baltimore Ravens
81. Antonio Gibson, RB, Washington Commanders
82. Khalil Herbert, RB, Chicago Bears
83. Kareem Hunt, RB, Cleveland Browns
84. Travis Etienne Jr., RB, Jacksonville Jaguars
85. Curtis Samuel, WR, Washington Commanders
86. Josh Reynolds, WR, Detroit Lions
87. Devin Duvernay, WR, Baltimore Ravens
88. JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
89. D.J. Moore, WR, Carolina Panthers
Trade Value: 2
90. Jared Goff, QB, Detroit Lions
91. Kirk Cousins, QB, Minnesota Vikings
92. Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars
93. Tom Brady, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
94. T.J. Hockenson, TE, Detroit Lions
95. Gerald Everett, TE, Los Angeles Chargers
96. Michael Carter, RB, New York Jets
97. A.J. Dillon, RB, Green Bay Packers
98. Damien Harris, RB, New England Patriots
99. Corey Davis, WR, New York Jets
100. Tyler Boyd, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
If you follow this chart each week, well, god bless you. But also, you've probably noticed that Travis Kelce and Mark Andrews keep climbing higher and higher in trade value.
Let's talk about why.
First off, Kelce is averaging 21.8 fantasy points per week in standard PPR leagues. That is sixth among non-quarterbacks. That, alone, is absurd. Andrews, meanwhile is at 19.1 points per week, ranking 10th among non-quarterbacks.
Again, absurd.
But it's even more impressive when you consider that the third tight end in scoring per week this season is Zach Ertz, at an average of 13.2 points. That means that if you have Kelce, you are gaining 8.6 more points per week than managers with Ertz, a huge fluctuation between the Nos. 1 and 3 players at the position. No other position comes close to that level of variance.
Andrews, meanwhile, is gaining you 5.9 extra points per week over Ertz. That's still an enormous swing.
And then if you compare it to, say, the No. 10 player at the position—that is currently Gerald Everett, at 9.7 points per week—Kelce is gaining teams he's on a whopping 12.1 points compared to those where Everett is starting.
Just think about how incredibly valuable that is. In 10-team leagues, Everett should be the worst player that starts on a weekly basis, and the team that has him is conceding 12.1 points, on average, to the team that has Kelce.
That level of variance between the best player at a position and the worst player who should regularly be started is somewhat expected. Josh Allen (28.8 points) holds an 11.9-point advantage over the No. 10 quarterback in points per week, Tua Tagovailoa (16.9 points).
That's a weird example given given that Tua has been injured, but we're purely comparing averages here. If you bump it down to Derek Carr (16.4 points per week) since he's been playing, the difference goes to 12.4 points.
But Kelce—and to a slightly lesser extent, Andrews—even putting significant ground between himself and the No. 3 player at the position is unique. From Ertz to Everettt, you are only seeing a difference of 3.5 points per week. That's not nothing, but the position really drops off a cliff after Kelce and Andrews.
And that's why each is so high on these rankings. Hopefully this offered you another perspective on how you should approach valuing your own players in trades.
Report: Dolphins' Christian Wilkins Denies Grabbing Bills' Josh Allen Near Groin
Oct 2, 2022
MIAMI GARDENS, FL - SEPTEMBER 25: Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Christian Wilkins (94) is helped up after a play during the game between the Buffalo Bills and the Miami Dolphins on September 25, 2022 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fl. (Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Christian Wilkins is appealing his $13,261 fine for unsportsmanlike conduct after allegedly grabbing near the groin of Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen last week.
Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported Wilkins denies the allegation that led to the fine. Allen and Wilkins were involved in a skirmish during the fourth quarter of the Dolphins' 21-19 win over their division rival last week, resulting in a 15-yard penalty for Buffalo when Allen ripped off Wilkins' helmet.
While Allen was penalized on the field, the NFL did not issue him a fine, indicating an investigation found Wilkins' initial transgression caused the fracas.
While Allen was penalized on the field, the NFL did not issue him a fine, indicating an investigation found Wilkins' initial transgression caused the fracas.
"It is what it is. He is a competitor. He's been known for that, going back to college. I should know that and shouldn't let it get the best of me, but sometimes you see red and things like that happen," Allen said on the Kyle Brandt's Basement podcast. "I'm not here to make any claims or throw anybody under the bus, but I shouldn't have let the emotions get the best of me."
Wilkins was involved in a similar incident during the 2016 Fiesta Bowl while at Clemson. Cameras showed him grabbing the behind and putting his hand between the legs of Ohio State receiver Curtis Samuel. After the game, Wilkins said he was "just being silly."
Wilkins is denying the behavior this time, but the fact that the NFL fined him indicates it has some sort of hard evidence of him grabbing Allen; the league does not typically fine based on hearsay. If the fine is upheld, Wilkins will again have to answer questions about behavior some previously felt bordered on assault.
