Fantasy Football Week 12: Buying or Selling Top Injured Players

I love him, I love him not. I love him, I love him not...

More than a few fantasy owners have been muttering those words about several injured players this week, trying to decide whether they should cut ties or stick it out with certain players. Roster spots are valuable in your playoff push, after all, and you don't want to carry dead weight.

Folks, let me lend a hand. Below, I'll break down the players I'm still buying on and those I'm ditching. I love him, I love him not...
 

Buying

Thomas B. Shea/Getty Images

I'm buying Arian Foster. I'll always buy him. The injury problems are an issue long-term, sure, but if he steps on a football field, he absolutely, positively should be in your starting lineup. Few players are more compelling with the ball in their hands.

Of course, his owners likely have to be frustrated with how vague the Houston Texans have been about his injury. Here's the latest "update" provided by the team on Wednesday, via Drew Dougherty of HoustonTexans.com:

"

O'Brien: Arian Foster (groin injury) is "day-to-day".

— Drew Dougherty (@DoughertyDrew) November 19, 2014"

Well, that's not terribly helpful. Whatever. You still have to buy on Foster. 

I'm also buying on Giovani Bernard at running back. Yes, the fact that Jeremy Hill has exceeded 150 rushing yards twice in Bernard's absence probably means he's earned more carries when Bernard is healthy, but it's now as though the incumbent played poorly at any point this season. Quite the contrary—he's been pretty great when he's been on the field. 

Don't assume that will change just because Hill seized his opportunity, too.

Joe Sargent/Getty Images

I'm on the fence with Fred Jackson upon his return. I'm a bit concerned that at 33, he could simply be hobbled off and on for the rest of the season. On the other hand, he did have seven or more fantasy points in five of the first six games this season. 

So I would say you can tentatively buy on Jackson, but only as a player you'll use as a flex consideration, not as an RB2. 

I'm certainly buying on Emmanuel Sanders and Julius Thomas. Two of the better options in the league's most dangerous passing attack don't lose their fantasy value due to injuries that shouldn't cost them much time, if any, on the field.

I'm still buying on Dwayne Allen. Unless we find out he's guaranteed to miss significant action, you should wait it out on him. At a volatile position, he's been pretty consistent this year. He's earned your patience. 

Selling

I'm still tentatively selling on Ronnie Hillman as well. I'm certainly not worried about Montee Ball eating into his workload when he returns from injury, but I am a bit worried that C.J. Anderson could really seize this job. I'm also worried that when all three backs are healthy, this could end up being a three-headed platoon.

If you can afford to stash Hillman on your bench, do it. But if you need the roster spot, I think you can move on from Hillman.

I'm still selling on Reggie Bush. I just don't trust he'll get that many touches in Detroit's backfield committee and, quite frankly, Joique Bell is the better player at this point. Bush might have value here or there down the stretch, but not enough to buy on.

Sell on Doug Martin (if you even own him still). Sell, sell, sell. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers would be wise to give Charles Sims a long, hard look the rest of the way. Martin's time in Tampa is coming to a close.

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

I'm selling on Larry Fitzgerald, both this week and going forward. He'll likely play against Seattle, sure, but that's a rough matchup. And with Drew Stanton now under center, Fitz's numbers are likely to plummet again. Stay away.

I'm done with Jordan Reed. He just can't stay healthy, and even when he has this season, Reed hasn't been terribly productive. Frankly, staying away from everyone in Washington at the moment might be wise. That team is a mess. 

I think you probably should have sold on Jordan Cameron a while ago as well, if only because he can't stay on the field and hasn't done much when he has. The return of Josh Gordon could open things up for Cameron going across the middle upon his return, but until we see consistent results, he's too risky to trust.

Hit me up on Twitter—I'll answer your fantasy questions and make some corny jokes, too. It's more fun than being Aaron Rodgers right now. OK, not quite. Fine, it's not like that at all. Jeez.