Fantasy Football 2018: Cheatsheet for Injured Players and Holdout Candidates

Let's get this part of the story out of the way quickly. 

Running back Le'Veon Bell is the No. 1 running back in the NFL. Some observers may give the nod to Todd Gurley of the Los Angeles Rams, and others may look at Ezekiel Elliott of the Dallas Cowboys, but Bell is a special weapon for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Bell is in the middle of what has become a regular holdout for him. He is not in training camp with the Steelers, and it would not be a surprise if he ends his holdout in the final week before the start of the season when the Steelers go on the road to take on the Cleveland Browns.

It doesn't matter as far as Fantasy Football owners are concerned. Anyone who has a chance to draft Bell should not hesitate. He can do it all as a runner and a receiver. He teams with a still-productive quarterback in Ben Roethlisberger and the best receiver in the league in Antonio Brown. 

The holdout does nothing to change his status as the game's best running back and a potential No. 1 draft pick in fantasy football. It may seem distasteful in mid-August, but there should be no hesitation in your fantasy draft when it comes to selecting Bell

Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin took a familiar tone when asked about the Bell holdout. 

"So, you know, I'm sure he's in great shape, he's in great shape over a 12-month calendar, but football shape is football shape," Tomlin said Monday, per 97.3 The Fan (h/t SteelersWire.com). "When he gets here, we'll see where he is and proceed from there. Until then, I'll focus my energies and attention on the guys that are working here, as I should."

Bell rushed for 1,291 yards and nine touchdowns, and he caught 85 passes for 655 yards and two touchdowns last season.

Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

David Johnson was one of the top three running backs in the NFL at this time a year ago. However, he missed the season with a Week 1 wrist injury. Johnson is healed and has his sights set on a 1,000-yard rushing season and a 1,000-yard receiving season.

Whether or not he reaches those goals may be determined by those around him, including Sam Bradford and rookie Josh Rosen at quarterback. However, Johnson is healthy again and should be able to put huge numbers on the board.

The belief here is that Johnson's speed and productivity will allow him to have another excellent season as he returns from his wrist injury. Johnson rushed for 1,239 yards and 16 touchdowns and he caught 80 passes for 879 yards and four touchdowns in 2016. He may not reach the same level this year, but he will be a dynamic performer.

We ranked the top 10 players on the holdout-injury list below.

Rank. Player, Position, Team, Comment

1. Le'Veon Bell, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers (holdout)—Ignore the holdout, still the best RB in the league.

2. David Johnson, RB, Arizona Cardinals (wrist)—Strong comeback expected from speedster.

3. Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants (hamstring)—Nothing to worry about, hopefully.

4. Carson Wentz, QB, Philadelphia Eagles (knee)—The key to the Eagles' season.

5. Alshon Jeffery, WR, Philadelphia Eagles (shoulder)—Big-play receiver may start slowly.

6. Quincy Enunwa, WR, New York Jets (thumb)—Could be key player as Jets' QB situation improves.

7. George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers (shoulder)—Jimmy Garoppolo is hoping Kittle is ready to go.

8. Doug Baldwin, WR, Seattle Seahawks (knee)—Russell Wilson's only dependable weapon

9. Kenny Britt, WR, New England Patriots (hamstring)—Needs to get on the field.

10. Julian Edelman, WR, New England Patriots (suspension-knee)—Will need to be at top of game when he returns from suspension.

The news out of the Giants' camp Monday was somewhat alarming because Barkley suffered a mild hamstring strain in a Monday practice session, per Ryan Dunleavy of NJ.com, and the Giants will take it easy with the No. 2 overall pick in the draft because they want him at full strength for the start of the season.

The likelihood is that Barkley will be in the starting lineup in the season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but fantasy owners may worry when the next tweak will occur. That's something head coach Pat Shurmur is likely to worry about as well.

Carson Wentz is hoping to be in the starting lineup in Week 1 for the Eagles, and he provided an update Tuesday morning in an interview with Philadelphia radio station WIP.

"I obviously would love to be out there. That's been my goal all offseason ever since the injury. It's going to be close. It's going to be close," Wentz said to Angelo Cataldi, (h/t NBC Sports Philadelphia). "I'm still eyeing that date. At the end of the day, it's not just my decision. There's coaches and doctors that really have the final say. I really like where I'm at and time will tell here."

Notice that Wentz did not make a full-fledged prediction or say anything definitive. However, the fact that starting in the season opener against the Atlanta Falcons remains a possibility is an excellent sign for the third-year quarterback.

Wentz tore his ACL last December in a game against the Rams.

Britt has a chance to play a key role with the Patriots this season, as he has the kind of speed that can stretch the defense and allow Tom Brady to make big plays. However, he has a hamstring injury and is currently on the PUP list.

That injury has kept him from practicing, and the Boston Globe's Ben Volin projected that Britt would not make the team because he can't participate. However, if he can make a recovery and start practicing within the next week or 10 days, his ability to make big plays down the field could help him not only make the team but perform well, but also be a difference maker as well.

That's what the Patriots had in mind when they signed the 29-year-old former Rutgers star. Britt caught 68 passes for 1,002 yards and five touchdowns in 2016. However, he is running out of time to prove himself.