Peyton Hillis Injury: Updates on Browns Star's Week 4 Status and Fantasy Value

Peyton Hillis must have had a killer case of strep throat.

He showed up for Sunday’s game against the Miami Dolphins looking like some sort of pale zombie. The team decided he shouldn’t be around the rest of his teammates and sent him home by 10:30 a.m. He was physically weak and not fit for 60 minutes of getting hit.

UPDATE: Sunday, Oct. 2 at 10:30 p.m. EST

Exactly why Hillis didn't play in Week 3 turned into something of a conspiracy theory in the days leading up to Week 4, but Hillis put any and all concerns to rest with a solid performance against the Tennessee Titans.

Hillis only carried the ball 10 times, but he gained 46 yards and added another 23 on five receptions. Not too much work, but you can chalk that up to the fact Colt McCoy threw the ball a ridiculous 61 times.

At any rate, Hillis didn't show any ill effects from his bout with strep throat. It shouldn't be an issue in the coming weeks.

UPDATE: Sunday, Oct. 2 at 9:40 a.m. EST

The Browns still list Hillis on the injury report, but he is all but guaranteed to play today against the Titans. Browns beat writer Scott Petrak tweeted that the star running back is probable for today's game.

The concern in this game is not whether Hillis plays in this game, but how effective he is. He is only averaging 3.4 yards per carry so far this season, and the Titans only allow 89 yards per game on the ground.

UPDATE: Thursday, Sept. 29 at 5:37 p.m. EDT

We all know that Peyton Hillis will be good to go on Sunday, but according to beat writer Mary Kay Cabot, Hillis lost weight because of strep throat,

He should be in fantasy lineups this week, but be aware that Montario Hardesty is going to get a few extra carries as well.

UPDATE: Thursday, Sept. 29 at 10 a.m. EDT

Some bad news came across the news wire today for Peyton Hillis' fantasy owners. According to ESPN, Montario Hardesty is going to get plenty more action in the Browns backfield.

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"What we found Sunday is Montario's further along than I thought he was and can handle more than I thought he could," said Browns coach Pat Shurmur, who never imagined Hardesty being on the field for more than 60 offensive plays. "Sometimes that happens out of necessity."

Hardesty's emergence gives the Browns another option on offense.

And, who knows? There could come a time in the future when Hardesty supplants Hillis as Cleveland's primary back. For now, though, the Browns believe they have two solid backs they can use in single-back formations or packages together. It's a luxury they haven't had in years.

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This is without a doubt a luxury for the Browns, but Hillis' fantasy owners are going to have to tame expectations over the coming weeks.

Hillis is going to lose carries as the season goes along, and the Madden curse may just be in full effect this year.

UPDATE: Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 1:37 p.m. EDT

For all of the fantasy owners taken off guard by Peyton Hillis’ late scratch from Week 3’s matchup against the Miami Dolphins will be happy to hear that the Cleveland Browns will get their star back for Week 4.

Titans insider for the Tennessean Jim Wyatt is reporting that the Browns will have the bruising Hillis back in the lineup:

While the fantasy season hasn’t been very kind to Hillis, amassing just over 150 yards in two games on the ground, this looks like the kind of perfect storm of rest and determination that could have him blow up for big fantasy points.

UPDATE: Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 10:05 a.m. EDT

While nothing has been confirmed, the strep throat that kept the bruising running back out of the lineup against the Miami Dolphins should be cleared up by the time the Brows face off with the Tennessee Titans Sunday.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer is reporting about the lack of success of Peyton Hillis so far this season:

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The 3.4 YPC has been referred to regularly since the Browns' 27-19 win over the Colts in Indianapolis on Sept. 18, a win which Hillis helped lock up when he bounced away from a pile of Browns and Colts to ramble for a 24-yard touchdown. Even that superb TD dash has been diminished, with some pundits citing Hillis' yards-per-carry without the run. Well, then subtract this 5-yard loss, that zero-yard dive before a 1-yard touchdown plunge, and the yards-per-carry...You get the idea.

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While it is true that Hillis hasn’t been having the best year, its more because of the opposition’s lack of respect for the pass game than the lack of talent in the backfield. If the Brows throw the ball like they did last week that will force defense to stop loading eight in the box every play.

UPDATE: Tuesday, Sept. 27 at 2:55 p.m. EST

Peyton Hillis had strep throat, but he's been getting better every day. It's rather simple, with no legitimate injury and the time he had to rest, the Madden 12 cover boy is expected to be back on the field in Week 4.

The biggest question moving forward for fantasy owners is how Hillis will be used.

Former second round pick Montario Hardesty took advantage of his opportunity to start in Week 3 and was on the field for 61 offensive snaps. He ran for 67 yards on 14 carries showed the Browns exactly what they wanted to see.

Head coach Pat Shurmur was quoted by Browns' beat writer Scott Petrak saying:

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They can play together. We had plays in the game to feature both Peyton and Montario. Although the fullback has to be a guy that can block, that typically is not what we do in our (West Coast) system. He has to be able to catch and run and do those other things as well.

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Not only will these two start sharing some carries, but they could even be put in the same backfield.

Monitor Hillis and Hardesty carefully over the next few weeks as they'll both be stealing carries from one another and damaging each other's fantasy value.

UPDATE: Monday, Sept. 26

As far as injuries are concerned, this is as good as it gets. There is nothing wrong with his body—he just got really sick at the wrong time.

According to Browns beat writer Scott Petrak, he was already feeling better on Monday morning.

Rotoworld breaks down what today’s update means for his Week 4 status:

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It sounds like he's getting better. The Browns likely consider Hillis day to day and probable to start Week 4 against the Titans. Keep in mind that Montario Hardesty is coming off a strong first start. It's certainly possible that Hillis and Hardesty will form a 60:40 rotation, respectively, going forward.

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Fantasy Impact

If anything, taking a game off is going to go a long way in keeping Hillis healthy for the rest of the season.

Last year he really wore down at the end of the season—just in time for fantasy playoffs. This year he has a decent backup to relieve him in Montario Hardesty.

Hardesty had 14 rushes for 67 yards and caught three passes for 19 yards against the Dolphins. The rookie showcased some impressive speed and will likely relieve Hillis periodically through the course of a game, keeping the big, burly back fresh.

While it’s hard to predict how long his strep throat will last, odds are he’ll be back in the lineup this Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.

If Hillis does come back, expect him to pick up where he left off in Week 2, when he ran for 94 yards and two TDs. The one concern with Hillis thus far is his less-than-stellar 3.4 yards per carry. This is almost a full yard less than his career average.

It remains to be seen if this is just two bad games or the start of a trend.

Check back for more updates on Hillis's battle with strep throat as the week progresses.