Jay Cutler Injury: Updates on Bears Star's Week 12 Status and Fantasy Value

Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler suffered a broken thumb in the team's win over the San Diego Chargers on Sunday. There have been varying reports about the severity of the injury, making his status for upcoming weeks, including a Week 12 game versus the Oakland Raiders, unclear.

Keep checking back to this page throughout the week for all the latest information about Cutler's thumb and his corresponding fantasy value.

Tuesday, Nov. 22 at 3:10 p.m. ET

Cutler will undergo surgery on his thumb on Wednesday, according to a Sean Jensen tweet. This was an expected step on the road to recovery. Chicago continues to hold out hope he'll be able to return before the end of its season.

The Bears now face an uphill battle to make the playoffs. Backup Caleb Hanie is expected to start on Sunday against Oakland.

Monday, Nov. 21 at 12:20 p.m. ET

The Chicago Sun-Times' Sean Jensen provided another update about Cutler and it's not good. While the Bears have confirmed that Cutler will need surgery, they are hoping he can return sometime before the season ends.

"

But Dr. Steve Shin, a hand surgeon based in Los Angeles, told the Sun-Times that a surgery usually requires six to eight weeks for recovery. An athlete, though, could resume throwing three weeks after surgery, then the rest depends on a person's threshold for pain.

"

With the fantasy football regular season winding to a close, owners can feel free to drop Cutler. He doesn't provide enough value to be worth a bench spot on the hope he makes a late-season return. As for Bears fans, just cross your fingers and hope for the best.

Monday, Nov. 21 at 10:05 a.m ET

Bears head coach Lovie Smith talked with local radio show host Josh Liss and he said Cutler's thumb is broken. He still wouldn't give a timetable for his return, saying the quarterback still has some testing to undergo.

"

“Jay does have a right thumb fracture. He hurt it on the tackle on the interception,” Smith told WBBM Newsradio’s Josh Liss. “Of course, we took X-rays last night, and he’ll be seeing a specialist this morning, and we’ll be able to tell you a little bit more after that.”

"

Judging by Smith's comments, we should learn more about Cutler's status at some point Monday or Tuesday at the latest. We'll update the situation when more becomes available.

Monday, Nov. 21 at 7:30 a.m. ET

Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times has two sources telling him that Cutler's injury could signal the end of the QB's season. That would obviously be a worst-case scenario for the Bears, who have recently make a big charge in the playoff race.

"

Cutler will undergo further tests to determine the exact nature of his injury. But there is a concern his season could be over. The Bears, though, are expected to err on the side of caution, in case Cutler can return late in season, perhaps even in the playoffs.

It was a rough day for Cutler, who also absorbed a knee to the head. While he wasn’t sacked in the game, Cutler was pressured three times, according to the game statistics, and he took a few hard blows.

"

So, at least for now it sounds like Cutler won't be placed on injured reserve. Wait for the testing results to become available before making any final fantasy football decisions.