National Football League

NFL Week 9 injury report: What to know about Derrick Henry, Jameis Winston, more

Updated Nov. 2, 2021 1:05 p.m. ET

By Dr. Matt Provencher
FOX Sports Injury & Performance Analyst

The big injury news for Week 9 of the NFL season is, of course, the Tennessee Titans' loss of franchise running back Derrick Henry.

But there are several other crucial injuries this week — New Orleans Saints quarterback Jameis Winston, for one — as well as a couple of big names nearing a return to action.

For more analysis of the NFL from Dr. Matt, follow him on Twitter or go to FantasyPredictors.com.

Here's the lowdown on eight key injuries, with expected time missed, as well as impact on production when they return.

Derrick Henry, RB, Titans

Injury: Jones fracture

Impact: Affects speed, burst, cutting/pivoting

Surgery: Yes, Nov. 2

Potential time missed: 7-10 weeks. The average time missed for a Jones fracture fixation is 8.5 weeks.

Impact on production: Henry will likely have a 15-22% decrease in rushing yards in his first three weeks back

Notes: A Jones fracture is a break in the fifth metatarsal, which is the outside long bone on the foot. It is not uncommon for an NFL player to be able to play through it on some level if it is a stress fracture. But once the fifth metatarsal is broken, it can be very difficult to perform due to pain and an inability to push off.

Dr. Matt Provencher's prognosis for Derrick Henry's potential season-ending foot injury I NFL on FOX

Dr. Matt Provencher gives the lowdown on Tennessee Titans' star RB Derrick Henry, and assesses his potential season-ending foot injury.

Jameis Winston, QB, Saints

Injury: Left ACL, MCL

Impact: Affects mobility, trust in knee, strength

Surgery: Yes, TBD

Potential time missed: Remainder of season

Impact on production: The overall decrease in production shouldn't be that bad for a QB, but expect Winston to see a 10% decrease in SNAP percentage and a 10-12% increase in QBR in his first year back following ACL surgery.

Notes: The ACL is obviously the limiting factor here and this recovery takes an average of 9-12 months to return. Jameis will have to focus on motion and then progress to strengthening prior to any return to sports activity, which will begin about 6-7 months after surgery.

'Jameis Winston's ACL will definitely need to be reconstructed' — Dr. Matt Provencher I NFL on FOX

Dr. Matt Provencher gives his prognosis for Jameis Winston after the New Orleans Saints QB injured his knee during his Week 8 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Sam Darnold, QB, Panthers

Injury: Concussion

Impact: Affects decision-making, preparation for game (i.e. ability to watch film)

Surgery: No

Potential time missed: 0-1 week based on concussion protocol

Impact on production: QBs do well after recovering from a concussion and successfully completing the concussion protocol. In fact, our data shows that they have a 6-8% increase in QBR their first two games back, before it levels off.

Notes: Darnold, who was concussed with 6:58 remaining in the fourth quarter against Atlanta on Sunday, will have to undergo the concussion protocol to return this week.

Danielle Hunter, DE, Vikings

Injury: Torn pectoral

Impact: Affects strength, shoulder mobility

Surgery: Yes, TBD

Potential time missed: Remainder of season

Impact on production: Hunter is unlikely to experience a decline when he returns next season.

Notes: The Vikings suffer a big blow in losing their top pass rusher. "I don't think you replace him. He's one of a kind," coach Mike Zimmer said.

James Robinson, RB, Jaguars

Injury: Heel bruise

Impact: Affects burst speed, strength, yards after contact

Surgery: No

Potential time missed: Week-to-week (probably 2-4 weeks)

Impact on production: Given the nature of the force required in the heel, players with this have about a 10-11% decline in rushing yards in their first three weeks back.

Notes: Heel bruises are always tricky and can range from "discomfort" to "debilitating." The RB position is extremely tricky as it requires a lot of force and cutting, and a heel bruise can be brutal if it's severe enough.

Christian McCaffrey, RB, Panthers

Injury: Hamstring

Impact: Affects burst, cutting, power

Surgery: No

Potential time missed: Most likely returns this week, possibly next week depending on how practice goes.

Impact on production: Hamstrings have a high risk of re-injury when the player returns. In fact, there is a 24% chance that McCaffrey will aggravate it this season. Also, expect about an 18-22% reduction in rushing yards during his first three games back. This number should improve as long as he remains off the injury list.

Notes: McCaffrey has been out since Week 3. He was then put on IR and has been rehabbing his hamstring to get back to the field. If you try to return too quickly from a soft tissue injury you can aggravate it. This happens more than medical teams would like and is probably why the Panthers have been taking it slow with such a high-caliber player. He should return this week if he looks good at practice. Otherwise, next week looks to be trending towards a sure thing.

Rob Gronkowski, TE, Buccaneers

Injury: Rib fracture/punctured lung

Impact: Affects breathing, ability to take hits, leaving himself open to torso hits on high passes.

Surgery: No

Potential time missed: Returns this week

Impact on production: Gronk will probably experience a 10-15% decrease in SNAP percentage and minimum 15% decrease in catches and yards.

Dak Prescott, QB, Cowboys

Injury: Calf

Impact: Affects throwing, mobility

Surgery: No

Potential time missed: Should return this week

Impact on production: The calf can be tough. I don’t expect to see a decline in Prescott's passing yards. But for rushing yards, an area in which he excels, I expect to see an 8-12% reduction in yards in his first two games back, before it levels off.

Notes: Prescott has taken time to rest his calf strain. He had a hard workout prior to Sunday night's game. With a workout that aggressive, we have to think that he is going to be ready to go this week.

Renowned orthopedist Dr. Matt Provencher and his company, Proven Performance Technology (PPT), deliver data-driven injury insights to football fans. In this first-of-a-kind role as Athlete Injury and Performance Analyst for FOX Sports’ digital platforms, Provencher provides important predictive player health and recovery information about post-injury performance, the impact of weather, field conditions and more.