Khalil Shakir has a high ankle sprain. There's little to no consistency on reporting timeframes for such an injury, but it used to be regularly considered about 4-6 weeks. Even if 2-4 is more accurate, Week 1 is in doubt.
We pretty much know the drill with Shakir now. He led the team (by a wide margin) in targets, receptions and yards last year. But he doesn't score a lot (4 TDs), and his receptions don't do a lot of damage (10.8 per catch). An average of 5 catches for 55 yards is serviceable PPR production, but not exactly something to chase after in drafts.
But let's say he's out; does anyone noticeably benefit?
For wideouts, it's hard to lock in on any one player. Joshua Palmer has gotten some praise in camp. Keon Coleman might take on a larger role in the offense if no Shakir. Elijah Moore and Curtis Samuel have more similar games. Couple of those guys are banged-up, and it's possible Shakir's work would be shared by multiple wideouts.
But how about a tight end, Dalton Kincaid?
Kincaid has been a disappointment to be sure, but the three games Shakir missed all or most of a year ago (Weeks 4-6) had some potential.
In Week 4, at Baltimore, Shakir got injured. In Week 5, he was out, and in Week 6 he played fewer than his usual snaps while trying to come back. Here's Kincaid in those three games.
| KINCAID WITH SHAKIR OUT/GIMPY | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opp | Tgt | No | Rec | TD |
| at Bal. | 7 | 5 | 47 | 0 |
| at Hou. | 6 | 2 | 34 | 0 |
| at NYJ | 7 | 6 | 51 | 0 |
| Average | 6.7 | 4.3 | 44 | 0 |
Those numbers are nothing to write home about, but in his 10 other games, Kincaid averaged 1 fewer target (5.5), 1 fewer reception (3.3) and 13 fewer yards (31).
I'm not projecting a huge increased role for Kincaid. But if Shakir misses time, he's the player I'll move up slightly on the idea he might be in line for a boost in targets, receptions and yards. Heck, maybe he'll even catch a touchdown at some point.
I don't think I'll be overly enamored of other wideouts. With Kincaid, there's at least some small evidence of an increased workload.
--Andy Richardson