Nothing derails a fantasy football season like a series of injuries and this past week is likely to stand out as one of the most tumultuous of the season. High-end wide receivers DK Metcalf and Mike Williams are all likely to miss some time with their injuries while role players like Allen Lazard and Mike Boone will need monitoring throughout the week. But no injury stands out more than that of New York Jets running back Breece Hall who suffered a torn ACL and is lost for the season. In an era where usable running back depth is at a premium, fantasy owners are going to have to get creative. 

Your first stop would have been your league’s waiver wire to see if Michael Carter was available, but with the Jets trading for James Robinson, Carter’s value is somewhat limited. He will likely see work as a pass-catching, third-down back and have some value in PPR formats, but should Robinson thrive with the Jets as Hall did, he could push Carter even further down the bench. He is a short-term Band-Aid, at best. 

You could also try the route of adding a variety of running back handcuffs. Robinson’s exit from Jacksonville could open the door for Snoop Conner who will now serve as Travis Etienne’s backup. Or you could go the speculative route and see if Cam Akers was dropped in your league. We know the Rams don’t want to release him outright, so a potential trade could be in order. Should he land a new job, he should offer up enough fantasy value to be worthy of a flex play. 

Trading for another running back is going to be difficult because everyone knows you are desperate. You will routinely be lowballed and people will only want your best players. Don’t look to trade for Austin Ekeler or even a Kenneth Walker as the cost will be way too high. Perhaps targeting someone like Kareem Hunt would be better. He won’t cost as much and there is always a chance the Browns deal him to another team plagued by injuries. 

Unless you have a major surplus at another position, replacing Hall is going to be a tall order. Try not to panic and don’t ever accept the first offer made to you. This isn’t the last of the major injuries, so look for more opportunities to open up down the road.

Howard Bender is the VP of operations and head of content at FantasyAlarm.com. Follow him on Twitter @rotobuzzguy and catch him on the award winning “Fantasy Alarm Radio Show” on the SiriusXM fantasy sports channel weekdays from 6-8 p.m. Go to FantasyAlarm.com for all your fantasy sports advice, player projections, injury updates and more