Football is a collision sport.

Injuries will happen and that’s a guarantee. It’s even more of a sure thing with owners lengthening the season from 12 games (through 1960) to 14 games (1961-1977) to 16 games (1978-2020) then to 17 games (2021- present) and eventually to 18 contests. Don’t be fooled by their reduction of the preseason… your fantasy players didn’t play in them… or at most played a couple of series.

In preparation for this, you draft quality backups to your starting lineup. Or sometimes, we try to avoid guys we think get more than their fair share of injuries. We call them “injury-prone.”

We hear that about the 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey. But “CMC” began his career playing all 48 games over his first three seasons. Then he suffered injuries in two straight seasons before playing 33 of 34 games the last two seasons. So he has been a workhorse in five of seven seasons. Is he “injury-prone?” Many say yes, but he really only had two disappointing fantasy seasons due to injury. It’s just they were consecutive and at a point where fantasy owners expected elite statistics.

Indianapolis Colts rookie Anthony Richardson was injured after four games last season and some fantasy owners will shy away from drafting him because they are scared of re-injury due to his physical running style. That’s a big gamble on a young man who averaged 24.4 FPts/G over his three full games and played in 12 of 13 games in his final college season.

So what are we talking about here? Based on the past, what is the average number of games a starting QB should be expected to play? Or a running back? Or a receiver?

Of the 32 starting quarterbacks in Week 1 of 2023, 14 missed time due to injury (44%). They missed an average of 4.7 games, though the average doesn’t give a clear view. Five missed one-to-two games and five missed seven or more games. Twelve missed time due to a coaching decision. Of those five were sat down in Week 18 in preparation for the playoffs and seven were a middle-of-the season change in team direction choices.

McCaffrey has played in 91 of 115 games and at least 16 games in five of seven – not injury-prone.

Saquon Barkley missed 24 of 93 games and one by coach’s decision in 2022, but missed at least three games in four of six seasons – injury-prone.

James Conner has played in 89 of 115 games, but missed at least three games in six of seven seasons – definitely injury-prone.

D’Andre Swift has played in 56 of 67 games but missed at least three games in three of four seasons, though he did show up when asked in every game last season. Still… he’s injury-prone.

Jonathan Taylor has played in 53 of 67 games, missing six and seven games the past two seasons, but it was only one injury which caused him to miss the end of 2022 and the beginning of 2023. I’m saying not injury-prone.

Aaron Jones, what many might call the poster boy for “injury prone,” but he’s missed two or fewer games in four of the last five seasons. He’s missed at least four games in three of seven seasons. Too frequently, however, he gets injured or plays injured and receives less than normal usage as coaches try to protect him. We fantasy owners would rather he sit than have us start him and watch him get seven carries for 29 yards and four catches for 17 yards. Injury-prone.

Dalvin Cook started his career by missing 17 of his first 32 games. Since then he’s missed two or fewer games in four of five seasons. Not injury-prone, but his productivity has consistently dropped over the last few seasons.

The Browns’ Nick Chubb began his career playing in 36 consecutive games, but since then he’s missed 23 of 67 games (34.3%). Was a workhorse, but I’m concerned enough to fade him this season. With Jerome Ford showing his skill set last season, I’m afraid management will work to protect Chubb at the expense of fantasy owners.

Trey Sermon, currently listed as the No.1 backup to Taylor in Indianapolis, has missed 26 of 51 games over his three-year “career” and I can’t even recommend him as the handcuff. If you are searching for the Colts’ handcuff after selecting Taylor, better watch preseason closely as see if Evan Hull or Tyler Goodson can make a splash, because you can’t depend on Sermon.

For the guys standing out wide, the receivers, they usually collide with smaller guys and that may account for their lower rate of absence. Twenty-one of the top-50 played in all 17 games, two more played in 16 of 17 when they were asked to sit in Week 18 to wait for the playoff game and the remaining 27 wide receivers missed a total of 54 games or an average of two games per injured wideout.

When it comes to wide receivers being “injury-prone” most people immediately think of the former Charger - Mike Williams. He missed four games in 2022 and 14 games last season. Yet, he actually played 15 or 16 games in each season from 2018-2021. His “partner-in-crime” on the other side, Keenan Allen, missed four games last season and seven games in 2022. It’s no wonder Chargers’ management has moved on from both of them. The No.1 ability is availability and neither was helping young quarterback Justin Herbert while in street clothes.

Also, beware of Cooper Kupp, he of the record-setting 2021 season, but also the wideout who has missed eight games in 2022 and four games last season due to injury (also sat out Week 18 due to coach’s decision).

Marquise Brown has missed eight games the past two seasons in Arizona after missing just two games in his rookie season in three years for Baltimore. I’m guessing, now back on a contender in Kansas City, with an All-Pro quarterback who won’t throw him into trouble, his missed time will be significantly reduced. Not injury-prone.

Finally, Odell Beckham Jr., is definitely on my “injury-prone avoidance list.” When he was in New York he missed four or more games in three of five seasons. The last three seasons he’s missed nine, three and three games. He’ll be the third or fourth option for Tua Tagovailoa with the Dolphins and someone will draft him too high because of his “name.” It won’t be me.