Sam Darnold: short-term IR in play after hip injury

THE FACT. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport said on Good Morning Football on Thursday that a short-term injured reserve stint is a real option for Sam Darnold, which would sideline him at least four games while the hip heals. Seattle ruled out a fracture on Wednesday night, per head coach Mike Macdonald, and a Thursday MRI is expected to set the timeline.

THE VERDICT. A four-game absence turns Darnold from a low-end QB1 into dead weight for a month. Redraft: drop him in 10- and 12-team one-QB leagues unless you have an IR slot; stash him there if you do. Superflex and 2QB: add Drew Lock now, 5% FAAB, as a floor play against Arizona in Week 2. Dynasty: hold, this is a short-term injury and the Seattle offense around him is unchanged. Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp take a modest downgrade while Lock is under center; keep starting JSN, treat Kupp as a WR3.