Fantasy football: Should owners start or sit these players questionable for Week 7?

Will Tyler Eifert make his season debut in Week 7? Is Terrelle Pryor's hamstring a cause for concern? Here's a closer look at how several key players will be hindered by their injuries on Sunday.

Inside Injuries predicts the impact of injuries on player performance by using data analytics, medical expertise and statistical modeling. Inside Injuries is designed to educate sports fans, fantasy sports enthusiasts, weekend warriors and others interested in an “inside” look at common sports injuries.

Two of the key metrics calculated to predict the impact of injuries on player performance are Injury Risk Category (IRC) and Health Performance Factor (HPF). A player’s injury risk is defined as the likelihood a player will sustain an injury based on several factors included in the Inside Injuries data algorithm, e.g., injury history, number of games played, age, etc. A player’s injury risk is calculated on a scale of 0-100% (0% is best). A player’s health performance factor helps the consumer determine how healthy a player is on a scale of 0-100% (100% is best). The health performance factor is calculated based on the frequency and severity of the player’s injuries, as well as several other data points in the Inside Injuries algorithm. Please see the image below for the specific category definitions and value ranges.

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Here, we take a look at some key players who are listed as questionable for Week 7 of the NFL season.

LeSean McCoy, RB, Buffalo Bills

Injury: Grade 2 hamstring strain

Status: Played last week vs. San Francisco; questionable for Sunday at Miami

Overall Injury Risk: High—30%

Health Performance Factor: Below Average—55%

Risk Assessment: There have been conflicting reports out of Buffalo about McCoy’s availability for this Sunday, some claiming he will be out multiple weeks, others saying he is a game-time decision. McCoy is dealing with a hamstring injury that will likely take a couple of weeks to heal completely, but he might be able to give it a go Sunday at less than 100%. If he plays, McCoy is a must start due to his production this season and his matchup against an inconsistent Miami team, but don’t expect too much. RISKY START.

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Terrelle Pryor, WR, Cleveland Browns

Injury: Grade 1 hamstring strain

Status: Injured last week vs. Tennessee; Questionable for Sunday at Cincinnati

Overall Injury Risk: Elevated—13.33%

Health Performance Factor: Above Average—72.67%

Risk Assessment: Pryor suffered a rather slight strain to his hamstring last week, but it may still be enough to affect him this week, or even hold him out. It seems likely that Pryor will play, but he very well could end up on a limited snap count, according to reports. Pryor should be able to put up good numbers against the struggling Bengals. Still, it’s hard to trust someone with a snap count. RISKY START.

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Tyler Eifert, TE, Cincinnati Bengals

Injury: Grade 3 ankle ligament sprain, grade 1 back injury

Status: Hasn't played yet this year; questionable for Sunday vs. Cleveland

Overall Injury Risk: Low—7.88%

Health Performance Factor: Peak—85.25%

Risk Assessment: Eifert looks set to make his 2016 debut this week against the Browns after missing the first six games following off-season ankle surgery and then a back injury. The Bengals have brought Eifert back slowly, and he should finally be good to go at the highest level this week. The Bengals need a secondary passing option to A.J. Green and a big target to help their red zone woes. Eifert fits both of those needs and should be ready to produce. GOOD TO START.