FantasyNFL

The Chicago Bears Are Being Really Evasive About Matt Forte’s Ankle Injury

It’s a common NFL practice for teams to remain tight-lipped about player injuries. Even when guys are listed as probable or questionable, little information leaks until right before kick off. For fantasy players, it’s a frustrating game of cat and mouse. Antonio Gates was this week’s latest tease, with his status remaining in question until right before the 4:25 game kickoff. So fantasy-ers everywhere either had to risk leaving Gates in the lineup or similarly risk not having him in there.

Matt Forte, as you might have heard, injured his ankle in the Chicago’s 23-10 loss to Green Bay on Thursday, and that’s a big blow for anyone who drafted him in the first or second round (It may also be a big blow for Chicago Bears fans, apparently.) Here’s the latest news from Lovie Smith, which debunks the myth that Forte suffered a high ankle sprain:

From, WBBM (780-AM), via ESPN:

“‘Matt did go down with an ankle injury. It’s not a high ankle sprain, as has been reported,’” Smith said on WBBM (780-AM). ‘But right now, you know when you don’t finish the game and he still has some soreness, we’ll continue to monitor it, but we felt we needed another running back here, that’s why we brought back a guy who knows our system and has played good ball for us in Kahlil Bell.’”

Well, then. It’s tough sifting through the clutter concerning injury news. When reports of Forte’s supposed high ankle sprain surfaced, just check out how many news outlets ran with it.

Kareem Coplenad, NFL.com:

“A source who has spoken with Forte told NFL.com and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport the running back has suffered a high ankle sprain, but the Bears do not have a clear timetable for his return. Forte’s availability will depend on his pain tolerance, the source said.”

Simon Samano, USA Today:

“A source close to Forte told NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport on Friday that Forte has suffered the dreaded high ankle sprain, adding that the Bears have no timetable on Forte’s return.”

Michael David Smith, Pro Football Talk:

“The injury that knocked Bears running back Matt Forte out of Thursday night’s loss to the Packers is likely to knock him out of more games as well.

Although a more thorough diagnosis is likely to come today, the Bears believe Forte suffered a high ankle sprain, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.”

Sporting News:

“Matt Forte, the Chicago Bears’ leading rusher the past four seasons, has a high ankle sprain, which likely will sideline him several weeks, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.”

CBS Sports:

“The Bears believe the injury that knocked Matt Forte out of Thursday’s game is a high-ankle sprain.”

Now this isn’t an indictment of their reporting practices – the nature of the biz these days is to be first – or risk missing out on the pageviews. Reporting has evolved into reporting reports, with the mass of secondhand commentary overwhelming the fragility of an initial statement. Lost in the shuffle was the news that the Bears “believe,” or “think” or “suspect,” which was the original news. Or, really, that there was no definitive news, only speculation. To blame this on Ian Rapport and Adam Schefter is unfair, and to expect the internet to double source its stories seems counterintuitive – it would partially defeat the internet’s purpose. It’s really an indictment of sources and our rigidly implicit trust, allowing small words that alter stories to turn speculation into fact.

When it comes to fantasy (which is where we started with this whole thing), it’s best to wait on the word of coaches – and only in dire situations, minutes before game time and still no word, must you rely upon those vaunted sources. Anyway, here’s what we know about Forte: he has an injured ankle, and he’s out for an undetermined amount of time. Which is to say, nothing.

[ESPN]

Photo via Getty

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