Oh Manning! Peyton undergoes knee surgery, will miss camp
The NFL’s reigning iron man, Peyton Manning, underwent knee surgery today to remove an infected bursa sac in his left knee and will miss the next 4 to 6 weeks. Bill Polian had the following to say on the matter, according to Scout.com:
“Peyton Manning had an infected bursa sac removed from his left knee this afternoon,” Polian said. “The procedure was routine. The Colts’ medical staff expects a full and complete return to action in four to six weeks.”
Polian added that the knee had been bothering Manning since the end of the 2007-08 season and only recently escalated, requiring surgery.
“Peyton had been receiving conservative treatment for an inflamed bursa sac in consultation with the club’s medical staff since February, 2008,” Polian said in his statement. “This course of treatment was productive until Peyton experienced increased pain and early signs of infection. Peyton will meet with the press as normally scheduled at the opening of training camp.”
Let’s be clear about one thing, there’s no such thing as “routine” knee surgery in the middle of July. While I’m no doctor, the fact this was a pre-existing condition that worsened to the point of requiring surgery has to be a concern, particularly for a guy that we’ve come to blindly expect to start 16 games every season.
The Good News:
Manning is better suited than most NFL QBs to miss training camp. He’s obviously a master of OC Tom Moore’s offensive system at this point in his career and doesn’t require a lot of reps to get back into the swing of things. Importantly, the majority of his offensive supporting cast is also experienced enough to not require a massive amount of reps with Manning in order to operate at a high level once the season gets underway.
The Bad News:
Again, knee surgery in July has to raise some eyebrows. While the Colts are characterizing this as a “procedure”, there’s absolutely no reason to give Manning or the Colts the benefit of the doubt until he’s back on the field and practicing fully.
Fantasy Implications:
Only 12 NFL QBs played all 16 games last year, we have a tendency to take for granted just how durable guys like Manning really are. There’s no question that Manning’s rock solid health has played a part in fantasy owners willingness to spend a 1st or 2nd round pick on him. While this knee surgery may turn out to be nothing more than a few weeks off from training camp, it’s probably going to cast enough doubt to drop his ADP a round or two. Manning will still be the 2nd QB off the boards in most leagues, barring news of a further setback. If you draft in late August or early September, make sure Manning is back on the practice field before spending a high pick on him. If you draft beforehand, we strongly recommend you pass on him unless he falls at least a round beyond his current Average Draft Position (13th player drafted, 2nd QB).
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