Fantasy Football 2017: Le'Veon Bell Making Mistake Avoiding Surgery
Running back Le'Veon Bell is making a big mistake avoiding surgery on his injured groin, which could hinder his fantasy football value in 2017.
There is no questioning the impact that running back Le'Veon Bell has, not only with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but in fantasy football as well. The man is an absolute machine when it comes to putting up big numbers consistently and is coming into what should be some of the best years of his career entering just his fifth year in the NFL.
In last year's NFL Playoffs against the New England Patriots, however, Bell suffered a pretty severe groin injury. There's no telling the kind of impact he would have had in such a huge game, but the football world will never know. Regardless, he missed most of the game due to the injury and entered the offseason with some a tough decision to make.
Per Joseph Zucker of Bleacher Report, Bell made an appearance on NFL Network's Good Morning Football, saying this about his decision to not get offseason surgery right off the bat:
More from NFL Spin Zone
'I'm kind of in the process of seeing a couple of doctors, seeing if I have to get surgery or not. I'm hoping for the best, but I understand it's a tough game. If I don't get surgery, I go into the rehab process, work hard, get back to how I was last year, or actually, better. I'm going to take it from there.'
It's good to get different opinions when it comes to whether to get surgery or not, but it's already been a few months since the Steelers were eliminated from the playoffs. Time is of the essence and, the longer Bell waits to get his procedure done, the more it could prolong the entire rehab and healing process if he eventually goes under the knife.
In this particular situation with Bell and opting to not get surgery already, fantasy football owners should be a bit concerned come next season. It's no secret just how tough and physical the running back position is and, with how he plays, Bell could have a nagging injury all season long if he opts against getting surgery entirely.
While Bell'ss potential at this point is through the roof when it comes to his fantasy football outlook for next season, it might not be the case unless he gets surgery to be rid of the possibility of his groin acting up again in the future. It's a mistake that might derail his momentum heading into 2017.