D'Andre Swift Injury: Will Beat-Up Back Benefit From Weeks Away?

Lions' head coach Dan Campbell said on Monday that running back D'Andre Swift suffered a left shoulder sprain and aggravated a previous ankle injury during their 28-24 Week 3 loss. 

D'Andre Swift Injury Update

Campbell relayed to reporters that Detroit will sideline Swift through its bye in Week 6 to give him time to rest his left shoulder injury that is seemingly unrelated to last year's AC joint sprain that sent him to the IR.

The Pro Football Docs concur with Campbell's recovery timeline for the two injuries. 

The shoulder injury, which he appeared to suffer on a hit to the back of his left scapula mid-way through the third quarter, is more significant but both should be healed by Week 7.

It is possible Swift injured his shoulder on a different play or had residual soreness, as the Fox broadcast noted he had them worked on earlier in the game, but the hit is consistent with a shoulder sprain.

After the hit, Swift rushed twice for seven total yards and brought in one of two targets for six yards and was mostly absent from the field while the Lions were attempting to ice the game and then trying to win it on the final drive.

Jamaal Williams finished the game with 87 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns on 20 attempts. He also caught both of his targets for 20 yards.

The third-year back missed four games with a right shoulder sprain last season and was pushed by running backs coach Duce Staley in training camp – as shown on Hard Knocks – to have “that dog mentality” and play through injuries. 

In Week 1, Swift rushed 15 times for 144 yards and one touchdown – an average of 9.6 per rush – and was the third-best fantasy back in all formats.

In the two games since, he has 12 rushes for 87 yards and has hauled in five receptions for 46 yards and one touchdown.