“Get the latest update on Dexter Lawrence’s injury recovery and why his fantasy value remains elite heading into the 2025 NFL season.”
Football fans, fear not. The Dexter Lawrence injury is no cause for panic heading into the 2025 NFL season. When we last saw the New York Giants star, he was walking off the field on Thanksgiving Day. “Sexy Dexy” suffered a dislocated elbow against the Dallas Cowboys. Since then, he has not returned to game action, leaving IDP managers anxious. But here’s the reality: Dexter Lawrence is already showing strong recovery signs. Let’s take a look at the Dexter Lawrence injury update and fantasy football outlook.
(This is an AI-generated article from a recently published IDP+ Betting Podcast transcript.)
What Happened to Dexter Lawrence?
Before we talk about the Dexter Lawrence injury update and fantasy football outlook, let’s first break down the injury itself. The injury occurred during a hard-fought divisional matchup in late November. At the time, Lawrence was enjoying a dominant season.
He had posted nine sacks across his first seven games, briefly leading the NFL in sacks among defensive tackles. However, he dislocated his elbow during that game. A dislocated elbow happens when bones lose their normal alignment. For the elbow, the humerus, ulna, and radius must remain properly connected. Dislocations disrupt this, causing pain, instability, and weakness.
Most NFL elbow dislocations are caused by tackles or direct blows. For everyday civilians, these injuries often happen by falling onto an outstretched hand. Fortunately, elbow dislocations are rare in football. They account for only about 5% of all upper extremity injuries, per a decade-long NFL study.
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Dexter Lawrence Injury Update: Recovery Timeline and Rehab
The initial fear around the Dexter Lawrence injury was natural, but perspective matters.
Recovery timelines vary based on severity and treatment. Non-surgical cases take five to eight weeks to recover. Surgical cases normally are more of a three to four-month recovery.
Given that Dexter Lawrence participated in Pro Bowl festivities, including tug-of-war competitions, it’s clear his recovery went well. Lawrence injured his elbow on November 28. Week 1 of the 2025 season is September 4. That’s over nine months of rehab time — triple the normal return-to-play period for elbow dislocations.
Doctors focus rehab on restoring full elbow motion and regaining strength in the biceps, triceps, wrists, and fingers. Dexter Lawrence, based on timeline and activity, should be physically ready for OTAs.
Similar Cases Tell the Story
Let’s highlight two player examples to see why fantasy managers should remain confident with the Dexter Lawrence injury update.
First is Tommy Eichenberg (Ohio State LB). He dislocated his elbow and returned three weeks later with a brace. The other is Tyler Eifert (former Bengals TE). He suffered a complex elbow dislocation with muscle tear, missing an entire season.
Thankfully, there’s no evidence that Dexter Lawrence’s injury was as severe as Eifert’s case.
Dexter Lawrence Fantasy Value Remains Sky-High
Concern over his fantasy value should now be put to rest after we walked through this Dexter Lawrence injury update. Lawrence remains one of the NFL’s most dominant interior defenders.
Before his injury, Lawrence totaled 44 tackles and 9 sacks in just 12 games.
For comparison, Jalen Carter played 16 games with 42 tackles and 4.5 sacks. Quinnen Williams played 16 games with 37 tackles and 6 sacks. Despite missing four games, Lawrence outproduced these top-tier defensive linemen.
Fantasy football sites currently rank Dexter Lawrence as the No. 3 defensive lineman in IDP formats.
Frankly, that’s too low. If you trust the timeline and the data, Dexter Lawrence deserves to be the first defensive tackle drafted in fantasy formats.
Final Thoughts: Buy Dexter Lawrence with Confidence
The Dexter Lawrence injury is firmly behind him. He will enter the 2025 season fully healthy and fully dominant. Whether you play IDP or dynasty fantasy football, the Dexter Lawrence fantasy value is a premium asset. Don’t hesitate to draft him early and often.
“Sexy Dexy” is back — and he’s ready to cause chaos once again.
Thank you for reading this article by @IDP_Plus. This article was created using IDP+ AI and edited by Justin Mark. Be sure to check out the video above by The Degen Doc and Professor Locke, which this video is based on, talking about Dexter Lawrence’s injury. Follow them @TheDegenDoc and @Prof_Lock2 on X!
