The 2023 season has been brutal thus far from an injury perspective. With only two weeks completed, the injury list feels longer this year than we have seen in recent memory.
Keeping track of all of these setbacks can be hard. But we are here to help! Let’s take a look at a roundup of injuries to fantasy-relevant running backs heading into Week 3. Who will be able to play? Which backs will be out? And who do we expect to succeed in the place of those missing actions?
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Injury Updates for Top Fantasy RBs
Below are the fantasy-relevant running backs that we should watch out for in Week 3.
Aaron Jones, Green Bay Packers
Aaron Jones missed the Green Bay Packers Week 2 game against the Atlanta Falcons after suffering a hamstring injury in the team’s Week 1 win in Chicago. But there is positive news for fantasy owners.
Jones was able to return to practice in a limited capacity on Thursday and Friday, and he is officially listed as questionable for the team’s home opener against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.
Jones had a strong game in Week 1, and the Pack would love to have him back on the field. With kickoff coming at 1:00 p.m. ET, fantasy managers will be able to wait and see on Jones and still have time to sub him out close to kick if he is unable to go on Sunday.
Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles Chargers
Los Angeles Chargers star running back Austin Ekeler was unable to suit up a week ago when the Chargers battled the Tennessee Titans in Week 2. Now, after missing practice the entire week, Ekeler’s status is once again not great for the Chargers and fantasy managers.
MORE: Week 3 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet
Ekeler has been declared out for Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings. Ekeler is one of the best running backs in the league, and the Chargers could have used him back in their lineup as they sit winless. With Ekeler unable to go, expect a heavy dose of Joshua Kelley in the Chargers offense.
David Montgomery, Detroit Lions
After two solid weeks to begin the 2023 season, running back David Montgomery has also gotten a bit banged up. While racking up 141 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 37 rushing attempts, Montgomery also has a thigh injury that has hampered him.
Montgomery was unable to practice this week and is officially listed as doubtful for the Lions game against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.
With Montgomery likely unable to go, expect rookie Jahmyr Gibbs to get the bulk of attempts in Detroit. This could be a breakout week for the rookie halfback.
Isiah Pacheco, Kansas City Chiefs
Pacheco has been struggling this week with a hamstring injury. He was absent from practice on Wednesday but managed to get in limited sessions on Thursday and Friday. He was officially listed as questionable coming into the weekend.
The reports on Saturday and overnight Sunday are that Pacheco is expected to play this. However, for fantasy managers, this results in a really tough decision. The Chiefs have both Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Jerick McKinnon available to them, so we may see Pacheco’s role limited due to injury this week.
Miles Sanders, Carolina Panthers
After two healthy weeks on his new team, running back Miles Sanders showed up on injury reports with a pectoral injury. While the Carolina Panthers running back has been able to practice on a limited basis this week, he practiced fully on Friday and is not listed on the injury report entering the weekend.
Sanders could certainly be used this weekend with Andy Dalton starting at quarterback with Bryce Young out with an injury. Barring any setbacks, Sanders will be healthy enough to go on Sunday when the Panthers face off against the Seattle Seahawks at 4:05 p.m. ET.
Jamaal Williams, New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints running back room has been battered to start the 2023 season, coming at an inopportune time with Alvin Kamara out the first three weeks with a suspension. Jamaal Williams was able to start for the team the first two weeks of the year, but a hamstring injury has kept him out of practice all week.
Williams is officially listed as out for the team’s Week 3 matchup with the Green Bay Packers. On a positive note, it appears Kendre Miller will be able to make his NFL debut for the Saints on Sunday, so reinforcements are coming with Williams unable to go.
Justice Hill, Baltimore Ravens
When you hear about all the major injuries NFL players deal with year after year, turf toe seems to dwarf in comparison. But the injury tends to be a lingering problem for many players that causes missed games.
MORE: Fantasy Week 3 RB Start/Sit
Baltimore Ravens running back Justice Hill is dealing with this exact injury now, and he missed practice the entire week for the Ravens. Hill is officially out this weekend for the Ravens’ game against the Indianapolis Colts. With J.K. Dobbins already out for the year, there will likely be a heavy workload this weekend for Gus Edwards, with Hill also out with turf toe.