After Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams “tweaked something” in practice, he missed the entirety of the preseason — even after head coach Antonio Pierce suggested that every starter would play in the club’s Week 2 NFL preseason game.
While his Week 3 absence isn’t concerning since Pierce decided to rest his starters in the final exhibition game, what’s the latest on Adams’ health?
Davante Adams Injury Update
After Las Vegas’ Week 2 game against the Dallas Cowboys, Pierce said Adams didn’t suit up because he suffered an injury during practice.
“The other night when we had … the practice here at the stadium, (Adams) had an awkward movement where he just got sore,” Pierce said, according to ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez.
“He missed practice on Thursday. And like I said, if a guy’s not 100% healthy, I wasn’t going to risk it. It’s not worth it. He’ll be back to practice come Tuesday.”
FREE: Subscribe to PFN’s NFL Newsletter
With Adams sidelined, Tre Tucker and DJ Turner led the Raiders with six targets apiece against Dallas.
Pierce named veteran Gardner Minshew Las Vegas’ starting quarterback after Week 2, choosing the offseason addition over incumbent Aidan O’Connell.
Adams hasn’t played in the preseason since 2016, so this isn’t out of the ordinary for him. Earlier this month, he indicated that his preference was to sit out the exhibition games.
“I’m sure we’ll have some sort of conversation, but I don’t think I’ve played in a preseason game since ‘16,” Adams said. “We practice the right way, and we go about it and get on the same page as the quarterbacks.
“Obviously, a few reps could help, but just based off of the risk, it’s not on my mind as something I’m looking forward to. I look forward to the games to watch the guys go at it and watch the team get better. If I’m choosing, I’m not playing.”
Adams, 31, earned three consecutive first-team All-Pro nods from 2020 through 2022. In 2023, he posted his lowest yardage (1,144) and touchdown (eight) totals since 2019.
Davante Adams’ Fantasy Outlook
There’s no reason to be worried about Adams from a fantasy football perspective. Assuming it’s just soreness, he will be ready for the first game of the 2024 NFL season. He has already returned to practice, so any concern about this being a lingering issue or some kind of soft-tissue strain has been alleviated.
Even if Adams is still sore, he’ll have plenty of time to get back to 100% before the Raiders’ Week 1 match-up against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sept. 8.
MORE: Simulate the NFL Season With PFN’s Playoff Predictor
Adams’ preseason absence hasn’t caused a serious dip in his ADP. However, if he starts falling from his current ADP of No. 19 overall, he could become a potential value.
Our consensus rankings have Adams at 25th overall, so a drop of half a round would make him a solid value. If he falls further than that, it becomes time to consider actively buying the dip.
