As Davante Adams reached back on a throw targeting his trailing shoulder as he crossed the field, he was hit by Chargers CB Michael Davis. Adams was in considerable pain on the ground. What do we know about the injury, and what sort of impact would a long-term injury have on the Las Vegas Raiders and fantasy football?
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Davante Adams Injures Shoulder vs. Chargers
As Adams went down, Davis landed with all of his weight on Adams. The superstar WR landed on his shoulder with a ton of energy.
#Raiders WR Davante Adams leaves the game with a right shoulder injury on this play
pic.twitter.com/lYlnXQSIen— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) October 1, 2023
Any sort of significant injury for Adams would devastate the Raiders offense. He is about as big a target hog as it gets in the NFL. He is incredible at the line of scrimmage, which allows him to separate instantly.
MORE: Las Vegas Raiders Depth Chart
The Raiders initially listed Adams as questionable to return. Thankfully, he was able to return near the end of the second quarter.
Adams has a relatively “slow” start to the season with Jimmy Garoppolo. He caught six passes in each of his first two games, averaging 75 yards per contest.
He scored just one touchdown in those two games, a low number for someone who has been one of the league’s best touchdown scorers at his position. In fact, his 51 touchdowns since 2019 are seven more than the next closest pass catcher.
But he exploded in the Raiders loss to the Steelers. He received 20 targets, caught 13 passes, and amassed 172 yards with two touchdowns. Unfortunately, the groove he found himself in was snatched away by a Garoppolo concussion.
Fantasy Fallout From Adams’ Injury
An injury to Adams opens a Grand Canyon-size void at the WR1 position in the Raiders’ passing game. The NFL debut of rookie quarterback Aidan O’Connell won’t get easier if Adams cannot return to this game.
While Jakobi Meyers and Hunter Renfrow will undoubtedly benefit the most from a fantasy perspective while Adams is out of the lineup, there could be efficiency concerns with opposing defenses not having to worry about sending extra help in Adams’ direction in passing situations.
— PFN Fantasy Analyst Derek Tate