With the regular season almost here, we’re here to help you be the most prepared manager in your draft room. Here is the latest fantasy football injury update, complete with an analysis of how to read each situation.
Fantasy Football Injury Update | Aug. 30
Christian McCaffrey Injury Update
A calf strain resulted in some missed time for fantasy’s 1.01 this summer, but all reporting seems to paint the absence as precautionary.
McCaffrey has been able to stay on the field since being traded to the 49ers and this coaching staff hasn’t hesitated to load him up with plenty of work. There is no reason to adjust your rankings heading into the 2024 season — every running back carries a level of risk, but not every one has a ceiling in the vicinity of CMC.
Nick Chubb Injury Update
Cleveland’s star suffered a knee injury so gruesome less than 12 months ago that we feared his career might be over. Nick Chubb’s season was cooked, but it’s clear that we will again get the pleasure of watching him run over defenders.
Chubb’s rehab process has gone well, and we’ve all seen the video of him squatting a small house. However, he’ll sit out at least four games after being placed on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list upon the conclusion of the preseason.
That said, leagues aren’t decided in September, or even October.
From 2020-22, 42 running backs carried the rock at least 300 times. Chubb had as good of a case as any of them to be considered the top rusher over that stretch:
- First in yards per carry (5.3)
- Second in rushing yards per game (89.6)
- Third in rushing touchdowns per game (0.7)
The former All-Pro only costs you an eighth-round pick right now, and Cleveland closes the fantasy season with three straight opponents (Kansas City, Cincinnati, and Miami) that they will look to dominate in the time of possession battle.
Jerome Ford profiles as Cleveland’s backfield for the first half of the season, and the two-round discount from Chubb is interesting for managers implementing a Zero RB build that will overemphasize front-end production.
If the Browns dial back the pass rate that they posted under Joe Flacco down the stretch of last season, their RB1 is a good bet to post RB2 numbers. Taking either Ford or Chubb is a viable strategy — taking both is also on the table.
MarShawn Lloyd Injury Update
There were whispers toward the end of preseason that MarShawn Lloyd would land on PUP (hamstring) to open the season and thus miss the first month. The rookie was able to avoid that designation, and with AJ Dillon (neck) out for the season, Lloyd’s stock actually rose over the past week without seeing the field.
Could Lloyd be a nice sleeper pick in the 13th round if Josh Jacobs continues to be inefficient? Very much so. Buying cheap on a Green Bay Packers offense that projects to be one of the most potent in the league is a strong play in the late stages of your draft.
Emanuel Wilson is lining up to enter the season as the RB2, but with Lloyd destined to debut in September, redraft managers need not be concerned about him.
At the end of the day, the banged-up nature of this backfield ensures that Jacobs sees elite levels of volume to open the season, giving him a good chance to return profit in the short term at the very least.
Jaylen Warren Injury Update
It sounded like the hamstring injury that Jaylen Warren suffered during the preseason would result in missed regular-season time, but that’s no longer the case. All reports out of Pittsburgh paint an optimistic picture for Warren when it comes to Week 1, though one can’t help but think that he could be eased in a bit.
There is always the possibility for an injury like this to nag throughout the season, but we are drafting Warren with the same level of confidence today as we were a month ago. The industry has him coming off boards 15-20 picks later than Najee Harris, which makes him the better buy, given his explosive skill set in what could be a new-look offense under Arthur Smith.
Jonathon Brooks Injury Update
Despite an ACL tear in November, the Panthers made Jonathon Brooks the 46th pick in April. That investment makes it clear what Carolina thinks long term of the Texas product, but it also makes them more likely to be conservative with his recovery process.
On Aug. 3, head coach Dave Canales wasted no time in ruling out his rookie for the preseason and through the first two weeks of the regular season. It was telling just how quickly Canales made that announcement. We got word a few weeks later that Brooks was placed on PUP, thus ruling him out of the first four games.
With a cautious approach, it seems more likely than not that Brooks will have to work through a snap count before impacting our fantasy world.
Chuba Hubbard is a lesser version of the aforementioned Ford in that he is a way to mine value in the early stretches of the season. Brooks remains the best pick in this backfield. Understand that you’re not being asked to draft him as a starter (ADP: RB31), but you could be getting one when your league championship is on the line.
Brooks showed some promise as a pass catcher last season, something that should help you work through the game-script worries for a Panthers team that isn’t likely to win many games.
Keaton Mitchell Injury Update
No surprise here, as the explosive Keaton Mitchell was always expected to open the season on the PUP list, meaning he’ll miss at least the first month of the season (likely more). Mitchell showed well for himself as a rookie, but with a timeline that is unclear and a minimal role at best, he’s best left on waiver wires for now.
Justice Hill is the RB2 behind Derrick Henry and without much in the way of competition. Henry is borderline bulletproof and will be featured in a significant way, making Hill not an overly appealing option, but he’s a viable last-round handcuff if you go with more of a Zero RB build.
At the very least, Hill is a versatile back in an offense with a creative offensive coordinator playing behind a bell cow with plenty of wear on his tires.
Elijah Mitchell Injury Update
Elijah Mitchell (hamstring) was trying to work through this injury, but he couldn’t convince the coaching staff that he was anywhere close to 100% and was placed on season-ending injured reserve.
There isn’t a running back on this roster that was ever going to hold standalone value next to Christian McCaffrey, but the handcuff is now an interesting conversation. If CMC were to miss time, “San Francisco RB” instantly becomes a Flex-worthy option due to the efficiency of this offense.
Jordan Mason slots in as that man right now without much question as he had a chance to enter the season ahead of a healthy Mitchell on the depth chart. Mason has just 86 touches on his NFL résumé, but he has two years of experience in this system and has been an efficient runner since his days at Georgia Tech.
Meanwhile, rookie Isaac Guerendo is the name to watch. He’s been battling a groin injury and isn’t ready for any kind of significant work in the short term, but Guerendo’s physical profile tempted the 49ers in the fourth round in April. And if he were to be pushed into a committee situation, there’s a chance he could do some damage.
Again, Guerendo isn’t a name to worry about now, but don’t lose track of him as he gets closer to full strength.
Chase Edmonds Injury Update
Chase Edmonds wasn’t on fantasy radars, so him landing on IR with a knee injury shouldn’t drastically alter your plans. That said, Bucky Irving (fourth-round rookie, 6.2 yards per carry at Oregon last season) now has one less obstacle to playing meaningful snaps.
Rachaad White is a great pass catcher, but he was abysmal as a runner last season and has yet to prove capable of picking up yards on the ground. In 2023, he ranked 44 of 49 qualified running backs in our efficiency metric, checking in behind Dameon Pierce and Miles Sanders, a pair who lost their starting gigs to players with less upside than Irving.
The rookie isn’t a must-draft, but with Irving’s ADP sitting outside of the top 50 at the position, there’s little risk in rolling the dice on him as White’s clear handcuff.
Tyreek Hill Injury Update
Hill was wearing a brace at points this preseason to protect his banged up thumb, though our Adam Beasley reports that the team was just being proactive with their WR1 in an effort to have him as close as possible to full strength for the season opener.
Tua Tagovailoa led the NFL in passing last season despite a rookie RB breaking out and another member of the backfield breaking franchise scoring records. Mike McDaniel was just extended, locking us into plenty of motion and creative sets for years to come.
Hill deserves to be considered a Tier 1 receiver and should be taken off the board in the first half of the first round in any one-quarterback league.
Jaylen Waddle Injury Update
Jaylen Waddle missed a few weeks of practice in the middle of August with an injury that head coach Mike McDaniel refused to expand upon. But all’s well that ends well with Miami’s WR2 back in the mix at practice.
It should be noted that three of Waddle’s four career DNPs came last season. His health history isn’t exactly clean, though he appears destined to open this season at full strength.
Waddle is currently available in drafts at the Round 3-4 turn, a price that is palpable given his proven capability of winning at every level and the immense contingent value he has access to in Miami’s concentrated offense.
Puka Nacua Injury Update
As we hoped all preseason, Puka Nacua looks good to go for Week 1. Sean McVay told reporters that Nacua “will be ready to roll,” which largely confirms what he said right at the outset of the injury, downplaying any long-term concerns.
Nacua has missed most of the preseason practice period with a knee injury that McVay described as “a little bit of a bursa sac, kind of burst it.” There never really seemed to be any concern that Nacua would miss time, and accordingly, we have not seen his ADP wobble much this preseason.
Nacua is back practicing fully, and there should be no concerns about him seeing a full workload in Week 1. Fantasy managers should be comfortable starting him as normal.
Christian Kirk Injury Update
Christian Kirk has been dealing with what was labeled as a “minor calf injury” for nearly three weeks now. While it’s possible that Jacksonville is simply taking a cautious approach with the man they’ve put atop their WR depth chart, this is worth keeping an eye on.
Kirk has missed multiple games in four of six seasons, including five in 2023.
I have Brian Thomas Jr. ranked ahead of Kirk this season and believe he best blends the projected target consistency of Kirk with the big-play ability of Gabe Davis. The LSU product, for me, is an auto-click in the 10th round, and I wouldn’t blink if you wanted to spend a pick on him a round earlier to be safe.
Kirk is being drafted as the WR32, in the same range as Calvin Ridley and Terry McLaurin. I think he offers less ceiling than both of those options, but the floor (assuming health) is higher and has me going that direction in most situations.
Jordan Addison Injury Update
The Vikings had a tough August, but it appears that Jordan Addison avoided disaster with his ankle injury that resulted in him being carted off the practice field.
Addison was a high-pedigree receiver coming out of college and paid off that hype with 10 scores as a rookie — but that was in a different situation. Kirk Cousins was there to start, and Justin Jefferson dealt with injuries throughout.
Addison is a big play waiting to happen in an offense that Kevin O’Connell has his fingerprints all over. But he might be “waiting to happen” for a while unless Sam Darnold can demonstrate growth that we’ve yet to see.
Addison doesn’t require much in the way of draft capital right now (WR46, ninth round), but even that feels a bit optimistic when you consider that Courtland Sutton, Jameson Williams, and the aforementioned Thomas are all coming off draft boards in that range.
If we are skeptical enough about Jefferson to knock him down a few pegs, why extend for the WR2 in the same offense who was going to be penciled in for regression this season even if nothing had changed?
Rashid Shaheed Injury Update
New Orleans’ burner popped up on the injury report in the middle of August with a foot/toe injury. But while Rashid Shaheed missed some practice reps, he’ll be “good to go” for the opener.
Rashid Shaheed’s speed is crazy 🏎️
pic.twitter.com/kqaXnXUH99— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) August 16, 2024
As the WR2 in New Orleans’ offense, Shaheed carries enough upside to bail you out in a pinch. But at the moment, the WR63 is a ways away from a lineup lock.
If Shaheed were to miss time, there is a valuable DFS opportunity in rostering the 6’5” A.T. Perry, a player who would slip into the field-stretching role opposite of Chris Olave and offer similar splash-play potential.
Both Olave and Shaheed caught a 40-yard pass in Week 2 against the Panthers last season, so there’s a chance we see some fireworks in Week 1 from the Saints, an offense that offers more vertical upside than the public wants to admit.
Mike Williams Injury Update
The veteran receiver is coming off of a torn ACL suffered in Week 3 last season and has been managed through the summer. HC Robert Saleh said that Williams would be available for the Monday night opener against the 49ers, but also hedged that bet to a degree by saying it “wouldn’t be fair” to expect him to be 100%.
This reads much like a situational player who may come in for big plays, something that is next to impossible for fantasy managers to bet on. I’m worried about the time Williams has missed this preseason less from a health standpoint and more from a missed opportunity to develop with Aaron Rodgers’ point of view.
That said, Williams is the type of big body that we’ve seen Rodgers trust in the past, and with a 12th-round ADP, there’s little risk in rolling the dice.
In my opinion, you’re well suited to buy cheap on whoever you think the WR2 is going to be in New York’s offense. Rookie Malachi Corley (2,137 receiving yards and 20 TDs over his final two collegiate seasons) is available at the very end of drafts, so if you want to bet against Williams, the third-round pick has serious potential.
Josh Downs Injury Update
An early August high ankle sprain came with a 4-6 week timetable attached to it. That makes Josh Downs a longshot to open the season on the active roster. However, he wasn’t placed on PUP, which implies that Indianapolis hopes to have him back in September.
I like this setup for Downs, and now with him hardly being drafted, there’s a path for value after the first few weeks. Adonai Mitchell and Alec Pierce both profile as vertical threats, meaning Downs could see plenty of looks in the short passing game opposite Michael Pittman Jr.
There’s not enough upside in this profile to draft and stash, but I would keep an eye. Pierce and Mitchell might be on the field more often as a result of Downs’ injury, though I’m not elevating them up the rankings in a major way.
If you want to bet on Anthony Richardson, feel free to take a flier on the WR2 in the Colts’ offense, though you need to understand that doing so is more of a long-term plan than it is a move that will impact your starting lineup anytime soon.
Hollywood Brown Injury Update
The shoulder injury that landed Hollywood Brown in the hospital is expected to keep him sidelined through the first half of September, if not the entire month. On Friday, Andy Reid told reporters that Brown is expected to miss the opening game of the 2024 NFL season.
We know that the Kansas City Chiefs operate with an eye on January, making it very possible that they are cautious with their offseason addition, especially with Rashee Rice seemingly skirting any kind of suspension.
This, naturally, opens the door for Xavier Worthy, the holder of the NFL Combine record for the 40-yard dash and a playmaker that Kansas City traded up to select. History suggests that rookie receivers peak in the second half of the season, and Worthy could accelerate the learning curve by getting consistent reps from the jump.
That said, you have to pay for that upside. Worthy is being selected in the top 90 overall, roughly two rounds ahead of Brown. There’s nothing wrong with chasing the upside and tying your WR4 to Patrick Mahomes; you just have to be ready for the peaks and valleys.
I prefer Worthy to the aforementioned Addison around the Round 7-8 turn. His upside is intoxicating, and I think he will remain on the field plenty of times even when Brown returns.
Curtis Samuel Injury Update
Sean McDermott said last week that Curtis Samuel (turf toe) could play in Week 1, but any time an injury is reported in a passive voice like that, I tend to believe that missed time is the better bet.
Whether Samuel makes his season debut in Week 1 or 2 shouldn’t impact what you’re doing at the draft in a major way. Either you’re buying his past connection with offensive coordinator Joe Brady and believe he will lead Buffalo in targets, or you’re looking at Keon Coleman/Khalil Shakir for your receiver exposure.
I lean Shakir after an ultra-efficient 2023 campaign. Coleman projects as the best bet to score touchdowns and Samuel earn targets, but Shakir, in my opinion, is best suited to thread the needle and do a little bit of both.
This is a fluid situation in terms of target distribution, and that’s baked into the asking price. You’re drafting a Bills receiver as a bet on the overall offensive environment and with the hope that you have a Flex-worthy asset in October. None of these options will be worth starting in the short term without role clarity.
Brock Bowers Injury Update
Vegas’ prized possession from the 2024 NFL Draft suffered a foot injury this week, but head coach Antonio Pierce seemed to downplay the severity.
“You gotta be smart. Sometimes you gotta protect them from themselves, so that’s all it is.”
Pierce went on to say that he liked Bowers’ chances of suiting up Week 1 against the Chargers, which all we really needed to hear. Of course, his role in our game is a bit unclear.
The Las Vegas Raiders showed the willingness to move Bowers around the formation this summer, which could result in a monster season. Yet, there’s also the question of what his target upside is in an offense that projects as more run heavy than league average and has an alpha WR1 to feed 25-30% of the targets.
In dynasty, feel free to lock in Bowers and feel great about it. In redraft, I find myself going other directions.
Jake Ferguson is coming off of draft boards 15 picks earlier, and I think there’s a world in which he paces the position in scoring this season. If you wait another two rounds, Dalton Schultz is a completely viable option, and if you want to punt TE altogether, players like Luke Musgrave, Isaiah Likely, and the ever volatile Taysom Hill (now TE eligible across all platforms) are worth a look.