We are just over a week away from the start of the 2024 NFL regular season. The injuries won’t really start mounting until we get games that count, but there are still several guys dealing with ailments from preseason and training camp. Here is the latest injury update on every relevant fantasy football player.
To stay up to date on the latest injury news, check out PFN’s injury tracker.
Nick Chubb Injury Update
Nick Chubb continues to make good progress recovering from tearing multiple knee ligaments in Week 2 of last year. To the surprise of no one, the Cleveland Browns placed him on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list.
Chubb will miss at least the first month of the season, likely more. Jerome Ford is set to reprise his role as the lead back until Chubb both returns and ramps up to NFL game speed.
T.J. Hockenson Injury Update
Since our last injury update, there hasn’t been any new news on Minnesota Vikings TE T.J. Hockenson, who tore his ACL and MCL last season.
Given the nature of his position, it’s easier for Hockenson to return than a guy like Chubb. However, Hockenson’s injury occurred in Week 17. An injury that late in the season makes it highly unlikely that he’ll be anywhere close to fully recovered in time to start the season.
Hockenson opened training camp on the PUP list and will remain there to start the season, forcing him to miss Minnesota’s first four games. He will probably return at some point, but Hockenson likely won’t be fully back to form until next year.
I would not consider drafting Hockenson until the final round or two of redraft leagues.
Jonathon Brooks Injury Update
The Carolina Panthers’ rookie running back is coming off a November ACL tear. Jonathon Brooks has been working hard to get back on the field. He will play this season, but it certainly won’t be Week 1.
On Tuesday, the team decided to leave Brooks on the PUP list. The fact that they waited as long as they did is actually a good sign. It means the team believed there was a chance he would be ready before the end of September.
MORE: PFN’s Consensus Fantasy Football Rankings
Chuba Hubbard will continue operating as the RB1 until Brooks can return. Hubbard looks to be in store for a larger early-season role before eventually giving way to the rookie.
Given where the Panthers drafted Brooks, making him the first running back off the board, he’s going to be the starter sooner rather than later.
It will likely be a slow start for Brooks, but the second half of the season is more important than the first. If the injury keeps Brooks’ ADP depressed, fantasy managers should very much consider drafting him at a discount.
MarShawn Lloyd Injury Update
The Green Bay Packers’ rookie third-rounder missed OTAs and the start of training camp with a hip issue. After returning, he was quickly sidelined again, straining his hamstring in the first preseason game.
There’s plenty of time between now and the start of the season. However, Lloyd is not considered a lock to be ready for Week 1.
We already had reports of Lloyd being behind A.J. Dillon on the depth chart, but with Dillon done for the season, Lloyd will immediately step into the RB2 role upon return to action.
The rookie initially looked like someone fantasy managers would draft as a handcuff and end up dropping within the first few weeks, but now that he can be stashed on the fantasy injured reserve (IR) spot, he’s a worthwhile late-round selection behind a starter with questionable talent.
Keaton Mitchell Injury Update
It’s been a rough start to Keaton Mitchell’s career. He missed the first five weeks of his rookie season due to injury. After playing in two games, Mitchell got hurt again. He appeared in the Baltimore Ravens’ next six games and thoroughly impressed before tearing his ACL.
Mitchell is currently on the PUP list. He likely will not be activated to start the season, meaning he will miss at least the first four weeks. Justice Hill should operate as the change-of-pace back behind Derrick Henry until Mitchell can return.
Mike Williams Injury Update
The oft-injured big outside receiver is on his way back from a torn ACL he sustained early last season. Mike Williams opened training camp on the PUP list. He had mostly been working on his own, but he participated in team drills on Tuesday, which is a great sign for his recovery.
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Williams is on the fringe of draftable in fantasy this year, but he does project to be the team’s WR2 opposite Garrett Wilson if healthy.
By all accounts, Williams is on track to be activated before the start of the season but will likely not be 100% for another couple of months. He’s worth a late-round dart throw.
Roman Wilson Injury Update
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ rookie third-rounder sprained his ankle at practice a couple of weeks ago. Although he was carted off the field, fantasy managers shouldn’t fear the worst, as carts are used much more liberally during training camp.
According to Ian Rapoport, Roman Wilson should be ready for the start of the season.
Unfortunately, given that he’s a rookie, this is going to delay Wilson’s progression. The Steelers will likely ease him back into action.
This injury removes Wilson from late-round dart-throw consideration, as he is unlikely to come into any fantasy value until later in the season.
Tyler Higbee Injury Update
Tyler Higbee remains on the PUP list as he works his way back from a torn ACL and MCL. Given that the injury was sustained so late in the season, it is unclear when he will be able to return.
In the interim, Colby Parkinson has been working with the first team. The former Seahawks TE hasn’t done much to start his career, but he could be poised to see the largest role of his career.
The Los Angeles Rams’ TE1 has always been on the fantasy radar during the Sean McVay era. Parkinson is worth a look in deeper leagues for those managers who completely punt the tight end position.
J.J. McCarthy Injury Update
Unfortunately, the Vikings’ rookie quarterback will not see any regular season action until 2025. J.J. McCarthy tore his meniscus in the team’s first preseason game.
Given that he’s 21 years old, McCarthy and the Vikings rightly opted for the full repair rather than a trim, which would get McCarthy back sooner but have more long-term complications. Sam Darnold will start Week 1 for Minnesota.
Hollywood Brown Injury Update
The presumptive WR2 of the Kansas City Chiefs fell awkwardly on his shoulder in the team’s first preseason game. He was taken to the hospital as a precaution but is otherwise fine in terms of his overall health. However, the shoulder is not fine.
Brown is dealing with a sternoclavicular joint dislocation. It’s a rare injury that, to my knowledge, has only otherwise happened in the NFL to Tyreek Hill in 2019. That injury cost Hill four games.
The Chiefs will now have to say goodbye to Hollywood for at least the next month.
While Week 1 statuses will not be known for a while, fantasy managers looking to draft Brown should fully expect him to miss his revenge game against the Baltimore Ravens to open the season.
Brown should be back by the end of September, though.
Jahmyr Gibbs Injury Update
Jahmyr Gibbs missed about two weeks of training camp with a hamstring strain. As of Aug. 25, he was back on the practice field. Barring another injury, Gibbs will be ready for Week 1.
Christian Kirk Injury Update
Christian Kirk missed the Jacksonville Jaguars’ third preseason game with a minor calf strain. The team is not concerned and neither should we be. As long as Kirk is back by the end of the month, he should be all set for Week 1.
Christian McCaffrey Injury Update
The San Francisco 49ers have been extra cautious with Christian McCaffrey’s calf strain. While he hasn’t practiced in about a month, there hasn’t been any expression of concern regarding his Week 1 availability. Continue to draft CMC No. 1 overall in fantasy drafts.
Jacoby Brissett Injury Update
With the New England Patriots having an ongoing QB competition, Jacoby Brissett, the presumptive favorite to start Week 1, was playing in the team’s third preseason game. He was tackled hard on his shoulder and left the game.
While it certainly looked bad, it was reported after the game that Brissett would have returned to the game had it been a game that mattered.
Drake Maye will make starts this year, but it appears as though Brissett dodged a bullet and will be on the field for Week 1.
Jaylen Warren Injury Update
The Steelers’ best running back strained his hamstring in the team’s second preseason game. Initially, reports were he’d miss multiple weeks. Fortunately, the tone quickly became far more optimistic.
Warren said he would have played last week had it been the regular season. On Monday, he said he will be ready for Week 1. The brief discount in fantasy drafts should be gone.
Puka Nacua Injury Update
Puka Nacua hurt his knee early in training camp. Immediately after the injury, head coach Sean McVay expressed optimism and made it very clear that Nacua was not at risk of missing Week 1. That has proved to be accurate so far.
Nacua returned to practice on Monday. With just under two weeks before the start of the season and Nacua already back on the field, fantasy managers should continue to draft him with confidence at the 1/2 turn.
Kendrick Bourne Injury Update
Is Kendrick Bourne fantasy relevant? Not right now. But we’ve seen him pop up at times and be useful.
Bourne has been on the PUP list as he recovers from a torn ACL. He will remain there to start the season.
DeMario Douglas was already locked in as the team’s WR1. Bourne’s absence will give rookie Ja’Lynn Polk a chance to secure a starting spot. He’s worth a late-round flier in fantasy drafts.
Brock Bowers Injury Update
Brock Bowers did not play in either of the Las Vegas Raiders’ final two preseason games. Although Antonio Pierce held all starters out of the third game, Bowers was supposed to play in Week 2. Unfortunately, a foot injury caused the team to hold him out.
The good news is the injury does not sound serious. Pierce said they were being cautious with the talented rookie and he fully expects Bowers to be on the field opening day. Fantasy managers should continue drafting Bowers as a back-end TE1.
Kendre Miller Injury Update
This is admittedly stretching the outer bounds of fantasy relevance. However, given that the top two guys on the New Orleans Saints’ RB depth chart are 29 years old, Kendre Miller is at least worth mentioning.
The oft-injured Miller is dealing with a hamstring strain. He will open the season on the short-term IR, guaranteeing he does not return until at least Week 5. Miller does not need to be drafted in any fantasy leagues. He’s probably safe to drop in dynasty as well.
Odell Beckham Jr. Injury Update
The only reason Odell Beckham Jr. is even worth including here is because of his name. At 31 years old, having dealt with a slew of lower body injuries over the past half-decade, Beckham just doesn’t have anything left. There is no sequence of events that could lead to him having fantasy value this season.
MORE: Why the Miami Dolphins Are Keeping Beckham on the PUP List
Nevertheless, Beckham is on the Dolphins and they don’t have a clear WR3 behind Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Beckham hasn’t so much as practiced since he signed with the team. Since it’s the preseason, teams are not required to provide any details on injuries. With Beckham, we have nothing.
We obviously never root for injuries and hope Beckham is fine. But injury or not, you were never drafting him anyway. Continue not drafting Beckham as normal.
Elijah Mitchell Injury Update
There had already been whispers that Jordan Mason had surpassed Elijah Mitchell as the 49ers’ RB2. That is now a certainty as Mitchell is done for the season with an undisclosed injury. Mason is the priority handcuff behind McCaffrey.