After the injury to Mike Williams early on in the 2023 NFL season, fantasy football managers went after the Los Angeles Chargers‘ first-round pick, Quentin Johnston, pretty aggressively on waivers. However, Joshua Palmer ended up being the main beneficiary of Williams’ absence, and he produced solid numbers from a fantasy standpoint.
Unfortunately, the talented WR landed on injured reserve this past week with a knee injury and is set to miss some time. What’s the latest news on Palmer’s status, and when can fantasy managers expect him to return to the lineup?
Latest Injury Update on Joshua Palmer
Chargers head coach Brandon Staley spoke to the media on Wednesday and shared that Palmer has a knee sprain that will sideline him for at least the four weeks that he’s on IR.
However, Staley also shared that there are currently no expectations for when Palmer will be able to return this season, which seems to indicate that his injury may be more than a minor one.
There’s a real possibility that Palmer doesn’t return at all for the remainder of the season, which would leave fantasy managers in a tough spot, as there are more players on your roster trying to get into your IR spot than Swifties trying to search Google for Travis Kelce’s birthstone.
When Can Palmer Return?
Palmer is eligible to return in Week 13 against the New England Patriots as he will miss the upcoming matchups against the New York Jets, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, and Baltimore Ravens. The question will be whether or not he is healthy enough to return at the end of his IR tenure.
We’ll continue to monitor the situation and update with the latest news and information as it comes out, so make sure to check back in frequently for the fantasy football impact.
Palmer’s Rest-of-Season Outlook
It’s incredibly difficult to determine Palmer’s rest-of-season outlook due to the unknown of his estimated timeline to return. If he does return as early as Week 13, he’ll be set to help push several fantasy lineups over the top in the fantasy playoffs.
Johnston has failed to step up and prove that he can shoulder the WR2 role in this passing attack, which means that Palmer would step right back into solid target volume. We’ve seen what that can mean for fantasy football, as he’s finished as a top-40 WR in all four games where he was a starter and fully healthy.
However, if he’s not returning to practice leading into their Week 13 matchup, Palmer may end up wasting space on fantasy managers’ bench or IR spot for the next several weeks. That’s a gamble that managers can’t take right now if they need help making the fantasy playoffs.
If you’re a contending roster that has solid depth, hold onto Palmer for the potential payoff if/when he returns. Otherwise, it may be best to let him go to the waiver wire if you’re in a shallow league and your available IR spots are already full. You need help putting together wins right now, and you can’t afford to play the waiting game.
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