Injuries continue to add up throughout the NFL. Plenty of players got banged up in Week 7, while others suffered injuries that could knock them out for several weeks or more.
Let’s round up the most notable injury updates looking ahead to Week 8.
Derek Carr, QB, New Orleans Saints
The Saints quarterback has missed the past two games after suffering an oblique injury in Week 5. Carr did not practice leading up to last week’s Thursday night game vs. the Denver Broncos. However, he is back to throwing, which suggests a return could be imminent.
Dennis Allen said Derek Carr had a throwing session today, will have another tomorrow and they'll see where he's at. Allen said the plan is to stick with Spencer Rattler at QB if Carr doesn't play. He again said he feels like Rattler has played well when he has protection.
— Katherine Terrell (@Kat_Terrell) October 21, 2024
In the event that Carr is not ready to go, head coach Dennis Allen has made it clear that he’s sticking with fifth-round rookie Spencer Rattler at quarterback.
That would be rough news for the rest of the Saints’ offense from a fantasy perspective. New Orleans scored 27 points in the second quarter of Rattler’s first start vs. Tampa Bay but has otherwise put up three points in seven quarters with Rattler (Jake Haener led their only touchdown drive vs. the Broncos).
Jayden Daniels, QB, Washington Commanders
Jayden Daniels would be a shoo-in for Rookie of the Year honors if the 2024 NFL season ended today, but Washington Commanders fans didn’t get to enjoy their rookie quarterback for a complete game in Week 7.
Daniels took a hard first-quarter hit from the Carolina Panthers’ defense before being replaced by backup quarterback Marcus Mariota on Washington’s second drive. While he was ruled out for the rest of Sunday’s game with a rib injury, Daniels returned to the Commanders’ sideline in street clothes.
A smiling Jayden Daniels returns to the sideline pic.twitter.com/bYuuJc9oOT
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) October 20, 2024
Subsequent updates on Daniels’ condition have been positive. Daniels’ mother tweeted, “He’s fine,” in reference to her son’s injury. Meanwhile, FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz reported that tests revealed no fractures to Daniels’ ribs.
On Monday, head coach Dan Quinn labeled Daniels “week to week” ahead of Washington’s Week 8 game against the Chicago Bears. “We’re hopeful he can play, but we’ll also make sure to take every precautionary step and do it smartly for the player and the man,” Quinn said.
Daniels has been the NFL’s most efficient quarterback through seven weeks, ranking No. 1 in expected points added (EPA) per dropback (0.27). He’s also third in passing success rate (52.1%), indicating he’s consistent on a down-to-down basis.
Tyler Huntley, QB, Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins’ terrible run of QB injury luck continued in Week 7.
Tyler Huntley became Miami’s third starting quarterback to go down with an injury this season after hurting his shoulder in the Dolphins’ loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Tim Boyle finished Sunday’s game after Huntley went down.
Miami has already watched QBs Tua Tagovailoa (concussion) and Skylar Thompson (ribs) go down this year. Fortunately, Tagovailoa is eligible to return from IR as soon as Week 8 and is expected to practice to begin the week.
Tyjae Spears, RB, Tennessee Titans
Spears missed the Titans’ Week 7 loss to the Buffalo Bills after not practicing all week with a hamstring injury. But in speaking with reporters on Monday, head coach Brian Callahan said that Spears could return in Week 8.
He’ll need to return to the practice field first for that to happen. With Spears out, Tony Pollard played a season-high 88% of the snaps in Week 7.
Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts
Taylor has not practiced since suffering a high ankle sprain in the team’s Week 4 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. But speaking on Monday, head coach Shane Steichen was “very optimistic” about Taylor at least seeing the practice field.
Colts coach Shane Steichen says he's "very optimistic" that DeForest Buckner and Jonathan Taylor will return to practice this week. That would be a massive boost if and when it happens.
— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) October 21, 2024
Ankle injuries are especially concerning for Taylor, who followed his 2021 All-Pro campaign by missing most of the 2022 season with a sprained ankle.
In Taylor’s absence, Trey Sermon has played 57% of the snaps, while Tyler Goodson has played 43%. However, Goodson has far outperformed Sermon in that stretch, averaging 4.7 yards per rush compared to 2.9 for Sermon.
Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Evans was on the injury report leading up to the team’s Week 7 Monday night game, sitting out practice both Thursday and Friday with a hamstring injury. He returned to practice Saturday and was off the injury report entirely, but it’s clear that something was amiss.
Evans came up lame after his first touchdown catch but stayed in the game only to aggravate his right hamstring on an end-zone target during the team’s third drive. He left the game and did not return.
The veteran wideout was set to undergo an MRI on Tuesday and is reportedly likely to miss at least the next three games prior to the Bucs’ Week 11 bye.
Per Sources, #Bucs WR Mike Evans will be sidelined with his hamstring injury until after the team’s Week 11 bye. Anything sooner than a Week 12 return against the Giants is considered unlikely.
— JC Allen (@JCAllenNFL) October 22, 2024
With Chris Godwin out for the season with a dislocated ankle, Tampa Bay is down its top two wideouts. That leaves a massive chasm in the passing game for some combination of Jalen McMillan, Sterling Shepard, and Trey Palmer to try and fill.
Jauan Jennings, WR, San Francisco 49ers
Jennings did not practice all week leading up to Week 7, missing the game with a hip injury. But the battered 49ers could sorely use his return, with Kyle Shanahan noting, “I’m really hoping to get him back this week.”
We’ll need to see Jennings practice first before any return, but he’ll have a chance to occupy a regular role with Brandon Aiyuk done for the season following a torn ACL and MCL. Jennings has only produced seven catches for 128 yards since his 11-catch, 175-yard game in Week 3 vs. the Los Angeles Rams, but should have a higher floor when he does return.
Cooper Kupp, WR, Los Angeles Rams
The Rams picked up their second win of the season on Sunday and are also likely to see one of their best players return in Week 8.
Wide receiver Cooper Kupp, who’s been out since spraining his ankle in Week 2, is expected to suit up when Los Angeles plays the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday Night Football, as head coach Sean McVay told reporters.
“He was close,” McVay said of Kupp. “But ultimately — you guys heard me talk about it throughout the course of the week — it was about return to performance, not necessarily return to play. And, hopefully, Thursday will represent that for us.”
Kupp was a limited participant in practice on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. While he was listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Raiders, the Rams ultimately decided to hold him out.
DK Metcalf, WR, Seattle Seahawks
DK Metcalf was carted to the Seahawks’ locker room at the end of Week 7, and his status for next week remains unclear.
Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald downplayed Metcalf’s knee injury after the club’s win on Sunday, noting that it “doesn’t look too bad.”
However, on Monday, Metcalf was officially diagnosed with a Grade 1 sprained MCL and is considered week to week. Seattle will face the Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Chargers over the next two weeks before going on a bye in Week 10.
Metcalf posted four catches for 99 yards and a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons before departing. He leads Seattle in targets, receiving yards, and touchdowns and has finished as a fantasy WR2 or better in four of seven games this year.
Jakobi Meyers, WR, Las Vegas Raiders
Meyers is the ostensible top wide receiver in Las Vegas with Davante Adams traded away, but he’ll actually need to see the field first. Meyers did not practice at all last week with an ankle injury and has missed the Raiders’ past two games.
Tre Tucker and D.J. Turner were the Raiders’ top two wideouts vs. the Rams in Week 7, with each playing 95% of the snaps. However, those two combined for only five catches and 49 yards, highlighting the gaping vacuum to fill in the Raiders’ passing game.
Puka Nacua, WR, Los Angeles Rams
Nacua remains on injured reserve since re-aggravating a preseason knee injury in the season-opener. At the time, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Nacua would miss 5-7 weeks.
We’ve hit the back end of that timeline, with Week 8 marking seven weeks since Nacua last played. On Tuesday, the Rams finally opened the 21-day practice window for Nacua to return.
LA Rams Roster Moves:
• Designated for Return, Returned to Practice WR Puka Nacua pic.twitter.com/9m0btRjgWG— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) October 22, 2024
Given that Los Angeles is playing on Thursday night, it’s highly improbable that Nacua would be ready for such a short turnaround. With the longer layoff, a return in the Rams’ Week 9 game at the Seattle Seahawks feels more feasible.
LA needs to activate Nacua by their Week 10 game against the Miami Dolphins to ensure he can return this year.
Chris Olave, WR, New Orleans Saints
Olave did not practice leading up to the team’s Thursday night game in Week 7 after suffering a concussion just four days earlier. However, Saints reporter Nick Underhill said that Olave could be among the Saints who return for their Week 9 contest against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Good injury news on the way. Taysom, Cesar Ruiz, Pete Werner and Chris Olave could all be back this week.
Lucas Patrick should definitely be back after being active last week.
— Nick Underhill (@nick_underhill) October 22, 2024
Olave’s fantasy value will be limited as long as Derek Carr (oblique) remains out. But with Rashid Shaheed (meniscus) out for the season, there should be plenty of targets headed Olave’s way when he does return.
Deebo Samuel Sr., WR, San Francisco 49ers
Samuel played only three snaps in the 49ers’ Week 7 game vs. the Kansas City Chiefs, departing with what the team termed an illness at the time. As it turns out, Samuel was in the hospital on Monday dealing with pneumonia.
Kyle Shanahan shared that Deebo Samuel Sr. is currently in the hospital dealing with fluid in his lungs and pneumonia.
Wishing Deebo a speedy recovery 🙏 pic.twitter.com/AORkgBmHs4
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) October 21, 2024
That leaves him uncertain to play in their Week 8 game against the Dallas Cowboys, and it would be surprising to see him practice early in the week.
Samuel will be the 49ers’ unquestioned top wideout whenever he does return with Brandon Aiyuk out for the season. To date, he has recorded a 20.9% target rate, his lowest since his rookie season back in 2019.
JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
Having already lost wide receivers Rashee Rice and Hollywood Brown, and RB Isiah Pacheco, QB Patrick Mahomes could hardly afford to watch another one of his offensive weapons go down in Week 7.
Nevertheless, WR JuJu Smith-Schuster aggravated an existing hamstring issue against the 49ers on Sunday. While he was initially listed as questionable to return, the Chiefs officially ruled him out in the fourth quarter.
On Monday, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid told reporters that Smith-Schuster will not play against the Raiders in Week 8.
Kansas City signed Smith-Schuster — who posted a 79-933-3 line for the Super Bowl-winning Chiefs in 2022 — after the New England Patriots cut him in August. He wasn’t heavily involved in KC’s offense until Rice went down, but Smith-Schuster was effective in Week 5, bringing in seven catches for 130 yards against the Los Angeles Chargers before the Chiefs went on bye in Week 6.
Kansas City only has four other WRs — first-round rookie Xavier Worthy, Justin Watson, Mecole Hardman, and Skyy Moore — on its active roster. Now that the AFC rival Buffalo Bills have acquired WR Amari Cooper, the Chiefs could consider a wideout trade of their own, regardless of whether Smith-Schuster’s injury lingers.
Adam Thielen, WR, Carolina Panthers
Thielen has been out since hurting his hamstring in Week 3. However, the 34-year-old said Monday that he believes the team will open his 21-day practice window this week.
Adam Thielen said he thinks the plan is to open his 21-day practice window on Wednesday. He has missed all four games of Panthers’ losing streak.
— Joe Person (@josephperson) October 21, 2024
That doesn’t necessarily mean that Thielen will be on the field for Sunday’s game against the Denver Broncos. It just means that he has three weeks to be activated to the roster, otherwise he will be out for the rest of the season.
More likely, the Panthers will see Thielen back on the field either Week 9 vs. the New Orleans Saints or Week 10 vs. the New York Giants.
Dallas Goedert, TE, Philadelphia Eagles
Goedert did not practice at all last week after hurting his hamstring early in the team’s Week 6 game vs. the Cleveland Browns. There haven’t been any updates on his status early in the week, so it doesn’t feel as though Goedert’s return is imminent for an injury that often requires multiple weeks off.
Grant Calcaterra has started for the Eagles in his stead, playing 81% of the snaps the last two weeks. Calcaterra impressed with four catches for 67 yards in the Week 6 win over the Browns but only had one target (caught for five yards) last Sunday vs. the New York Giants.
T.J. Hockenson, TE, Minnesota Vikings
It seems the Pro Bowl tight end’s season debut is finally imminent. After tearing his ACL on Christmas Eve last season, Hockenson was a limited practice participant every day last week. He was not activated for the Week 7 game vs. the Detroit Lions, but Vikings reporter Alec Lewis suggests there’s a “50-50” chance he returns for the Thursday night Week 8 game at the Los Angeles Rams.
According to @alec_lewis, he is 50/50 on if #Vikings TE TJ Hockenson (ACL) returns on TNF against the #Rams, he said on the @AlecLewisShow.
Minnesota is clearly taking a long term approach with Hockenson’s recovery. If he does play on Thursday, Lewis notes that Hockenson would… pic.twitter.com/ESMILf9Orv
— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) October 22, 2024
The advantage of returning for the Rams game is that Hockenson would have a longer layoff to his second game. However, the Vikings only need to activate him by their Week 9 game vs. the Indianapolis Colts to ensure that he can play again this season.
George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers
The All-Pro tight end has gotten off to a terrific start, leading all tight ends with five touchdown receptions. But despite playing 91% of the snaps in the Week 7 loss to the Chiefs, Kittle apparently came out of that game with a sprained foot.
This will likely be managed throughout the week, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see Kittle as a DNP and/or limited practice participant all week. That puts fantasy managers in a tough spot with the 49ers playing on Sunday night against the Dallas Cowboys.
Kittle missed the 49ers’ Week 3 game vs. the Los Angeles Rams, and no 49ers tight end was usable from a fantasy perspective. Eric Saubert started and had two catches for 41 yards.