The injury list headed into Week 3 feels a bit longer than the list usually is this time of year. And no other position has more injury designations this week than the wide receivers.
With so much to keep track of, we are here to help fantasy football managers out! What wide receivers will not see action this weekend? Who is trending towards playing? And what impact could any of these players being out have on their team and fantasy managers? Let’s dig in and find out!
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Injury Updates for Top Fantasy WRs
Below are the fantasy-relevant wide receivers that we should watch out for in Week 3.
Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions
Amon-Ra St. Brown is one of the top wide receivers in fantasy. The news he showed up on the injury report was not a welcome sign for managers this week.
While St. Brown was unable to practice early in the week with a toe injury, the wide receiver was able to participate in practice near the end of the week. St. Brown seems to be on track to play Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons, but he is officially listed as questionable.
With the Detroit Lions kicking off in the 1 p.m. ET hour, managers can swap St. Brown out if he can’t go. I think with the way he has ramped back up during the week, ARSB will be suited up on Sunday.
DK Metcalf, Seattle Seahawks
One of the top targets in the Seattle Seahawks offense, DK Metcalf may not be able to be in the lineup this week when the team faces off against the Carolina Panthers. The wide receiver is recovering from a rib injury he suffered in the Seahawks overtime win against the Detroit Lions in Week 2.
Metcalf was unable to practice with the injury several days this week but was back on the field Friday. He is officially listed as questionable for Week 3. If he cannot go, the Seahawks will rely on Tyler Lockett and rookie Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the passing game. But I would expect DK to be in the lineup.
Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle has been working through concussion protocol all week after sustaining the injury in the team’s Sunday night win against the New England Patriots. While Waddle isn’t out of the woods yet, there has been some good news.
Waddle was able to practice Friday, which puts him on track to suit up Sunday when the Dolphins play the Denver Broncos. He is officially questionable. If Waddle fully clears the concussion protocol by Sunday, expect to see him on the field. But this injury is one to monitor until an official designation is issued.
Amari Cooper, Cleveland Browns
After being able to suit up on Monday Night Football in Week 2 when he entered the day questionable with a groin injury, Cleveland Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper added another injury to the list in Week 3. Along with the groin injury, Cooper is dealing with a banged-up shoulder from the Week 2 battle against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Cooper has been limited in practice all week with both injuries, but he has no injury designation for Week 3 against the Tennessee Titans. Cooper has been able to play through injury already this year, so we will see if he can fight through the pain again this week and have a positive game on the field.
Christian Watson, Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson is still looking for his first game action in the 2023 season. Sidelined with a hamstring injury the first two weeks, Watson was able to practice at the start of the week, and the practice he missed Thursday was a scheduled maintenance day off. He is officially listed as questionable for Week 3.
Watson returning to the field would be a big leg up for fantasy owners, the Packers offense, and Jordan Love. Watson’s size and speed combination is hard to defend and could be used to get the Packers back above .500 this season on Sunday.
Brandin Cooks, Dallas Cowboys
Good news for Dallas Cowboys fans and fantasy managers. After suffering an MCL sprain that kept him out of Week 2, Brandin Cooks has been able to return and practice in full for the Cowboys this week.
Cooks has no injury designation and should be good for the Cowboys’ Week 3 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals in Glendale.
Jakobi Meyers, Las Vegas Raiders
Great news for Las Vegas Raiders fans and fantasy managers. After missing Week 2 with a concussion, wide receiver Jakobi Meyers has officially cleared concussion protocol this week. Meyers was able to practice in full on Thursday and Friday, and is in line to play on Sunday.
Meyers had a great Week 1 before exiting with the concussion. In his first game with the Raiders, Meyers had nine catches for 81 yards and two touchdowns. Raiders fans and fantasy managers will hope for more of that this week when the Raiders play the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Night Football.
Odell Beckham Jr., Baltimore Ravens
After suffering an ankle injury in the Baltimore Ravens Week 2 game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Odell Beckham Jr. has been unable to practice all week for the team. He is officially out for Sunday when Baltimore takes on the Indianapolis Colts at home.
With Beckham out, Zay Flowers, Mark Andrews, and Nelson Agholor are likely the top targets in the Ravens offense. Rashod Bateman is still hovering around, but he has yet to break out as a threat in the NFL.
DeAndre Hopkins, Tennessee Titans
For the second week in a row, DeAndre Hopkins is on our injury report with an ankle injury. The Tennessee Titans wide receiver was still able to play in Week 2, which leads me to believe he could probably suit up this week.
MORE: 2023 WR Fantasy Football Rankings
However, Hopkins was out of Titans practice on Friday and has been designated as questionable for Tennessee’s Week 3 matchup against the Cleveland Browns. Hopkins missed practice last Friday and still played in Week 2, but we’ll have to see if this is the case again on Sunday.
Josh Reynolds, Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions needed a wide receiver to step up in their offense with Jameson Williams suspended for the first six games of the season. So far, Josh Reynolds has been that guy. The WR has been solid to start the year, catching nine balls on 13 targets for 146 yards and two touchdowns.
But Reynolds has been hobbled in practice this week with a groin injury. He is officially listed as questionable for the Lions game against the Atlanta Falcons. If Reynolds is unable to go Kalif Raymond could be a solid Flex start for fantasy managers in his stead. But hopefully, Reynolds will be able to suit up on Sunday.
Kadarius Toney, Kansas City Chiefs
Things did not look good for Kadarius Toney when he missed the first two days of practice this week with a toe injury. However, the Chiefs’ WR was able to practice in a limited fashion Friday to ensure he was no worse than questionable on the final injury report.
The reports coming into Sunday morning are that Toney will be a game-time decision. That is tough situation for fantasy managers with the Chiefs kicking off at 4:25 today.