It’s never too early to check in on player injury statuses ahead of the 2022 season, and our news desk has you covered. Let’s take a look at the latest injury news and notes around the NFL.
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Darren Waller (undisclosed) expected to return to camp next week
Raiders tight end Darren Waller expects to return to practice next week as he continues to deal with an undisclosed injury according to ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez. (Source: Paul Gutierrez on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Waller has not practiced since July 30 but the Raiders have not given specifics about his injury. Fantasy managers have to hope this is nothing serious and just the team being extra cautious with their oft-injured tight end. Waller is an elite tight end when healthy and is just two seasons removed from a 107-1196-9 Pro Bowl season. Waller’s potential production increases this season with defenses now having to account for another All-Pro talent in new teammate Davante Adams and deserves to go not later than TE3 on draft day,
Melvin Gordon III misses practice again, foot injury not believed serious
Broncos running back Melvin Gordon’s foot injury is reportedly not serious but he did not participate in practice for the second straight day as reported by NFL Network’s James Palmer. (Source: James Palmer on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: The team does not seem worried about the health of Gordon’s foot but should he miss time, Javonte Williams becomes a solid RB1 as long as Gordon is out. Gordon and Williams are expected to split carries and both be on “pitch counts” this season. Gordon rushed for 918 yards on 203 carries (4.5 ypc) and added another 213 yards on 28 receptions (7.6) while scoring 10 total touchdowns (8 rushing, 2 receiving) in 2021. These numbers were nearly identical to Williams but Gordon slightly outrushed him and found paydirt more often. Both backs can be productive at the same time but either’s value skyrockets in the event of an injury to the other.
Jameson Wiliams expected to miss at least Week 1
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, rookie WR Jameson Williams will miss at minimum Week 1. The Detroit Lions will not put a public timetable on his return, but some expectations are set around mid-November. (Source: Jeremy Fowler, ESPN)
Fantasy Impact: The Lions traded up to snag their draft target, but Williams is recovering from a late-season ACL tear. He will be paired alongside pass-catchers WR Amon-Ra St. Brown and TE T.J. Hockenson. His value in re-draft leagues is shaky with such a late return being likely, but in dynasty, he is a strong investment with high draft capital, talent and an ascending offense around him.
James White announces retirement
Patriots RB James White has announced that he is retiring from the NFL. (Source: James White on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: White has been dealing with an injury that he sustained last season, and his recovery has been very slow. He initially intended to play this season, but he is prioritizing his health and calling it a career. He has been a very effective back throughout his career, including a breakout performance that helped the Patriots beat the Falcons in the Super Bowl. For fantasy purposes, this opens the door for Rhamondre Stevenson and Pierre Strong to see a big uptick in receiving work for New England.
N’Keal Harry undergoes tightrope surgery on ankle Thursday
Bears wide receiver N’Keal Harry will undergo tightrope surgery on his recently sprained ankle on Thursday morning as reported by NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. (Source: Mike Garafolo on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: The tightrope surgery involves a flexible implant that is meant to stabilize Harry’s syndesmosis ligament. It is a procedure that has gained popularity in recent years but still has a lengthy recovery time. Harry is expected to be sidelined for eight weeks following Thursday’s surgery, a timeline that puts Harry back around Week 5 when the Bears travel to play the Vikings. Harry finished last season in New England with 12 receptions for 184 yards and zero touchdowns but averaged 15.3 yards per reception. Once healthy, Harry will be another field stretcher for Justin Fields to utilize on deep routes and he hopes to flourish with a change of scenery after three sub-par seasons with the Patriots. At this point, Harry is set to miss over a third of the fantasy regular season so discount him accordingly in drafts, especially in redraft formats.
Ian Thomas dealing with rib injury
Head coach Matt Rhule told reporters that Ian Thomas will likely miss 1-2 weeks with a rib injury he suffered during the team’s training camp session on Tuesday. (Source: Augusta Stone on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Thomas will miss the Panther’s preseason opener against the Commanders but may be able to return for the team’s second contest on August 19. Thomas enters the upcoming season in a backup role behind second-year TE Tommy Tremble, which takes him out of fantasy relevance. The former Indiana Hoosier has an expert consensus ranking of TE56 in PPR leagues.
2022 Consensus Best Ball Rankings
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