And we’re back. With the Week 8 injury report, brought to you by FantasyPros and SportsMedAnalytics! You can check in for updates all week on Twitter/X @FantasyPros & @SportMDAnalysis, and of course sportsmedanalytics.com.
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Week 8 Fantasy Football Injury Report
Now let’s get to it:
Tyreek Hill (WR – MIA)
Missing practice this week was likely a conservative measure. Data projects low performance impact with no workload limitations based on his subsequent injury report designations.
Brock Purdy (QB – SF)
It is very rare to make it through concussion protocol in just one week (~25%), but Purdy is surprisingly on track to do just that. His Week 7 performance appeared to take a hit shortly after the hit that presumably caused his concussion, so we’d take that dud with a slight grain of salt in projecting him going forward. QBs tend to return at pre-injury productivity levels.
Joe Burrow (QB – CIN)
Expect major improvements with mobility and driving the ball off of a planted leg this week from Joe Burrow. Calf strains take about 6 weeks to resolve symptomatically, which is where he is now. Re-injury risk is still elevated for about 2 more weeks.
Austin Ekeler (RB – LAC)
While Week 7 video suggested that Ekeler picked up a new low ankle sprain on the side that wasn’t previously affected by the high ankle, his return to full practice Wednesday confirmed that it was low severity. Data, therefore, favors no production or workload impact from that injury. Regarding his prior high ankle, Week 8 projects to be his return to full pre-injury efficiency, so there are reasons for optimism heading into this weekend.
Tee Higgins (WR – CIN)
Rib fracture data shows performance dips that last an average of 3 weeks post-injury. Higgins is now at Week 4, so the data projects a return to full strength at this point.
Trevor Lawrence (QB – JAC) & Jalen Hurts (QB – PHI)
Similar stories here. Both are likely to play with braces on their knees. QB data shows low production impacts of knee sprains that are played through, even on QB rushing output.
Jaylen Waddle (WR – MIA)
Although he battled back spasms that hurt his numbers in Week 7, our data tells us that players who are able to practice throughout the week tend to have low production impacts. There is a mild risk of re-aggravation for the next few weeks.
Raheem Mostert (RB – MIA)
Likely dealing with a mild low ankle sprain. These don’t tend to drop RB performance on a per-touch basis, but the data on older RBs does suggest that Mostert is likely to see fewer touches as a result of the injury.
Aaron Jones (RB – GB)
Similar situation to Mostert. Jones in game 2 off of the recurrent hamstring is unlikely to see a per-touch efficiency dip, but as an older RB, the data does project him seeing fewer touches than normal.
Diontae Johnson (WR – PIT)
Any time we hear that a player who just returned from a hamstring strain is dealing with tightness, we should be concerned. The fact that Johnson then practiced in full suggests a mild performance impact, but he’ll unfortunately carry a high (~20%) re-injury risk for the next 6 weeks.
TJ Hockenson (TE – MIN)
Week 7 video suggested a very mild high ankle or midfoot sprain. In either case, his ability to return immediately, in combination with this week’s practice progression, bodes well in predicting a low performance impact and re-injury risk.
Saquon Barkley (RB – NYG)
In his 3rd game back from a high ankle sprain, Saquon projects to be at 90% pre-injury efficiency on a per-touch basis. The elbow injury he sustained last week typically does not carry much production impact. If he continues to stay healthy, Week 9 projects as his return to 100%.
Zach Charbonnet (RB – SEA)
Young RB hamstring data is promising and suggests that Charbonnet should play with low efficiency impact and no workload limitations. He will have a mild (~10%) re-injury risk for the next 4-6 weeks.
Kenneth Walker (RB – SEA)
Playing. Data shows low performance impact from mild calf strains but an elevated (~15%) re-injury risk.
DK Metcalf (WR – SEA)
Playing. Data projects return to near full strength w/low re-injury risk.
Tyler Lockett (WR – SEA)
Data projects a 2/3 chance of playing. Older WRs do see efficiency dip 15-20% and carry elevated re-injury risk of ~15%.
Christian Watson (WR – GB)
Week 7 video suggested a knee sprain, but fully practicing all week proves that it’s mild. His prior hamstring injury could linger up to 6 weeks, but even that would put him at ~100% now.
DeVonta Smith (WR – PHI)
No injury listing, but he was listed over the last 2 weeks intermittently with a hamstring strain. WR data does suggest that this may have explained his decline in production.
Darren Waller (TE – NYG)
TBD. Data projects 2/3 chance he plays. Expect a mild efficiency dip if active, but the bigger concern here is a high re-injury risk given Waller’s extensive soft tissue and hamstring injury history.
Treylon Burks (WR – TEN)
Playing. Having 2 knee sprains on the same side in a single season typically does cause a noticeable performance dip of ~15% for the first 3 games following return.
And that’s a wrap for now. If you have more injury questions, definitely hit us up on on Twitter/X!
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