Fantasy football managers were able to avoid landscape-altering injuries for the first two weeks of the season (with perhaps the exception of Joe Burrow), but Week 3 decided to make up for lost time – and possibly factor in interest as well.
Several major stars that fantasy managers were counting on to be focal points within their lineup are expected to miss significant time, and some the entire remainder of the season. Although this presents its own set of challenges, it also creates ample opportunities on the waiver wire to add pieces that will immediately contribute. With bye weeks right around the corner and depth about to be tested, this is sure to be an extremely aggressive and contested bidding cycle.
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Fantasy Football Injuries to Know
Here are the most notable situations to monitor as we head into waiver claims.
Quarterback
Jayden Daniels (QB – WSH)
Per Adam Schefter, Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn confirmed that Jadyen Daniels is “day to day” with the knee sprain he sustained in Week 2. Backup Marcus Mariota played admirably on Sunday against Las Vegas, accounting for two total touchdowns in a 41-24 victory over the Raiders. His success allows the team to be patient with Daniels until he is fully healthy. Daniels was unable to practice this past week, even in a limited fashion. Managers will have a better idea of Daniels’ progress once Wednesday’s practice occurs, to see if he can even log a limited session.
Fantasy Impact: Typically, a “day-to-day” designation wouldn’t keep a player sidelined for multiple weeks. Daniels needs to feel more comfortable with his lateral mobility to retake the field, per Fox’s Jay Glazer. Mariota would be a streaming option in Week 4 on the road against Atlanta.
Brock Purdy (QB – SF)
Brock Purdy was able to participate in practice last week in limited sessions after missing Week 2 with turf toe and AC joint sprain injuries. Labeled initially as questionable, San Francisco ultimately decided he needed one additional week and ruled him out. Mac Jones led the 49ers to another victory over Arizona, but came away with his own malady, aggravating a PCL sprain in his left knee. Thankfully, it appears Purdy should be able to retake the field in Week 4 against Jacksonville, after several weeks away.
Fantasy Impact: Purdy would slide right back into low-end QB1 territory if he can return, and would see a further boost if wide receiver Jauan Jennings comes back from his shoulder/ankle issue.
J.J. McCarthy (QB – MIN)
J.J. McCarthy picked up a high-ankle sprain during Week 2’s blowout loss against Atlanta and was forced to miss the game against Cincinnati on Sunday. He has already shed his walking boot and is making progress, but high-ankle sprains do usually have a multi-week absence associated with the injury.
Minnesota head coach Kevin O’Connell sounded hesitant to throw McCarthy back as soon as he was able, preferring to ease him back into action. Veteran Carson Wentz will continue to adopt a game manager-esque “just don’t lose this for us” mentality when on the field. Considering the Vikings will be travelling internationally to square off against Pittsburgh in Dublin, Ireland, it isn’t easy to envision a scenario where McCarthy takes the field soon. The Vikings have a Week 6 bye, so the team might be wise to have Wentz start until then, allowing McCarthy to fully recover.
Fantasy Impact: Wentz is in a similar tier to Mariota for fantasy managers looking to pivot towards a streaming option. His matchups the next two weeks come against strong defenses (Pittsburgh and Cleveland), but Minnesota has a very deep core of talented playmakers to help offset the uphill battle.
Running Back
James Conner (RB – ARI)
James Conner exited Week 3 early in the third quarter against San Francisco after falling on the field with a non-contact injury. The video review immediately showed him suffering a serious ankle injury that will require season-ending surgery.
Fantasy Impact: Trey Benson will take on the majority of touches in Arizona’s backfield moving forward, with Emari Demercado and Bam Knight backing him up. Benson is a former third-round selection with tremendous upside, who should be rostered in all formats. His rostership on ESPN and Yahoo was a little over 50%. He is worth a heavy investment as an immediate RB2 with upside.
Tyrone Tracy Jr. (RB – NYG)
Tyrone Tracy Jr. was tackled out of bounds during Sunday Night Football against Kansas City and landed hard on his right shoulder. Immediately writhing in pain, trainers needed to come to his side for assistance. He was eventually escorted off the field, unable to move his arm. The team later confirmed Tracy suffered a dislocated shoulder and is expected to be sidelined for between 2-4 weeks, with more tests and information incoming. Shoulder issues with running backs are notorious for their high risk of re-injury.
Fantasy Impact: Cam Skattebo (So-called “Marshall Chalk” by Fantasy Point’s Scott Barrett) steps into an immediate bell-cow situation with the Giants — a move that many analysts predicted would happen eventually, regardless. Skattebo is a Marshawn Lynch-esque wrecking ball who seeks contact and constantly falls forward to gain extra yardage. He accumulated over 120 scrimmage yards and a touchdown on 16 touches in Week 3, showing a glimmer of his upside. Similar to Benson above, Skattebo is a must-roster player.
Najee Harris (RB – LAC)
Najee Harris collapsed on the field during Sunday’s contest against Denver after attempting to push off to begin his momentum forward. Video analysis hinted he had possibly torn his Achilles tendon, which was then later confirmed by Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh. Inked to a one-year contract in the offseason, this injury puts Harris’ career in jeopardy, as Achilles tears are extremely difficult to come back from.
Fantasy Impact: Omarion Hampton now slides in as a true three-down option for the Chargers, backed by Kimani Vidal and Hassan Haskins for spot work. Hampton was already universally rostered, but Haskins makes for an intriguing add in deep formats, especially given his ties to Harbaugh during their time at Michigan.
Wide Receiver
CeeDee Lamb (WR – DAL)
CeeDee Lamb injured his left ankle on a rushing attempt midway through the first quarter after being tackled awkwardly in a near hip-drop fashion. He attempted to return to the game after it was taped on the sidelines, but he lasted just one play before taking himself out of the field. Dallas’ executive vice-president Stephen Jones revealed Lamb suffered a high-ankle sprain, which will reportedly keep him out between 3-4 weeks.
Fantasy Impact: Lamb’s absence for any extended period of time would immediately divert a multitude of targets elsewhere. George Pickens would become the new “alpha” option but still primarily run deep routes, with tight end Jake Ferguson working closer to the line of scrimmage. KaVontae Turpin and Jalen Tolbert would also see additional looks, though they are deep dart throws, at best.
Mike Evans (WR – TB)
Of all the teams in the NFL that could ill-afford to lose another wide receiver, Tampa Bay had to top the list. In the middle of the fourth quarter on Sunday, Mike Evans limped off the field and into the locker room, and was ruled out shortly afterwards. It was confirmed that Evans is dealing with a hamstring strain (something no manager wanted to hear, after all the others he has dealt with in the past), and is set to undergo an MRI on Tuesday to determine the extent of the damage.
Fantasy Impact: Though no timetable has been placed on Evans yet, it would be difficult to envision a scenario where this isn’t a multi-week absence. Given his age and history of soft-tissue issues, it would make sense for Tampa Bay to consider the possibility of placing him on the short-term injured reserve (IR) list. Star rookie Emeka Egbuka would see a bump in targets, along with veterans Sterling Shepard and Chris Godwin.
Terry McLaurin (WR – WSH)
Terry McLaurin exited Sunday’s game early in the fourth quarter with a quadriceps strain and didn’t return to the field. Washington was already operating in a very run-heavy script due to the loss of quarterback Jayden Daniels, and this would complicate matters further. No additional news has been released on McLaurin’s status as of Tuesday afternoon.
Fantasy Impact: McLaurin didn’t necessarily “need” to return to Sunday’s game, given how lopsided the score was — that gives me hope that his inability to return was precautionary. Practice reports will provide further information on Wednesday and Thursday regarding his status. If McLaurin needs time to recover, Deebo Samuel and Noah Brown would see a spike in usage, with Luke McCaffrey and rookie Jaylin Lane splitting additional reps. I’ve long been a fan of McCaffrey’s talent, but the team hasn’t been willing to utilize him much out of the slot thus far.
Jauan Jennings (WR – SF)
Jauan Jennings picked up a shoulder injury in the season opener, but was able to play through the pain for Week 2 against New Orleans. Labeled initially as “questionable” for San Francisco’s contest against Arizona on Sunday, Jennings was later changed to “out” after failing to practice at all this week. San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan said on Monday that Jennings was considered “day to day.”
Fantasy Impact: For Jennings to have a chance to play in Week 4, he will need to return to practice in short order. The fact that the 49ers initially labeled him as “questionable” rather than simply “out” suggests optimism and hope that he will return soon. If Jennings misses additional time, Ricky Pearsall and Kendrick Bourne will see an uptick in routes run and snaps. Pearsall is universally rostered, but Bourne is an intriguing flyer in deeper formats, especially if quarterback Brock Purdy returns.
Tight End
Colston Loveland (TE – CHI)
After catching one pass for 31 yards, Colston Loveland suffered a hip injury on Sunday and spent a lengthy duration in the team’s medical tent on the sideline. No further information has been released at this time, but Adam Schefter reported that Chicago is “hopeful” Loveland avoided a serious injury and has a chance to play in Week 4.
Fantasy Impact: If he can play, Loveland remains an upside TE2 on a pass-first Bears team that enjoys spreading the ball around. If additional time is needed to recover, veteran Cole Kmet would have an expanded workload and be considered a potential streaming choice at the position for the short term.
Michael Mayer (TE – LV)
Michael Mayer exited Sunday’s game against Washington with a head injury and was later placed in the league’s concussion protocol. As the vast majority of players who enter the protocol miss at least one game while clearing through the multi-stage process, fantasy managers should anticipate Mayer not taking the field in Week 4.
Fantasy Impact: It is doubtful that anyone was starting Mayer, regardless, but his absence will have an impact on how Las Vegas operates. Mayer was often called in to chip opposing defensive ends and linebackers (especially given how porous the Raiders’ offensive line has been) in an effort to aid the ground game. The team will need to adjust.
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