16 Fantasy Football Injuries to Monitor (2026)

Preseason NFL football is here. With Week 1 of the preseason set to get underway, fantasy managers are in the final stretch for research for their redraft leagues. Preseason football helps concretize depth charts, but fantasy managers are also required to get a better handle on injury situations around the league and their potential implications for the injured player and their teammates.

There are various injuries to monitor heading into Week 1, from players lost for the season to some who have already been ruled out for the entire preseason, others are working their way back from prior injuries, while others made some noise for getting dinged up in practice but are expected to return in short order (or already have). Let’s take a look at some of the standout injury storylines we have been tracking.

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Fantasy Football Injuries to Monitor (2026 Fantasy Football)

Chris Brazzell LCL tear in left knee, season over after surgery

Chris Brazzell tore his LCL and will miss his entire rookie season. Brazzell had been making waves during the offseason for the Panthers, effectively helping open up a downfield passing game that could help propel Carolina’s offense to another level.

Brazzell’s injury likely means Xavier Legette will see a bump in his snap share, but the expectation is that David Moore will also see extra snaps. With that said, the biggest beneficiary from a fantasy standpoint will likely be Jalen Coker, who now looks solidified as an upside WR3 option thanks to a projected uptick in weekly volume.

Ricky Pearsall suffers PCL swelling, will undergo surgery, lost for season

Ricky Pearsall will miss the 2026 season after undergoing surgery to address PCL swelling in his surgically repaired right knee.

Pearsall has impressed when he has been on the field for the 49ers, but has dealt with a litany of injuries since being drafted by the San Francisco 49ers. The talent remains, but his fantasy value takes a bit of a hit as the 49ers will likely look to address the position again in the 2027 NFL Draft. De’Zhuan Stribling stands to be one of the main beneficiaries, but the addition of Deebo Samuel ensures that San Francisco will rotate four receivers (if/when all four manage to stay healthy). Stribling and Deebo both become flex2 options with this news, while Stribling gets a bump in his long-term dynasty value with Pearsall no longer projected to be in the 49ers’ future plans.

Jaylin Noel (finger/NFI) misses a few weeks, misses valuable reps

Jaylin Noel suffered a finger injury during a workout over the summer and missed a few weeks of camp while on the NFI list. Jaylin Noel has been activated from the NFI list, but missed multiple weeks that he could have used to try to make a case to be the number three receiver when Tank Dell is finally ready to return to action.

Noel missed valuable reps and will be forced to contend with CJ Stroud favorite Tank Dell. Noel and Dell are likely to cannibalize each other’s fantasy values this season, and whatever advantage Noel may have had due to being ‘fully healthy’ may have evaporated with the missed time. Noel and Dell provide different elements to the offense and will rotate with the top two receivers enough to see the field together at times. With that said, Noel and Dell are late round best ball fliers and should not be targeted in redraft outside of leagues with extremely deep benches.

Malik Nabers (knee) avoids PUP, looks good in individual drills

Malik Nabers avoided the PUP list and appears to be all systems go as he ramps up for the regular season. He has looked good in individual drills so far and was reportedly running routes even before camp began.

Nabers looking healthy already is excellent news for fantasy managers, especially those lucky enough to land in draft rooms that may be slower to adjust to this news. Commonly going off the board as a first round pick in redraft leagues last season, Nabers is currently available in the early third round of most drafts according to current ADP. As the 12th to 15th receiver off the board (depending on your platform), there is a ton of value here. Nabers is a WR1 option you can net at a WR2 price for the time being. Take advantage where possible.

Kenyon Sadiq setback from offseason hernia injury

Kenyon Sadiq had surgery for the hernia injury he had from his time at Oregon in May. Unfortunately, he suffered a setback that is expected to keep him sidelined up to the start of the regular season. There is optimism that he will be ready for Week 1, but the missed time puts him behind the eight ball in his competition with Mason Taylor.

Sadiq suffering this setback is going to do just that, set him back from having a true opportunity to ascend the depth chart. New York drafted him for a role, but that role could very well be playing 40 percent of the snaps as a pass-catching tight end who comes off the field when a blocker/receiver option is needed. His absence helps Mason Taylor solidify the number one job, and quarterback Geno Smith singling out Jelani Woods as a player who has stood out will not make Sadiq’s path to early season snaps any easier. There should be enough 12 and 13 personnel usage for Sadiq to still be roster-worthy in redraft, but Taylor is now the preferred target late in drafts. It is worth noting, however, that the New York Jets have listed themselves as a 12 personnel team with two starting tight ends (Taylor and Jeremy Ruckert).

Jaylen Waddle (leg) spotted limping at practice

Jaylen Waddle picked up a leg injury during practice and has been spotted limping on camera days later, suggesting that this is more than just a minor injury that fantasy managers and Denver Broncos fans do not need to worry about.

Waddle is a trendy breakout candidate as the move to Sean Payton’s system should help propel him to the upper echelon of receivers. However, his injury has allowed Pat Bryant to get more volume in practice sessions, and he has stood out thus far. Bryant will not siphon Waddle’s snaps, but he will steal targets from both Waddle and Courtland Sutton if he can translate his practice field success over to games this season. Currently the 19th to 22nd receiver off the board, depending on your platform, Waddle may very well end up with a lower target share than some of the names being drafted behind him.

Mike Evans (quad) sidelined with soft tissue injury, misses practice

Mike Evans and soft tissue injuries go together like peanut butter and jelly. These types of injuries are nothing new for Evans, but serve as a reminder that the veteran receiver is likely to miss some game action with a similar injury this season and will be limited in others because of it.

Mike Evans dealing with soft tissue injuries is nothing new, but dealing with it in the unfriendly confines of San Francisco is. In fact, Evans has dealt with a hamstring or quad injury in every single season since joining the NFL. And regardless of what you think of some of the late-season antics designed to get him to 1,000 receiving yard mark in previous seasons, his consistency is legendary. Evans will provide upside WR2 value for fantasy managers when healthy and should still be aggressively targeted in the fifth round of fantasy drafts.

George Kittle (knee) lands on PUP, expected to be activated by Week 1

George Kittle is officially on the PUP list. Kittle has been seen on video running and cutting, so being removed from the PUP list should not be too far off. The San Francisco 49ers are likely playing it safe with their star do-it-all tight end. Kittle knows the system, and they do not need to expose him to aggravation risk by clearing him for contact, especially when Jake Tonges, who filled in admirably for him last season, could use more reps with the 1s.

Kittle remains locked in as a TE1 for fantasy and is not in danger of ceding snaps to Tonges. With that said, we could see both tight ends on the field more often than we did last season, especially when the 49ers suffer the inevitable injuries to the receiving corps. It is fair to take Kittle outside of the top three given he is still on the PUP list, but he should be in the conversation to be one of the first five tight ends off the board in redraft leagues.

Luther Burden (groin) out for preseason

Luther Burden is dealing with a groin injury and will be sidelined for the entire preseason. Expected to be ready for Week 1, Burden is a massive breakout candidate and will be a 1a/1b option for the Chicago Bears passing game.

This injury should not stop the hype train from rolling, but it could give fantasy managers a bit of a discount vis-a-vis what he was going for pre-injury. Burden is still fully expected to be a focal point of the Bears offense, but it is worth noting that Chicago signed Ray-Ray McCloud following the injury to their young star receiver. This suggests that a Week 1 return is far from a sure thing, and we can reasonably expect the Bears to be cautious with their star receiver, even if they have designs on an extended postseason run. Continue to tap Burden as a WR2 target in fantasy drafts but just be cognizant that he may start the season slower than previously expected.

Christian McCaffrey (tightness) misses practice

Any time Christian McCaffrey pops up on the injury report, everyone takes notice. McCaffrey is the engine of the 49ers’ offense, as evidenced by his career high 413 touches last season. The 49ers added Kaelon Black in the 2026 NFL Draft, but with just Black, Jordan James, Isaac Guerendo, and Khalil Herbert behind CMC, the dropoff with a sidelined McCaffrey is drastic. Add to that Black is dealing with an adductor injury and James is dealing with a fractured rib, and one can understand why the 49ers went and signed running back Khalil Herbert and brought in Nyheim Hines and Zamir White for workouts.

Christian McCaffrey is still a fantasy stud when he is healthy, but as the 2024 season reminded us, his health is not a given, especially as an older back without reliable breather backs behind him. An illuminating tweet from Yahoo! Fantasy reminded us that in 2025 CMC dealt with ‘tightness’ prior to Week 1, but went on to play every game of the season. However, in 2024, he was placed on IR with ‘tightness’ in Week 1 and didn’t return until Week 10. The injury news knocks CMC down draft boards a bit, but his running back ADP should remain relatively static. Where we expect to see movement is with some of the receivers, like Puka Nacua and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, possibly leapfrogging him in some draft rooms. Continue to target CMC as an RB1 but pay special attention to who emerges as his top backup so you can attempt to roster them as a handcuff.

J.K. Dobbins (soft tissue/hamstring) leaves practice

J.K. Dobbins and soft tissue in the same sentence is enough to make most fantasy managers shudder due to traumatic flashbacks. Dobbins is a clear talent but is viewed as a major injury risk in the fantasy world. Dobbins said he will play 17 games this season, but no NFL player goes into the season expecting to miss any game action. Dobbins was back at practice on Tuesday, albeit in a limited fashion, suggesting that he avoided a significant injury.

Dobbins is the clear lead back in Denver and will remain so as long as he remains healthy. With that said, there is some risk of Jonah Coleman earning an expanded role if he gets featured with Dobbins sidelined. Coleman is expected to be the ‘starter’ if Dobbins misses any time, as RJ Harvey inspired little to no confidence that he can handle that role competently with his performance last season. Dobbins remains a Zero RB target who will pay dividends when healthy. Just make sure you have ample depth if you plan to roster him (ideally with Jonah Coleman stashed where roster space allows).

Alec Pierce (ankle) remains on PUP list

It should only be a matter of time before Alec Pierce is activated from the PUP list, but with the Colts running the same system as last season, there is no real reason for the Colts not to be cautious with their number one wide receiver. Pierce is fully expected to be ready for Week 1.

Pierce was electric last season, thanks in large part to 21.3 yards per reception. His chemistry with Daniel Jones was evident almost immediately, with Pierce averaging 6.1 targets, 3.5 receptions, and 69.9 receiving yards per game with Jones under center. His full season extrapolated numbers would have put him at 104 targets, 60 receptions, and 1,188 receiving yards. Numbers that would have dispelled many of the questions surrounding his low volume and seemingly unsustainable yards per catch now that he has transitioned to being the number one receiver.

Chris Rodriguez (foot) returns to practice

Chris Rodriguez missed much of the offseason with a foot injury, allowing the hype train for expected starter Bhayshul Tuten to sell out. Rodriguez is expected to be the B back in the Jaguars committee, with Tuten handling most of the work between the 20s while Rodriguez handles the short yardage and goal line work he was signed to address.

C-Rod could emerge with standalone value for the Jaguars. He shouldn’t exceed 12 touches on most Sundays but will get the rock when he’s hot and has the high leverage goal line opportunities that will help buoy his value. LeQuint Allen will also mix in on passing downs, but Tuten is still the preferred back to roster out of this trio. This backfield is likely to be more of a committee approach than some may anticipate.

Consider this quote regarding Tuten and Rodriguez when fine tuning your final cheat sheet: “The split between the two has seemed to balance out a bit more in recent practices, but there has not been anyone who has emerged as a clear lead back to this point.”

Puka Nacua (groin) misses practice

Nacua missing practice is sure to make headlines given his fantasy profile, but the injury doesn’t sound serious. It has been reported as groin soreness, and barring a setback, Puka is fully expected to be ready for Week 1.

The injury will give some managers pause at the top of the board, especially when the internal debate involves Ja’Marr Chase, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Nacua. That said, unless he re-aggravates the injury in the weeks leading up to Week 1, Puka should, for all intents and purposes, be treated as healthy. Initial timetables and team optimism can be telling as far as projected severity and team optimism are concerned. Burden injured his groin and was immediately ruled out for the preseason and is realistically already questionable for Week 1. Nacua, like some others on this list, also has a groin injury, but the Rams appear much less concerned. Continue to treat Puka as a top three option at receiver.

Josh Jacobs (groin) to miss at least one week

Josh Jacobs is set to miss at least one week with a groin injury. Jacobs’ physical style does seem to lend itself to injury, as the star running back played more than 15 games just twice, while playing just 13 twice. With legal troubles and the injury bug both rearing their head this offseason, handcuffing Jacobs becomes more important than ever.

Jacobs is expected to be a workhorse back when healthy, but there should still be enough touches for MarShawn Lloyd. Lloyd has looked good this offseason, and if he can finally stay healthy, he will make an impact for the Green Bay Packers and could make one for his fantasy managers as well. Continue to target Jacobs as a potential RB1; just draft depth or stash Lloyd behind him.

Emeka Egbuka (toe) leaves practice

Egbuka limped off the field with athletic trainers, but the Buccaneers view their star receiver’s injury as minor, and so should we. As echoed above, team optimism (outside of Philadelphia and San Francisco) can be telling. Severity, or a lack thereof, can often be intimated from a team’s comments. The injury has been termed a toe sprain, and with the Buccaneers already expected to be resting their starters for Week 1 of the preseason, Egbuka can focus on recovery.

Emeka remains locked in as a top-15 option, but this should serve to remind us that a hobbled Egbuka is not nearly as effective as a healthy one, as we all saw in his pre-injury/post-injury splits last season. As a reminder, Egbuka totaled 25 receptions, 445 receiving yards, and five touchdowns from Week 1 to Week 5. Clearly limited due to playing through the hamstring injury, he managed just 38 receptions, 493 receiving yards, and one touchdown from Week 6 to Week 18. His extrapolated numbers would have put him on pace for one of the best rookie seasons of all-time, but his slip cannot all be blamed on the injury, as Baker Mayfield was dealing with injury issues of his own. Continue to draft the Buccaneers’ new number one receiver with confidence. 

Raju Byfield is a featured writer for FantasyPros. For more from Raju, check out his profile and follow him @FantasyContext.