Keeping up with injuries entering the fantasy football draft season is tremendously important. While it may be a tad early yet, gamers should follow along to avoid any potential mishaps. At a minimum, it never hurts to stay in the know, even if you don’t typically draft until August or September.
The most notable names from the traditional pool of skill players are in focus below, in addition to some peripheral considerations. We’ll monitor their statuses throughout the summer and advise accordingly.
Quarterbacks
Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals: Burrow has full range of motion and power back in his wrist after tearing a ligament last November. He is expected to be available during training camp since being cleared in early May for all non-contact activity. On June 11, Burrow said he’ll be ready for Week 1 but wouldn’t say how far along his rehab is percentage-wise.
Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts: The 2023 first-rounder enters training camp at full strength after a shoulder injury suffered last year.
Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons: Cousins is expected to do mostly everything during training camp in his bid to return from last year’s torn Achilles tendon.
Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets: Rodgers has fully healed from tearing his Achilles in Week 1 of last year.
Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers: A fractured finger prematurely ended his season, but Herbert was back on the field during voluntary OTAs and looked like himself. He’ll be fine for camp.
Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns: As of mid-July, Watson (shoulder) ramped up his throwing frequency to daily sessions ahead of camp. While the team may give him a day off here or there, Watson is on pace to start Week 1.
Daniel Jones, New York Giants: Jones is rehabbing a torn ACL and is on track to play in the season opener. Expect him to avoid the Physically Unable to Perform list and see the field in an increased capacity as training camp wanes.
Running backs
Breece Hall, New York Jets: Hall was dealing with an undisclosed injury in the team’s OTAs, though he proclaimed himself fully healthy as of July 1.
Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams: An unspecified foot issue had Williams missing some time in OTAs, but he returned in a limited fashion in June but should see action in July training camp, according to head coach Sean McVay.
Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions: He was dealing with an undisclosed soft-tissue injury in early June but should be fine for camp.
Josh Jacobs, Green Bay Packers: A brief absence with a hamstring strain is nearly behind him after Jacobs returned to the field on May 29 as a limited participant. He should be just fine for camp.
Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns: A second catastrophic knee injury has Chubb on the mend indefinitely. He posted a video of himself squatting more than 500 pounds as of mid-July and began running on land in April, though there’s no clear timetable for a return to full strength.
J.K. Dobbins, Los Angeles Chargers: Prior to OTAs, Dobbins proclaimed his torn Achilles to be 100% recovered.
Jonathon Brooks, Carolina Panthers: Coming off a torn ACL, Brooks will open camp on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform list. He can return at any time, but reports say the rookie will be eased along.
Audric Estime, Denver Broncos: The rookie underwent a knee scope in late May, though the coaching staff expects Estime to return for training camp.
Keaton Mitchell, Baltimore Ravens: A Week 15 ACL tear ended Mitchell’s promising rookie season. In late May, head coach John Harbaugh said Mitchell will miss the start of training camp but remains on track for a 2024 return. He was placed on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform list ahead of training camp and can be removed at any time.
Deuce Vaughn, Dallas Cowboys: His rookie season ended on IR with an undefined ankle injury. Vaughn participated in minicamp and has even seen snaps as a slot receiver, so the injury is of no concern.
Wide receivers
Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints: A shoulder injury led to Olave being placed on the Active/Non-football Injury list as of July 18. We’ll keep close tabs on this one.
Michael Pittman Jr., Indianapolis Colts: An on-field collision with his teammate led to a banged-up knee for Pittman, and the team has rested him through voluntary camp following the May 22 incident. He’s fine.
Tank Dell, Houston Texans: Last season’s fractured fibula isn’t of concern for Dell’s availability, and he escaped a scary incident relatively unscathed after a minor gunshot wound in late April landed him a night in the hospital.
Marquise Brown, Kansas City Chiefs: Brown missed the final two games of last season with the Arizona Cardinals due to a heel injury, which is behind him.
Gabe Davis, Jacksonville Jaguars: A knee injury kept the new Jaguar sidelined during offseason workouts, but he has been cleared for training camp.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks: In June, JSN was given some time off to rest a shoulder issue, but he’s poised for a return in training camp.
Xavier Worthy, Kansas City Chiefs: The blistering rookie suffered a hamstring injury in OTAs but returned to the field July 17 and is good for training camp.
Mike Williams, New York Jets: There’s no timetable for Williams to return from last year’s torn ACL. The former Los Angeles Charger was placed on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform list, but he should be available at some point later this summer. He can be activated at any time.
Ricky Pearsall, San Francisco 49ers: The rookie was placed on the Active/Non-football Injury list July 16 with an undisclosed injury.
Malachi Corley, New York Jets: The rookie suffered an undisclosed lower-body injury on May 29 that wasn’t deemed serious, though no updates have been published since.
Kendrick Bourne, New England Patriots: Bourne has a chance to return for training camp as he works through the rehab of last year’s torn anterior cruciate ligament. New England hasn’t yet placed him on the PUP as of July 19, which is an encouraging sign.
JuJu Smith-Schuster, New England Patriots: The veteran wideout admitted he played last year at about 60% and is now fully recovered from a knee injury, though some doubt about his status with the franchise remains.
Tim Patrick, Denver Broncos: Remember him? Consecutively lost seasons due to major injuries — the most recent being a torn Achilles tendon — have Patrick fighting to reestablish himself. He was back on the field for OTAs.
Tight ends
T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings: A late-season ACL tear leaves Hockenson with no time frame established for his return as of July 19. He is cutting and doing football activities as of mid-July, and the veteran noted during a recent podcast appearance that he’s feeling comfortable and like a “normal person.”
Hunter Henry, New England Patriots: While he missed Week 18 last year with a knee injury, Henry was an active participant in OTAs.
Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints: He was placed on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform list July 18 after an offseason foot injury.
Theo Johnson, New York Giants: The rookie was put on the PUP with a hip injury, though the team is hopeful it’s not a long-term thing.
Tyler Higbee, Los Angeles Rams: A blown-out knee suffered in January has Higbee sidelined indefinitely. It will be rather impressive if he’s on the field for the opening of the regular season following Grade 3 MCL and ACL tears.
Tucker Kraft, Green Bay Packers: The second-year pro was placed on the Active/PUP list with a pectoral injury prior to training camp.
Michael Mayer, Las Vegas Raiders: The young tight end is fully recovered from the toe ailment that cost him the final three games of 2023, but he is expected to take a backseat to first-round rookie Brock Bowers.
Greg Dulcich, Denver Broncos: Head coach Sean Payton said Dulcich (hamstring, foot) is progressing well as of mid-June, but there’s no clear update on his status ahead of training camp.
Erick All, Cincinnati Bengals: The rookie suffered a torn ACL in October last year and is on track for training camp.
