Keeping up with injuries entering the fantasy football draft season is tremendously important. While it may be 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. 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 at full strength entering training camp since being cleared in early May for all non-contact activity.
Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts: The most recent update is from late April when head coach Shane Steichen said Richardson is in a good spot and ready to start throwing after missing most of his rookie season with a shoulder injury.
Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons: Cousins has been doing just about everything during OTAs 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 is back on the field during voluntary OTAs and looks like himself.
Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns: As of late May, Watson (shoulder) has been throwing every other day in a managed rehab effort. He’s expected to ramp up during OTAs this month.
Daniel Jones, New York Giants: Jones is rehabbing a torn ACL and is on track to play in the season opener. Expect him to see the field in an increased capacity during training camp.
Running backs
Breece Hall, New York Jets: Hall was dealing with an undisclosed injury in the team’s rehab area at practice as of May 29, ESPN’s Rich Cimini reported. There’s no indication the issue is serious.
Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons: An ankle injury has Robinson taking it easy until the June 10 opening of Atlanta’s mandatory OTAs.
Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams: An unspecified foot issue has Williams on the shelf until the July training camp, according to head coach Sean McVay.
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.
Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots: Stevenson’s dismal 2023 season came to an end — thanks to an ankle sprain — with two games left in the regular season. All signs point to him being ready to roll for OTAs.
Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns: A second catastrophic knee injury has Chubb on the mend indefinitely. He began running on land in mid-April, though there’s no clear timetable for a return to full strength. We’ll update his status throughout the summer, and Chubb’s availability for training camp will be telling for his Week 1 availability.
J.K. Dobbins, Los Angeles Chargers: Dobbins proclaimed his torn Achilles to be 100% recovered heading into OTAs.
Audric Estime, Denver Broncos: The rookie underwent a knee scope in late May, though the coaching staff expect 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. Be surprised if he avoids the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform list.
Deuce Vaughn, Dallas Cowboys: His rookie season ended on IR with an undefined ankle injury. Vaughn is participating in minicamp and has even seen snaps as a slot receiver, so the injury is of no concern.
Wide receivers
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 since the May 22 incident. He’ll be fine in no time.
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 as 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 entering OTAs with the Chiefs.
Gabe Davis, Jacksonville Jaguars: A knee injury has kept the new Jaguar sidelined during offseason workouts, but it doesn’t appear to be particularly serious.
Xavier Worthy, Kansas City Chiefs: The blistering rookie suffered a hamstring injury in OTAs and is expected to be available in a couple of weeks.
Mike Williams, New York Jets: There’s no timetable for Williams to return from last year’s torn ACL, but he should be available at some point later this summer.
Malachi Corley, New York Jets: The rookie suffered an undisclosed lower-body injury on May 29 and is considered day-to-day.
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.
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’s 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. He will be watched closely throughout the summer.
Hunter Henry, New England Patriots: While he missed Week 18 last year with a knee injury, Henry has been an active participant in OTAs.
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 July’s training camp following Grade 3 MCL and ACL tears.
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.
Erick All, Cincinnati Bengals: The rookie suffered a torn ACL in October last year and is no better than iffy to be ready for training camp.
