Suffice it to say, keeping up with injuries during the fantasy football draft season is tremendously important. All gamers should follow along to avoid any potential mishaps as it never hurts to stay in the know.
The most notable names from the traditional pool of skill players are in focus below. We’ll continue to monitor their statuses throughout the remainder of the summer.
Quarterbacks
Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals: A calf strain has the star passer on the mend, but he has been throwing and running for several days now, and Week 1 isn’t in any serious doubt. We’ve seen Burrow recover nicely from a totally reconstructed knee and then an appendectomy to play QB1-caliber fantasy ball. Draft him as usual without trepidation.
Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals: Last year’s Week 14 ACL tear wasn’t repaired until January. Murray’s expected return date still hasn’t been confirmed, but he was transferred to the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform list and will miss at least the first four games. Murray won’t be himself in 2023, barring some miracle, and that is enough to avoid him.
Brock Purdy, Arizona Cardinals: He is fully healthy after offseason elbow surgery and is on track to start Week 1. While Purdy himself isn’t exactly a fantasy commodity, his presence last season helped stabilize the offensive weapons around him.
Running backs
Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts: Taylor was moved to the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform list on Aug. 29 and will miss at least the first month of the season. He could still be traded. Given the situation and the likely investment, it’s entirely understandable if gamers opt to pass on him in favor of a safer buy.
Miles Sanders, Carolina Panthers: Week 1 is not in doubt if you believe Sanders himself, so there’s that going for him, but groin injuries notoriously are tricky. Expect him to be slapped with a “questionable” tag entering the opener vs. Atlanta.
Breece Hall, New York Jets: He participated in 11-on-11 drills in practice Aug. 22, and Hall (knee) should be on the field for Week 1, though in a diminished capacity following the signing of Dalvin Cook. Speaking of the former Minnesota Viking, his shoulder is coming along well after offseason surgery to repair a years-old issue.
Isiah Pacheco, Kansas City Chiefs: His shoulder surgery went well, and Pacheco should be fine for Week 1 after returning to practice Monday, Aug. 21. He has been cleared for contact and returned to shake off some rust in the preseason finale.
De’Von Achane, Miami Dolphins: The rookie was banged up in the preseason and is deemed week-to-week due to a shoulder injury. He is still a late-round flier with hopes he can ascend the depth chart by hook or crook.
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Jeff Wilson Jr., Miami Dolphins: He picked up a hand injury on Aug. 9 and was placed on injured reserve Aug. 31, meaning Wilson will miss at least the first four weeks. This makes De’Von Achane and Raheem Mostert much more valuable, especially the former, in the early going of 2023.
Jerome Ford, Cleveland Browns: Ford continues to miss time with a hamstring strain. The team is hopeful he will return for the opening week, though it could be as a man buried on the depth chart if Demetric Felton continues to thrive. Ford is a sketchy handcuff to Nick Chubb in a situation that is extremely fluid.
Zack Moss, Indianapolis Colts: He underwent surgery on Aug. 1 to repair a broken arm, which may sideline him through the second week of the regular season. If Taylor is indeed dealt, Moss will have a strong chance of taking over as the RB1.
Cordarrelle Patterson, Atlanta Falcons: A soft-tissue injury sidelined him the last two weeks, but it appears as though he is in no jeopardy of missing Week 1. That said, Patterson is barely worthy of a roster spot even without an injury concern.
Wide receivers
Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams: Recovered from his offseason ankle surgery, Kupp returned to practice Monday, Aug. 21, after straining a hammy three weeks prior. Unfortunately, head coach Sean McVay announced on Aug. 31 that Kupp aggravated the injury, so his status for Week 1 is now in serious doubt. As such, the star receiver carries a day-to-day status from the team.
Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins: Miami’s ever-dangerous receiver has been battling through an abdomen injury for a few weeks and is in jeopardy of missing Week 1. Miami’s doctors remain optimistic he will be able to suit up, though, so gamers will need to track this one closely. Waddle is a fine selection as your second receiver even with the opener in doubt.
Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: A minor groin injury has cost the veteran some practice time, but but he returned Thursday, Aug. 31, and there hasn’t been any indication that he won’t play in Week 1. Consider his status to be day-to-day.
Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders: Washington’s win in the second preseason game came at a potentially costly price as McLaurin suffered turf toe but avoided a fracture. He’s day-to-day and is optimistic about being ready for Week 1. While that’s encouraging, turf toe can linger for months, and McLaurin may be in for a long season.
Jerry Jeudy, Denver Broncos: The presumed No. 1 target for Russell Wilson will be on the mend entering the final stages of the offseason. He suffered a moderate hamstring strain in practice Aug. 24 and will miss “several” weeks, per media reports. The timing stinks for fantasy owners yet to draft, and there’s always a fear with hammy injuries that they could linger.
Jordan Addison, Minnesota Vikings: A concussion knocked him out of practice, but he is back as of Aug. 21 and wearing a non-contact jersey. The rookie is overvalued as anything more than a No. 4 gamble in fantasy drafts.
Treylon Burks, Tennessee Titans: Burks sprained the lateral collateral ligament in his left knee on Aug. 16. It’s not yet clear on how much time the sophomore will miss, if any, but he returned to practice Aug. 28, which is an encouraging sign for Burks’ Week 1 availability.
Kadarius Toney, Kansas City Chiefs: A cleanup surgery has Toney still watching from the sidelines, and his official timetable remains unclear. The coaching staff indicated they hope he will return prior to Week 1, but we’re probably looking at a situation that goes down to the wire and results in a questionable designation. That shouldn’t stop gamers from investing a WR4 or No. 5 spot in him.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks: The rookie wideout suffered a fractured wrist in the second preseason game and will miss three to four weeks. He was being overvalued by drafters leading up to the injury, so maybe this will cool some of the interest and bring him back down to a reasonable valuation.
Allen Lazard, New York Jets: Lazard (shoulder) sprained the AC joint and will be iffy heading into Week 1. The former Green Bay possession receiver is a slightly better depth piece following Corey Davis‘ retirement, but no one should be counting on his availability without byes or injuries forcing their hand.
Jameson Williams, Detroit Lions: The second-year deep threat suffered a hamstring strain last week and is expected to be absent the rest of the offseason. He will miss the first six weeks of the real season, due to a gambling suspension, so this injury is inconsequential for fantasy draft plans.
Wan’Dale Robinson, New York Giants: Coming back from knee reconstruction, he’s making steady progress. Robinson avoided the reserve PUP and will be on the active roster for Week 1. He may be slow to start after missing the offseason program, so be patient.
Tight ends
Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens: An undisclosed injury has cost him some recent practice time, but Andrews appears to be in no jeopardy of missing regular-season time.
T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings: A case of vertigo has held Hockenson back in practice of late. He is still out as of Aug. 22, although the former Detroit Lion doesn’t sound too concerned as he tries to find a solution. In a game of big-bodied human chess, his dizziness and balance problems should be worrisome for fantasy drafters, though. Keep close tabs on this one.
George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers: The oft-injured star dealt with a minor groin strain in camp but has returned to the field as of Aug. 21 and should be eased back into the swing of things. Be cautious when drafting him given Kittle’s history and the general nature of groin issues.
Zach Ertz, Arizona Cardinals: He returns from last year’s ACL tear but did not play in the preseason finale. Ertz should be available for Week 1, yet he is an uninspiring fantasy selection entering his age-33 season.
Jelani Woods, Indianapolis Colts: The 6-foot-7 Woods has sat thanks to a hamstring injury suffered in late July. After being listed as week-to-week for, well, weeks, it was revealed Woods suffered a fairly significant tear and has no timetable for his return.
