Are we early in the training camp process? Of course, we are. But savvy fantasy football managers will digest every ounce of news and track recoveries heading into draft day. That’s why we are here … to separate the news from the noise and to put you in the best possible spot to win your league. As we prepare to enter August, here’s a look at the latest injury news and how we are reacting to it for fantasy football purposes.
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Fantasy Football Injury Report Update
Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
Joe Burrow is dealing with a strained right calf but is not expected to miss Week 1. The fantasy community let out a collective sigh of relief when Burrow avoided a significant injury during Thursday’s practice (July 27).
Burrow’s current ADP is the QB4 off the board, but it’s possible that players like Lamar Jackson or Justin Herbert could jump him in the coming weeks while he recovers from this injury. Unless Burrow’s Week 1 status changes drastically in the coming weeks, it’s not worth dropping Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, or Joe Mixon down on your draft boards at this time.
Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts
Jonathan Taylor is currently on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list and has formally asked for a trade from the Indianapolis Colts.
The fantasy implications of this development are significant. Taylor is currently going in the first or second round of fantasy drafts and has a proven RB1 ceiling at the position. The Colts’ offense already has the challenge of bringing rookie QB Anthony Richardson up to speed of leading an NFL offense. If Taylor should be traded or misses any time, Richardson could experience even more growing pains without one of the best running backs in the league to lean on.
Josh Jacobs, RB, Las Vegas Raiders
The 2022 leader in both touches and yards is headlining a summer full of RB uproar. Josh Jacobs and the Raiders were unable to agree to a long-term extension by the July 17 deadline, resulting in the star back not reporting to training camp on time.
As is the case with all of the veteran running backs looking for work and young stars looking to get paid, this is a fluid situation that deserves your attention. That said, the value the NFL as a whole puts (or doesn’t put) on the RB position is most likely to win out in some capacity here.
I’d bank on Jacobs being active for Week 1, but could that mean a slow start? It’s possible, and I’ve had an upside player in Tony Pollard ahead of him in my rankings all summer, but Jacobs remains a RB1 and one that I prefer to a player like Breece Hall, where the concerns are physical.
Kenneth Walker III, RB, Seattle Seahawks
Kenneth Walker III is expected to be “out a while” dealing with a groin injury. Walker was heading into training camp atop the depth chart after a fine rookie season, where he topped 1,000 yards rushing while scoring nine touchdowns.
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Walker is currently coming off the board in the late-third/early-fourth-round range but will likely drop firmly into the fourth while he deals with this injury. Walker’s primary competition in the backfield, Zach Charbonnet, also suffered an injury and is expected to miss some time. Kenny McIntosh (rookie out of Georgia) may be worth a speculative add while Walker works his way back from injury.
Zach Charbonnet, RB, Seattle Seahawks
Charbonnet is dealing with a shoulder injury and is out indefinitely. This is terrible news for the talented rookie RB, who will miss crucial practice time and preseason reps heading into his first NFL season. In redraft formats, Charbonnet’s current ADP (RB37, 99th overall) is sure to plummet in the coming days.
Garrett Wilson, WR, New York Jets
Robert Saleh displayed confidence in saying that Garrett Wilson would “be okay” after revealing on Sunday that his star receiver is dealing with a low ankle injury.
Ok, exhale. All seems to be OK in Gotham.
Expectations are high for the second-year WR with Aaron Rodgers now in town, optimism that has Wilson flirting with a top-10 ADP at the position. The franchise seems to be taking a cautious approach as we sit here over a month away from games that count. Assuming that is the case, Wilson as a second-round pick makes plenty of sense if you opened your draft with a star running back.
Kyler Murray, QB, Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals’ star signal-caller tore his ACL last December and had surgery on Jan. 3, but Kyler Murray has been consistent in setting Week 1 as his return date. That said, he remains day-to-day, and all parties seem content with the cautious approach at this point.
Murray told the media that he didn’t want to rush anything and “hurt the team or myself” in trying to push things. As a fantasy asset himself, Murray is a tough sell. Even if he’s able to return to action a month or so ahead of the originally projected timeline, are we sure he’s going to be the same game-breaking athlete that we’ve seen in the past? If not, would waiting for him to round into form be worth your time?
You’d be playing the long game, and when you need Murray to peak (Weeks 13-17), the schedule gets stiff: at PIT, BYE, vs. SF, at CHI, and at PHI. If you want to draft him late and hope, go for it, but counting on Murray to be your starter is more risk than I’m willing to take … in any format.
Zach Ertz, TE, Arizona Cardinals
The 32-year-old TE was placed on the active/PUP list last week as he continues to rehab from November knee surgery. I just detailed the risk in Zach Ertz’s quarterback, so when you consider that this team spent a second-round pick on Trey McBride a year ago, there is simply more risk involved in selecting Ertz than is worth it.
Yes, the tight end position is ugly, and yes, Ertz has averaged nearly five catches per game in two (partial) seasons with Arizona. However, there are better risk/reward options in the later stages of your draft. If you’re in punt TE mode, I’d rather roll the dice on a pair of rookies like Sam LaPorta or Michael Mayer.
Kadarius Toney, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
News surfaced that Kadarius Toney aggravated his knee last Sunday (July 23), the same knee that he underwent an offseason cleanup procedure on. The fact that this misstep took place while fielding punts certainly didn’t help early projections for Toney’s role on Kansas City’s offense, nor does the fact that he has played in just 19 of a possible 34 games since being drafted in the first round by the Giants.
KC’s offense is without a clear WR1, and Toney entered camp as the favorite to land that role. But that’s hard to do from the sidelines. Toney currently holds a top-100 ADP, a pick I’d rather spend on an upside like Gabe Davis, who has a role we know and is currently on the field.
Rashod Bateman, WR, Baltimore Ravens
John Harbaugh told us that Rashod Bateman (Lisfranc injury) received a “cortisone-type” of shot in June, something that is likely behind the receiver being placed on the PUP list at the beginning of last week.
Like Toney, Bateman has appeared in just 19 games over the past two seasons. Additionally, like Toney’s situation, this offense is searching for a receiver to establish himself as “the guy” while featuring their TE in the passing game.
The three Ravens vying for that WR1 role are all going within a round of one another and outside of the top 100 overall. Personally, I prefer Zay Flowers, but investing on the cheap in one of them is a perfectly viable strategy, given the potential potency of this offense.
J.K. Dobbins, RB, Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens aren’t listing an injury designation for J.K. Dobbins, but their starting running back is currently on the PUP list. There are rumors swirling about contract negotiations with him in the final year of his rookie deal, so that could always play into this.
Dobbins shredded his knee in 2021 (torn ACL, LCL, meniscus, and hamstring) and missed nearly two months last season after another knee procedure, making him an injury risk heading into 2023. Between the shift to a wide-open Todd Monken offense to the team electing to bring in Melvin Gordon for insurance, Dobbins is a tough sell at his current ADP as a top-20 running back.
Brock Purdy, QB, San Francisco 49ers
Brock Purdy has been medically cleared without limitations to start training camp. Head coach Kyle Shanahan did specify that Purdy would have restrictions on the number of days he would throw in practice, with a pitch count for each throwing session.
Purdy has stated that his “arm feels great” but will continue treatment. He is currently coming off the board as the QB26 but should rise if the reports continue to be positive and we receive some clarity on the QB depth chart in San Francisco in the coming weeks.
