Fantasy Football Injury Update: Latest on Christian McCaffrey, Nick Chubb, Jaylen Warren, and Others

The NFL preseason has seen a lot of injuries to fantasy football-relevant players.

Fortunately, we have not seen many major injuries, but there has been plenty for fantasy managers to think about over the last few weeks.

Christian McCaffrey Injury Update

Fantasy’s near-consensus 1.01 popped up on injury reports earlier this month with a calf injury, and our industry held its collective breath.

Are his injury concerns from Carolina back? Should we pivot at the top of boards to avoid disaster?

Relax. All signs point to Christian McCaffrey being fine, and I’d argue that limited August reps should be viewed as a net positive.

McCaffrey hasn’t missed a game during the fantasy season since 2021 and enters this season with the same risk profile as most others at the running back position.

San Francisco’s star has outscored RB2 since the beginning of 2022 by more PPR points than RB2 has outscored RB19 over that stretch.

Let that sink in – and then take this man if you are blessed with the opportunity.

Jahmyr Gibbs Injury Update

The Lions were the breakout team of 2023, thanks in large part to their dynamic running back. Jahmyr Gibbs came up gimpy with a hamstring injury in the middle of August, and the initial diagnosis was concerning. But all talk out of Lions camp is that Gibbs avoided anything of significance.

The ever-candid Dan Campbell calmed our nerves shortly after the injury: “I think we’re going to be fine here.”

The Lions open the season with the Rams, Buccaneers, and Cardinals. Gibbs should continue to garner first-round consideration and could well get your fantasy team off to a fast start.

Nick Chubb Injury Update

Cleveland’s star suffered a knee injury so gruesome less than 12 months ago that we feared his career might be over. Nick Chubb’s season was cooked, but it’s clear that we will again get the pleasure of watching him run over defenders.

Chubb’s rehab process has gone well, and we’ve all seen the video of him squatting a small house. However, the latest reports suggest what we have feared will be a reality, with Chubb likely to start the season on the reserve/PUP list.

That said, leagues are not decided in September, or even October.

From 2020-22, 42 running backs carried the rock at least 300 times. Chubb had as good of a case as any of them to be considered the top rusher over that stretch (minimum 300 carries):

• First in yards per carry (5.3)
• Second in rushing yards per game (89.6)
• Third in rushing touchdowns per game (0.7)

The former All-Pro only costs you an eighth-round pick right now, and Cleveland closes the fantasy season with three straight opponents (Kansas City, Cincinnati, and Miami) that they will look to dominate in the time of possession battle.

Jerome Ford profiles as the leader of this backfield for the first half of the season, and the two-round discount from Chubb is interesting for managers implementing a zero-RB build that will overemphasize front-end production.

If the Browns dial back the pass rate that they posted under Joe Flacco down the stretch of last season, their RB1 is a good bet to post RB2 numbers. Taking either Ford or Chubb is a viable strategy, and taking both is also on the table.

Alvin Kamara Injury Update

Back tightness cost Alvin Kamara a week, but he has returned to practice and should be fine for the season opener.

“Fine” is good, but it doesn’t mean “productive.”

The 29-year-old is playing behind an offensive line that is set to struggle again, something that very much creates a concerning floor.

Yards per carry (carries per rushing TD)

• 2017: 6.1 YPC (TD every 15 carries)
• 2018: 4.6 YPC (TD every 13.9 carries)
• 2019: 4.7 YPC (TD every 34.2 carries)
• 2020: 5.0 YPC (TD every 11.7 carries)
• 2021: 3.7 YPC (TD every 60 carries)
• 2022: 4.0 YPC (TD every 111.5 carries)
• 2023: 3.9 YPC (TD every 36 carries)

Kamara will continue to catch passes at a borderline elite level as long as Derek Carr is under center, but his name inspires confidence within the fantasy community that his production suggests unwise.

We’ve seen Kamara miss multiple games in each of the five past seasons, so while we seem to be out of the woods at the moment, don’t take that to mean that he is a good bet to play all 17 games.

The ceiling isn’t what it once was. That sort of game-breaking potential resides in a younger back like Kenneth Walker III, a talented kid with his best football ahead of him. Walker is also being drafted behind Kamara.

Kendre Miller Injury Update

By now, you’ve heard the quote from Dennis Allen that Kendre Miller can’t “make the team from the trainer’s table,” and that really tells you all you need to know.

The 2023 third-round pick has dealt with a litany of injuries that are stunting not only his physical growth as an NFL running back, but also his ability to work into the good graces of those whose job it is to get him the ball.

Jamaal Williams remains on this roster, but he is 29 years old and coming off of the worst season of his career (2.9 yards per carry).

I still think Miller will make the Saints, and I’m more comfortable than most in betting against Kamara this season. So it should tell you something when I say that I have yet to pick up my first share of Miller.

Jonathon Brooks Injury Update

Despite a November tear to his ACL, the Panthers made Jonathon Brooks the 46th pick in April. That investment makes it clear what the Panthers think long-term of the Texas product, but it also makes them more likely to be conservative with his recovery process.

At this point, it would be a surprise for Brooks to have Flex appeal at any point in September. On Aug. 3, head coach Dave Canales wasted no time in ruling out his rookie for the preseason and through the first two weeks of the regular season.

With a cautious approach, it seems more likely than not that Brooks will have to work through a snap count before impacting our fantasy world.

Chuba Hubbard is a lesser version of the aforementioned Jerome Ford in that he is a way to mine value in the early stretches of the season. Brooks remains the best pick in this backfield. Understand that you’re not being asked to draft him as a starter (ADP: RB31), but you could well be getting one when your league championship is on the line.

Brooks showed some promise as a pass catcher last season, something that should help you work through the game script worries for a Panthers team that isn’t likely to win many games.

Jaylen Warren Injury Update

In Week 2 of the preseason, Jaylen Warren suffered a hamstring injury. And while the team ruled him out for “multiple weeks,” Mike Tomlin said that it’s “not a long-term concern.”

This is the injury that I am tracking the closest as my drafts approach. On one hand, it’s encouraging that Tomlin isn’t too worried, but hamstring injuries have the potential to linger, and it’s not as if Warren was going to open this season with an elite role at full strength.

Najee Harris’ efficiency is trending in the wrong direction, and it’s clear to most that Warren offers more juice. But I don’t blame the industry for pricing Harris 1.5-2 rounds more expensive.

Harris is the bet I’d make on this backfield as a result of this injury, but by no means am I going out of my way to invest in this unit — or this offense as a whole, for that matter.

In Weeks 11-17, Pittsburgh has four games against Cleveland/Baltimore on top of a short-rest game against a stingy Kansas City defense on Christmas Day, which will be the fantasy Super Bowl. If either falls a round or two, chasing the potential lead role in this offense is viable. But overextending for either is a fool’s errand.

Marshawn Lloyd Injury Update

Marshawn Lloyd entered camp with a few bumps and bruises but was ultimately cleared for the first week of the preseason, a game that he promptly left with a hamstring injury.

Reporting out of Green Bay has been consistent in that it is not believed to be a long-term concern and that Lloyd is a good bet to make his NFL debut when the Packers open their season.

That’s the good news. But this team did just go out of its way to get younger at the position (Josh Jacobs replaced Aaron Jones) and re-signed AJ Dillon this offseason.

I remain optimistic that Lloyd (1,052 yards on just 129 touches last season at USC) is the proper way to handcuff Jacobs, and he may even carve out a role that is fantasy-relevant with time.

I’m also confident that Lloyd’s best days are likely to come later rather than sooner, and that has him falling down my draft board. If he is hardly used through the first month of the season, there’s a decent chance a frustrated manager in your league cuts ties, and you can then add him for free at the end of your roster rather than using draft capital now to acquire his services.

Tyrone Tracy Jr. Injury Update

During the second week of August, Tyrone Tracy Jr. was carted off the Giants’ practice field, and the rumors spread like wildfire.

Reports surfaced that Tracy was in an air cast as the medical team looked to immobilize the injury, and our analysts began to mourn the loss of a popular running back sleeper.

Fortunately, the rookie was able to avoid a ruined season before it ever started and was training on the practice field within just a few days of the injury. Devin Singletary was brought in this offseason to lead the Giants’ backfield, and I expect him to enter the season with that role.

That said, what proof do we have that Singletary is better than the league average? He’s been viable as part of explosive offenses in the past, but this is a different situation, and it’s clear that Tracy is more in New York’s long-term plans than the soon-to-be 27-year-old.

Tracy is coming off the board in the Round 13-14 range with fellow rookies Ray Davis, Bucky Irving, and Braelon Allen.

We all like our steak cooked differently, and we all like different profiles for flier first-year RB handcuffs. I think Davis and Tracy are the best bets to return the most usable weeks in redraft. Rank them however you’d like, but from a roster construction standpoint, penciling in one of these prospects on your bench is wise.

Tyreek Hill Injury Update

The presence of any star play on an injury report is noteworthy, especially when it’s a hand injury for a player who makes his living catching.

That said, Tyreek Hill’s thumb injury appears to be cautionary. Our Adam Beasley reported that the Dolphins are prioritizing Week 1 health, and thus aer taking things slow with their star receiver.

Hill has missed just one game over the past three seasons, and fantasy managers shouldn’t use this injury as an excuse to remove him from the top tier at the position. We saw him fly out of the gates last season (25-412-4 through three games), and we could see more of the same with the Jags, Bills, Seahawks, and Titans on the September schedule for Miami.

Draft Hill with confidence. If you want to move on from him before a brutal closing month (NYJ, HOU, SF, CLE), go ahead. But this thumb injury shouldn’t result in you feeling any less confident about Hill in the first half of Round 1.

Jaylen Waddle Injury Update

Jaylen Waddle missed two weeks of practice in the middle of August with an injury that Mike McDaniel refused to expand upon, but all’s well that ends well with Miami’s WR2 back in the mix at practice.

It should be noted that three of Waddle’s four career DNPs came last season. His health history isn’t exactly clean, though he appears destined to open this season at full strength.

Waddle is currently available in drafts at the Round 3-4 turn, a price that is palpable given his proven capability of winning at every level and the immense contingent value he has access to in this concentrated Miami offense.

Davante Adams Injury Update

Savvy followers of the news came across some vague reporting around an Adams injury last week, so I’ll mention it in this space simply to dismiss it. He returned to practice this week and will join the rest of the Raiders starters sitting out this week’s preseason game.

Vegas’ WR1 is fully ready for the start of the regular season, and the next game he misses as a Raider will be his first.

The team did name Gardner Minshew as their Week 1 quarterback, and I think that’s good news for those eyeing Adams in the second round. Aidan O’Connell’s efficiency last season was far greater when targeting Jakobi Meyers.

Puka Nacua Injury Update

An early August knee injury presented a weird situation in Los Angeles.

Last season, Cooper Kupp entered the season banged up, and his opposite number thrived. Could the reverse be true this year? Should we be drafting Kupp over Puka Nacua?

It’s possible that these two receivers finish close to one another when all is said and done, but it won’t be the result of this injury.

Not long after “week to week” reports surfaced, Sean McVay dismissed them and stated, with confidence, that Nacua’s prep for Week 1 would not be impacted in the slightest.

From a roster build point of view, I’m much more likely to take a running back in the Nacua range (early second round: Travis Etienne, Kyrem Williams, or Derrick Henry), but that was the case entering this summer.

How a fully healthy version of this tandem produces is up in the air, but the health of both receivers is clean entering the regular season. Now, we just need their aging QB to be 100%.

Amari Cooper Injury Update

Amari Cooper missed Cleveland’s second preseason game, but the team didn’t specify an injury for the 30-year-old and all subsequent reporting has him as fit for the opener.

Despite racking up a career-best 1,250 yards last season, the fantasy community isn’t prioritizing Cooper in any sort of way (ADP: WR25).

The reps were minimal, but Deshaun Watson treated Cooper as an alpha, and that is a thread I’m holding onto.

George Pickens is in the same tier as Cooper, and I think that’s about right – peaks-and-valleys with a nice upside should he get above-average play under center.

Christian Kirk Injury Update

A mild calf injury continues to keep Kirk on the shelf and has now resulted in two weeks missed. Last season, he missed five games, but that came on the heels of consecutive full seasons, making any sort of “injury-prone” label a bit unfair.

Kirk is expected to assume a larger role this season than last with Calvin Ridley leaving for Tennessee, but these missed reps should slow some of that momentum.

The fantasy industry is drafting Kirk 40 picks ahead of rookie Brian Thomas Jr., a difference that I’m having a hard time justifying. At cost, BTJ looks like the much better buy, even if everyone on this roster is at full strength.

Jordan Addison Injury Update

This offseason has been anything but quiet for Jordan Addison, but Kevin O’Connell seems optimistic that his mid-August ankle injury won’t result in missed time.

Off-field issues and health concerns aside, repeating a rookie season that saw him score on 14.3% of his receptions was always going to be a tough ask. Addison’s stock has dipped to that of a fringe top-100 overall player (top-45 receiver), and it still hasn’t reached a point in which I’m interested.

The next time a Sam Darnold receiver averages 14.5 PPR PPG for a season will be the first. And with Addison, at best, second in the receiver hierarchy (third in per-game target expectation for this team) in Minnesota, there are more paths to failure than success.

Hollywood Brown Injury Update

A dislocation of his sternoclavicular shoulder joint landed Hollywood Brown in the hospital during the first week of the preseason, and that injury carries a four- to six-week recovery timetable. That would land us in the Week 3 range, with a potential ramp-up taking place ahead of Kansas City’s Week 6 bye.

Brown has had trouble staying on the field during his five years as a pro. He has just one full season on his resume and eight missed games over the past two seasons). That’s a concerning trend as Brown tries to get up to speed as a part of his third team in four seasons.

Brown is on the fringe of being considered a top-100 overall player, an ADP that has slipped a round behind speedy rookie Xavier Worthy.

With the Rashee Rice situation yet to yield a suspension and Travis Kelce’s established connection with Patrick Mahomes, you’re trying to thread a thin needle in terms of target projection. It helps that the Chiefs are annually among the leaders in pass rate over expectation, but this missed time certainly gives Worthy the inside track to the WR2 role in this offense.

Keep an eye on Brown’s recovery. But for the moment, counting on him as more depth than a weekly starter is the approach I’m taking.

Diontae Johnson Injury Update

A groin injury hampered the veteran receiver early in the preseason, and now it is being reported that, on Tuesday, Diontae Johnson suffered a foot/ankle injury at practice.

Dave Canales said Johnson was dealing with an illness, but hoped he would play in Saturday’s preseason game.

Inspired by @LizLoza_FF's Diontae Johnson optimism

He's 28 and joining Bryce Young (1.01 in 2022)

Since 2004: 13x has a 27-29 year old WR joined a 1st round pick in the QBs Year 2 … 14.5 PPG (WR18 last season)

Even better? 8 of those 13 WRs exceeded 14.5 PPG pic.twitter.com/rF8mysj7aA

— Kyle Soppe (@KyleSoppePFN) August 8, 2024

A receiver in his physical prime with a developing quarterback has proven to be a profitable fantasy venture in the past. Johnson fits that mold, though this offense’s limited scoring equity is a problem, and the string of lingering injuries creates an even greater risk profile.

Your interest in Johnson should hinge on your path of constructing a roster. If you draft for upside early, a player that profiles for a reasonable floor like Carolina’s WR1 is appealing, and you need to make sure there isn’t more to this injury. If you elect for a safer start, Johnson is a pass.

If we are talking about a banged-up Panthers player in the eighth round, Brooks is the upside play.

DeAndre Hopkins Injury Update

Brian Callahan revealed last week that he expects DeAndre Hopkins (knee) to be on the field in Week 1, clarifying a timeline that was cloudy prior.

The 32-year-old receiver played every game last season, but he did miss a total of 15 games in the two prior. The age curve, the development progress of Will Levis, and the lack of preseason reps are all marks against a profile that was thin to begin with.

Calvin Ridley is currently going 1.5-2 rounds ahead of Hopkins and while his week-to-week production is unlikely to be stable, he appears to be the better option in this offense that is clearly looking to open up.

Tyler Lockett Injury Update

Tyler Lockett missed Week 2 of the preseason with a leg injury, but there aren’t any reports suggesting this is a long-term issue for a receiver who has missed three games over his nine-year career.

Lockett’s status shouldn’t be a concern, but his standing on this offense should be. Jaxon Smith-Njigba is poised to take a big step forward in his second season, making Lockett a player who is more being drafted for his past production than what he’ll offer in the future.

Brandin Cooks Injury Update

Knee soreness has resulted in some missed practice reps for Brandin Cooks, but all signs point to him being in fine physical condition with the regular season approaching.

Much like the aforementioned Addison, Cooks’ 2023 season was nice but unsustainable. The touchdowns last season made Cookis fantasy-viable, though the career-worst efficiency (yards per route) is more predictive.

Cooks will be fine for Week 1. That doesn’t obligate you to spend a 12th-round pick on him.

Curtis Samuel Injury Update

Curtis Samuel turned 28 this offseason and picked up a turf toe diagnosis shortly thereafter. Much has been made of him reuniting with the offensive coordinator who authored his best fantasy season to date (2020 with the Panthers), but this setback squashes some of that hope and puts Samuel’s Week 1 status in question.

Samuel has missed just one game over the past two seasons, giving us hope that he can work his way onto the field sooner rather than later. That said, this passing game is undergoing a complete overhaul with Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis no longer in town, and this missed time leaves the door open for the Bills’ other receivers.

Khalil Shakir (87% catch rate last season) and rookie Keon Coleman (second-round pick) have a real opportunity to earn plenty of targets to open this season and payoff their ADPs, both of which currently sit outside of the top 100.

I view this receiver room as little more than a toss-up among those three, with tight end Dalton Kincaid being the lone consistent option.

I’m comfortable betting on Josh Allen by way of a cheap WR, and I will let the draft room decide for me. Give me the least expensive of the bunch and I’ll be patient through the first month as the hierarchy is sorted out.

Mike Williams Injury Update

Mike Williams’ 2023 season ended early with a torn ACL, and for a 29-year-old with a checkered health history, there’s a chance we never get a viable fantasy version of him again.

That said, Williams is expected to return to team drills next week and has yet to be ruled out of Week 1. The Jets managed Breece Hall’s knee injury in the early going last season before unleashing him, and it’s reasonable to project a similar plan of attack for Williams.

I’m intrigued by the upside for a touchdown maker in Williams in an Aaron Rodgers-led offense. I will be stashing him in the later rounds, but under the pretense that he’s not worth lineup consideration until we see him at full strength.

Josh Downs Injury Update

A high ankle sprain suffered at the beginning of the month is expected to sideline Josh Downs for another two to four weeks. And if we’ve learned anything from the past, that timeline could well get extended.

Downs was positioned to fit a nice role for this team as a slot receiver next to Michael Pittman Jr., with Adonai Mitchell and Alec Pierce threatening defenses down the field. With Downs sidelined and currently off fantasy radars, Pittman’s floor elevates, and the target expectancy for those deep options increases.

Mitchell is a viable option in the 13th round and would be my clear pick as the secondary Colts receiver to target.

Justin Herbert Injury Update

Justin Herbert’s foot injury still could linger, but he is back at practice and is trending in the right direction. His athleticism is quietly a big part of his fantasy profile. Despite a lack of big running plays, Herbert has crossed the goal line himself three or more times in three of his four NFL seasons.

As good as this news is, Herbert need not be on redraft radars for one-QB leagues. There is simply too much talent at the position. And without a single proven commodity at receiver for the Chargers, there’s no reason to take this risk at the draft.

Matthew Stafford Injury Update

A hamstring injury resulted in some missed practice reps for the 36-year-old, but he has returned to action and should be considered a full-go for Week 1.

Matthew Stafford himself doesn’t hold a ton of fantasy value, but he does hold the value of Kupp and Nacua in his hands. Both receivers should be viewed as weekly starters without a second thought so long as Stafford is on the field. But if he were to get injured, it’s possible that neither is a consistent fantasy option.

Williams is the safest Ram in drafts, even if you want to give 10-15% of his work to Blake Corum.

Sam LaPorta Injury Update

Sam LaPorta missed time for the first time this summer back on Aug. 5 with a nagging hamstring injury, and while it remains of note, Campbell dismissed it as a legitimate threat to his Week 1 status.

LaPorta currently sits atop my tight end rankings, a perch that a minor setback in August isn’t going to change, in the least.

Mark Andrews Injury Update

“Don’t worry about Mark” was John Harbaugh’s direction following the news that his star tight end was involved in a car accident.

We have no choice but to take him at his word, especially after he confirmed that Mark Andrews would be active for the final week of the preseason.

Andrews should be viewed as a Tier 2 tight end this season, and he’s on the short list of tight ends who have a shot at leading the position in scoring.

The tight end to watch in Baltimore is Isaiah Likely. Additionally, it’s worth monitoring how many two-TE sets Todd Monken will run.

Keep an eye on Andrews’ snap count in Week 1 to ensure he is at full strength, and then pivot over to Likely and see if there is enough usage to make him a sharp addition to your team.