Injuries are an unfortunate but inevitable part of football. As a result, fantasy football managers have to navigate this minefield. Entering your draft with a feel for the health status of both the stars and the mid-range players is critical if you want to give yourself a chance at starting the season in strong fashion!
Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City’s star tore his ACL on December 14, a timeline that initially put his status in question for the start of the 2026 regular season. His rehab process, however, has gone very well, and there is nothing but optimism regarding his status for Week 1. How willing he will be to scramble is a different discussion, but there is little doubt he’ll enter the regular season having checked every medical box put in front of him.
Josh Jacobs, RB, Green Bay Packers
Jacobs battled a variety of injuries down the stretch last season, causing his efficiency to crater as a result. All reports coming out of Green Bay suggest he is healthy, but he is a name to keep in mind as he faces a potential suspension to open the season due to off-the-field conduct. MarShawn Lloyd is the next man up for an offense that has relied heavily on the run game since adding Jacobs. Lloyd is currently fully healthy, a rarity up to this point in his career.
Zach Charbonnet, RB, Seattle Seahawks
Winter injuries always complicate evaluations, and that is certainly the case with Zach Charbonnet. The team has been unwilling to set any sort of timeline for his recovery from a torn ACL suffered on January 17, suggesting a midseason return at the earliest. Seattle drafted Jadarian Price and moved on from Kenneth Walker this offseason—changes that will likely mean a different role for Charbonnet to step into once healthy.
Jadarian Price, RB, Seattle Seahawks
“Lower body soreness” isn’t typically something to fear in early August, and that holds true for Price. The rookie missed a brief period with that vague designation before returning without issue. While the injury itself is minor, Price is a player to watch following limited collegiate work (behind Jeremiyah Love) and given his potential to step into a heavy Day 1 workload while Charbonnet is sidelined.
Cam Skattebo, RB, New York Giants
Skattebo’s Week 8 injury was severe and required extensive offseason attention. A dislocated ankle, tibia/fibula fracture, and deltoid ligament rupture are each major injuries on their own, let alone all occurring simultaneously.
That said, he is pacing to be a full participant to open the season. Aside from a minor early-camp blip involving a failed backflip, nothing has raised major concern this summer, and you can feel good about where his health stands today—something that seemed unlikely just a few months ago.
Jonathon Brooks, RB, Carolina Panthers
The Panthers made Brooks a second-round pick in 2024 despite a prior ACL tear, only for him to tear the same ACL after just 12 professional touches. After missing all of 2025, it is unsurprising that he is currently considered healthy, though this remains a situation that demands monitoring as reps increase.
Chuba Hubbard, RB, Carolina Panthers
The Brooks drumbeat is set to increase after a minor hamstring injury suffered by Hubbard as the presumed RB1 labeled as “week-to-week” in mid-August.
All signs are pointing to this being a conservative approach for a veteran who has missed just six games during his first five NFL seasons. I remain confident that this is a good source of cheap volume late in drafts, something that is awfully difficult to come by.
Bucky Irving, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Irving finished last season dealing with a few injuries (foot and shoulder), the latter of which was addressed with an offseason procedure. He made headlines when given a “spring-to-fall” recovery timeline, but his rehab has progressed favorably, and he is expected to be active for Week 1.
Kenneth Gainwell arrived from Pittsburgh after catching 73 passes and poses a serious threat to Irving’s workload. Should any health concerns resurface, Gainwell’s value could soar, though this already projects as a committee backfield even at full strength.
Puka Nacua, WR, Los Angeles Rams
Whenever a fantasy first-rounder leaves practice, industry alarms sound, but the groin injury Nacua suffered in early August does not appear to be a major concern.
Like Jacobs, however, a looming suspension remains a risk, with clarity expected before the season starts.
Malik Nabers, WR, New York Giants
A torn ACL on September 28 ended Nabers’ second season before it truly began, and he underwent surgery less than a month later. Offseason reports indicated he needed a cleanup procedure, initially dampening hopes of a September return.
Presently, daily clips show him looking close to full strength. His return to the field seems inevitable, and productive play may not lag far behind. He is a talented receiver in a great spot, even if he has only logged three career targets from Jaxson Dart.
Rashee Rice, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
Rehabbing a knee while incarcerated isn’t how most NFL players spend their summers, but Rice is back on the practice field and projects as Kansas City’s leading target earner in Week 1. Between injuries and off-field issues, his profile carries risk, but he fits Andy Reid’s system like a glove and has been a PPR cheat code when healthy.
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Luther Burden III, WR, Chicago Bears
There is plenty of hype in Chicago, and Luther Burden’s remarkably efficient 2025 season is a primary reason. He is a young receiver with all the tools, playing in a system designed to maximize his strengths.
However, an early-August groin injury will cost him the preseason. This is far from ideal for a passing game adjusting to DJ Moore’s departure to Buffalo, but there is no real concern regarding Burden’s Week 1 status. It remains to be seen if missed practice time impacts his September production, but his availability is not in doubt.
Ricky Pearsall, WR, San Francisco 49ers
After missing eight games last season with knee injuries, the hope was that Pearsall would benefit from a full offseason to recover. Instead, news broke that his PCL recovery had not gone as planned and required surgical correction.
Pearsall will miss the entire 2026 season and faces an uphill battle to regain confidence in a leg that has betrayed him for over a year.
Alec Pierce, WR, Indianapolis Colts
Pierce signed a large contract this offseason, and the Colts moved on from Michael Pittman. Everything looks good situationally, but left ankle surgery in the offseason has resulted in a recovery that bled into training camp.
He is currently doing individual drills, which is a positive sign, but the fact that the Colts are unwilling to provide a timeline is unnerving for a receiver with a dynamic skill set (18.7 yards per catch for his career).
While concern is fair, he is trending in a positive direction (unlike Pearsall), and it is easier to replace injured players during the first month of the season when all 32 teams are active each week.
George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers
Kittle has been a mainstay in the Tier 1 tight end discussion and is trending back toward that status. He tore his Achilles on January 11, and at the time, a midseason return seemed like a best-case scenario.
He is healthy now and has a chance to play in the opener, though it should be noted that the 49ers open against the Rams in Melbourne, a grueling travel situation the team may want to shield him from.
At the very least, Week 2 is a strong bet, which is a massive win given the severity and timing of the injury.
Tucker Kraft, TE, Green Bay Packers
Kraft looked like an emerging star last season before tearing his ACL on November 2. He has expressed complete confidence in his ability to debut with his teammates in Week 1, and the Packers mirrored that confidence by activating him off the PUP list on July 31.
He appears good to go, making him a top fantasy target!
