Fantasy football managers know the drill: injuries can derail even the most carefully crafted rosters. With several key players already sidelined on injured reserve or suspended, understanding who’s out and for how long becomes crucial for navigating the early weeks of the 2024-25 season. Here’s your complete guide to the fantasy-relevant players currently unavailable and what it means for your lineup decisions.
George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers
George Kittle strained his hamstring in the first half of the San Francisco 49ers’ Week 1 victory over the Seattle Seahawks. Typically, players who exit with hamstring issues are listed as questionable to return. Kittle was ruled out immediately, which was an ominous sign.
Sure enough, news quickly came out that Kittle was out for multiple weeks. On Monday, the 49ers elected to place their star tight end on IR.
Historically, Kittle has been a pretty quick healer. It is entirely possible he misses the minimum four games. But for at least the next month, fantasy managers will need to go without Kittle.
Joe Mixon, RB, Houston Texans (NFI)
Joe Mixon is out for at least the first four games of the 2024-25 season. On Aug. 26, he was placed on the Reserve/Non-Football Injury list. The details surrounding how the injury occurred still have not been shared publicly, and there is some doubt as to whether he will suit up this season.
The injury was confirmed to be related to his ankle, and when asked about a potential return timeline, Houston Texans GM Nick Caserio was noncommittal. “We’ll see, we’ll take it one day at a time,” Caserio said, according to ESPN.
Texans general manager Nick Caserio was noncommittal about whether Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon will play in 2025.
Story via @Djbienaime:https://t.co/ZZUsqNxk1x
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 27, 2025
Nick Chubb was the bell cow in Houston’s Week 1 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, carrying the ball 13 times for 60 yards. That workload won’t change until Mixon returns, making Chubb a must-start option for fantasy managers.
Tank Dell, WR, Houston Texans (PUP)
Tank Dell was officially placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list, meaning he will also miss the Texans’ first four contests of the 2024-25 campaign. There’s significant doubt he returns at all this season, which would be understandable given the fact that he tore his ACL, damaged his MCL, LCL, and meniscus, and dislocated his kneecap.
Houston brought in Christian Kirk, Justin Watson, and Braxton Berrios to address his absence and Stefon Diggs’s departure. The team also drafted Iowa State receivers Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel in the second and third rounds of the draft.
Nico Collins will remain QB CJ Stroud’s favorite target, while Higgins and Kirk should compete for WR2 status in Dell’s absence. However, no pass catcher recorded 6.5 points in PPR formats in the Texans’ rough Week 1 showing, so you may look elsewhere for injury replacement value.
Tyjae Spears, RB, Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans officially moved Tyjae Spears to the IR before the start of the season, meaning he will be eligible to return for their Week 5 game against the Arizona Cardinals as soon as possible.
Tony Pollard will see most snaps at running back, while Julius Chestnut and Kalel Mullings will be backups in Spears’ absence. This injury solidifies Pollard’s role as the clear lead back for fantasy purposes.
Brandon Aiyuk, WR, San Francisco 49ers (PUP)
Brandon Aiyuk suffered a torn ACL and MCL in Week 7 last season against the Kansas City Chiefs and starts the 2024-25 season on the PUP list.
Brandon Aiyuk running routes pregame. #49ers | #FTTB pic.twitter.com/NGoief7dnf
— Matt Lively (@mattblively) August 16, 2025
He won’t be eligible to play until at least Week 5, but the San Francisco 49ers think a Week 6 return for their matchup against Tampa Bay may be more likely.
Jalen Coker, WR, Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers placed Jalen Coker on IR due to a quad injury suffered during practice last Thursday in August. They re-signed Hunter Renfrow, who was with the team through training camp and the preseason, and will fill in for Coker while he is sidelined. Renfrow was quiet in Week 1 with just two catches, but he may still ramp up shortly.
Carolina’s young core of receivers in Xavier Legette and Tetairoa McMillan will also have a bigger role in the passing game while Coker is on the shelf.
Christian Watson, WR, Green Bay Packers (PUP)
Christian Watson was officially placed on the list of physically unable to perform, meaning the earliest he can return is in the Green Bay Packers’ Week 6 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Packers have their bye week during Week 5.
Packers QB Jordan Love will be targeting Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, Dontayvion Wicks, and first-round pick Matthew Golden until Watson returns. However, Reed and Wicks are dealing with foot and calf injuries (respectively), which may be why not a single Packer caught more than three passes in Week 1.
MarShawn Lloyd, RB, Green Bay Packers
The Packers also placed MarShawn Lloyd on the IR, where he spent nearly all of his young career. Josh Jacobs will be the workhorse here, and his stock value increases while Lloyd is sidelined. Emanuel Wilson and Chris Brooks will be backing him up for now, though both only had one carry apiece in their season opener.
Chris Godwin, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Chris Godwin is targeting the Buccaneers’ Week 5 matchup with the Seahawks on October 5 for his 2024-25 debut, Ian Rapoport and Judy Battista of NFL Network report.
CHRIS GODWIN
🏴☠️ 11 receptions
🏴☠️ 125 yards
🏴☠️ 2 TDs
🏴☠️ 35.5 fantasy pointsSTEAL. OF. THE. DRAFT.pic.twitter.com/0ALZBS1VFm
— NFL Fantasy Football (@NFLFantasy) October 13, 2024
Mike Evans and rookie Emeka Egbuka will see the bulk of the targets among wideouts, while Jalen McMillan is also out to start the year. Egbuka had a great debut, filling in with four catches for 67 yards and two touchdowns.
Jalen McMillan, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Speaking of McMillan, he started the 2024-25 season on the IR, meaning he won’t be playing until at least Week 5 either. However, reports from the Bucs camp suggested that the sophomore wide receiver would be sidelined for at least half the season, if not longer. Keep an eye on veteran Sterling Shepard and Tez Johnson to fill in while McMillan is out.
Suspended Players
Rashee Rice, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
Rashee Rice was finally dealt his suspension for personal misconduct, with the NFL deciding on six games, making him eligible to return for the Kansas City Chiefs’ Week 7 contest against the divisional rival Las Vegas Raiders.
Rashee Rice still has that burst even after the injury. He’s going to have top 5 WR production this yr. pic.twitter.com/g9f9biYXbb
— Robert (@RobertRaymond46) August 24, 2025
In his absence, sophomore wideout Xavier Worthy was set to be the WR1, while Hollywood Brown and Juju Smith-Schuster were expected to see more targets to start the 2024-25 campaign. However, Worthy then went down in the first quarter of the Kansas City Chiefs’ opener against the Los Angeles Chargers with a dislocated shoulder, and Brown stepped up big time to the tune of 10 catches for 99 yards.
The Patrick Mahomes-Travis Kelce connection is alive and well, with Kelce scoring another touchdown in Friday’s game. Tyquan Thornton may be worth a pickup in deeper leagues as well.
Demarcus Robinson, WR, San Francisco 49ers
Meanwhile, Demarcus Robinson was suspended for three games for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. He’ll be eligible to return in Week 4 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Ricky Pearsall had a great Week 1 showing, especially for those backing him as a solid sleeper pick. He and Christian McCaffrey had 70-plus receiving yards, with Pearsall eclipsing 100 for the second time in his short career. Veteran wideout Kendrick Bourne signed with the 49ers on Monday, so keep an eye on him and Skyy Moore to fill in for Robinson, Aiyuk, and the other injured pass-catchers in San Francisco.
Jordan Addison, WR, Minnesota Vikings
Jordan Addison will miss the Minnesota Vikings’ first three games due to his suspension for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. He will be eligible to return in Minnesota’s Week 4 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
T.J. Hockenson was surprisingly quiet in the Vikings’ Monday night comeback victory against the Packers. Fellow receiver Jalen Nailor will also need to pick up the slack for first-year starting QB J.J. McCarthy, who struggled through three quarters before finding his rhythm and confidence in the fourth.
The Adam Thielen reunion was quiet, but McCarthy is a rookie quarterback playing his first regular-season game on Monday Night Football. The passing game will continue to funnel through elite WR1 Justin Jefferson, who also scored a touchdown late in the contest.
