Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow suffered a concerning injury during Sunday’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars that has fantasy football managers scrambling for alternatives. The star quarterback was helped off the field in the second quarter with what appears to be a significant lower-body injury.
Early reports suggest this could be a lengthy absence for one of the NFL’s most talented passers. Fantasy football owners who invested a high draft pick in Burrow are now facing a major setback to their championship aspirations.
Joe Burrow Injury Update
Unfortunately for football fans, 2025 might be another season where we lose Joe Burrow due to injury. Burrow was sacked in the second quarter of the Cincinnati Bengals’ game against the Jacksonville Jaguars and had to be helped off the field with a lower-body injury.
Since then, we have learned that Burrow suffered a high-grade turf toe injury that will require surgery. At best, Burrow will be out for the next three months. At worst, his 2025 season is over.
Bengals QB Joe Burrow feared to have suffered a Grade 3 turf toe injury that will require surgery and sideline him at least three months. (via @Rapsheet, @TomPelissero) pic.twitter.com/lxVnTj235H
— NFL (@NFL) September 15, 2025
Fantasy managers who drafted Burrow must invest in the waiver wire to offset the loss of fantasy points at the quarterback position. Jake Browning is an acceptable option based on his time as a starter in 2023 (16.0 points per game), but depending on your league format, you may have access to more trustworthy veteran quarterbacks.
— PFSN Fantasy Football Analyst Dan Fornek
Burrow Fantasy Outlook
We spent all offseason wondering aloud if Joe Burrow was the top quarterback in the second tier or if his elite passing numbers were enough to put him in the class of the athletic marvels at the position.
They were fun conversations to have, but they don’t matter now. Burrow (turf toe) is going to be out until December at the very least, and that means he’s going to be cut loose in all leagues that don’t have enough IR room for him. And even then, we aren’t sure the Bengals will be in a position to compete when Burrow returns to the practice field.
I want to use this brutal injury as a launching point. Football is as physically taxing a team sport as there is. That’s obviously more true for some positions than others, but it’s a gladiator sport where everyone on the field isn’t far from a significant injury.
The four quarterbacks drafted ahead of Burrow this summer are much more athletic, and their ability to run often gets tied to an increase in injury risk. I understand the train of thought: they invite contact when they are on the move.
Week 3 Fantasy Football Injury Recap: Players Include Joe Burrow, J.J. McCarthy, Jayden Reed and Others
That’s accurate, but what doesn’t get looked at enough is the other side of the coin: that QB is also capable of escaping trouble spots at a higher rate than average. No one is catching Jayden Daniels from behind, so while he is at risk of taking punishment, it’s usually coming head-on. In those spots, he has the chance to make a business decision.
I’m not arguing that Burrow is MORE likely to get hurt than the Daniels’ of the world, though it is worth noting that he missed six games in 2020 and seven more in 2023. I’m arguing against the assumption that athletic quarterbacks are reckless investments.
Are they risky? Yes. Because they play football. Josh Allen’s propensity to take hits is worrisome to the eye, but he’s been huge and taking hits his entire life. There’s something to be said for knowing how to do it, and that’s a big reason why I’ll never shy away from that prototype.
— PFSN Fantasy Football Analyst Kyle Soppe
