Fantasy Injury Update: Latest on Christian McCaffrey, Puka Nacua, Joe Mixon, Jaylen Waddle, and Others

It has been a mixed week in terms of injuries around the NFL, and as fantasy football managers prepare for their fantasy drafts, information is king when it comes to these injury situations.

With names such as Christian McCaffrey, Puka Nacua, Joe Mixon, Jaylen Waddle, and Ladd McConkey among those dealing with injuries, there is plenty to keep an eye on. Let’s take a look at the latest injury news and consider its potential impact on fantasy values around the league.

Christian McCaffrey Injury Update

McCaffrey gave fantasy managers a scare earlier this week when he reportedly picked up a calf strain during training camp.

Shanahan doesn't anticipate Christian McCaffrey playing in the preseason after suffering a calf strain pic.twitter.com/O22vSbt3AR

— 49ers on NBCS (@NBCS49ers) August 6, 2024

According to San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, “You probably won’t see him this preseason,” when discussing McCaffrey’s calf injury with the media earlier this week.

McCaffrey was unlikely to play very much in August, regardless of the calf strain. His 2,023 total yards and 21 total touchdowns firmly put him in the NFL MVP conversation last year. The 49ers’ offense projects to be amongst the highest-scoring units in the league, which makes McCaffrey a frontrunner to be the highest-scoring non-QB in all of fantasy football.

McCaffrey is currently coming off the board at No. 1 overall. Unless we hear an update to suggest there is a greater severity than it seems right now, McCaffrey remains a top-tier fantasy draft pick in 2024.

Joe Mixon Injury Update

One of the biggest acquisitions for the Houston Texans offseason was landing Mixon, who has produced over 1,200 total yards and 9+ touchdowns in three straight seasons.

Unfortunately, Mixon has had a rough start to training camp in terms of health. He initially dealt with a quadriceps injury and is now dealing with a hamstring injury that saw him miss practice on Wednesday.

This makes the likelihood of Mixon seeing extensive snaps in the preseason highly unlikely, but it wasn’t expected he would see much preseason action even if he were healthy. Mixon being considered day-to-day at the moment should make him a strong bet to be ready for Houston’s regular-season opener against the Indianapolis Colts.

Mixon is currently coming off the board at No. 46 overall (RB16). At this stage in August, there’s no reason to downgrade him based on injury concerns. However, he is a player to watch in terms of health over the coming weeks.

Jonathon Brooks Injury Update

Fantasy managers are very intrigued by the outlook of Carolina Panthers RB Jonathon Brooks — who was the first running back selected in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Unfortunately, Panthers head coach Dave Canales has not only stated that the rookie won’t appear this preseason, but that he could miss the first two games of the regular season as well.

Brooks tore his ACL last November in his final year at the University of Texas, which makes his potential workload and efficiency a bit tough to project entering his rookie year.

His current ADP is at No. 81 overall (RB29). There is plenty of upside in that price, but there is also the risk of the Panthers taking their time with Brooks, at least in the first half of the season.

Nick Chubb Injury Update

If you want to understand why some consider Nick Chubb not to be human, here’s a look at how his rehabilitation was going in mid-July, just eight months after suffering a torn ACL and MCL.

This is #Browns RB Nick Chubb squatting 540+ pounds—just 8 months after undergoing multiple significant knee surgeries.

Insanity.pic.twitter.com/JlWnad2Wdm

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) July 15, 2024

Cleveland Browns GM Andrew Berry did mention that Chubb still has a little ways to go before his potential return to the field, which puts his status for the 2024 season opener in jeopardy.

Chubb is currently coming off the board at No. 87 overall (RB30). Even if he ends up missing a couple of weeks at the start of the season, he’s a potential RB1 when fully healthy, making this a good price if you can afford to wait for him early in the season.

Kendre Miller Injury Update

New Orleans Saints RB Kendre Miller has been dealing with a hamstring injury he sustained early in training camp. He’s missed a fair amount of time on the field and still wasn’t spotted at practice on Wednesday.

Miller is currently coming off the board at No. 154 overall in the 13th round in 12-team formats as the RB51. He’s a huge unknown right now because even if he’s healthy, we’re not 100% sure what his role will be for the Saints.

With Miller missing time in camp, it potentially impacts his role for New Orleans early in 2024.

Puka Nacua Injury Update

Nacua picked up a knee injury over the last week that is expected to keep him off the practice field over the next few weeks, with the second-year wideout being considered week-to-week at the moment.

Fortunately, Rams head coach Sean McVay commented on Nacua’s status and calmed fans’ nerves.

#Rams HC Sean McVay on Puka Nacua (knee):

“Really just had a little bit of a bursa sac, kind of burst it, and it’s just gonna be week to week with him. Nothing serious, nothing structurally. He’ll be in good shape and he’ll recover and we’ll be ready to go. No threat of anything… pic.twitter.com/ok8t3yLo12

— The Coachspeak Index (@CoachspeakIndex) August 7, 2024

“Really just had a little bit of a bursa sac, kind of burst it, and it’s just gonna be week to week with him,” McVay said. “Nothing serious, nothing structurally. He’ll be in good shape, and he’ll recover, and we’ll be ready to go. No threat of anything for [Week 1].”

Nacua’s participation in practice will certainly be of great interest to fantasy managers, but the initial indications are encouraging.

In drafts, Nacua is currently coming off the board at No. 13 overall as the WR7.

Jaylen Waddle Injury Update

Waddle has picked up what head coach Mike McDaniel considers to be “minor stuff” when missing practice earlier this week.

Fortunately for Waddle shareholders, this undisclosed injury doesn’t exactly feel like a big threat to his status for the season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars — which is over three weeks away at this time.

Waddle is currently coming off the board at No. 35 overall in the third round as the WR17.

Jayden Reed Injury Update

After missing some practice time on the practice field earlier this week, Green Bay Packers WR Jayden Reed returned to the field on Thursday.

Practice No. 13: Jayden Reed (calf) is back. Elgton Jenkins getting a vet rest day, while Ty’Ron Hopper (ankle) is new to the injury list. pic.twitter.com/a9K24muURZ

— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) August 8, 2024

Unless Reed suffers some sort of setback, fantasy managers should be confident he’ll be 100% by the start of the 2024 NFL season. His ADP is currently No. 76 overall (WR32).

Ladd McConkey Injury Update

McConkey has been drawing a fair amount of praise through his first week of training camp but picked up a lower body injury on Saturday and consequently missed some practice time.

Ladd McConkey –

Hard to tell from this angle re: knee or ankle/foot, but it appears that Ladd is favoring his left side. I don’t see an ankle roll here, but maybe jams it or tweaks his knee.

College ankle injuries were to Right side
Dealt w/ knee tendinitis 2022 (side unknown) https://t.co/68wwgsyNIW pic.twitter.com/7rZX8LzCzZ

— Jeff Mueller, PT, DPT (@jmthrivept) August 3, 2024

Fortunately for those who believe McConkey could be the WR1 in this Chargers’ passing offense, he did manage to return to practice on Thursday.

As of now, his ADP is No. 93 overall in the eighth round as the WR41.

DeAndre Hopkins Injury Update

Tennessee Titans leading WR DeAndre Hopkins was one of the first significant injuries of training camps across the NFL when he suffered a knee injury that is expected to keep him out for several weeks.

Hopkins’ expected timetable for recovering from this injury could be in the 4-6-week range, which could jeopardize his status for the 2024 season opener. He’s currently coming off the board as the WR44 (No. 95 overall), but that could dip further if he is to miss regular-season time.

Ricky Pearsall Injury Update

San Francisco 49ers rookie WR Ricky Pearsall re-injured the same shoulder that saw him start training camp on the NFI list. Shanahan, though, said Pearsall’s absence from practice is more precautionary, which is good news for a team that could need his services if Brandon Aiyuk is traded ahead of the season.

Pearsall is currently coming off the board at No. 176 overall as the WR79 in the 15th round.

Josh Downs Injury Update

Indianapolis Colts WR Josh Downs is set to miss some time after suffering a high ankle sprain at practice earlier this week.

Downs showed promise his rookie year and is a candidate for an expanded role in this passing attack, but could see his status for the season opener in jeopardy depending on the severity of the sprain.

He’s currently coming off the board in the 12th round at No. 144 overall (WR61). At that price, Downs was largely a high-upside option. If his ADP dips even further following this injury, that could make him a solid value if he misses a minimal amount of time in-season.

Mike Williams Injury Update

The New York Jets received great news regarding Mike Williams’ progress in rehabbing from a torn ACL he suffered last September when the organization activated him from the PUP list.

Williams can begin practicing with the team, which is definitely in need of a complementary option to Garrett Wilson in the passing attack. As of now, he’s the WR59 at No. 141 overall in fantasy drafts.

Sam LaPorta Injury Update

One could make an argument that Detroit Lions TE Sam LaPorta had the best fantasy rookie season in NFL history. His 86 receptions for 889 yards and 10 TDs immediately produced a TE1 overall finish in his first year.

Unfortunately for fantasy managers who have already completed their drafts and invested high draft capital in the talented second-year player, LaPorta has been recently sidelined from practice while dealing with a hamstring injury.

Just spotted Lions TE Sam LaPorta working with a trainer on the Giants’ indoor practice field. Dealing with a hamstring injury, per Dan Campbell, who said he doesn’t expect it to be a long-term issue.

— Colton Pouncy (@colton_pouncy) August 6, 2024

By most accounts, this hamstring issue doesn’t appear to be threatening his Week 1 status at the moment. However, soft-tissue injuries do have a fairly high chance of being aggravated, upping the chances it potentially lingers for additional weeks at a time.

LaPorta is currently coming off the board at No. 25 overall in the third round as the TE1. Early in August, this is not a major concern, but this is one to watch as we creep closer to the season.

T.J. Hockenson Injury Update

After averaging 14.6 fantasy points per game in full-PPR formats last year, Minnesota Vikings TE T.J. Hockenson had his excellent 2023 campaign come to an abrupt halt when Lions DB Kerby Joseph went low on the veteran tight end — which resulted in a torn ACL and clouds Hockenson’s status for the 2024 season opener.

Hockenson may not have a firm timetable for returning at this moment, but recent comments from Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell suggest he’s ahead of schedule compared to where some expected him to be at this point in the recovery process.

Hockenson has been a top-five TE on a per-game basis since moving to Minnesota just before the trade deadline in 2022. He has caught 155 passes for 1,479 yards and eight TDs over his 18 games with the Vikings.

In 2024 drafts, Hockenson is currently coming off the board at No. 118 overall in the 10th round as the TE13.

Tucker Kraft Injury Update

Green Bay Packers TE Tucker Kraft is still dealing with a pectoral injury that he sustained earlier this offseason, which has led to his limited amount of participation throughout the early going of training camp.

Recent reports suggest that Kraft is expecting to play in Week 1, which is good news for a player who finished his rookie campaign strong with 31 receptions for 355 yards and two scores.

Packers TE Tucker Kraft expects to play Week 1, has high expectations entering Year 2 https://t.co/tC2l69F7a0 pic.twitter.com/oqYaGGn34a

— The Packers Wire (@ThePackersWire) August 8, 2024

Kraft is currently coming off the board past the 15th round as the TE30. If he’s healthy, that could prove to be exceptional value for a player with his potential. Still, he’ll likely start behind Luke Musgrave on the Packers’ depth chart.

Justin Herbert Injury Update

After an offseason where Los Angeles Chargers QB Justin Herbert lost his top three targets in the passing game — Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, and Austin Ekeler. Fantasy managers got some more unpleasant news when the organization announced Herbert picked up a plantar fascia injury to his right foot during training camp.

He’s now expected to miss at least two weeks, but for the time being, no regular-season time. Herbert posted career lows across the board in 2023 with just 3,134 passing yards and 20 touchdowns, missing the final four games of the regular season after picking up a hand injury in Week 14 against the Denver Broncos.

Herbert is currently going No. 116 overall in the 10th round as the QB16 off the board.

Kirk Cousins Injury Update

For those of you conspiracy theorists who thought Michael Penix Jr. was selected at No. 8 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft because Atlanta Falcons QB Kirk Cousins was potentially having complications in his rehabilitation from a torn Achilles he suffered last season, this update should silence all of those doubters.

Falcons HC Raheem Morris said QB Kirk Cousins, who is recovering from a torn Achilles, has been medically cleared but the Falcons will be diligent with him and other players coming off injury in their “modified reps.” pic.twitter.com/FkI9GmxKZ4

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 25, 2024

This is outstanding news for not only Cousins, but for the entire collection of blue-chip skill-position prospects in Atlanta. This mainly includes a bump in fantasy value for Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts entering the 2024 season.

The Falcons may still manage Cousins’ reps throughout training camp in an attempt to get an extended look at Penix, while cautiously ramping up the veteran quarterback’s workload through the preseason.

Cousins has been a remarkably consistent fantasy producer throughout his NFL career. He has thrown for over 4,000 yards and over 25 touchdown passes in a season on seven occasions, which has helped him generate three top-six fantasy QB finishes.

This year, Cousins is going off boards as the QB18 (No. 127 overall) in the 11th round.

Aaron Rodgers Injury Update

New York Jets QB Aaron Rodgers has been regularly participating throughout offseason OTAs and training camp with no limitations for quite some time now while working his way back from an Achilles injury he suffered in the 2023 season opener against Buffalo.

Yet, despite the encouraging progress Rodgers has made, it doesn’t mean we are likely to see him on the field during the preseason. Reports suggest Jets head coach Robert Saleh doesn’t believe the veteran QB will be taking the field during the exhibition schedule.

This could be subject to change if the Jets want their first-team offense to get additional live reps prior to the start of the season, but playing it safe with a veteran QB who is coming off of a career-threatening injury does make sense.

All signs indicate Rodgers will be ready to go under center when the Jets take on the 49ers to open the season. In ADP, he’s currently QB19 and going off boards at around No. 137 overall.