Injury Report: Week 1, Part I

  • No matter how well you do during draft season in your redraft leagues, injuries play a major role in changing the fantasy landscape on a weekly basis. It’s essential to keep tabs on the injury report on a daily basis and we’ll be here to assist. We’ll have two injury reports throughout the week (Thursday & Saturday) that can give a little bit of insight into the different possibilities that exist based on the ultimate injury designation. Let’s take a look at who is on Week 1’s injury report and what it could mean for fantasy.

    Please Note: We will only be looking at the injury designations of the skill-position players on each team.

     

    TNF: Bills @ Rams

    Rams: OUT: Van Jefferson (knee)

    Bills: QUESTIONABLE: Quintin Morris (hamstring)

    Morris is the third string TE for the Bills and his potential absence has no impact on the fantasy landscape as he barely made the 53-man roster. Jefferson’s absence, on the other hand, does have some impact. He was slated to be the team’s WR3 behind Cooper Kupp and Allen Robinson, and his opportunity will likely head to Ben Skowronek and possibly 2022 undrafted free agent Lance McCutcheon. The incumbent likely has the edge over the newcomer. To learn more about this game, go check out Ray’s Fantasy Preview.

     

    Sunday Early Slate

     

    Saints @ Falcons

    Saints (Thursday Practice Report): DNP: Tre’Quan Smith (groin), Dwayne Washington (hamstring); LP: Michael Thomas (hamstring)

    Falcons (Thursday Practice Report): LP: Drake London (knee)

    Smith and Washington appear as if they won’t be available for Sunday’s contest after two consecutive DNP practice days. Thomas has a better shot at returning to the Saints this weekend but remains a giant question mark after sitting out all of last season due to injury. If he does ultimately suit up, he’s slated to be one of the team’s primary WR options alongside rookie first-round pick Chris Olave and free agent acquisition Jarvis Landry.

     

    Browns @ Panthers

    Browns (Thursday Practice Report): LP: Michael Woods II (hamstring)

    Panthers (Thursday Practice Report): None

    A pretty clean injury report from the skill position groups for both teams. There is no fantasy action needed based on this news.

     

    49ers @ Bears

    49ers (Thursday Practice Report): DNP: George Kittle (groin)

    Bears (Thursday Practice Report): DNP: Velus Jones Jr. (hamstring)

    The Bears may have caught themselves a break with Kittle a DNP in the team’s second consecutive practice on Thursday. The blocking he provides will definitely be missed from a run-blocking and pass-blocking perspective while veteran Tyler Kroft will compete for TE targets alongside Ross Dwelley.

     

    Steelers @ Bengals

    Steelers (Thursday Practice Report): LP: Diontae Johnson (shoulder)

    Bengals (Thursday Practice Report): DNP: Devin Asiasi (quad); LP: Trent Taylor (hamstring), Mitchell Wilcox (ankle)

    Johnson is far and away the most important player of this bunch from a fantasy perspective and while his teammate Chase Claypool told Brooke Pryor of ESPN that he anticipates having Johnson available on Sunday, it’s always more re-assuring when we see a player get in a full practice. Check back in on Friday for an update. If Johnson is unable to go, Claypool and rookie selection George Pickens will see a greater target share while Najee Harris will get a greater target share out of the backfield. There is nothing to see on the Bengals side of things with Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase the clear-cut top receiving options on the squad.

     

    Eagles @ Lions

    Eagles (Thursday Practice Report): None

    Lions (Thursday Practice Report): None

    Nothing of note from a skill position perspective.

     

    Colts @ Texans

    Colts (Thursday Practice Report): None

    Texans (Thursday Practice Report): None

    Nothing of note from a skill position perspective.

     

    Patriots @ Dolphins

    Patriots (Thursday Practice Report): LP: Jakobi Meyers (knee), Ty Montgomery (knee)

    Dolphins (Thursday Practice Report): LP: Salvon Ahmed (heel), Tanner Conner (knee)

    Meyers and Montgomery both remain limited at practice for the Pats, although Meyers is the only true fantasy option in almost all formats with Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson clearly ahead of Montgomery on the depth chart. We can consider Meyers questionable for now and if he does ultimately miss the opener, DeVante Parker becomes an even more intriguing play while he, Kendrick Bourne and Nelson Agholor should see an uptick in target volume.

     

    Ravens @ Jets

    Ravens (Thursday Practice Report): DNP: Nick Boyle (non-injury); LP: J.K. Dobbins (ACL recovery)

    Jets (Thursday Practice Report): DNP: Zach Wilson (knee)

    We already got word earlier in the week that Wilson would be sidelined for the first four games of the season as he continues to recover from the knee injury. That leaves Joe Flacco as the team’s starting QB and that doesn’t necessarily move the needle for fantasy purposes. Flacco will likely be more accurate, but the Jets wide receiving room is difficult to trust to begin this season regardless of the QB. Elijah Moore would be the preferred option out of the WR room. Dobbins is coming back from an ACL tear and so even if he does play this week, he’ll likely see a reduced workload. He has been limited in both of his team’s practices so far this week.

     

    Jaguars @ Commanders

    Jaguars (Thursday Practice Report): None

    Commanders (Thursday Practice Report): LP: Logan Thomas (knee), Cole Turner (hamstring), Cam Sims (concussion)

    If starting TE Thomas is ultimately ruled out for Sunday after being limited in both of the team’s first two practices, John Bates could be a cheap dart-throw in DFS circles as he would likely be elevated to the starter. However, there are definitely better streaming TE options on the wire.

     

    Sunday Afternoon Slate

     

    Giants @ Titans

    Giants (Thursday Practice Report): LP: Sterling Shepard (torn Achilles recovery)

    Titans (Thursday Practice Report): None

    Shepard is just about nine months removed from a torn Achilles, and that means he’ll be very difficult to start in most fantasy formats until we see him prove it to us on the field for at least one week. For what it’s worth, Thursday marked the second straight day in which he’s been limited.

     

    Chiefs @ Cardinals

    Chiefs (Thursday Practice Report): None

    Cardinals (Practice Report): LP: Rondale Moore (hamstring) Zach Ertz (calf), Jonathan Ward (shoulder – AC joint)

    Moore suffered the hamstring injury during Thursday’s practice according to Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network. That definitely puts his status for Sunday’s game in doubt and that is really unfortunate considering the fact that the Cardinals are already without suspended DeAndre Hopkins. Marquise Brown is the go-to receiver on this squad while Andy Isabella would likely start in the slot with longtime veteran AJ Green a possible streaming option if Moore misses the game. Ertz also stands to benefit in terms of targets if he is able to play through the calf injury that has kept him limited in two consecutive practices.

     

    Raiders @ Chargers

    Raiders (Practice Report): Not Yet Submitted

    Chargers (Wednesday Practice Report): DNP: Donald Parham (hamstring)

    We should not expect Parham to suit up on Sunday, not that it really matters considering the fact that he would be playing behind offseason acquisition Gerald Everett.

     

    Packers @ Vikings

    Packers (Thursday Practice Report): DNP: Allen Lazard (ankle); LP: Robert Tonyan (ACL recovery)

    Vikings (Thursday Practice Report): DNP: Alexander Mattison (non-injury)

    Mattison’s absence had nothing to do with injury so the handcuff should be good to go as long as his personal matter doesn’t extend for a lengthy period of time. Check back in on Friday for an update. Lazard was stepped on during practice earlier this week and has sat out of both Wednesday and Thursday’s practices as a result. If the projected WR1 is forced to miss game action on Sunday, Sammy Watkins and Romeo Doubs should see additional targets. If Tonyan is unable to return from the ACL recovery for opening night, Josiah Deguara and Marcedes Lewis will compete for the TE targets.

     

    SNF: Buccaneers @ Cowboys

    Buccaneers (Thursday Practice Report): DNP: Chris Godwin (ACL & MCL injury recovery); LP: Russell Gage (hamstring), Giovani Bernard (ankle)

    Cowboys (Thursday Practice Report): LP: Dak Prescott (ankle), Michael Gallup (ACL recovery)

    The big story to watch is Godwin, who participated in full on Wednesday before being held out altogether on Thursday. Regardless of his ultimate availability, Godwin is not the safest of starts out there in his first game back from a torn ACL/MCL. On the other side, there doesn’t seem to be anything to worry about with Prescott as his limited participation on Thursday was caused by tightness in his foot due to his cleats. Gallup, on the other hand, is attempting to return from an ACL tear and while he’ll do everything in his power to return for the opener, he’ll be difficult to trust for fantasy purposes until we see him perform on the field.

     

    MNF: Broncos @ Seahawks

    Broncos (Thursday Practice Report): LP: KJ Hamler (knee)

    Seahawks (Thursday Practice Report): DNP: Ken Walker III (hernia)

    Hamler is not a great option in fantasy circles for Week 1 given his return from a torn ACL and the new QB in town. However, the speed he provides could eventually pair well with Wilson in Denver and it’s even possible we see that connection start on Monday. The rookie running back on the Seahawks, Walker, appears doubtful for Monday’s season opener, which gives fantasy GMs more confidence in deploying Rashaad Penny as he’s set to be the clear workhorse against the Broncos.

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