Week 2 Fantasy Football Injury Report

Week 2 Fantasy Football Injury Report

Week 2 of the NFL season is officially here! Hopefully, you’re returning after a Week 1 victory and are ready to dominate your matchup again this week. If you were unfortunate enough to take the fantasy football L last week, then welcome, and we’ve got some work to do. As nice as it would be for our lineups to remain the same from draft day to championship week, that’s just not the game we play. Injuries are an inevitable factor of football, and knowing how to navigate them is what separates the champs from the chumps. Let’s secure some W’s this week. Welcome to the Week 2 Fantasy Football Injury Report!

Injury news happens fast and can change quickly, so for the most up-to-date news and analysis, follow me on Twitter @SGPNFootballDoc! Additionally, this article will be updated daily until Monday Night Football, so check back in before setting your lineup!

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Week 2 Fantasy Football Injury Report

Week 2 Inactives

Kenneth Gainwell (RB) Philadelphia Eagles

Noah Brown (WR) Houston Texans

Evan Hull (RB) Indianapolis Colts

Diontae Johnson (WR) Pittsburgh Steelers

Austin Ekeler (RB) Los Angeles Chargers

Jakobi Meyers (WR) Las Vegas Raiders

Greg Zuerlein (K) New York Jets

Greg Dulcich (TE) Denver Broncos

Diontae Johnson (WR) Pittsburgh Steelers

Injury: Hamstring Strain
Injury Date: 9/10/2023
Expected Recovery Time: 3-6 weeks
Recovery Time to Week 2: 8 days
Replacement Player(s) to Target: Allen Robinson or Calvin Austin (WR) PIT

Injury Update

The Pittsburgh Steelers were absolutely embarrassed in a 30-7 loss in their home opener. To add injury to insult, their leading receiver last year, Diontae Johnson, has landed on the Week 2 Fantasy Football Injury Report. Johnson caught a pass in the second half and was running free in the open field, but started grabbing at the back of his leg when tackled. One of Pittsburgh’s few bright spots of the game was quickly turned dark.

Steelers WR Diontae Johnson suffered a hamstring strain, and per Adam Schefter, he is going to miss several weeks. This lets us know that Johnson is not dealing with a mild injury but likely a grade 2 (moderate) strain. These injuries typically take between 3-6 weeks to heal and allow the player to return to play. Hamstring strains are very difficult to rehab. However, they have high reinjury rates and can be difficult to gauge when fully healed.

Steelers WR Diontae Johnson is dealing with a moderate hamstring injury and is likely OUT multiple weeks – SIT. 

Aaron Jones (RB) Green Bay Packers

Injury: Hamstring Strain
Injury Date: 9/10/2023
Expected Recovery Time: 2-3 weeks
Recovery Time to Week 2: 7 days
Replacement Player(s) to Target: Kyren Williams (RB) Los Angeles Rams

After a mediocre first half, the Green Bay Packers seemingly remembered they had a great RB in their backfield. Aaron Jones came alive and on his way into the end zone for his second TD, he unfortunately pulled up grabbing the back of his leg. The classic sign for the dreaded hamstring strain. This refers to damage to the muscle in the back of the upper leg, which is the big power generator for your legs.

Hamstring strains are difficult injuries to rehab as they carry a high reinjury risk, especially in the first two weeks after the injury. The good news here is that the injury appears to be a more mild injury. A grade 1 or minor hamstring strain typically takes 2-3 weeks to fully recover.

Jones has been unable to participate the first two practices of the week. However, he was spotted working on the side with a helmet on. It remains uncertain if Jones will suit up this week, but he will be limited with a high reinjury risk if he does. His acceleration and big play ability would be most affected here.

Packers RB Aaron Jones has missed two practices with a hamstring strain and will be limited for multiple weeks – SIT.

Austin Ekeler (RB) Los Angeles Chargers

Injury: Ankle Injury
Injury Date: 9/10/2023
Expected Recovery Time: 1-3 weeks OR 3-6 weeks (injury type dependent)
Recovery Time to Week 2: 7 days
Replacement Player(s) to Target: Joshua Kelley (RB) LAC

Los Angeles Chargers RB Austin Ekeler is a clear fantasy football favorite, so it hurts to have him on the injury report in only Week 2. Due to his fantasy production and the fireworks in their Week 1 game, this is an injury that was not the most obvious. Late in the third quarter, Ekeler was tackled (video below) and was forced to leave the field with a bit of a limp. He was able to return to the game, but only for four snaps, and was clearly limited.

Due to the lack of a clear video of the injury and the Chargers keeping things close to the vest, there is some mystery to Ekeler’s ankle injury. He is most likely dealing with either a low (lateral) ankle or high ankle sprain. His practice participation and how he looks on the field would be a great differentiator. Unfortunately, Ekeler’s agent passed away recently, and he was attending his funeral today and not available for practice.

A low ankle sprain refers to damage to the lateral ankle ligaments when the foot rolls inwards. In mild cases, a player can return to play in 1-3 weeks, and most guys are able to play through it with some ankle taping. However, a high ankle sprain is a more serious injury in which the ligaments that stabilize the lower leg bones are damaged. These injuries take closer to 3-6 weeks to fully recover. Ekeler is expected to be back with the team tomorrow, which will provide us with more answers.

Los Angeles Chargers RB Austin Ekeler is dealing with a likely high ankle sprain and is OUT this week – SIT.

Aaron Rodgers (QB) New York Jets

Injury: Achilles Tear
Injury Date: 9/11/2023
Expected Recovery Time: 10-12 months
Recovery Time to Week 2: 7 days
Replacement Player(s) to Target: Jordan Love (QB) GB

After a badass patriotic entrance, New York Jets QB Aaron Rodgers was quickly greeted with darkness. Just FOUR snaps into an incredibly hyped season, Rodgers completely tore his Achilles tendon, and it was over. The Achilles tendon connects your calf muscle to your foot and requires surgery to repair. Rodgers now turns his sights to 2024 as he is looking at about a 10-12 month recovery window.

Although around 30% of players never return to playing after an Achilles tear, QBs do tend to come back at a higher rate. More good news is that the injury occurred to his left leg, which is his lead throwing leg and does not require as much power as his back leg. More bad news: we have another year of watching Zach Wilson try to play QB.

New York Jets QB Aaron Rodgers lasted just four snaps before tearing his Achilles and ending his season – DROP.

JK Dobbins (RB) Baltimore Ravens

Injury: Achilles Tear
Injury Date: 9/10/2023
Expected Recovery Time: 10-12 months
Recovery Time to Week 2: 7 days
Replacement Player(s) to Target: Gus Edwards (RB) BAL

Ravens RB JK Dobbins being on the Week 2 Fantasy Football Injury Report hurts my soul. I have been calling for him to have a great season coming off two years from his significant knee injury. He was on his way in the first half with a solid performance before tragedy struck. Dobbins caught a pass in the redzone and was tackled just before scoring his second TD of the day. It looked like a fairly routine tackle, but Dobbins immediately limped off.

After being carted down to the locker room, it was quickly made clear that he had completely torn his Achilles. This injury requires surgery to connect the tendon from the calf back to the ankle. Not only is there a 10-12 month recovery period associated with this injury but there is typically a decline in performance the first year after injury. With a second major injury in just two years, this may be career-altering for the young RB.

Ravens RB JK Dobbins has torn his Achilles and is OUT for the season – DROP.

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Deandre Hopkins (WR) Tennessee Titans

Injury: Ankle Injury
Injury Date: 9/10/2023
Expected Recovery Time: 1-3 weeks OR 3-6 weeks (injury type dependent)
Recovery Time to Week 2: 7 days
Replacement Player(s) to Target: Nick Westbrook-Ikhine (WR) TEN

The Tennessee Titans elected to kick a FG late in their game and trusted their defense to get them the ball back. Unfortunately for them, that never happened, and the last Titans offensive play is what landed WR Deandre Hopkins on the Week 2 Fantasy Football Injury Report. Hopkins secured a catch over the middle, where he was tackled from the outside, and his foot remained planted and rolled in. You also see Hopkins grabbing at his lower leg on the sidelines.

At this point, there have been no reports on the nature of his ankle injury. I am concerned, based on the mechanism of injury and how he was grabbing above his ankle, that this is a high ankle sprain. If this were the case, most players miss 1-3 weeks of time before trying to return to play. There is damage to the ligaments that connect the two lower leg bones, which serve to help stabilize the ankle.

The other possibility is that it is simply a low (lateral) ankle sprain. In this case, the injury typically heals in 1-3 weeks, and most players try to play through the injury. Now, we wait for more information on the nature of the ankle injury and his practice status. I would be preparing to come up with a backup plan for the very real possibility that Hopkins won’t play this week.

Titans WR Deandre Hopkins is dealing with an undisclosed ankle injury that could potentially cause him to miss multiple weeks – MONITOR.

Travis Kelce (TE) Kansas City Chiefs

Injury: Knee Injury
Injury Date: 9/5/2023
Expected Recovery Time: 1-3 weeks
Recovery Time to Week 2: 12 days

Injury Update

The next injury on this Week 2 Fantasy Football Injury Report is every fantasy manager’s worst nightmare. You finish your draft, and you’re feeling great knowing you drafted Travis Kelce and didn’t have to stress the TE slot all season. Then, BAM, you get the news that Kelce went down with an injury TWO DAYS before Week 1.

A bone bruise, in the simplest of terms, is damage to the bone, causing a bruise or inflammation response. This leads to lots of swelling and tenderness, which is what Kelce is dealing with in his knee. The good news is this is likely a short-term issue. Although there is some damage to the bone, it appears minimal in this case, and players can return fairly quickly.

With 12 days of recovery until Kansas City’s Week 2, I would expect Kelce to be a much bigger factor there. Last week was the first game he missed since his rookie year in 2013 due to injury. He returned to practice in a limited capacity on Wednesday and appeared to be moving around well. With how bad the receivers performed in Week 1, if he’s active as expected, I’m thinking it’s a 10+ target day.

Chiefs TE Travis Kelce is back at practice, and I expect him to play this week – MONITOR.

Zack Moss (RB) Indianapolis Colts

Injury: Broken Arm
Injury Date: 7/31/2023
Expected Recovery Time: 5-6 weeks
Recovery Time to Week 2: 48 days (~7 weeks)

Injury Update

Here is an injury that some of you may be wondering how it made the list as “fantasy relevant.” Well, with Colts RB Jonathan Taylor on the PUP list, this leaves a gaping hole in the Indianapolis backfield. The guy I think has the best shot to fill this role is RB Zack Moss, who is getting healthy at the right time.

Moss suffered a broken arm early on in training camp but has been progressing in the right direction. With about seven weeks of recovery time, this should give him just enough time to be ready for Week 2. The Colts current RB1 returned to practice last week and was upgraded to full practice this week. He earned double-digit carries in the last four games of the 2022 season after JT went down with an injury. Expect him to be active and with a large volume this week.

Colts RB Zack Moss is back at practice with full participation and in for a big workload – SLEEPER POTENTIAL.

Mark Andrews (TE) Baltimore Ravens

Injury: Quad Strain
Injury Date: 8/23/2023
Expected Recovery Time: 3-6 weeks
Recovery Time to Week 2: 25 days (~3.5 weeks)

Injury Update

Mark Andrew’s mystery injury has FINALLY been revealed! Thank goodness for the return of team injury reports! Baltimore Ravens star TE has been dealing with a previously undisclosed injury for three weeks now. The team remained confident he would be back for Week 1, but after missing six straight practices, everyone was losing faith. It seems like this was for good reason, as Andrews was inactive last week.

Andrews returned to practice last week on a limited basis, which was a good sign. He is dealing with a moderate quad strain, which typically takes 3-6 weeks to heal. His practice participation will be a good indication of how he is feeling, but I expect him to play this week. Last week was only the second time in his career that he missed a game due to injury. That being said, I do not expect Andrews to be 100% for a couple of weeks.

With a limited practice to start the week, Andrews is trending towards being able to play but not be 100% – SIT if viable TE2 option, roll dice with START if not.

Jerry Jeudy (WR) Denver Broncos

Injury: Hamstring Strain
Injury Date: 8/24/2023
Expected Recovery Time: 3-6 weeks
Recovery Time to Week 2: 24 days (~3.5 weeks)
Replacement Player(s) to Target: Kendrick Bourne (WR) NE

Injury Update

The Denver Broncos WR room has been quite unlucky this offseason. Projected starting WR Tim Patrick went down with an ACL tear early in training camp, and now fellow starting WR Jerry Jeudy picked up an injury near the end. A few weeks ago, Jeudy was running an end-around in a joint practice when he grabbed his right leg and had to be carted off the field. Although not a season-threatening injury as originally feared, Jeudy is dealing with a Grade 2 or moderate hamstring strain.

This is not an injury that typically requires surgery, but hamstring strains are scary fantasy football injuries to face. A hamstring strain refers to damage (tear) to the muscle in the back of the upper leg, and the hamstring is the powerhouse of the lower body. It plays a big role in a player’s acceleration and jumping ability. The scariest aspect of this injury lies with its high reinjury rate, especially the first few weeks after returning to the field.

There is some good news for the Broncos WR, as he did not start the season on the PUP list or short-term IR. This means that the team is hopeful he will return within the first four weeks of the season. At this point, Jeudy has returned to practice but only in a limited capacity. The Broncos held Jeudy out for Week 1, which I think was a good call due to the high reinjury risk. For the right price, he can be a valuable piece, but I wouldn’t expect much before Week 4.

Broncos WR Jerry Jeudy is dealing with a moderate hamstring injury, which will likely limit him until Week 3-4 – SIT.

Short-Term Injured Reserve

These players will miss a minimum of 4 games.

Cooper Kupp (WR) Los Angeles Rams
Noah Brown (WR) Houston Texans
Evan Hull (RB) Indianapolis Colts
Tre’Quan Smith (WR) New Orleans Saints
Kenny McIntosh (RB) Seattle Seahawks
Justin Shorter (WR) Buffalo Bills
Jelani Woods (TE) Indianapolis Colts
Keaton Mitchell (RB) Baltimore Ravens
Kyle Phillips (WR) Tennessee Titans
Tyquan Thornton (WR) New England Patriots
Jeff Wilson Jr (RB) Miami Dolphins

Season Ending Injured Reserve

These players will miss the entire season.

JK Dobbins (RB) Baltimore Ravens
Aaron Rodgers (QB) New York Jets

Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) List

These players will miss a minimum of 4 games.

Jonathan Taylor (RB) Indianapolis Colts 
Kyler Murray (QB) Arizona Cardinals  

Jalen Guyton (WR) Los Angeles Chargers 

Commissioner Exempt List 

Players are unable to play or practice until allowed off the list.

Hassan Haskins (RB) Tennessee Titans – Aggravated Assault Charges

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