While it would be easy to declare the vast collection of injuries suffered in Week 2 as the worst weekend EVER for fantasy football, the great Matthew Berry reminded us in this week’s Love/Hate column that it’s easy to be hasty and forget what happened before. But since the present is what we’re dealing with, well, it certainly felt that any fantasy managers who had rosters unscathed by injuries should either buy a lottery ticket or take their good fortune to a local casino.

What’s left for the rest of us unlucky ones to do is pick up the pieces, remind ourselves we do love this funny game, hit the waiver wire and follow practice reports to see if players who “could” return in Week 3 actually do so. It’s almost amazing to think that there are still 15 more weeks of the fantasy season left — that’s if we’re lucky enough to go all the way to our leagues’ title games.

This collaboration is our shared thoughts on different players, broken up by position into one big injury report. Along with timelines for return to play, we add in some analysis on how these players could perform, or how their teammates could play in their absence.

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Quarterbacks

Justin Herbert: Herbert injured his ankle against the Panthers but returned to the game without missing a play. The injury is to his right foot, which is his plant foot and the same one that knocked him out of training camp for a period of time with a plantar fascia injury.

Herbert did not practice on Wednesday, which could be a precaution, as he returned in a limited fashion on Thursday. He's been diagnosed diwth a high-ankle sprain, and he's played through many injuries before. So his toughness cannot be questioned. Head coach Jim Harbaugh is not very forthcoming on injuries, so we need to follow the practice reports to see how Herbert is progressing. 

Herbert will need his mobility, as the Chargers travel to play the Steelers and J.J. Watt. At 36 points, this game has the lowest over/under of the week, so sitting Herbert — even in superflex leagues — is very much an option. Pass catchers Quentin Johnston and Ladd McConkey are downgraded in this matchup.

Tua Tagovailoa: Tua was placed on IR, and the soonest he can return is Week 8. The QB said he’s not retiring, but for now there is no timeline for his return and he’s staying involved with the team. HC Mike McDaniel said the organization’s intent is to let Tua recover on his own timeline. Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are downgraded in the rankings but are still fantasy starters.

Jordan Love: The Packers’ franchise QB was thought to miss 3-4 weeks with an ankle injury he suffered at the tail end of the season opener. He did miss Week 2 but has been a limited participant in practice both days to start this week. This could be a very good development for the Green Bay pass catchers, as the team attempted just 14 passes last week compared to 53 rush attempts. If Love plays, all the wide receivers are upgraded, with Jayden Reed, Christian Watson and even Romeo Doubs considered fantasy starters.

Running Backs

Tyjae Spears: Spears left last week's game with an ankle injury midway through the third quarter. At the half, he was right behind Tony Pollard in touch count (7 to 6) with two targets. But this injury scare puts his potential split with Pollard at risk.

Luckily, HC Brian Callahan described Spears' injury as minor and considered him “day to day.” It doesn't appear he'll miss time, but expect a week of lessened usage to fully recover from his Week 2 scare.

MarShawn Lloyd: Green Bay's third-round pick missed the majority of training camp with a hip strain. With Jordan Love out and HC Matt LaFleur forced to rely on Malik Willis, the hope was that Lloyd could make his rookie debut on an offense likely shifting to a run-first approach.

Lloyd sprained his ankle in the fourth quarter of Sunday's rout of the Colts. As a result, the team placed the first-year rusher on IR to keep fresh legs in their RB stable. Josh Jacobs, who had a minor hamstring issue earlier in the offseason, already has 48 carries in two weeks. At 6-foot-1 and 235 pounds, Chris Brooks turns into a stash in deeper leagues.

Aaron Jones: Jones finished last week's game and spoke to to reporters after their win over the 49ers. So seeing his name on the early-week injury report with a hip injury and limited tag is quite a surprise. His uncertain health raises Ty Chandler from an emergency contact on our waiver wire speed dial to a priority bench stash. Chandler went from a 32.0% rushing share in Week 1 to leading the Vikings' backfield with 10 attempts. Jones still has the pass-catching role between the two (6 targets on 18 routes), but if Jones cedes more playing time, Chandler vaults into the RB2/3 conversation in PPR leagues.

Isiah Pacheco: Kansas City placed Pacheco on injured reserve the same day he underwent surgery to repair his fractured fibula. His initial timeline is 6-8 weeks, which would put him back on the field sometime in November. This injury has limited players upon their respective returns, like Tony Pollard and Mark Andrews, so a return to 100% health even after he comes back to the field may be asking too much of Pacheco.

In the meantime, projections indicate a split between Carson Steele and Samaje Perine, with Kareem Hunt and Clyde Edwards-Helaire waiting in the wings. Steele factors as the early-down grinder with Perine coming in for two-minute and obvious passing-down situations until more RBs get added to the active roster. Cheaply stashing a piece of this backfield makes sense if you have the bench. But temper expectations given KC's tendencies to pass once it’s in the red zone.

Joe Mixon: Mixon's right ankle got caught during what looked to be a hip-drop tackle during Monday night's game. He did return to the game, but after a missed practice on Wednesday HC DeMeco Ryans (and fantasy managers) are “holding out hope” Mixon can suit up on Sunday.

Mixon led the league in carries (30) in Week 1 and was on pace for another strong outing with eight touches in the first half against the Bears. Mixon is not traveling with the team to Minnesota, a sure sign he's out. With Dameon Pierce already out, Cam Akers is next man up and he was at least able to demonstrate some effectiveness as a rusher in relief of Mixon. I say “some,” as the former Rams RB1 did notch greater rushing efficiency but lost a fumble as the Texans fought to maintain their lead. With a matchup against the Vikings (11th in rushing EPA allowed) on tap, Akers becomes only a volume play should Mixon sit out in Week 3.

Tank Bigsby: Jacksonville's RB2 injured his shoulder during a kick return in the second quarter and didn't return. It didn't matter much for Travis Etienne, as he held on to a 75.0% share of the team's rushing attempts while Bigsby was still on the field. I'd be interested in D'Ernest Johnson (split carries with Etienne 7 to 4 in the second half) for deeper leagues, but the Jaguars' offense doesn't inspire confidence outside of the primary contributors.

Jeff Wilson Jr.: Wilson's 38.0% snap rate looks deflating given De'Von Achane's injury status heading into TNF and Raheem Mostert's absence. However, Wilson exited Thursday night's contest by the second half with an oblique injury and has been limited in practice.

Rookie Jaylen Wright was actually seeing carries ahead of Wilson in the second quarter, as Wilson was used more as a receiving option. Plus, Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and Alec Ingold were mixing in as ball carriers, which we may see more of with Tagovailoa sidelined. Wright's speed and limited usage already offer more upside in an offense that will need explosives to stay competitive after the QB switch. Even if Wilson suits up this weekend, he's best left on the wire.

Wide Receivers

Cooper Kupp: On the bright side, the Rams aren't planning to place Kupp on IR with a high-ankle sprain. However, with the litany of injuries plaguing their squad, it's possible L.A. has to keep Kupp on the active roster to avoid running out of IR return designations. And without a confirmed timeline, we, and the Rams, are all in limbo regarding the return of their WR1.

The trio of Demarcus Robinson, Jordan Whittington and Tyler Johnson/Tutu Atwell took the field after Kupp's departure. Robinson has maintained a 90.0%-plus route rate amid the Kupp and Puka Nacua injuries and should be rostered. Of the remaining options, Whittington's 69.2% slot rate in Week 2 should garner some intrigue for Week 3 against the 49ers' pass rush. Regardless, in PPR leagues, all should find homes on benches given the Rams' heavy pass rate.

CeeDee Lamb: Lamb started and finished the Cowboys’ Week 2 blowout loss against the Saints with 37 routes. However, Dallas' WR1 missed practice with an ankle injury. Local beat reporters conveyed a lack of concern with the star's absence. Regardless, his participation on Thursday and Friday will be the subject of much scrutiny — he was limited on Thursday. But, to be fair, if I had to run 65 yards for a TD, I'd probably ask for a day off the following week, too. 

Justin Jefferson: A defender hit Jefferson on the leg just below the hip. It appeared to be a contusion, and Dr. Edwin Porras found that just 44% of players with a quadriceps injury designation actually play the following week after injury.

Jefferson has been limited in practice both days this week and actually spoke with the media declaring his intention to play on Sunday. We need to take player declarations with a grain of salt (Tee Higgins Week 1 is just one of many examples). Still, with Jordan Addison still not practicing after missing last week’s game, the Vikings may push JJ to play with their “healthy” WR numbers so low. That said, if JJ is playing, even limited he’s in fantasy lineups. Though he might not be a play in DFS, as healthier options in smash spots (Davante Adams and Marvin Harrison Jr.) at lower prices may be more attractive options.

Amon-Ra St. Brown: Watching St. Brown get tackled awkwardly on a day when he drew 18 targets felt like a gut punch. Then came a quote from HC Dan Campbell, one of the more honest NFL coaches, that the Sun God was suffering from a leg contusion and cramping. That was a relief, as was his full participation in Wednesday’s Lions practice. That says wheels up on starting the St. Brown, who’s going into a tasty Lions-Cardinals matchup that has the highest over/under on the week at 51.5. 

Deebo Samuel: If not for the Rams, the 49ers may be saying they’re the most injured team in the NFL. But the magnitude of losing Christian McCaffrey and now Samuel to calf injuries is huge going into a contest with the Rams at SoFi Stadium. Samuel has not practiced and is expected to miss multiple weeks. Porras has found that calf injuries are usually 17-31 days to return to the field. At the lower end, that could mean a return to the field either Week 5 or 6.

With the Rams so depleted in the secondary, this shapes up as a good day for Brandon Aiyuk to break out. And considering some of the news below about George Kittle, Jauan Jennings needs to be rostered and could be a WR3 or flex play on fantasy rosters.

A.J. Brown: Philadelphia's WR1 indicated during the MNF broadcast that he'll miss “a couple weeks” with a hamstring injury. While devastating for fantasy managers who targeted him in the first round, the silver lining (at least for one game) is it's clear the Eagles still need him on the field.

DeVonta Smith turned in a WR1-worthy performance in Week 2, hogging 34.4% of Jalen Hurts' targets. However, the rest were a disappointment. Dallas Goedert (4), Britain Covey (6) and Jahan Dotson (1) could only amass 67 receiving yards between them. Johnny Wilson, in his season debut (having dealt with hamstring issues himself), only got in a cardio workout. Other than looking for other TE options with Goedert becoming a liability at the position, the Eagles aren't offering enough opportunities to roster another Philadelphia pass catcher. And with the Eagles having a Week 5 bye, fantasy managers might not see AJB out on the field until mid-October.

Keenan Allen has been ruled out with a heel injury, his second week in a row with the injury. It's really tough for the Bears' attack and rookie QB Caleb Williams, as Allen could be that veteran who is in the exact spot that he's needed to aid a rookie signal caller in his development. The matchup at Indianapolis could be a good one for the Bears' other receivers DJ Moore and Rome Odunze, as in the opener Nico Collins was able to have a big game with 117 yards. It would also help if Williams weren't consistently under pressure like he was last week in Houston. 

Tight Ends

George Kittle: Kittle missed Thursday practice with tightness in his hamstring, which is not a good sign considering other players lIke Brown missed a game after a late-week hamstring injury designation. Porras has found that players with a late-week hamstring injury designation end up missing games 75% of the time. 

Fantasy managers need to consider backup plans, and one of the options could be on the other side of the field this Sunday at SoFi Stadium in Colby Parkinson of the Rams. He’s rostered in just 31% of Yahoo leagues, but with both Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua out, Matthew Stafford is going to need someone to target in the intermediate portion of the field.

Taysom Hill: Hill suffered a chest injury during the second half of the Saints’ blowout win over the Cowboys. The concern for Hill's health was so severe he was taken to the hospital for imaging. After the game, HC Dennis Allen indicated the move was more of a precaution and Hill was on the charter flight back to NOLA with the rest of the team.

After a DNP Wednesday and limited practice Thursday, Hill’s Week 3 status looks uncertain. However, even if he were healthy, his fantasy production might carry the same level of uncertainty. Derek Carr is averaging 19.5 attempts per game. And he's producing TDs at an average depth of 41 yards per score. Neither work in Hill's favor. This explosive offense is one of the better surprises of the 2024 season. However, without consistent volume (receiving or rushing), Hill's fantasy value should keep him on the bench regardless of his playing status.

Evan Engram: If you're like me, you reacted to the news Engram injured himself in pregame warmups and would miss Week 2 in a calm manner. Translation: I screamed.

HC Doug Pederson didn't offer any hope for Engram's return for Week 3, as he noted the Jaguars' TE1 is “a little further away” ahead of their MNF matchup against the Bills. On Saturday, Engram was ruled out. If you missed out on grabbing Hunter Henry or any of the priority TE adds off waivers this week, Brenton Strange does offer some intrigue.

Strange earned the second-most targets (6) in yet another disappointing loss for Jacksonville. However, this was in a game where all of us (yes, even you) generated more yards than Christian Kirk (-1 - not a typo), and Gabe Davis (the same Davis who became the WR4 with Josh Allen) led the team in attempts thrown his way. It's not clear what the Jaguars' intended game plan is, but without Engram on the field, Strange stands to benefit from the chaos.

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