Fantasy Football: Week 2 Injury Recap
As The Fantasy Footballers’ lead injury analyst and sports physical therapist, I’ll be recapping the previous week’s injuries and giving a projected timeline for recovery all season long. Let’s look at the biggest injuries from Week 1 and take a look at what fantasy managers can expect heading into Week 3 and beyond.
Don’t forget to check out JoinTheFoot.com for additional premium resources, including access to the Injury Blitz Podcast hosted by yours truly. This bonus podcast, available to all #FootClan Premier members, is a short, yet informative injury podcast that drops late in the week in order to provide all the injury updates you need to set your lineup each week.
Tua Tagovailoa
Bruised Ribs: Day-to-day
Tua exited the Dolphins Week 2 game in the first half with a rib injury and didn’t return. X-rays taken at the time of the game did not show any fractured ribs, but bruised ribs can be just as painful. The team is calling Tua “day to day” which is a relatively accurate description for an injury like this. This is a pain tolerance issue but can limit a player’s performance if severe enough. Treatment options include wearing a flack jacket, injection for pain control and/or rest. Ultimately, the decision to play Tua in Week 3 will likely come down to how he feels towards the end of the week.
Players impacted: Jacoby Brissett, DeVante Parker, Jaylen Waddle
Andy Dalton
Left Knee Bone Bruise: Likely Out Week 3
Dalton injured his left knee while scrambling towards the out-of-bounds marker on Sunday, suffering a non-contact injury. He briefly returned to the field after exiting for a handful of plays but exited again to the locker room after just a few plays. An MRI on Monday revealed a bone bruise in the knee, which happens when the femur impacts the tibia. This injury sounds mild, but it leads to increased pain, swelling, and stiffness. Don’t be surprised to see Dalton miss Week 3.
Players impacted: Justin Fields, Allen Robinson, Darnell Mooney
Baker Mayfield
Left Shoulder Dislocation: Day to day
Baker Mayfield sustained a left shoulder injury while trying to make a tackle after throwing an interception. After leaving the field for a few plays, he returned and was effective. If this was his right shoulder, Mayfield’s season would be over. Fortunately, this is his non-throwing shoulder and despite a likely torn labrum, Mayfield can be effective for the remainder of the season without missing time. He is a candidate to have offseason shoulder surgery to address the injury, similar to that of Trevor Lawrence this past offseason.
Players impacted: Jarvis Landry, Odell Beckham Jr., Austin Hooper
Tyrod Taylor
Hamstring Strain: Out Week 3
Taylor was off to a good start on Sunday against the Browns but was forced to leave early due to a hamstring strain. Taylor has already been ruled out for Thursday Night Football in Week 3 with the quick turnaround on a short week. Look for rookie QB Davis Mills to start for Houston against Carolina. Depending on the severity, Taylor could miss multiple games and/or be limited to a pure pocket passer upon return to the field if his hamstring issue hinders his ability to run.
Players impacted: Brandin Cooks, Nico Collins, Davis Mills
Carson Wentz
Bilateral Ankle Sprains: Likely Out Week 3
Wentz injured not only his right ankle but also his left ankle on Sunday against the Rams. Meanwhile, this comes on the heels of an early August left foot surgery. There’s a lot working against Wentz’s chances of suiting up on Sunday against the Titans in a crucial AFC South matchup. As of now, there aren’t any specific details regarding the severity of Wentz’s injury but given these three foot/ankle injuries in the last month, it’s difficult to see him being active for Week 3. If he does play, his out-of-pocket mobility will be hindered.
Players impacted: Michael Pittman, Zach Pascal, Parris Campbell, Jacob Eason
Jarvis Landry
Left Knee MCL Sprain: Out 1-3 weeks
Jarvis Landry exited in the first quarter and didn’t return due to a left knee injury. Examination and MRI revealed a sprained MCL, which is the ligament that sits on the inside of the knee. This injury will heal well without surgery but could be a multi-week absence. The team has labeled Landry as “week-to-week” suggesting this is likely a Grade I sprain. The optimal recovery timeline here is 1-3 weeks, suggesting Landry is likely to sit in Week 3.
Players impacted: Baker Mayfield, Odell Beckham Jr., Donovan Peoples-Jones, Anthony Schwartz
Diontae Johnson
Right Knee Injury (Diagnosis Unknown): Week-to-week
Johnson injured his right knee on the last play of the game. Following an exam and MRI on Monday, the team announced that Johnson’s injury is not expected to be long-term, though they have not released any specific details. For now, consider Johnson week-to-week and expect him to miss practice time ahead of Week 3. His status will be crucial to monitor later in the week as he’s not a guarantee to play next week.
Players impacted: Chase Claypool, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Ben Roethlisberger
Dalvin Cook
Lower back and Right Ankle Injuries: Day-to-day
Dalvin Cook took multiple awkward hits on Sunday, and while he didn’t miss much playing time, he was clearly battling through some pain. He got bent backward awkwardly on one play and on another, his right ankle got rolled up on. I don’t expect Cook to miss any time, but he is likely to show up on the Vikings’ injury report ahead of Week 3.
Players impacted: Alexander Mattison
Darrell Henderson Jr.
Rib Cartilage Injury: Week-to-week
Rib cartilage injuries are very painful, especially for a running back who takes multiple hits in a game. The team is reportedly “optimistic” Henderson will be available for Week 3, but at this point, he should be considered 50/50 for Week 3. Expect Henderson to miss most of this week’s practice to get treatment. It’s possible Henderson can play through this painful injury with an injection prior to the game but right now that remains to be seen.
Players impacted: Sony Michel
49ers BackField
Elijah Mitchell (shoulder), Trey Sermon (concussion) and Ja’Mychal Hasty (ankle) all got injured in the Niners’ Week 2 victory over the Eagles. With Raheem Mostert already out for the year and Jeff Wilson Jr. still working his way back from offseason knee surgery, this 49ers backfield is one to watch for fantasy purposes as any injury that forces a back to be inactive in Week 3 would create a bigger opportunity for the other two. It’s still possible all three are active in Week 3, but expect all three to show up on the 49ers’ injury report this week.
Players impacted: Elijah Mitchell, Trey Sermon, Ja’Mychal Hasty
Laviska Shenault
Left Shoulder Injury: Day-to-day
Shenault injured his left shoulder while trying to make a play on the sideline Sunday against the Broncos. This is likely a mild sprain, as Urban Meyer has already confirmed the team plans to have their WR available next week for Week 3 against the Cardinals. I expect Shenault to play with a brace on his shoulder, which could limit his catch radius.
Players impacted: Trevor Lawrence, Marvin Jones, D.J. Chark
Nico Collins
Shoulder Injury (Diagnosis Unknown): Out 3-4 Weeks
The Texans’ rookie WR, Nico Collins, will miss 3-4 weeks with a shoulder injury sustained on Sunday. Head coach David Culley called the injury “pretty significant.” As of this writing, details of Collins’ injury aren’t available but based on the projected recovery, it sounds like this could be an AC joint sprain. Collins could miss a month.
Players impacted: Brandin Cooks, Chris Conley, Danny Amendola (Also exited Week 2 with a hamstring injury)