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Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered another concussion in his Week 2 game against the Buffalo Bills when he lowered his helmet on a run and collided with Bills' defender Damar Hamlin. This is the latest in a long history of concussions and is concerning for Tagovailoa's future.
Tagovailoa famously suffered multiple concussions in the 2022 season, leading to renewed and widespread criticism of how the league and teams handle concussions. It's possible this could influence the timeline of his return in 2024.
Will Tagovailoa play again this season? If so, when will he return? Let's dive in.
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Tua Tagovailoa Injury Update for Fantasy Football
The first major update about Tagovailoa since his injury is that he doesn't plan to retire. Tagovailoa seemed to indicate that he wishes to return to play this season, and given the competitive nature of NFL QBs, it's likely that he wants to return as soon as possible.
From @NFLGameDay: #Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa has no plans to retire, sources say. He’s already begun seeing concussion specialists and will continue to do so, but there is no timeline to return. Tua will be back when he and his doctors deem him healthy and ready. pic.twitter.com/Cc6aQI8HcZ
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 15, 2024
This means that it's likely the only thing preventing a quick return is the concussion protocol and the fact he will need to be cleared by an independent neurologist. This neurologist will likely be deeply concerned with Tagovailoa's history of concussions and be more critical of a quick return.
The second major update we've received is that Tagovailoa is unlikely to be placed on IR. Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel stated that Tagovailoa will remain off that list, at least until more information is gathered, if that information suggests it's necessary.
Dolphins not ready to decide on IR for Tua Tagovailoa, will sign QB Tyler Huntley https://t.co/xcdK7sQUdb
— The Athletic Miami (@TheAthleticMIA) September 16, 2024
This means he is not guaranteed to miss a minimum of four games, opening up the window that he could return sooner. While it's almost certain that he will miss a minimum of two games, he could technically have just a three-week absence.
Tua Tagovailoa Fantasy Football Outlook
Tagovailoa is a fine starting quarterback in 1-QB leagues but should be viewed as more of a low-end QB1 when healthy, considering he virtually has no rushing upside. That rushing upside can be effectively treated as zero considering how he got his concussion.
Tagovailoa still has speedsters Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle to throw to, and RB De'Von Achane has been a revelation in the passing game, so he's a must-start in 2-QB leagues and a lower end QB1 in 1-QB leagues. The good news is that he can play at a high level when needed.
¡¡TUA FINDS ACHANE FOR THE TOUCHDOWN, TIE GAME!! #Bills 7-7 #Dolphins
pic.twitter.com/rKDXqtwuJs— Crazy NFL (@NFLCrazy_) September 13, 2024
Achane, Hill and Waddle help Tua's upside by being great in the open field after the catch point. We still don't know what Tua's latest concussion will mean for his future, but if he's medically cleared by doctors, he's still a solid asset for fantasy. So, when he returns, you can expect him to maintain his low-end QB1/high-end QB2 status in fantasy land.
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