Fantasy Football Injury Reports: Conference Championship Round Updates for Jalen Hurts, Mecole Hardman, Rashee Rice, Zach Ertz, Saquon Barkley

The Conference Championship round is here! The Divisional Round was much more exciting than the Wild Card Round, with multiple games going down to the wire, as well as a massive upset. The Detroit Lions were many people's picks to win the whole thing, but they were sent home by the sensational Jayden Daniels and his Washington Commanders.

Just four teams remain. Will Daniels become the first rookie starting QB to make the Super Bowl, or will Jalen Hurts go to his second Super Bowl in three years? Will Josh Allen finally beat Patrick Mahomes, or will the Chiefs continue their quest for a three-peat?

Without further ado, let's look at some injuries to watch and consider heading into the Conference Championship round. Don't forget to bookmark our fantasy football player news page, or download the free RotoBaller fantasy football mobile app with push notification alerts to stay notified.

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Jalen Hurts, QB, Philadelphia Eagles

Before the start of the 2022 season, many Eagles fans thought Jalen Hurts would just be a bridge QB until they found their real franchise QB. But Hurts has silenced his critics and has made it to his second NFC Championship game in three years.

Jalen Hurts and the Eagles will be there NO MATTER WHAT 🥶 pic.twitter.com/X4Qh6Fp8wr

— ESPN (@espn) January 19, 2025

Unfortunately, Hurts won't be 100% healthy for the game. During the third quarter of the Eagles' Divisional Round victory against the Rams, Hurts injured his knee and was clearly in pain, but managed to finish the game.

When asked whether he was okay after the game, Hurts simply responded by saying "I finished the game".

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport claimed there was "a lot of discussion" surrounding Hurts' status, but added that he expected him to play against the Commanders in the Conference Championship game.

Mecole Hardman, WR, Kansas City Chiefs

Mecole Hardman might not be the best football player in the world, but he sure knows how to affect playoff games. He scored a touchdown in the 2020 and 2021 AFC Championship games, and as we all know, scored the game-winning touchdown in Super Bowl LVIII.

Sadly for the Chiefs, Hardman hasn't been on the field since Week 13 and has been on Injured Reserve since then. He was designated to return for the game against Houston last week but was ultimately ruled out.

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said on Monday that he hadn't made any decisions on Hardman yet, but also remarked that Hardman is working hard to return.

Xavier Worthy was the only WR who caught a pass for the Chiefs in the Divisional Round, and Hardman is way down in the pecking order, even if he does return.

Rashee Rice, WR, Kansas City Chiefs

Let's stick with the Chiefs. Rashee Rice was supposed to be their leading wideout this year, but he sadly got hurt in Week 4. There were rumors of him returning to action in the playoffs, but those were shut down by Andy Reid before the start of the Chiefs' title defense.

It looks like rehab is going great for Rashee Rice. I thought he wasn’t coming back for the playoffs? He looks way ahead of schedule. Reid never said Super Bowl just playoffs. He couldn’t be back if the Chiefs make it to the Super Bowl, right?

🎥: IG | doub11e_r pic.twitter.com/aehbe0ZbjS

— Brad Henson Productions (@BradHensonPro) January 13, 2025

However, he recently posted some workout videos on his Instagram, showing that he can now do single-leg squats. He has made great progress in his recovery, but despite that, his chances to return for the AFC Championship game or the Super Bowl remain extremely slim to none.

Zach Ertz, TE, Washington Commanders

Zach Ertz had a career renaissance in 2024, racking up 654 receiving yards in his first season as a Washington Commander. That's his highest single-season mark since the 2019 season, and he continued his solid play in the postseason, scoring a touchdown against the Lions.

Ertz got hit hard in that game and was evaluated for a concussion. He was listed as questionable to return, but made his way back onto the field to help the Commanders win.

He should be fine moving forward, as he will face his former team, the Philadelphia Eagles. Ertz once had a 93-yard performance in his only Conference Championship game prior to this season.

Saquon Barkley, RB, Philadelphia Eagles

Is Saquon Barkley the best football player in the world? A lot of analysts are claiming that he is, and it'll be very hard to argue with them if he leads the Eagles to a Super Bowl win this season.

Barkley had an outstanding 205-yard performance against the Rams in the Divisional round, but suffered an injury to his non-dominant hand. He managed to finish the game and will almost certainly play against the Commanders, but it could affect his performance and is worth monitoring.

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