Fantasy Football Injury Reports For Week 1: Cooper Kupp, Jaylen Waddle, Christian Watson, and more

As fantasy managers prepare for the start of the 2023 NFL season, it has been a week full of notable injury news. Heading into Week 1 of the NFL season, the fantasy community has been forced to deal with constantly changing injury situations surrounding some of the football's biggest stars. These are the latest notable injury updates as of Thursday, September 7, 2023.

Fantasy football stalwarts such as Travis Kelce, Cooper Kupp, Jerry Jeudy, and many more have been dealing with injuries ahead of Week 1. We have plenty of must-starts on this week's injury list, so fantasy managers should be ready to pivot should things go south.

To keep close tabs on all of the news across the NFL, make sure to favorite or bookmark the fantasy football player news page, or download the free RotoBaller fantasy football mobile app with push notification alerts on all the latest news. Let's look at the updates for some wide receivers and see whether they may play in Week 1.

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Travis Kelce Injury Update

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (knee) will miss tonight's game against the Detroit Lions after suffering a bone bruise in practice on Tuesday, according to a report from NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. The superstar tight end will miss his first game because of an injury since his rookie year.

While fantasy players are unhappy to hear Kelce will miss tonight's contest, it is the best outcome in the long run. The Chiefs don't play again until September 10, giving the superstar 10 days to heal for the matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Noah Gray will start for Kelce tonight. However, fantasy players can find a better replacement option off the waiver wire. Potential options that are available in many leagues include Tyler Higbee, Juwan Johnson, and Sam LaPorta.

Cooper Kupp Injury Update

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay has ruled out wide receiver Cooper Kupp (hamstring) from the team's regular season opener in Week 1 against the Los Angeles Rams, and McVay isn't ruling out placing Kupp on Injured Reserve, which would keep him out for at least the first four games.

Those who took Kupp in the first round of their drafts are probably regretting that decision right about now. When healthy, he'll be quarterback Matthew Stafford's go-to option, but when that might be is anyone's guess. In the meantime, Van Jefferson should operate as the team's No. 1 wideout, with Tutu Atwell and rookie Puka Nacua also seeing expanded roles. Tight end Tyler Higbee's stock is on the rise as well as long as Kupp is sidelined.

Christian Watson Injury Update

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson was held out of practice for the second day in a row on Thursday while he deals with a hamstring injury. After a slow start to his rookie season, Watson drew 6.5 targets per game in Week 10 through Week 17 and caught all seven of his touchdowns in that span.

The Packers were hopeful that their second-year wideout could pick up where he left off and have him listed at the top of the team's wide receiver depth chart. His status for Week 1 against the Bears is now in question. Fantasy managers invested in Watson should monitor the news between now and Sunday and have a backup plan ready.

Romeo Doubs Injury Update

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs returned to practice on Thursday to test his injured hamstring. The injury kept Doubs off the practice field for two weeks and out of the Packers' final preseason game on August 26. In the interim, fellow second-year receiver Christian Watson has also been sidelined with a hamstring of his own, leaving a cloud of doubt hanging over Packers' camp as they prepare for their Week 1 matchup against Chicago.

Having had the last two weeks to recover, Doubs is closer to being game-ready than Watson, but hamstrings are fickle and Green Bay may need to hold one or both receivers out if their risk for reinjury is deemed too high. If Doubs or Watson miss time on Sunday, it will be rookie wideout Jayden Reed who stands to benefit most.

Jaylen Waddle Injury Update

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (oblique) practiced in full on Thursday. The wideout logged a limited session on Wednesday, so fantasy managers are certainly more than pleased with the update. Assuming things continue to trend in a favorable direction, Waddle should be good to go on Sunday versus the Los Angeles Chargers. If that's the case, he's a must-start in all fantasy formats, considering this game should feature plenty of scoring.

Dalvin Cook Injury Update

New York Jets running back Dalvin Cook has been declared a "full go" for the team's matchup against the Buffalo Bills on September 11. Cook has been recovering from offseason shoulder surgery undergone in February, which prevented him from practicing with his new team until August 29.

In 2022, he recorded his fourth straight 1,000-yard season, rushing for 1,173 yards and eight touchdowns in his last year as a Viking. Now with the Jets, Cook will split time with second-year back Breece Hall, as coach Robert Saleh tries to keep both of his star rushers healthy for as long as possible.

Jerry Jeudy Injury Update

Two weeks removed from a hamstring injury, Denver Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy was able to participate in practice in a limited fashion for the second straight day.

While we have no official word out of Denver on Jeudy's official Week 1 availability, the Broncos WR1 appears to be trending in the right direction. His status could ultimately end up being a game-time decision. Denver squares off against the Las Vegas Raiders in the 2023 NFL season opener.

Adam Thielen Injury Update

The long-time Minnesota Vikings receiver has been dealing with an ankle injury in his new role as a Carolina Panther. The veteran was limited in practice on Wednesday and did not participate in Panthers practice at all on Thursday. Fantasy managers will need to keep a close eye on the 33-year-old's status as Week 1 approaches.

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