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Below you will find our fantasy football injuries roundup for running backs as of September 7th, coming out of the final weekend of the preseason. There have been new developments surrounding the injury statuses of various NFL running backs, including J.K. Dobbins, James Robinson, and Ty Montgomery.
The fantasy football season may be young, but every decision, transaction, and lineup change matters. These are some key running back injuries to keep track of throughout in the days leading up to Week 1.
Let's look at the updates for some running backs and see whether they may play in Week 1.
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J.K. Dobbins Injury Update
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said that Dobbins (knee) still has a chance to play in Week 1. "If we see what we need to see" in practice this week, the thiSet featured imagerd-year back could be active for the season opener, he explained. Dobbins hasn't suited up for a regular season game since he was a rookie in 2020, posting 805 rushing yards, 120 receiving yards, and nine total scores.
The Ohio State product was seen with a noticeable limp during drills last week, so it's hard to imagine he'll be 100 percent even if active. As such, he could be on a snap count, in which case he realistically projects as a mid-to-low RB3. If Dobbins is limited or inactive, Mike Davis and Kenyan Drake would be in line for an expanded role.
James Robinson Injury Update
Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson confirmed that Robinson (Achilles) will be active for Sunday's season opener against the Commanders. Evidently, Robinson's recovery went well and it appears that he will achieve his steady goal of being active for Week 1. Even as the second option behind Travis Etienne, Robinson has FLEX appeal given his role in an offense that will utilize running backs in the passing game quite often.
Kenneth Walker Injury Update
Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll told the media that Walker (hernia) "worked some" on Monday but was unable to offer additional insight into his availability for the season opener against the Broncos. At this point, it seems like Walker could truly be a gametime decision, which could pose a challenge for fantasy managers given that the Seahawks don't play until Monday night. Between Walker's unclear status and his position at No. 2 on the depth chart, managers should look elsewhere when finding running backs for their lineup.
Leonard Fournette Injury Update
Greg Auman of The Athletic speculates that Fournette, who battled a hamstring injury in 2021, will see reduced snaps this coming season as the Buccaneers hope to keep their primary running back healthy.
Auman points out that the Bucs ramped Fournette up to an 80 percent snap count in three consecutive games before his injury last year, so perhaps he'll be held in the 60 to 70 percent range this coming season. That drops the veteran back to the mid-to-low RB2 range while giving Ke'Shawn Vaughn and Rachaad White appeal as bench options in deeper leagues.
Ty Montgomery Injury Update
Patriots head coach Bill Belichick confirmed that Montgomery (ankle), who missed practice last week, will travel with the team to Miami ahead of Sunday's season opener against the Dolphins. The veteran injured himself in the final preseason game, and although there was some concern about the severity of the injury, Belichick is leaving the door open for him to play in Week 1.
Montgomery is third on the depth chart behind Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson but could be the preferred third-down back in the wake of James White's retirement. It will be imperative to monitor the practice reports leading up to Sunday's game.
Jonathan Ward Injury Update
Ward (shoulder) returned to practice on Monday. The Cardinals' fourth-string running back is close to 100 percent and should be healthy enough to play against the Chiefs on Sunday. However, given his position on the depth chart, he'll likely be a healthy scratch or find himself limited to a role on special teams.
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