The Ravens and Chiefs kick off the 2024 NFL season in just three days, meaning it's time for last-minute fantasy football draft preparation or taking an early look at Week 1 start 'em, sit 'em decisions. As always, injuries are a factor and will continue to be all season.
Our preseason injury updates and reports as of Monday, September 2, 2024, will give you the latest updates on key players, including Nick Chubb, Jonathon Brooks, Marquise Brown, Mark Andrews, T.J. Hockenson, and more. Unfortunately, injuries impact fantasy football decisions even before the season starts, so it's important to stay in the know and monitor the latest injury updates around the league.
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- Wide receiver fantasy football rankings
- Tight end fantasy football rankings
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Nick Chubb Injury Update
Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb (knee) is currently working his way back from an injury that cost him most of last season. The team has already placed the star back on the physically unable-to-perform list, which means he'll miss the first four games of the season.
The hope is that Chubb would return to the field shortly after that, but that might not be the case. Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com says the goal should be getting Chubb back by mid-season.
It's worth noting that the organization did not say this, but Cabot believes it'll take Chubb longer than expected, considering he tore both his ACL and MCL last season.
The Browns do have Jerome Ford, who proved himself to be a viable option without Chubb last season. That being said, the Browns might play it safe and ride with Chubb until he feels fully healthy to return. At the end of the day, Chubb is going to return when he's ready, so fantasy managers expecting him to suit up in Week 5 might be disappointed. (Heavy.com)
Jonathon Brooks Injury Update
Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks (knee) will miss at least the first four games of the regular season after he was placed on the PUP list amidst his torn ACL recovery. This will delay Brooks' NFL debut, and he'll face an uphill battle to emerge as the Panthers' No. 1 running back once he's healthy.
Carolina is leaving rookie RB Jonathon Brooks on the PUP/NFI list, which means he is ineligible to be active during the first four games of the season, per league sources. pic.twitter.com/rU3AD4la3u
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 27, 2024
While Brooks is undoubtedly the Panthers' franchise running back, it could be difficult for him to win the job over Chuba Hubbard in the middle of the season while recovering from a serious injury and still acclimating to the NFL caliber of play.
In other words, a Week 5 return wouldn't necessarily mean he'd warrant a spot in your Week 5 starting lineup. At the very least, fantasy managers should tamper expectations when Brooks gets healthy and be prepared to exercise patience as he gets adjusted to the NFL.
Marquise Brown Injury Update
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said that wide receiver Marquise Brown (shoulder) was the only player not practicing on Sunday.
This shouldn't come as much of a surprise, as Reid said earlier this week that the Chiefs aren't expecting Brown to suit up to kick off the 2024 regular season this Thursday night against the Baltimore Ravens. The 27-year-old suffered a shoulder injury in the team's preseason opener and missed the rest of the preseason and training camp.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid says WR Hollywood Brown is the only player not practicing on Sunday.
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) September 1, 2024
It remains to be seen if he has a shot at making his Chiefs debut in Week 2 against the visiting Cincinnati Bengals, but he'll need to get back on the practice field in some capacity first.
Brown is still worth stashing as a WR4/flex with upside in upcoming fantasy drafts, but just know he could miss several weeks to open the season. For however long he's out, more targets will be coming for Rashee Rice, rookie Xavier Worthy, and Justin Watson, among others.
Mark Andrews Injury Update
Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews (undisclosed) returned to practice on Friday, according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN. This is the first time the 28-year-old has returned to the practice field since being involved in a car accident on August 14.
Andrews, fortunately, did not suffer any injuries during the accident, and it is a great sign to see him back on the field, as it looks like his prolonged absence was just precautionary.
Last season, the tight end appeared in only ten games as he suffered a lower-leg injury in Week 11, which ended his regular season. He caught 45 passes for 544 yards and six scores. Andrews remains one of the top tight ends in fantasy and should serve as Lamar Jackson's primary target once again in 2024.
T.J. Hockenson Injury Update
The Athletic's Alec Lewis believes a Week 5 (Oct. 6) return for Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson (knee) was a fair projection when he was asked when we should expect to see Hockenson back on the field in 2024. It's when Hockenson will be eligible to return from the Physically Unable to Perform list.
He'll be able to practice through the first four weeks of the season while on the PUP list, and he's already sprinting and running routes on side fields. If the Vikings really wanted to, they probably could have pushed Hockenson to be ready for the first couple weeks of the regular season.
Ravens tight end Mark Andrews is back on the practice field Friday for the first time since being involved in a serious car accident on Aug. 14.
Andrews and the Ravens start the season in six days, when they play at the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.
— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) August 30, 2024
This news certainly should make fantasy managers more willing to snag the 27-year-old in upcoming drafts, granted your league has IR spots to stash him. Before tearing both his ACL and MCL late in December, Hockenson was having a career year.
Still, with Kirk Cousins gone and coming off a serious knee injury, fantasy managers should have reservations about Hockenson when he does return to the field in 2024. (TheAthletic.com)
Ricky Pearsall Injury Update
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (chest) was released from the hospital on Sunday. The rookie wideout was the victim of a robbery attempt on Saturday, resulting in a gunshot wound to the chest. Fortunately, the bullet missed his vital organs. Pearsall, the No. 31 overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft, likely has some hurdles to clear before he even considers returning to the field.
But once he does, he'll have an uphill climb before he's relevant for fantasy managers outside of dynasty formats, considering the 49ers offense currently features Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk, and Deebo Samuel Sr. (NBCSports.com)
MarShawn Lloyd Injury Update
Green Bay Packers running back MarShawn Lloyd (hamstring) returned to practice on Sunday. The 23-year-old had been battling a hamstring injury, although he avoided entering the 2024-25 campaign on the injured reserve list. Josh Jacobs is the No. 1 running back on the depth chart.
#Packers are a completely healthy team. All 53 guys are in pads for practice today, including T Andre Dillard (shoulder) and RB MarShawn Lloyd (hamstring). This is the normal Wednesday practice for a Sunday game week. pic.twitter.com/XUqs2WBACO
— Tom Silverstein (@TomSilverstein) September 1, 2024
But with backup AJ Dillon (neck) out for the year, Lloyd and Emanuel Wilson will be looking to get routine snaps throughout the season. However, unless Jacobs were to suffer an injury ahead of the Week 1 meeting with the Eagles, neither player can be trusted from a fantasy standpoint.
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