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Two weeks of NFL football have concluded, and naturally, there are already plenty of key injuries for fantasy football. Many key players were banged up on Sunday and have been reported on, but injury news continues to trickle in on Tuesdays. Our fantasy football injury reports as of Tuesday, September 19 will give you the latest news on the top banged-up players heading into Week 3 including Nick Chubb, Saquon Barkley, Austin Ekeler, and Anthony Richardson.
Being up-to-date on NFL injury news can give you an edge over your league mates in fantasy football. It's early in the week, but there's never a wrong time to check in on key players on your fantasy rosters.
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Saquon Barkley Injury Update
An MRI exam showed that New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley (ankle) suffered an "ordinary" ankle sprain in the Week 2 comeback win over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday that is expected to sideline him three weeks, according to a source. Fantasy managers won't have Barkley to kick off Week 3 action against the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday night, and he could also miss more games.
The 26-year-old has had his run-ins with injuries so far in his career, but at least this one isn't of the season-ending variety. Fantasy managers will have to keep him stashed for now while trying to pick up Matt Breida for short-term depth, as he should see most of New York's backfield work until Barkley is able to return.
Nick Chubb Injury Update
Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski expects running back Nick Chubb (knee) to miss the rest of the season after suffering a significant knee injury in Monday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. While we await an official diagnosis following tests on the four-time Pro Bowler's left knee, it appears to be a debilitating blow to a run-centric Browns offense built to feature Chubb's hyper-efficient rushing skills.
The 27-year-old tore the PCL, MCL and LCL in the same knee during his Georgia career back in 2015. Jerome Ford, who stockpiled 131 yards and a touchdown on 19 touches on Monday, deserves to be the top waiver-wire add ahead of Week 3 while Pierre Strong Jr. is also worth a look in deep leagues. Cleveland could also elevate undrafted rookie Hassan Hall from their practice squad, but it's fair to expect them to explore the free-agent or trade market for backfield reinforcements in the coming days.
Austin Ekeler Injury Update
Los Angeles Chargers head coach Brandon Staley said there's "no timeline" on running back Austin Ekeler's (ankle) return from an ankle injury after he missed practice all of last week and the team's Week 2 loss on the road to the Tennessee Titans. A report surfaced on Sunday that Ekeler will have a chance to play in Week 3 versus the Minnesota Vikings, but Staley seemed to pump the brakes on that on Monday.
In any event, the 28-year-old shouldn't miss extended time even if he does miss another game this week. Ekeler is a must-start RB1 in fantasy lineups anytime he's on the field. Joshua Kelley was a popular waiver-wire pickup last week, but he failed to deliver as a plug-and-play option in Week 2, carrying the ball 13 times for 39 yards (3.00 yards per carry) after going for 91 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries in Week 1.
Anthony Richardson Injury Update
As expected, Indianapolis Colts rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson (concussion) is in the league's concussion protocol to begin the week on Monday, according to head coach Shane Steichen. Richardson was on his way to perhaps a monster performance in just his second NFL game in Week 2 on Sunday in the win over the Houston Texans, but a head injury ended his day early.
The 21-year-old still made an impact, carrying the ball three times for 35 yards and two touchdowns while going 6-for-10 passing for 56 yards. Head injuries are tricky, so there's no guarantee he'll gain clearance to play in Week 3 against the Baltimore Ravens. But through his first two NFL games, he already has three rushing TDs. Veteran Gardner Minshew would make his first start of 2023 this week if Richardson is ruled out.
Jamaal Williams Injury Update
New Orleans Saints running back Jamaal Williams (hamstring) left Monday night's contest against the Panthers early. He was considered questionable coming into the second half and did not return. Tony Jones Jr. and Taysom Hill took over the running duties in this game while rookie Kendre Miller (hamstring) was still on the mend and Alvin Kamara is still serving his three-game suspension.
The team is still looking into how serious his hamstring issue really is and fantasy managers will want to stay tuned because their backfield could be very thin if he has to miss any more time.
Jakobi Meyers Injury Update
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jakobi Meyers (concussion) is "headed in the right direction" as he progresses through the league's concussion protocol, according to head coach Josh McDaniels. It remains to be seen if Meyers can play in Week 3 against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night after missing the Week 2 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.
In the season-opening win over the division-rival Denver Broncos, the 26-year-old had a great game, catching nine passes on 10 targets for 81 yards and two touchdowns. Meyers' practice status this week will give us a better idea of whether he'll have any shot at playing this Sunday night. Hunter Renfrow was unable to take advantage of Meyers being out in a tough Week 2 matchup in Buffalo.
Odell Beckham Jr. Injury Update
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (ankle) suffered an ankle injury in the Week 2 win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, but head coach John Harbaugh said after the game that it was a minor injury. Beckham is managing the issue, and if all goes well, it shouldn't affect his availability heading into Week 3 against the Indianapolis Colts.
Don't be surprised if the 30-year-old wideout misses some practice time this week, but as long as he's able to put in one full practice, he should be able to play. OBJ has had a limited role in Baltimore's passing attack through two weeks, catching five of seven targets for 66 yards. He'll remain a deep-league flex option if he's able to suit up this weekend.
Darnell Mooney Injury Update
Chicago Bears wide receiver Darnell Mooney's knee injury that he suffered in the Week 2 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday isn't considered serious, according to a source. Mooney referred to his injury as a "nagging bruise" and thinks he'll be "fine" heading into a Week 3 meeting with the Kansas City Chiefs.
The 25-year-old didn't put up any points for fantasy managers on Sunday because of his injury, but he'll have an opportunity to bounce back in Week 3 as long as he doesn't suffer a setback with his knee injury. Mooney had 53 yards and a touchdown in the season opener in Week 1 but didn't have a single target on Sunday. If Mooney does miss the Week 3 contest, Chase Claypool will have a shot to prove he still belongs in the starting lineup.
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