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As far as injuries go, Week 3 was pretty mild. Thank goodness because we needed a break following the injury chaos of the first two weeks.
There are not many serious injuries to report, but several players did get a bit banged up. Fantasy gamers need to prepare themselves in case some of their players are forced out of action, so let’s get into it and discuss all the main injuries from yesterday’s games.
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Justin Herbert - QB, Los Angeles Chargers
Herbert suited up Sunday one week after suffering a high ankle sprain. That decision might have backfired as Herbert appeared to aggravate his injury and was forced to leave the game against the Steelers.
Justin Herbert is walking off and Taylor Heinicke has stepped in pic.twitter.com/maJClHgIo8
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) September 22, 2024
Here’s Justin Herbert in the walking boot. He said he thinks the injury is a reaggravation of the high ankle sprain and nothing more serious. He’s hoping to play against KC pic.twitter.com/oMQMyQvmOu
— Kris Rhim (@krisrhim1) September 22, 2024
The Chargers’ signal-caller did not return to action. Early Reports from Sunday night are saying Herbert will undergo X-rays on his injured right ankle. His status for a Week 4 showdown with the Kansas City Chiefs is currently unknown. However, the Chargers may be forced to sit him down for a few weeks to let the injury fully heal. We will know more later today and as the week unfolds.
Herbert really hasn’t been on the fantasy radar for single quarterback leagues. However, gamers in two-quarterback and superflex leagues should plan as if he’ll miss action.
DeVonta Smith - WR, Philadelphia Eagles
Smith suffered a concussion on a nasty hit during Sunday’s win against the New Orleans Saints.
brutal shot on Devonta Smith pic.twitter.com/Rn3WUZV6iS
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) September 22, 2024
It’s highly unlikely Smith will be able to suit up in Week 4. Most players usually miss a week after suffering a concussion. Fantasy gamers should plan to be without him and look for alternatives from their bench or on waivers.
With Smith and A.J. Brown both banged up, Jahan Dotson could find himself in a meaningful role. Tight end Dallas Goedert popped for 170 yards yesterday with Philadelphia’s top receivers injured. He figures to be the biggest beneficiary until Smith and Brown can return to the field.
Amari Cooper - WR, Cleveland Browns
The Browns’ WR1 enjoyed his best game of the season against the New York Giants. He caught seven passes for 86 yards and two touchdowns on 12 targets.
Amari Cooper already has more points this week than the first two weeks COMBINED pic.twitter.com/QfuTfNuC7r
— NFL Fantasy Football (@NFLFantasy) September 22, 2024
Unfortunately, Cooper was forced to leave the game late with an injury.
Browns WR Amari Cooper was helped off the field after landing hard on this play at the end of the game.pic.twitter.com/AcHT1NG1X7
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) September 22, 2024
It’s unknown what plagued Cooper, but he said he was fine after the game. While that sounds good, players aren’t always the best at diagnosing their own injury status as they always prefer to play.
Gamers should keep a close eye on his practice status this week to make sure there aren’t any lingering effects. Should Cooper miss time, Jerry Jeudy and Elijah Moore would be Cleveland’s top receivers.
Tank Dell - WR, Houston Texans
Dell had his best game of the season yesterday against the Minnesota Vikings. He caught five passes for 62 yards on six targets. Unfortunately, he also suffered a hand injury late in Houston’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
Texans WR Tank Dell was evaluated for a hand injury but should be fine, per head coach DeMeco Ryanshttps://t.co/rIeiGdjpzM pic.twitter.com/3NNt94c0uq
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) September 22, 2024
This doesn’t sound like anything too serious, so we should expect Dell to be fine moving forward. Still, it’s good to know as this didn’t receive much attention Sunday, and gamers shouldn’t be surprised if Dell pops up on Houston’s injury report this week.
No action is needed as of now, but monitor the RotoBaller news feed throughout the week for any changes to his status.
Adam Thielen - WR, Carolina Panthers
Thielen was injured on a touchdown catch in yesterday’s upset victory over the Las Vegas Raiders.
An absolute DOT from Andy Dalton to Adam Thielen🎯
But Thielen is hurt on the play…
— PlayerProfiler (@rotounderworld) September 22, 2024
The Panthers are saying Thielen suffered a hamstring injury on the play. Thielen seemed like he was in a lot of pain, and it looked like this could be a severe hamstring strain. The 11th-year receiver is scheduled to undergo an MRI today. At 34 years old, we should expect the Panthers to be extremely cautious with his recovery. Depending on the severity, it’s likely he will miss extended action.
Thielen’s absence would leave Diontae Johnson as Carolina’s unquestioned WR1. He went off yesterday for 8-122-1 on 14 targets. With a competent quarterback in Andy Dalton under center, we should expect to see many days like this from Johnson as long as Thielen is sidelined.
Trey McBride - TE, Arizona Cardinals
McBride left yesterday’s loss to the Detroit Lions after taking a shot to the head.
Trey McBride -
Being evaluated for a concussion after this play.
pic.twitter.com/CnC6yeYPLZ— Jeff Mueller, PT, DPT (@jmthrivept) September 22, 2024
He was immediately evaluated for a concussion and did not return to the game. There’s been no word yet on whether or not McBride actually sustained a concussion. Based on the looks of the play, it looks like he might have but that’s pure speculation. We will know more later in the day.
If he did suffer a concussion, then McBride most likely will miss Week 4. Owners should be prepared to stream the position. Cole Kmet and Tyler Conklin, both of whom enjoyed strong games yesterday, would be among the top options on waivers for McBride owners.
Jaylen Warren - RB, Pittsburgh Steelers
Warren was taken out of Sunday’s night after head coach Mike Tomlin claimed Warren wasn’t “running smoothly.”
In mentioning injuries postgame, Mike Tomlin said he noticed Jaylen Warren wasn't "running smoothly" so he pulled him from the game, and he'll be evaluated to figure out what's going on.
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) September 22, 2024
It looks like Tomlin was onto something as Warren is scheduled to undergo an MRI on his knee later today. Warren was a popular breakout pick this year, but it’s been a tough start. He picked up a hamstring injury in the summer and is now fighting an apparent knee issue as well.
Gamers should know more about his status once the results of the MRI are revealed. His absence would further entrench Najee Harris’ status as Pittsburgh’s RB1.
Sam LaPorta - TE, Detroit Lions
LaPorta was carted off the field after suffering an injury yesterday. He did return to start the second half but was noticeably bothered by the ailment. Head Coach Dan Campbell relayed that LaPorta suffered a sprained ankle. The severity is unknown, so we will need to wait for updates before knowing exactly how to proceed.
The fact that LaPorta was able to return to the field for a bit suggests things aren’t too serious, but he still could miss time. LaPorta may play through the injury, but gamers would be wise to make plans in case he can’t go this week.
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