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Fantasy Football Injury Report Week 3: QB apocalypse, updates on Aaron Jones and Brian Thomas Jr.

Staying up to date on NFL injury news is of the utmost importance for fantasy football success. The article below tracks all fantasy-relevant players currently listed on their team's injury report, and provides fantasy managers with actionable recommendations as new information rolls in.

Check back for updates from Tuesday through Saturday.

**UPDATED AS OF TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 AT 2 PM ET**

AFC East

◆ Buffalo Bills

Josh Allen - QB (nose)

Head coach Sean McDermott said QB Josh Allen is "good to go" for Thursday Night Football against the Dolphins.

Fantasy Impact: Allen is a top tier QB1 in fantasy circles for their Week 3 matchup with the Dolphins on Thursday Night Football.

◆ Miami Dolphins

Darren Waller - TE (hip)

Waller was listed as a limited participant on the team's estimated practice report Monday.

Fantasy Impact: The Dolphins prepare for a divisional tilt against the Bills on Thursday in Week 3, meaning fantasy managers will want to check back on the veteran tight end Tuesday and Wednesday to gauge his potential game status on the short week.

Jaylen Wright - RB (knee)

Wright was listed as a limited participant on the team's estimated practice report Monday.

Fantasy Impact: Wright has missed the first two games of the 2025 season with a knee injury and has yet to practice. Monday's practice report was an estimation due to the short week, meaning fantasy managers will want to check back Wednesday and Thursday for any updates to the young speedster.

◆ New England Patriots

The Patriots emerged from their Week 2 win over the Dolphins absent any key injuries.

◆ New York Jets

Justin Fields - QB (concussion)

Fields suffered a concussion late in the team's Week 2 loss to the Bills, leaving his status for Week 3 in doubt.

Fantasy Impact: Head coach Aaron Glenn told reporters Tuesday that it would be difficult to start Fields in Week 3 against the Buccaneers if the veteran quarterback could not practice Wednesday or Thursday. That could leave the Jets in the hands of veteran journeyman Tyrod Taylor, lowering the fantasy upside of Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson.

AFC North

◆ Baltimore Ravens

Isaiah Likely - TE (foot)

Likely has missed the first two games of the season as he tends to a foot injury. His status for Week 3 remains uncertain.

Fantasy Impact: Likely is worth stashing on benches, given tight end Mark Andrews' poor returns through two games. Andrews theoretical carries touchdown-driven ceiling after scoring 11 times in 2024, but the early returns have been less than stellar.

◆ Cincinnati Bengals

Joe Burrow - QB (toe)

Burrow reportedly suffered a Grade III turf toe injury in Week 1. ESPN's Adam Schefter reports surgery is required, which would keep the veteran quarterback out for 3-4 months.

Fantasy Impact: Burrow's absence leaves the team in the hands of third-year quarterback Jake Browning, who started seven games for the Bengals in 2023. He threw for multiple touchdowns only three times and managed three scores just once in those seven starts, significantly denting the upside of Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Chase Brown. Chase falls to a low-end WR1, Higgins falls to a WR3, and Brown falls to a low-end RB1 for as long as Burrow remains sidelined.

◆ Cleveland Browns

The Browns avoided any major injuries in a Week 2 loss to the Ravens.

◆ Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers did not suffer any significant injuries in their Week 2 loss to the Seahawks.

AFC South

◆ Houston Texans

Joe Mixon - RB (foot)

Mixon was placed on injured reserve ahead of Week 1 and will miss the first four weeks of the season, at minimum. He will reportedly be re-evaluated at that time.

Fantasy Impact:Nick Chubb turned back time in Week 2 while handling a growing share of the backfield opportunities with Dameon Pierce ruled a healthy inactive. Chubb finds himself as a volume-driven RB2 for as long as Mixon remains out.

Christian Kirk - WR (hamstring)

Head coach DeMeco Ryans said he expects to get Kirk back for Week 3.

Fantasy Impact: Kirk missed the first two games of the season while tending to a hamstring injury. His return could be a big boost to the offense after the team has had little production behind alpha wide receiver Nico Collins. It will be difficult to trust Kirk in fantasy circles in his first game of the season.

Cade Stover - TE (foot)

The Texans placed Stove on injured reserve before Week 2.

Fantasy Impact: Stover will miss at least four games. His absence should add one or two targets to tight end Dalton Schultz's weekly workload. The uptick is not enough to make Schultz a reliable TE1.

◆ Indianapolis Colts

The Colts avoided any significant injuries in their Week 2 win over the Broncos.

◆ Jacksonville Jaguars

Brian Thomas Jr. - WR (wrist)

Thomas was reportedly dealing with an unreported wrist injury ahead of the team's Week 2 loss to the Bengals.

Fantasy Impact: Well, that would have been good to know before Week 2. This feels more like a cop out than something that is truly holding Thomas Jr back on the field. Thomas Jr has yet to demonstrate an on-the-field connection with quarterback Trevor Lawrence, keeping him in the WR2 range ahead of a Week 3 meeting with the Texans.

◆ Tennessee Titans

Tyjae Spears - RB (ankle)

Spears remains on injured reserve as he tends to an ankle injury suffered in the team's first preseason game.

Fantasy Impact: Backfield mate Tony Pollard has seen 19 and 21 running back opportunities in the first two games of the season, keeping him in the back-end RB1 discussion due to heavy volume for as long as Spears remains sidelined.

AFC West

◆ Denver Broncos

The Broncos did not sustain any fantasy relevant injuries in their Week 2 loss to the Colts.

◆ Kansas City Chiefs

Xavier Worthy - WR (shoulder)

Worthy missed the team's Week 2 loss to the Eagles with a shoulder injury.

Fantasy Impact: The Chiefs are in desperate need of consistency through the air in the absence of Rashee Rice (suspension) and Worthy. Travis Kelce is the best bet for that to occur, but he has struggled to start the season. Kelce committed multiple drops in Week 2, one that resulted in an interception from the end zone. Treat Kelce as a mid-tier TE1 should Worthy miss any more time.

◆ Las Vegas Raiders

Brock Bowers - TE (knee)

Bowers suffered a knee injury in the fourth quarter of the team's Week 1 win over the Patriots. He was clearly slowed in their Week 2 loss to the Chargers.

Fantasy Impact: Bowers suited up but lacked his typical explosiveness against the Chargers. Treat Bowers as a low-end TE1 as he deals with the injury.

◆ Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers avoided any meaningful fantasy injuries in their Week 2 win over the Raiders.

NFC East

◆ Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys emerged from their Week 2 win over the Giants without any fantasy relevant injuries.

◆ New York Giants

The Giants did not sustain any meaningful injuries in their Week 2 loss to the Cowboys.

◆ Philadelphia Eagles

Will Shipley - RB (oblique)

Shipley's Week 1 injury has turned into quite the saga. The Eagles acquired running back Tank Bigsby via trade on leading up to Week 2. Reports on Tuesday indicated that Shipley had fractured a rib. The team's official injury report lists it as an oblique issue. He missed the Eagles' Week 2 win over the Chiefs.

Fantasy Impact: Both Bigsby and running back A.J. Dillon are candidates to replace him in the No. 2 role. Bigsby should be prioritized as a bench stash.

Dallas Goedert - TE (knee)

Goedert missed the team's Week 2 win over the Chiefs with a knee injury.

Fantasy Impact: The knee sprain is not expected to be a long-term issue. Backup tight end Grant Calcaterra is the next player up. He can only be treated as a dart-throw TE2. Targets have been hard to come by early in the season for the Philadelphia offense.

◆ Washington Commanders

Jayden Daniels - QB (knee)

Daniels suffered a knee sprain in the team's Week 2 loss to the Packers. He has been labeled "truly day-to-day" by the team.

Fantasy Impact: The electric dual threat quarterback appears to be okay following a knee sprain in Week 2, but fantasy managers will want to monitor his status closely in the build up for a Week 3 matchup with the Raiders.

Austin Ekeler - RB (Achilles)

Ekeler suffered a torn Achilles in the team's Week 2 loss to the Packers. His season is done.

Fantasy Impact: Ekeler's absence opens the door for increased usage for rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt, although the team is likely to continue with a split backfield moving forward. Consider the talented rookie the best bet to return RB2 numbers the rest of the way.

NFC North

◆ Chicago Bears

The Bears did not experience any fantasy relevant injuries in their Week 2 loss to the Lions.

◆ Detroit Lions

The Lions emerged from their Week 2 win over the Bears absent any major injuries.

◆ Green Bay Packers

Jayden Reed - WR (collarbone)

Reed suffered a broken collarbone in the team's Week 2 win over the Commanders. He will be sidelined 6-8 weeks.

Fantasy Impact: Reed's absence opened up the middle of the field for tight end Tucker Kraft, who posted a robust 6-124-1 receiving line against the Commanders. Consider Kraft a locked-in TE1 for as long as Reed remains out.

◆ Minnesota Vikings

J.J. McCarthy - QB (ankle)

McCarthy sustained a high-ankle sprain in the team's Week 2 loss to the Falcons. The team is preparing to be without the young signal caller for 2-4 weeks.

Fantasy Impact: Veteran Carson Wentz is expected to serve as the starting quarterback in McCarthy's absence. Wentz's presence could benefit Justin Jefferson, T.J. Hockenson, and Jordan Mason considering the struggles of the offense to start the season with McCarthy under center.

Aaron Jones - RB (hamstring)

Jones suffered a hamstring injury in Week 2 that is likely to sideline him for the team's Week 3 game against the Bengals.

Fantasy Impact: Jordan Mason should see the bulk of the opportunities out of the Minnesota backfield while Jones is sidelined, vaulting him into the RB1 discussion ahead of a matchup with the Bengals.

NFC South

◆ Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons did not experience any many injuries in their Week 2 win over the Vikings.

◆ Carolina Panthers

The Panthers avoided any major injuries in their Week 2 loss to the Cardinals.

◆ New Orleans Saints

The Saints did not experience any fantasy relevant injuries in their Week 2 loss to the 49ers.

◆ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Jalen McMillan - WR (neck)

McMillan remains on injured reserve with a neck injury suffered in preseason.

Fantasy Impact: McMillan's absence paved the way for rookie wide receiver Emeka Egbuka to see featured usage in the offense right out of the gate. The talented rookie remains in the weekly WR2 discussion after scoring three touchdowns in his first two professional games.

NFC West

◆ Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals were not subject to any substantial injuries in their Week 2 win over the Panthers.

◆ Los Angeles Rams

The Rams emerged from their Week 2 win over the Titans absent any fantasy-relevant injuries.

◆ San Francisco 49ers

George Kittle - TE (hamstring)

The 49ers placed Kittle on injured reserve Tuesday, meaning he will miss at least the next four games.

Fantasy impact: The 49ers are dealing with multiple key injuries. It is difficult to make up for Kittle's lost production with any remaining 49ers tight end, meaning fantasy managers will want to look elsewhere until Kittle returns. Running back Christian McCaffrey and wide receiver Jauan Jennings stand to benefit in what has become a decimated skill position group.

Brock Purdy - QB (shoulder, toe)

Purdy was ruled out for Week 2 against the Saints.

Fantasy Impact: Backup quarterback Mac Jones is not a starter in 12-team leagues, but he is certainly worth adding in two-quarterback formats. Christian McCaffrey and Jauan Jennings can continue to return elite production with Jones under center.

◆ Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks avoided any major injuries in their Week 2 win over the Steelers.

Sean McVay says he suffered a torn plantar fascia during Rams' win over Titans

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay reacts after a pass intended for wide receiver.
Rams coach Sean McVay reacts on the sideline during a 33-19 win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. (John Amis / Associated Press)

Rams coach Sean McVay is not expected to appear on the team’s injury report this week as they prepare for Sunday’s game against the defending Super Bowl-champion Philadelphia Eagles.

But McVay sustained a foot injury during last week’s victory over the Tennessee Titans in Nashville.

During the Rams’ produced “Sean McVay Show,” McVay said he suffered a torn plantar fascia.

Read more:Overcoming Ahkello Witherspoon's absence will be a test for Rams vs. Eagles

“I was being dramatic limping around toward the end of the game,” McVay said, adding, “The good news is I’m not playing, so I’m just on the sidelines watching. So if I have a little cool limp to add some swag, then you’ll know why.”

McVay, 39, is in his ninth season with the Rams, who opened the season with victories over the Houston Texans and the Titans.

The Eagles are also 2-0 after victories over the Dallas Cowboys and Kansas City Chiefs.

Rams sign cornerback Tre Brown

Tre Brown warms up before a preseason game between the San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos in August.
Tre Brown warms up before a preseason game between the San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos in August. (Kelley L Cox / Associated Press)

With starting cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon on injured reserve, the Rams added depth to the secondary on Tuesday by signing cornerback Tre Brown.

Brown, who will turn 28 next week, played four seasons for the Seattle Seahawks before signing with the San Francisco 49ers last March. But Brown suffered a heel injury during training camp, was placed on injured reserve and was ultimately released.

Brown, 5 feet, 10 inches and 185 pounds, played in 39 games for the Seahawks, starting 13. He intercepted two passes.

Brown joins a cornerback group that includes Cobie Durant, Emmanuel Forbes Jr. and Darious Williams. Witherspoon, who suffered a broken clavicle during the Rams’ victory over the Tennessee Titans last Sunday, is expected to be sidelined for 12 weeks, McVay said.

The Rams play the defending Super Bowl-champion Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Most common players on eliminated teams from Week 2 in Yahoo Fantasy guillotine-style leagues — plus FAB waiver wire advice

Two weeks are in the books, which means two managers in your Yahoo Fantasy guillotine-style leagues presented by Liquid Death are no longer around. It’s a wicked game, isn’t it? Of course, it’s wickedly fun when you’re on the good side of things.

Every week I’ll examine the most common NFL players on those cut teams and try to figure out where the puck is headed. I will also offer some FAB advice ($1,000 cap is the Yahoo default), but please remember this area is highly context-sensitive and manager-specific.

Waiver strategy in guillotine-style leagues

If you’re new to this format, it’s critical to understand that waiver strategy is significantly different in the world of guillotine-style leagues. 

You can often win a traditional fantasy league with modest help from the waiver wire, maybe a timely pickup or two. Sure, it’s great if you crush the market and land the right guys and the best managers will always aim to be smart on the wire, but if your drafted team stays healthy and runs pure, some years that might be enough.

Immediate needs vs. playing the long game

In guillotine-style leagues, the eventual winning manager will have assembled a MONSTER team at the end of the year, a juggernaut, a Pro Bowl-type of roster. And the way you build that beast is usually by having resources all season — by not blowing the majority of your FAB on a tantalizing early star. It’s pivotal that you understand that the waiver wire gets stronger and stronger most every week in guillotine-style leagues, because the eliminated manager is coming from a smaller and smaller league size every week.

Unless you have a draft touched by the fantasy angels, you are unlikely to win a guillotine-style league without a successful and careful waiver-wire strategy.

[Eliminated or looking for more fun? There's still time to join or create another Yahoo Fantasy guillotine-style league]

My guillotine-style strategy is centered on the concept that I like my squad early in the year and I am confident I can beat at least one team per week while the field of opponents is large. Therefore, while I will dip my toes into the FAB market in the first quarter of the season, my primary goal is to keep major reserves in play for later in the year, when bye weeks hit and injuries are more prevalent — and the pool of opponents is smaller (so advancing is harder, in theory). Again, I urge you to remember: the waiver wire in guillotine-style gets stronger as the year gets deeper, a key reason to be judicious with your resources.

Not everyone will share my strategy, of course. If you want to chase major improvements and use the bulk of your FAB to load up quickly, then shoot your shot. Play the strategy you’re comfortable with. Just understand that my recommendations are predicated on being careful early, and if you prefer something more aggressive, you’ll have to jump the numbers up. You know your room better than an outsider does.

Understanding FAB recommendations

Going forward I will offer weekly FAB recommendations in three buckets:

Proactive: This means you highly covet this player, perhaps might even *need* this player. I realize these bids might not win if someone in your league is lighting money on fire, but as described above, that's often a short-sighted mistake in this format.

Reactive: This means you desire the player but the cost has to make sense for your short- or long-term strategy.

Keep Them Honest: This is a bid that is not designed to win, but might surprisingly land a player if your opponents are distracted by other talent available or unexpectedly passive that week. I often compare notes with other experienced guillotine-style players and we’re surprised at how often the Keep Them Honest bids actually win (this is also a portable strategy for regular season-long leagues; you never know when strange market behavior will come about).

Also, understand that the FAB recommendations are with the assumption that you won’t be making offers for every available player.

10 most common players on eliminated teams

1. Derrick Henry, RB, Ravens (23% of eliminated teams)

Henry doesn’t have many off games, but he was bottled up by the underrated Cleveland defense in Week 2. He was only outside the top 25 in two different weeks last season.

FAB Recommendation:

  • $300 proactive

  • $150-200 reactive

  • $100 keep them honest

2. Justin Fields, QB, Jets (18%)

After a smashing Week 1, Fields was ineffective against Buffalo, then suffered a late-game concussion. In this format we need to be unemotional about injured players, which means Fields is not someone to proactively target this week, even with his rushing upside. He’s no sure-thing to play in Week 3.

FAB Recommendation:

  • $25 proactive (risky with his health status)

  • $10-15 reactive

  • $1-5 keep them honest

3. Drake London, WR, Falcons (16%)

London was peppered with targets in Week 1, then was mostly unneeded in a front-running win at Minnesota. That latter game script could repeat against Carolina this week, and Atlanta also has a Week 5 bye. But London still remains a solid foundational receiver.

FAB Recommendation:

  • $125-150 proactive

  • $80-100 reactive

  • $50 keep them honest

4. Joe Burrow, QB, Bengals (16%)

It’s always a sad day when the coolest guy in the NFL suffers a major injury. The Bengals have to regret not building a better offensive line to protect Burrow, and now he’s out for at least three months. Jake Browning isn’t a star, but he’s a credible backup, someone who might be worth a depth add given the talented skill players here.

FAB Recommendation for Browning:

  • $15 proactive

  • $7-10 reactive

  • $2-3 keep them honest

5. Ashton Jeanty, RB, Raiders (15%)

The rookie RB class is still stuck in the mud — no one in this group has cleared 100 rushing yards for the season. Jeanty can at least hang his hat on 30 carries so far, but it’s disappointing to see him at three receiving yards.

FAB Recommendation:

  • $120 proactive

  • $55-75 reactive

  • $30-40 keep them honest

6. Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Cardinals (14%)

The Cardinals have yet to fully unlock him — Harrison averages fewer than seven targets for his brief career, and Kyler Murray isn’t a kingmaker at quarterback. I'd take Harrison on my team, but I'm not going to throw elbows to make sure I win the FAB battle.

FAB recommendation:

  • $85 proactive

  • $45-55 reactive

  • $25 keep them honest

7. Brian Thomas Jr., WR, Jaguars (13%)

It was surprising to see him struggle with drops, though a wrist issue might be at work. We do love seeing 19 targets through two weeks, and I’m generally bullish on Thomas.

FAB recommendation:

  • $75-100 proactive

  • $45-55 reactive

  • $30 keep them honest

8. A.J. Brown, WR, Eagles (13%)

He’s a repeat name from last week, as the Eagles continue to run the ball into the ground. Perhaps a shootout is coming against the Rams this week or versus the Buccaneers next week, but this passing game might always have a capped upside. My Brown FAB recommendation last week was admittedly too high.

FAB Recommendation:

  • $75-85 proactive

  • $45-50 reactive

  • $20 keep them honest

9. Josh Allen, QB, Bills (13%)

The Jets didn’t fight back last week and that allowed Allen to essentially get the afternoon off. This happens from time-to-time — he did slip outside the top 20 among quarterbacks in three weeks last year, his glorious MVP season. He's still fantasy royalty in most weeks.

FAB recommendation:

  • $200-250 proactive

  • $130 reactive

  • $65 keep them honest

10. Aaron Jones Sr., RB, Vikings (13%)

Jordan Mason continues to run well and now Jones has a hamstring injury, perhaps keeping him out of Week 3. The Vikings will also be without QB J.J. McCarthy for multiple games.

FAB recommendation for Jones:

  • $20 proactive,

  • $10 reactive,

  • $1-2 keep them honest;

FAB recommendation if Mason is available:

  • $45 proactive

  • $20 reactive

  • $5-7 keep them honest

More Articles …

  1. Rams sign CB Tre Brown
  2. Fantasy Football Week 3 Kicker Rankings
  3. Mike Tomlin: Kaleb Johnson has to earn his way back into kickoff return role
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