The NFL is finally back underway after months of patiently waiting. With that comes injuries, as will be the case throughout the campaign on a weekly basis. This article is intended to touch on injuries sustained from any given week, and also provide a brief look-ahead to the following week. Obviously fantasy football teams can be greatly impacted by these unfortunate aspects of the sport, so hopefully we are able to shed some light on how to maneuver the waters of relevant performers going down.
Without further ado, let’s jump right into some of the Week 1 injuries as there were numerous during the kickoff to the 2023 NFL season.
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NFL Injury Updates & Fantasy Football Impact: Week 1
J.K. Dobbins (RB – BAL)
Unquestionably the most devastating injury of the week certainly belongs to Ravens’ RB J.K. Dobbins, who simply cannot catch a break on a year-to-year basis. Dobbins is reported to have torn his Achilles against the Texans on Sunday, an injury that will not only end his season but also threaten his career. The 23-year-old missed all of 2021 with an ACL tear and played in just eight games in 2022 as he fought to return from the lingering knee issues. Prior to going down against Houston, Dobbins had looked spry, carrying eight times for 22 yards and a touchdown, while hauling in two additional receptions.
Fantasy Impact: Fantasy managers will now have to look elsewhere for the remaining 16-plus games of the season as Dobbins becomes droppable in leagues of all formats everywhere. As of now, Baltimore has RBs Gus Edwards and Justice Hill available, with the latter likely to take over nominal starting duties. Hill, however, did plunge in for two scores in Week 1, despite horrific efficiency with just nine rushing yards on eight carries of his own. It would not be surprising if the Ravens decide to kick the tires on a veteran free agent option, or call up Melvin Gordon from the practice squad for some added depth moving forward.
Anthony Richardson (QB – IND)
The Colts’ rookie QB Anthony Richardson made his debut on Sunday, and had his team in range to defeat the Jaguars before he went down with a knee injury late in the second half. Richardson took a big hit that looked like it could have been serious before getting up and walking off the field on his own power. Most reports are that Richardson avoided any real damage, and he declared himself “okay” following the game. He may see a rest day or log limited practices ahead of Week 2 but by all accounts, it seems as though the 22-year-old should be good to go next Sunday.
Fantasy Impact: Richardson needs to be considered an immediate QB1 given his rushing ability on the field at all times. The rookie looked absolutely electric against Jacksonville, as he threw for 223 yards and one touchdown while also rushing for 40 yards and an additional score. The hype looks to be real and early signs point to Indianapolis having their quarterback of the future locked up for good.
Aaron Jones (RB – GB)
The feature back and star of the day for the Packers on Sunday was RB Aaron Jones, who looked awesome scoring two total touchdowns on 127 yards from scrimmage. Unfortunately for him, his third quarter long touchdown reception on a 4th & 3 resulted in a pulled hamstring that sidelined him for the remainder of the affair. Jones noted after the game that he believes he could have gone back in if the game had been closer, but his injury will be one to monitor this week in practice.
Fantasy Impact: While it sounds like Jones avoided the worst and could be back against Atlanta next Sunday, he will be a name to monitor throughout the week. It is possible he could miss a day of practice or get in some limited practices leading up to Week 2’s kickoff. If Jones were to miss game time because of this, RB AJ Dillon would slide right into a three-down role and become a no-brainer RB2 start for fantasy purposes.
Diontae Johnson (WR – PIT)
The Steelers’ top receiver also suffered a hamstring injury following a catch against San Francisco, and it did not look good right off the bat. Johnson remained on the turf clutching his right leg for an extended period but he was eventually able to walk off the field on his own power. He was subsequently ruled out for the remainder of the game. Johnson will likely be headed for more tests on the hamstring on Monday, and Pittsburgh will be sure to update his status in the coming days.
Fantasy Impact: If Johnson is forced to miss the Steelers’ Week 2 matchup, George Pickens will become a surefire WR2 as the top receiving option on the field. WR Allen Robinson, who led Pittsburgh in targets against the 49ers, will also see a bump in value. It will be important to monitor Johnson’s status throughout the week to determine his pending availability.
Jakobi Meyers (WR – LV)
Raiders’ WR Jakobi Meyers was fantastic in his Las Vegas debut, hauling in 9 of 10 targets for 81 yards and two touchdowns prior to leaving the game after absorbing a huge hit in the second half. Meyers speculatively looked like he suffered a head injury and may have been dealing with concussion-like symptoms. He did not return to the game and should be considered questionable to face the Bills in Week 2.
Fantasy Impact: Meyers was clearly Jimmy Garoppolo‘s favorite target against Denver and without him, Davante Adams should receive many more targets in Week 2. Additionally, WR Hunter Renfrow could become somewhat relevant after doing nothing in his Week 1 showing.
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