Fantasy Football Injuries: Jordan Addison, Josh Downs, T.J. Hockenson (2024)

In a way, injuries in fantasy football can be the defining moments of a season. Did you lose your first and second-round picks to long-term injury? Good luck finding that level of replacement on the waiver wire. Did your quarterback get injured on the first drive in your Week 16 playoff matchup? See you next season!

Most injuries that occur during games are unpredictable and force a certain set of reactions once the game week ends, but what about the injuries we are aware of before the season begins?

As the draft season for fantasy football leagues really ramps up over the next two weeks, players who are currently dealing with an injury can force a major dilemma. Do you take on the risk of an injured player for the hopeful outcome that they are ready for the season or can produce with only a short time missed?

As is often said in fantasy football, “Don’t invite trouble onto your roster.” Sometimes, however, the reward will outweigh the risk. This is why understanding the impact of injuries in preseason is immensely important.

This piece will look at key injuries to fantasy football-relevant players. The goal is to determine whether or not to take on the injury risk and what impact the injury could have during the season.

Fantasy Football Injuries to Monitor

All ADP data is taken from FantasyPros consensus ADP for half-PPR formats.

Jordan Addison (WR – MIN)

Jordan Addison was carted off of practice on Wednesday with an ankle injury. By the end of the day, head coach Kevin O’Connell said he did not think it was serious and that Addison would only miss a day or two of practice. Perhaps this was a bullet dodged for Addison considering all he is dealing with presently.

Fantasy Impact: Addison is already dealing with a potential suspension for trouble outside the team facility, so adding injury to indictment could cause him to tumble down draft boards. Right now, at WR40 in ADP, he is becoming something of a value if he were to only miss 2-3 games.

Josh Downs (WR – IND)

Speedy, second-year wide receiver Josh Downs could miss a month or more with an ankle injury suffered at practice last week. Downs was a trendy pick on sleeper lists because of Anthony Richardson, but he has fallen to WR58 in ADP and about number 154 overall. This is a high-ankle sprain, so be prepared if the timeline gets extended.

Fantasy Impact: There is no specific timetable for Downs’ return, so it’s hard to gauge. Drafting him after pick 150, where he is essentially risk free, is worth a shot. Richardson would also get a slight bump up if we find out he will be with all his weapons to start the season.

T.J. Hockenson (TE – MIN)

The injury list for the Vikings keeps getting longer and longer, but T.J. Hockenson is the most tenured on it. He suffered a serious knee injury in December of 2023, but the Vikings are still holding out hope that he will be ready to suit up for Week 1. Some of that optimism comes from the fact that Robert Tonyan was just diagnosed with back spasms, so the tight-end room is thin without Hockenson.

Fantasy Impact: Hockenson’s ADP is now around pick 120 because of the predicted lack of playing time due to the injury. If Jordan Addison is out for an extended period of time and Hockenson actually begins the season healthy, the Vikings’ tight end could soak up targets alongside Justin Jefferson.