NFL Week 2 Fantasy Injury Report - George Kittle OUT for the 49ers
Upsets and blowouts, plus key player injuries, were common themes during Week 1 action in the NFL. Below, we update key injuries that impact fantasy rosters. Check back during the course of the week for updates.
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Fantasy Football Week 2 Injury News and Notes
Quick Hits: Notable Thursday Did Not Practice
• WR A.J. Brown, TEN - Questionable: Knee
• WR Kenny Golladay, DET - Questionable: Hamstring
• WR Alshon Jeffery, PHI - Questionable: Foot
• WR Henry Ruggs, LV - Questionable: Knee
• TE Jack Doyle, IND - Questionable: Ankle
RB Le’Veon Bell, NYJ
INJURY: Hamstring
STATUS: IR – Earliest return Week 5
New York has placed Bell on the three-week injured reserve list. Bell suffered the injury in the first half but tried to play through it. He ended up with just 6.6 fantasy points in Week 1. Bell is eligible to return in Week 5 when the Jets host Arizona. Veteran Frank Gore, plus Josh Adams and Kalen Ballage, will form a committee in the Jets backfield. Rookie La'Mical Perine (ankle) is also expected to return in the near future.
09/18/20 UPDATE: An ageless wonder, now 37 and in his 16th season, Gore will be the Jets starting running back on Sunday. Everyone in the Jets backfield is a risky start against the 49ers solid defensive front.
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RB Marlon Mack, IND
INJURY: Achilles
STATUS: IR - Out for the season
Mack is out for the season after he tore his Achilles tendon in the second quarter of the Colts' embarrassing Week 1 loss to Jacksonville. Rookie Jonathan Taylor will be the lead back moving forward. He is currently the No. 15 ranked running back with a $5,700 DFS price at DraftKings Sportsbook. Pass catching back Nyheim Hines will be a popular waiver wire pickup prior to Week 2.
09/18/20 UPDATE: Hines' price at DraftKings has dropped to the $5,300 range. Colts rookie RB Jonathan Taylor ($5,700) offers better DFS Week 2 value as he will be the featured back against Minnesota. Green Bay piled up 158 total rushing yards and 1 TD against the Vikings defense last week.
Dr. Roto Top NFL Week 2 Waiver Wire Targets
RB Phillip Lindsay, DEN
INJURY: Turf Toe
STATUS: Questionable
Lindsay's turf toe injury has his Week 2 matchup vs the Steelers, "in doubt" according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Even if he is able to give it a go, the Steelers held Giants star running back Saquon Barkley to just six yards on Monday night, so Lindsay should remain on the bench regardless for fantasy owners.
09/18/20 UPDATE: Lindsay missed practice again on Thursday. Royce Freeman will backup Melvin Gordon as the Broncos RB2. Lindsay missed practice again on Thursday. Royce Freeman will backup Melvin Gordon as the Broncos RB2. The Denver backfield faces a tough matchup on the road in Pittsburgh.
WR Michael Thomas, NO
INJURY: High Ankle Sprain
STATUS: Doubtful
The high-ankle sprain Thomas suffered in Week 1 may be worse than it was originally thought to be. Thomas is likely to be placed on the three-week injured reserve list and could miss several weeks. This is a big blow to fantasy owners and the New Orleans offense as a whole. Unless the Saints make a move, Emmanuel Sanders and Tre'Quan Smith will top the WR depth chart until Thomas returns.
09/18/20 UPDATE: Thomas sat out practice again on Thursday. Fantasy owners can expect to be without their stud receiver for at least three weeks. It's also possible that he won't return until after the Saints Week 6 bye.
WR Jamison Crowder, NYJ
INJURY: Hamstring
STATUS: IR – OUT for Week 2.
09/18/20 UPDATE: Following an eye-popping 7/115/1 Week 1 line, WR Jamison Crowder (hamstring) missed practice Thursday. He is listed as questionable for Week 2. WR Breshad Perriman and TE Chris Herndon will see increased targets if Crowder doesn’t play. It’s difficult to find dependable value in the Jets offense at this point.
UPDATE: Crowder is OUT for Week 2 according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
WR DeVante Parker, MIA
INJURY: Hamstring
STATUS: Questionable
Parker suffered a hamstring injury during the third quarter of the Dolphins 21-11 Week 1 loss in New England. He didn’t return and finished with a 4/43/0 line against the Patriots stout pass defense. WR Preston Williams was covered by stud CB Stephon Gilmore and caught 2-of-7 targets for 41 yards in his first game since Week 9 last season. His stock will rise if Parker misses any time.
09/18/20 UPDATE: Parker was limited in practice on Thursday. While Miami is likely being cautious with their top receiver - he is a risky Week 2 starter. If he plays, Parker should be considered as a WR4 in a tough matchup against Buffalo.
WR Chris Godwin, TB
INJURY: Concussion Protocol
STATUS: Questionable
Godwin has entered concussion protocol according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. He'll need to clear the protocol in time for Sunday's home matchup against Carolina, which will be in serious doubt especially if he entered today. Should Godwin miss time, Bucs WR Scotty Miller becomes elevated to a FLEX level start against the Panthers porous defense.
09/18/20 UPDATE: Godwin wasn't at practice on Thursday but DID return on Friday. He will need a fast exit from concussion protocol to play on Sunday against Carolina. Mike Evans was limited during Thursday practice but is on track to play against the Panthers. It's difficult to trust anyone in the Tampa Bay passing game right now.
WR Kenny Golladay, DET
WR Deebo Samuel / WR Brandon Aiyuk, SF
INJURY: Foot / Hamstring
STATUS: IR / Questionable
Samuel was placed on IR prior to Week 1 and isn’t eligible to return until Week 4. Rookie Aiyuk is nursing a hamstring injury and was inactive during Week 1. 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan has hinted that Aiyuk will make his first career start in Week 2 on the road against the Jets. Monitor his practice time but Aiyuk ($4,300) may be a value buy in DFS contests at DraftKings.
RELATED: Mohamed Sanu signed with the 49ers on Tuesday. He reunites with Shanahan who was the offensive coordinator in Atlanta when Sanu posted a 59/653/4 line back in 2016. It’s a red flag that Sanu wasn’t able to stick with New England. The Patriots gave up a 2020 second round draft pick (J.K. Dobbins 55th OA) to acquire him from the Falcons midway through the 2019 season.
09/18/20 UPDATE: Rocked by bad injuries news, San Francisco received some good news as Aiyuk put in a full practice on Thursday. Making his NFL debut, Aiyuk goes from being inactive in Week 1 to the 49ers WR1 role against the NY Jets porous defense.
WR Denzel Mims, NYJ
INJURY: Hamstring
STATUS: IR – Earliest return Week 5
New York has placed rookie WR Mims on the three-week injured reserve list. This is more bad news for the beleaguered Jets as Mims is dealing with injuries to both of his hamstrings now. Mims didn’t play in Week 1 and will be sidelined until at least Week 5. Receivers Jamison Crowder and Breshad Perriman, plus TE Chris Herndon, will continue as the top targets for QB Sam Darnold.
TE George Kittle, SF
INJURY: Knee Spain
STATUS: OUT
Kittle suffered a knee sprain in the second quarter of the 49ers’ Week 1 loss to Arizona. Kittle returned in the second half but didn’t add to his 4/44/0 first half stat line. While the injury isn’t considered serious, fantasy players need to monitor his practice time leading up to Week 2. Jordan Reed and Ross Dwelley are uninspiring backup TE options for San Francisco if Kittle misses any time.
09/18/20 MORNING UPDATE: Kittle did not participate in practice on Thursday. While there is a chance he practices later today - Kittle may be a dreaded game-day decision on Sunday. Reed was a favorite target for Jimmy Garoppolo during the 49ers final preseason scrimmage game. For DFS players needing a cheap buy, to fill out a top heavy squad, Reed is priced at around $2,600 at DraftKings.
AFTERNOON UPDATE:
Kittle was officially ruled out for Sunday's game vs the Jets.
TE David Njoku, CLE
INJURY: Knee
STATUS: IR - Earliest return Week 5
After catching 3-of-3 targets, for 50 yards and 1 TD, Njoku was injured in the third quarter during the Browns 38-6 blowout loss to Baltimore. Austin Hopper and rookie Harrison Bryant will battle for tight end targets until Njoku returns. Hopper is likely to see more short-term targets.
18/09/20 UPDATE: Hooper (2/22/0) and Bryant (1/14/0) were both quiet in the Browns 35-30 win against the Bengals during Week 2 Thursday Night Football action. Only the most TE desperate owners should consider a waiver wire bid on either player.
TE Blake Jarwin, DAL
INJURY: ACL
STATUS: IR - Out for the season
Pegged as the heir-apparent to TE Jason Witten, Jarwin is out for the season. He tore his ACL on a non-contact play while running a route in the second quarter of the Cowboys Week 1 loss to the Rams. Dalton Schultz will be the TE1 in Dallas moving forward. Unless they add a quality player – it’s wise to ignore the TE position in Dallas. Amari Cooper, Ezekiel Elliott, Michael Gallup and CeeDee Lamb will continue to be the main targets for Dak Prescott.
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