Week 2 Friday Injury Report: McCaffrey Hits Setback, May Land on IR

Injury hotspots for Week 2 include the Chicago wide receivers, Tampa Bay defensive backs, Jacksonville defensive backs and Green Bay passing game. We also have brutal news for Christian McCaffrey's fantasy managers and a mid-week addition to the injury report for A.J. Brown.

Below you'll find four different categories, with our lists including key offensive linemen and defensive players whose presences/absences might impact fantasy decisions. The bottom section — truly questionable — is sorted by kickoff times and can be used as a checklist/cheatsheet for Sunday morning and afternoon when inactives come out. First, let's see who's definitely in and who's definitely out...

Good to Go 💯

• RB Josh Jacobs (back)
• RB Antonio Gibson (hip)
• WR Malik Nabers (knee)
• WR Tyler Lockett (thigh)
• WR Nico Collins (illness)
• WR Jauan Jennings (ankle)
• WR Josh Reynolds (Achilles)
• TE Dalton Schultz (ankle)
• TE Foster Moreau (concussion)

Ruled Out/Doubtful 🚑 

• RB Christian McCaffrey (ankle)
• RB Kenneth Walker (D - oblique)
• WR Tee Higgins (D - hamstring)
• WR Puka Nacua (IR - PCL)
• WR Jordan Addison (ankle)
• WR Hollywood Brown (IR - shoulder)
• WR Devaughn Vele (ribs)
• TE Jake Ferguson (D - MCL)
• TE David Njoku (ankle)
• TE Tanner Hudson (D - knee)
• TE Davis Allen (back)

McCaffrey stole the headlines Friday afternoon, and not in a good way. Kyle Shanahan said the RB had his "worst day" health-wise Thursday, dealing with increased pain, which led to a practice absence Friday and an 'out' designation on the final injury report. Shanahan even acknowledged that injured reserve is a consideration — a move that would rule McCaffrey out through Week 5 if it happens before Sunday's game against the Vikings. It looks like Jordan Mason will be a fantasy RB1 for at least the next few weeks, with Deebo Samuel also getting a bump (from WR2 status to WR1) after he matched his career high of eight carries last week and even took a handful of snaps as the lone "running back" on the field.

Those two and Seahawks RB Zach Charbonnet are the injury beneficiaries that should be started wherever possible Week 2, with Chiefs WR Xavier Worthy a secondary consideration and the long list of borderline/tertiary options including Seahawks RB Kenny McIntosh, Bengals WRs Andrei Iosivas and Trenton Irwin, Rams WRs Demarcus Robinson and Tyler Johnson, Vikings WRs Jailen Nailor and Brandon Powell, Cowboys TE Luke Schoonmaker, Browns TE Jordan Akins and Bengals TE Mike Gesicki. Of that bunch, I'd be most willing to take a shot on Akins, Gesicki or Robinson as cheap DFS plays / desperation lineup options. 

Key Defensive Players + Offensive Linemen

• S Antoine Winfield (foot) + DT Calijah Kancey (calf) + RT Luke Goedeke (head)
• G Sidy Sow (ankle)
• RT George Fant (D - knee) + OLB Uchenna Nwosu (MCL)
• CB Emmanuel Forbes (thumb)
• CB Nick McCloud (knee)
• S Alohi Gilman (knee)
• DT Khalen Saunders (calf)
• S Talanoa Hufanga (ACL)
• CB Tyson Campbell (IR - hamstring) + S Darnell Savage (quad)
• LT Jedrick Wills (MCL)
• CB Decamerion Richardson (hamstring) + DE Tyree Wilson (knee)
• G Isaac Seumalo (pectoral)

Listed as Questionable - Should Play 👍

This is a surprisingly short group this week, as nearly all the key players listed as questionable seem to be in at least slight danger of not playing. That'll probably change as we get favorable news throughout the weekend, but as of Friday, it looks like all the 'questionable' players at skill positions need to be treated as if they're in real danger of sitting.

• CB Cobie Durant (toe) + S Quentin Lake (hip) + G Kevin Dotson (foot)

Truly Questionable / Game-Time Decisions 🤔

Early Games

• QB Jordan Love (MCL)
• RB MarShawn Lloyd (hamstring)
• WR Jayden Reed (calf/shin)
• WR Joshua Palmer (knee)
• WR Josh Downs (ankle)
• TE Tommy Tremble (hamstring)

Packers QB Jordan Love is unlikely to play after missing practice all week, but his 'questionable' designation may be a sign he's ahead of the initially reported timeline of 3-6 weeks. Or this is just injury shenanigans from the Packers, perhaps with an eye toward deception in Weeks 3-4. The Colts presumably will be prepared to face Malik Willis, who is one of the fastest QBs but not much of a passer.

Green Bay also has RB MarShawn Lloyd and WR Jayden Reed listed as questionable, with the latter being a Friday addition and limited practice participant. There haven't been any reports on whether Reed is truly in danger of missing Sunday's home game against the Colts.

Elsewhere, it doesn't look great for Chargers WR Joshua Palmer, who missed practice Friday after limited sessions Wednesday and Thursday. With DJ Chark (hip) already on IR, the Chargers opened the season with Palmer and Quentin Johnston as the primary perimeter receivers while Ladd McConkey led the team in targets (and scored a TD) from the slot. If Palmer is absent or limited, McConkey could take on more snaps in two-wide formations. 

Things look more promising for Lions WR Jameson Williams, who managed limited practices Wednesday through Friday after his Week 1 breakout performance. Amon-Ra St. Brown and Kalif Raymond are the only healthy wideouts on Detroit's roster, which means at least one of Tim Patrick, Allen Robinson, Donovan Peoples-Jones or Tom Kennedy will be promoted from the practice squad for Sunday's game against Tampa. The Lions will promote two or three of the vets if they don't expect Williams to play. 

Late-Afternoon Games

• QB Russell Wilson (calf)
• WR Roman Wilson (ankle) 

It sounds like Wilson is more likely to be available as a backup than he is to start, which means there's not much chance of a #RevengeGame as he returns to Denver. The other R. Wilson, a rookie third-round pick, is more likely to have an impact Sunday, although that's also somewhat of a long shot after a serious ankle sprain early in training camp kept him from gaining ground on Van Jefferson and Calvin Austin. It may not be long before Roman pushes those guys aside, but it's asking a lot for his NFL debut, which figures to come either this weekend or next.

Primetime Games

• WRs Rome Odunze (MCL) & Keenan Allen (heel) - SNF
• RB Dameon Pierce (hamstring) - SNF
• WR A.J. Brown (hamstring) - MNF

Odunze returned to practice Friday as a limited participant, while Allen didn't manage any form of participation this week. The former suffered a new injury Week 1, spraining his knee shortly after the latter aggravated a preseason heel injury. Both appear truly questionable ahead of SNF, with Tyler Scott and DeAndre Carter set to fill in at wide receiver if Allen and/or Odunze doesn't play. The Bears would also figure to use more multi-TE formations in that scenario, making Cole Kmet and Gerald Everett solid choices for single-game DFS contests (but still subpar options for normal fantasy lineups after they split snaps Week 1).

The other big primetime injury concern is Eagles WR A.J. Brown, who was added to the injury report Friday as a limited participant. A new hamstring injury three days before a game is worrisome, and it could impact his performance/workload even if it turns out he's in no real danger of being inactive.

Key Defensive Players + O-Linemen

• CBs Tykee Smith (illness) & Zyon McCollum (concussion)
• S Kyle Dugger (ankle) + DE Deatrich Wise (shoulder) + G Layden Robinson (shoulder)
• LBs Jerome Baker (hamstring) & Tyrel Dodson (shoulder)
• S Quan Martin (hamstring) + DE Clelin Ferrell (knee) + DT Jer'Zhan Newton (foot)
• G Damien Lewis (groin) + T Taylor Moton (knee)
• OLB Joey Bosa (back) + CB Ja'Sir Taylor (leg)
• CB Marshon Lattimore (hip) + OT Taliese Fuaga (back)
• RT Jack Conklin (ACL)
• CB D.J. Reed (knee)
• OLB Kyle Van Noy (orbital)
• C Juice Scruggs (groin)
• DE DeMarcus Walker (foot)