Injury Status: Week 3

Thu Sep 22 11:24am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

Before we get to the rest of the injury news, we wanted to give you a quick update on the status of Bucs receiver Mike Evans. So the NFL upheld his one-game suspension for his transgressions last week, meaning he will miss the Week 3 game. The Bucs will be awfully shorthanded at receiver once again, so plan accordingly. Now for the injury news of the week. . . . 

Michael Gallup, WR, Cowboys. Gallup is looking good to return to the lineup this week, barring a setback. He is returning from a torn ACL and is ramping up his activity in practice. He might be eased into action his first game back, so keep that in mind if you plan to play him. He could be a little hit or miss. 

Michael Pittman, WR, Colts. Pittman was a late scratch last week after hurting his quad in practice. He is back practicing this week, though, and seems on track to return to the lineup Week 3. He should be good to go, barring some late-week setback. And as long as he is playing, he is a top No. 1 receiver for fantasy teams.  

James Conner, RB, Cardinals. Conner is day-to-day because of a sprained ankle. He has a shot to play this week if he starts ramping up his work in practice. Don’t rule him out just yet but he is out of the practice to start the week. Keep an eye on the practice reports for the latest. If Conner can’t go, Eno Benjamin and Darrel Williams will likely split the work at running back for the Cardinals. 

Rondale Moore, WR, Cardinals. Moore is yet to play this season because of a hamstring injury. He is being called day-to-day for this week. He is iffy to play once again. We might just steer clear of Moore until he returns to action and plays a full game. 

Harrison Butker, K, Chiefs. Butker missed last week because of a sprained ankle and is out of practice to start this week. Butker is up in the air for Week 3. We would just plan on other options. Matt Ammendola would get another start for the Chiefs if Butker is forced to sit once again. 

Alvin Kamara, RB, Saints. Kamara missed the game last week because of a rib injury. He has been limited in practice to start the week. The good news is he is doing some stuff in practice and is trending towards a return. He should be considered questionable to play, but we like his chances right now.  

Jakobi Meyers, WR, Patriots. Meyers suffered some sort of knee injury and had to undergo tests Wednesday, which revealed favorable news. He is dealing with something minor but his status is still in question for the week. He will need to get in some practice before the week is out. Keep an eye on the player notes for the latest. If he plays, Meyers is a solid fantasy start in a favorable matchup. 

Justin Herbert, QB, Chargers. Herbert got beat up in his last game, suffering a rib injury. He is sore and practicing on a limited basis. He is being called day-to-day by the Chargers. It is good to see him practicing some, though. We would expect him to play this week. He might be sore, but it would be a surprise to see him sit the game out. 

Keenan Allen, WR, Chargers. Allen is doing some work in practice on the side. His hamstring is improving some. He still seems likely to miss another week of action, but don’t rule him out just yet. We should have a better idea on his status before the week is out.  

Gabe Davis, WR, Bills. Davis hurt his ankle late in practice last week, but he is practicing some to start the week. His sprained ankle is doing better. He seems on track to play. It is a great sign that he is already practicing this early in the week. 

D'Andre Swift, RB, Lions. Swift played last week on his sprained ankle but was limited to seven touches. He still made some big plays with his limited workload. He claims to be feeling much better this week on his sprained ankle. This is a good sign for Swift to get a bigger workload in Week 3. His health is trending up. 

Chris Godwin, WR, Bucs. Godwin remains out of practice because of a hamstring injury. He has not played since Week 1 and is expected to miss another week of action. He still seems a few weeks away from playing. 

Julio Jones, WR, Bucs. Jones is another Bucs receiver that remains out of practice. He has a knee injury and is not looking great to play once again this week. We would expect him to miss the Week 3 game, barring a big turnaround late in the week.  

Jerry Jeudy, WR, Broncos. Jeudy had to leave the game early last week after hurting his ribs and shoulder. He is out of practice right now. He seemed to avoid something serious, but is not a sure thing to play this week. He should be considered questionable right now, looking like a game-time decision. 

George Kittle, TE, 49ers. Kittle was close to a return last week, so the chances of him playing this week look pretty good. He has been limited in practice to start the week. His groin injury is getting better and the team is optimistic he will play Week 3. 

Dawson Knox, TE, Bills. Knox has popped up on the injury report because of a foot injury. He was unable to practice Wednesday, making him questionable to play this week. We would not rule him out by any means because the Bills played Monday night, so Knox is on short rest. He could be resting as much as anything. Make sure he gets in some practice before the weekend. If that happens, expect Knox to play. 

Devin Duvernay, WR, Ravens. Duvernay suffered a concussion last week and was forced from the game. He is out of practice to start the week and will need to clear concussion protocol to be able to play. At this point, it isn’t looking great for Duvernay to play. 

J.K. Dobbins, RB, Ravens. Dobbins practiced in full last week but was still held out of the game as he tries to recover from his torn ACL. He is practicing full once again this week. We would expect him to make his season debut Week 3, but we aren’t sure his workload in his first game back. He will be a hard player for fantasy teams to trust. 

Hunter Renfrow, WR, Raiders. Renfrow suffered a concussion on the last play of last week’s game. He is out of practice to start the week and needs to clear concussion protocol before he is allowed to play. We wouldn’t rule him out just yet, but get other options ready. It isn’t looking great for Renfrow right now.  

Alec Pierce, WR, Colts. Pierce missed the game last week because of a concussion, but he is right on track to make his return in Week 3. He is practicing already to start the week. Unless he has some sort of setback in the next day or two, expect Pierce to return to his role in the starting lineup in Week 3.  

Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at [email protected]. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.

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