It's finally here.
Forget Christmas. Forget the Fourth of July. Heck, payday is not this exciting. The best time of the year is the start of the NFL season, which means fantasy football is officially back!
And apparently Thursday, Sunday, and Monday weren't enough, because we're getting Wednesday Night Football this week. You read that right. Wednesday. Take the PTO. Put the kids to bed early. Tell the missus (or mister) that fantasy football season is here, and it requires your full attention.
If you've been here before, welcome back, but if you stumbled across this article for the first time, let me introduce myself. I'm Adam Hutchison, a licensed physical therapist providing injury-focused fantasy football analysis exclusively for Footballguys. Since 2017, I've been tracking NFL injuries, crunching the numbers, and building far too many spreadsheets to help you make more informed fantasy decisions.
Injuries are coming. They always do. The goal isn't to avoid them entirely. It's to be better prepared than your league mates when they happen. So buckle up. Before we get to Week 1, let's break down the preseason injuries every fantasy manager needs to know.
Key: Position Player, Team | Injury | Projected Return to Play
RB Ashton Jeanty, Las Vegas| Ankle Sprain | Projecting Active Week 1
For once the prayer circle worked! It's been 2 full weeks since we got news that Ashton Jeanty needed to be helped off the practice field after suffering what was thought at the time to be a serious ankle injury that ended practice early.
Raiders RB Ashton Jeanty left practice Sunday with an apparent injury and was helped off the field by trainers, per multiple reports.
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) August 23, 2026
Jeanty was reportedly unable to put weight on his leg after diving for a ball and landing awkwardly. The team gathered afterwards for a prayer. pic.twitter.com/xZtEpNQrdn
While I was concerned it was a high ankle sprain, all signs point to a less serious and often less limiting low/inversion ankle sprain.
Regarding the timeline, Jeanty still has one more week to heal up from this sprain, and by all accounts he should be ready for the Raiders in Week 1. Of course, if you've already drafted Jeanty, you have to start him. However, for Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) or other daily managed leagues, I'd look elsewhere. Vegas appears to be high on Mike Washington Jr., who could eat into Jeanty's workload should his team elect to give him more plays off.
Prefer your injury content in video form?
Follow along all season long Fbgfantasy on Instagram or Footballguys on TikTok for more videos like this:
RB TreVeyon Henderson, New England | Ankle Sprain | Projecting Week 2 Return
Just one day after the Jeanty news, second-year running back TreVeyon Henderson also went down at practice with an ankle injury. Initial reports indicated that Henderson injured the ankle while attempting to make a cut. While the exact diagnosis has not been confirmed, the mechanism is consistent with a low ankle sprain.
Henderson initially appeared to have a reasonable chance of playing in Week 1, but as of Sunday, he has yet to return to practice. That's becoming more concerning with New England set to play Wednesday night. Unless Henderson can participate in some capacity Monday, I'll have legitimate concerns about his Week 1 availability.
For fantasy managers who have yet to draft, Rhamondre Stevenson should be firmly on the radar.
WR Puka Nacua, LA Rams | Hip Flexor Injury| Projecting Active Week 1
The Los Angeles Rams are another team with an early game this week. The Rams play the 49ers Thursday night. Nacua has been dealing with a hip issue (psoas) but returned to practice last week. It's not unlike the Rams to slow-play injuries, even within the week. He is expected to be ready for Week 1.
TE George Kittle, San Francisco | Achilles | Projecting Active Week 1
Against all odds, George Kittle is not only on track to play football less than nine months after Achilles tendon repair, but it also appears he may avoid missing any regular-season time. Kittle traveled with the 49ers to Australia last week ahead of their Thursday night game, and it seems unlikely he would have made the trip if the team expected him to sit.
By all accounts, Kittle's recovery has gone about as well as possible, with multiple factors working in his favor:
- He underwent a SpeedBridge procedure (a newer surgical technique for Achilles tendon repairs that allows for earlier movement and activity, which, in turn, accelerates the rehabilitation timeline),
- The specific location of his Achilles tendon tear is more optimal for recovery
- Kittle's commitment to rehab/recovery.
We still need to see what Kittle actually looks like in a game setting following such a significant injury, but for now, fantasy managers should feel encouraged that he appears ready to play.
Share This Article
More by Adam Hutchison
Tucker Kraft: Is His ADP a Dream or a Nightmare?
Adam Hutchison spotlights Tucker Kraft and asks whether we should expect a Top-5 finish as he's returning from ACL reconstruction this offseason.
Bucky Irving: The RB1 Redemption Tour
Adam Hutchinson spotlights Bucky Irving and asks whether we should expect a return to his rookie greatness or a repeat of last year's struggles.
Injury Roundup from Conference Championships
A Monday morning recap of the fantasy-football-relevant injuries from last week's NFL games.
Injury Roundup from Divisional Games
A Monday morning recap of the fantasy-football-relevant injuries from last week's NFL games.
Injury Roundup from Wildcard Weekend
A Monday morning recap of the fantasy-football-relevant injuries from last week's NFL games.
Injury Roundup from Week 18
A Monday morning recap of the fantasy-football-relevant injuries from last week's NFL games.