Another Sunday, another round of injuries to sort through. Week 7 gave us everything from players briefly leaving games and returning like nothing happened to others heading to the locker room with more questions than answers. Christian McCaffrey gave fantasy managers a scare, Aaron Jones Sr. is dealing with another knee injury, and Jaylen Waddle found out the hard way that footballs aren't particularly soft landing spots. As always, the challenge is separating injuries that look worse than they are from those that could quietly turn into multi-week absences. Fortunately, the injury data can help us make sense of the chaos, even when NFL coaches aren't exactly eager to provide details. Here are the injuries headlining fantasy football heading into Week 8.
Key: Position Player, Team | Injury | Projected Return to Play
RB Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco | Thigh | Projection: Week 8
Christian McCaffrey missed a significant portion of the first half of Sunday's loss to the Atlanta Falcons after suffering a thigh injury. Fortunately, McCaffrey returned to the game and addressed the injury with reporters afterward.
Christian McCaffrey on the thigh injury he suffered today, per @mattblively: "My leg just died on me and I was trying to get it going the whole rest of the game... I know I'll be alright." https://t.co/0DUNSVj9kH
— Yahoo Fantasy Sports (@YahooFantasy) October 25, 2026
The fact that McCaffrey returned to the game and played well is an encouraging sign. Based on how he described the injury, my suspicion is that he suffered a quadriceps contusion. While these injuries can occasionally cause players to miss time, the average absence is just one game. To be clear, a contusion has not been confirmed, but I wouldn't be surprised if McCaffrey misses some practice time this week as the team manages his recovery. Ultimately, I expect him to suit up in Week 8.
WR Jaylen Waddle, Denver | Chest | Projection: Week 9
Jaylen Waddle was unable to finish Sunday's game after suffering an injury late in the contest on a reverse play. Waddle and Bo Nix botched the exchange, resulting in a fumble. As Waddle dove to recover the loose ball, he appeared to injure himself when he landed directly on the football. The exact nature and severity of the injury remain unclear. Following the game, head coach Sean Payton addressed this play:
Sean Payton said his Jaylen Waddle reverse call was "AWFUL" "I'M SORRY" https://t.co/8qSIu0BcdW
— Zac Stevens (@ZacStevens) October 25, 2026
It's difficult to determine whether Payton's rather relaxed demeanor offers any insight into the severity of Waddle's injury. However, it's worth noting that Waddle was questionable for much of the week with a chest injury. Based on the mechanism of injury and Waddle grabbing at his shoulder afterward, I'm concerned about a rib injury or an AC joint sprain. If it's a rib injury, Waddle could miss anywhere from 0 to 1 game. An AC joint sprain, however, could result in a longer absence, potentially keeping him sidelined until after the team's Week 10 bye. Until we have more clarity, both possibilities remain on the table.
RB Cam Skattebo, NY Giants | Hamstring | Projection: Week 10
On what ultimately became the game-winning drive, Cam Skattebo appeared to avoid defenders by sliding during a breakaway run deep in opponent territory. The slide looked somewhat awkward and unusual, and Skattebo later confirmed that the decision to slide was injury-related.
Cam Skattebo said he wasn't sliding on purpose on the play that set up Devin Singletary's game-winning touchdown. Said he felt something in his hamstring and knew they were in FG range so he slid. "Good thing we have a bye week." https://t.co/ZlhZMZpjQo
— Dan Graziano (@DanGrazianoESPN) October 25, 2026
As Skattebo mentioned, the Giants have a Week 8 bye, giving him some additional time to recover. However, NFL running backs with hamstring strains typically miss at least two weeks, so his availability coming out of the bye is far from guaranteed. Depending on how these injuries progress, the Giants could find themselves shorthanded in the backfield when they return in Week 9.