Fantasy Football Redraft

Print

Fantasy Football Injuries: Key Updates on Tyreek Hill, Malik Nabers, and More

Nothing can wreck a fantasy season like injuries.

But injuries also present opportunity. We can gain an edge over our competition by having a better understanding of injuries, how long they’ll keep players out, and how they’ll impact performance upon return.

That’s why we’re bringing in Tyler Smola -- a Doctor of Physical Therapy with more than a decade of sports medicine experience -- to break down what these injuries really mean for fantasy managers.

Each week, Tyler will separate rumor from reality, explain timelines, and give you the performance outlook you need to make sharper fantasy decisions.

Fantasy Football Injuries: QBs

Lamar Jackson, Ravens

Injury: Hamstring strain
Expected Games Missed: 0-4
Performance Impact Upon Return: Low on passing, Medium-high on rushing

Jackson left in the third quarter with a hamstring injury and did not return. HC John Harbaugh said Monday that we won’t get an official update until Wednesday, but signs point to a low-grade hamstring strain. We currently do not expect him to miss extended time.

His passing ability should be minimally affected, but expect a significant impact on his rushing performance. While Lamar may return to the field quickly, he will likely adjust his playing style to avoid unnecessary acceleration and sprinting, which carry the highest risk of worsening the injury.

Secondary hamstring injuries often end up costing players 4 or more games.

Fantasy Football Injuries: RBs

Braelon Allen, Jets

Injury: MCL Sprain
Expected Games Missed: 1-6
Performance Impact Upon Return: Medium

Video evidence shows excessive valgus force to the knee, suggesting a likely MCL sprain for Allen. Fortunately, his foot did not remain planted, which may have prevented a more severe injury. We'll need to wait for an official update, but for now, it's likely that Allen will miss some time.

Fantasy Football Injuries: WRs

Tyreek Hill, Dolphins

Injury: Multi-ligament tear, knee dislocation
Expected Games Missed: Season ending (Career ending?)
Performance Impact Upon Return: High next season

If you’ve seen the video or photo, it’s clear this is the most severe injury of the season so far. It appears to be a multi-ligament tear, almost certainly involving the ACL, with possible damage to the LCL, MCL, and PCL as well. 

With an injury this significant, there’s also concern for potential arterial and nerve damage in the knee. Hill may require multiple surgeries and face a recovery timeline of more than 12 months. 

There’s a real possibility this was the last time we see Hill on an NFL field.

Malik Nabers, Giants

Injury: ACL tear
Expected Games Missed: Season ending
Performance Impact Upon Return: Medium-high next season

Nabers tore his ACL during a non-contact injury and will miss the remainder of the season. He’ll hope to return by Week 1 next year. The biggest factor impacting his recovery timeline is whether there’s an associated meniscus tear, as this can add 4-6 weeks to the recovery.

Typically, recovery from ACL reconstruction takes 9-12 months, which would align with a potential return around the start of next season. However, the data is clear: we can expect a significant drop in production during the first year back, with minimal issues by the second year post-injury.

The good news is that this is Nabers’ first major knee injury. The bad news is that it now increases his risk for a future ACL tear.

Darnell Mooney, Falcons

Injury: Hamstring strain
Expected Games Missed: 0-2
Performance Impact Upon Return: Low-Medium

There has been no official update from the Falcons on Mooney, but NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on Monday that he is unlikely to miss any games, thanks in part to a Week 5 bye. This would suggest a low-grade strain, which typically means minimal performance impact and a lower risk of re-injury upon return.

Keep an eye out for an official update from Atlanta to confirm this report.

Cedric Tillman, Browns

Injury: Hamstring strain
Expected Games Missed: 2-4
Performance Impact Upon Return: Medium

Unlike the Mooney situation, HC Kevin Stefanski stated that Tillman will be out for "weeks." A higher-grade strain typically means more time missed, a greater impact on performance upon return, and a higher risk of re-injury.

Expect acceleration and top-end speed to be the most affected aspects of Tillman’s game once he returns to the field.

Calvin Austin, Steelers

Injury: Shoulder
Expected Games Missed: TBD
Performance Impact Upon Return: TBD

We don’t have specific details on the injury Austin sustained, but we do know he left the stadium in an ambulance, wearing a sling, and was taken to a local hospital in Dublin. All NFL stadiums are equipped with imaging to quickly assess injuries – perhaps Croke Park is not? 

This situation suggests one of a few possibilities: limited access to imaging, a dislocated shoulder that proved difficult to reduce, or a known fracture that raised immediate concern. As of now, we only know that Austin is expected to miss multiple weeks.

What Do These Injuries Mean For Your Fantasy Team?

The smartest managers don’t just track injuries ... they act on them faster than the rest of the league.

Our fantasy football projections update around the clock and feed directly into Team Intel, Free Agent Finder, and the rest of our fully customized tools.

Sync your league now to get your unfair advantage.

Next Up

Fantasy Football League Sync

Next Article  

Tyler Smola, Injury Analyst

Tyler brings over a decade of sports medicine knowledge to Draft Sharks. He will be writing weekly injury analysis articles this season and will bring an expertise in sports medicine, rehabilitation, and sports performance to Draft Sharks.