Everything that happens in the NFL has some additional context when viewed from a fantasy football perspective. From position battles to injuries and so much more, the news cycle will constantly affect player values in fantasy football.
Our fantasy football buzz file, with contributions from our ESPN Fantasy writers and our NFL Nation reporters, aims to provide fantasy managers with the intel they need as news breaks around the NFL.
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Aug. 7: Josh Downs, Rondale Moore suffer leg injuries
Tristan H. Cockcroft: Josh Downs left Wednesday’s practice with an ankle injury, with some fear present that it could a high ankle sprain, an injury type that typically carries a multiple-week absence. It diminishes the second-year receiver’s chances at being ready to absorb the slot-receiver/No. 2-target role for the Indianapolis Colts at the season’s onset, on the heels of a productive rookie campaign (157.1 PPR fantasy points).
Interestingly enough, Downs was going later in drafts on average than rookie Adonai Mitchell, one of two top options likely to receive a boost in targets if Downs misses regular-season time (Alec Pierce being the other). Mitchell’s preseason reports and performance now warrant careful monitoring, and he’ll be a more interesting late-round flier if he takes hold of the expanded opportunity. Downs, whose upside was limited in a slot role anyway, is no longer a consideration at all in standard (10-team) leagues.
A fantasy disappointment in his three seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, Rondale Moore suffered a leg injury at Atlanta Falcons camp on Wednesday, with the possibility it might result in an extended absence. He wasn’t likely to be much more than a rotational or slot receiver with his new team, pushing Ray-Ray McCloud III more firmly into that role. Drake London, Kyle Pitts, Darnell Mooney and Bijan Robinson should be the team’s top four receiving options, and less competition for those only further solidifies their target shares.
Aug. 6: Christian McCaffrey to miss preseason with calf injury
Tristan H. Cockcroft: Any news that surrounds the consensus No. 1 overall player in fantasy football, Christian McCaffrey, sends waves through our game, so Tuesday’s admission by San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan that his star running back will miss a couple of weeks of practice and is unlikely to appear in any preseason games has the potential to send us into a state of panic. For all of McCaffrey’s successes, including scoring the second-most PPR fantasy points in a season in history (2019) while easily leading his position in the category in 2023, he does have an extensive injury history, having missed a combined 24 games in 2020-21. Nevertheless, this injury timetable provides plenty of time for him to be ready for Week 1 practices with full readiness for said season opener, and it’s important to note that McCaffrey has appeared in only one preseason game in the past three seasons combined (and rather sparingly in it), as he is one of the few players who doesn’t need preseason game action to prepare for games that count. This makes Elijah Mitchell a more important insurance policy in the later rounds, if you’re lucky enough to draw the No. 1 draft position, but this isn’t a setback that should take McCaffrey out of that coveted top spot.
Aug. 5: Puka Nacua “week-to-week” with right knee injury
Stephania Bell: Nacua left practice early on Aug. 4 but returned to the sidelines to watch with ice on his knee (per Jordan Rodrigue of The Athletic). ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Monday Nacua is considered week-to-week, but the injury is not considered serious. At this point in the preseason, week-to-week likely reflects the concept of bringing a player back slowly, even from something minor. Nacua played in all 17 games in his rookie season, at different points playing through an AC sprain and a hip ailment, and the team would no doubt like to have him match that availability this fall.
Aug. 2: DeAndre Hopkins sliding into WR5 range
Eric Karabell: Hopkins injured his left knee during a recent practice and the Titans believe he will miss 4-to-6 weeks, certainly jeopardizing his participation for early weeks of the regular season. Hopkins, a borderline WR2 producer in PPR leagues during his first season with the Titans, became viewed as a relative sleeper by many since his current ADP has him slotted as a late WR4, mainly because of the team’s addition of younger wideout Calvin Ridley. However, this injury news erases optimism, as Hopkins will likely miss September as he recovers, and fantasy managers are reminded that he missed 15 games during the 2021 and 2022 seasons, though some due to suspension. Regardless, Hopkins, a five-time Pro Bowler, figures to fall to WR5 range now.
Eric Karabell: Herbert will wear a boot on his right foot for at least two weeks, and while the Chargers claim optimism he will be ready for Week 1 of the regular season (roughly five weeks away), fantasy managers should be suspicious of this timeline. Herbert, among the top fantasy quarterbacks in 2021 but not since then, already comes at a draft-day discount (ADP of QB16), due to new coach Jim Harbaugh planning a run-heavy offense and a dearth of proven receiving talent. The fear of this injury affecting Herbert’s ability (as my colleague Stephania Bell details below) and September participation is real, as well as risk of lingering issues. A case for the talented Herbert as a borderline QB1 option for deeper leagues was reasonable prior to this news, but certainly not now as he slips to late QB range.
Stephania Bell: Plantar fascia injuries are extremely painful. It is an injury to the fibrous band that supports the arch of the foot and with every step, that band is placed under tension … so imagine tugging on something that is inflamed or torn when you bear weight, and the more you do, the worse it gets.
A boot elevates the heel, decreasing the strain on the plantar fascia, and that hopefully will allow the tissue to begin healing. But these injuries can take months to fully recover from, especially if intense activity is resumed before the healing is complete. So the question becomes how will it impact him? It’s his plant leg, which helps drive the ball when he throws and it could potentially make any of his movement more challenging. That said, Herbert has proven himself to be incredibly stoic, playing through painful conditions and performing well in the past.
Aug. 2: Geno Smith working through multiple injuries
Eric Karabell: Smith got positive news after undergoing testing for hip and knee issues, and a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that Smith “shouldn’t miss any time.” The surprising No. 5 fantasy quarterback scorer from the 2022 season took a predictable step back statistically last season, ranking among the biggest fantasy quarterback disappointments, and there seems to be little momentum for him in ESPN ADP, as he generally goes undrafted. In fact, some fantasy managers — and surely Seahawks fans — may prefer offseason acquisition Sam Howell, who played well in spurts for Washington last season. Howell, who has a stronger arm and is 10 years younger than Smith, awaits another opportunity.
