The Green Bay Packers beat the Washington Commanders, 27-18, on Thursday night to kick off an exciting Week 2 slate. There are several must-watch games on the docket this weekend, from the Eagles-Chiefs Super Bowl rematch to Ben Johnson's Detroit homecoming and a spicy Monday Night Football rivalry match between the Chargers and the Raiders.
As always, however, injuries are a constant in the NFL. Rarely does a team enter the week with a completely healthy roster — even this early on. Football is a brutal sport that requires the best athletes in the world to batter each other at full speed for 60 minutes every five-to-seven days. Of course dudes get hurt.
The Week 1 injury slate was not barren, but there are even more notable names flirting with an absence in Week 2. Here's what you need to know about the injuries of consequence.
WR Xavier Worthy, Kansas City Chiefs: Shoulder, doubtful
Worthy seems unlikely to suit up after he injured his shoulder on an inadvertent collision with Travis Kelce three plays into Kansas City's Week 1 game in São Paulo. The second-year receiver was a limited participant in practice on Thursday, but Andy Reid gave him a "slim" chance to play.
That's a bummer for Worthy and the Chiefs, who could use all their offensive firepower for a prove-it game against the reigning champs. Philadelphia embarrassed the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX — a feeling this Chiefs team is not accustomed to. Kansas City enters the game 0-1, feeling more vulnerable than ever. This Eagles defense is not quite the juggernaut it was a year ago, but the Chiefs' offense might be taking another step back, too.
In addition to Worthy, the Chiefs will already be without Rashee Rice as he serves his six-game suspension. Rookie wideout Jalen Royals is out with a knee injury, too. The Chiefs will need a lot from Hollywood Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster as a result.
LB Andrew Van Ginkel, Minnesota Vikings: Concussion, out
After an extended stay in Miami to begin his career, Van Ginkel broke out in a big way with the Vikings last season. He made his first Pro Bowl appearance and finished seventh in DPOY voting. He does a little bit of everything for the Minnesota defense; he finished 2024 with two interceptions (both returned for a touchdown) and 11.5 sacks. But he will miss the Vikings' Week 2 showdown with Atlanta due to a concussion.
The Vikings eked out a Week 1 victory over Chicago due to a sensational second half from second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy. The Vikings probably won't match their 14-win total from a year ago, but it's clear Minnesota is not fading into obscurity with McCarthy at the reins. That said, the Falcons are in desperate need of a win after a blown opportunity againt Tampa Bay. Few teams can ill-afford an 0-2 start more than Atlanta.
This will be a prime matchup between two of the NFL's most promising young quarterbacks. Michael Penix Jr. looks like the real deal, and he can do a ton of damage when he has time to stand in the pocket and load up for deep throws. Minnesota's defense is capable of getting to any quarterback, but Van Ginkel's absence — along with the absence of fellow linebacker Blake Cashman — will be deeply felt.
TE Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders: Knee, questionable
Bowers left the Raiders' Week 1 win over the Patriots with a knee injury. Pete Carroll said the star tight end could have returned to the game, but his absence at practice this week raises questions over his availability for Monday Night Football. With a dominant Chargers defense on the docket, Bowers' absence would be a huge blow to Las Vegas' chances.
Last week gave us a taste of what this Raiders offense could become. Geno Smith is an immensely talented quarterback and Bowers profiles as his top target most weeks. If Ashton Jeanty can't break out, however, Las Vegas might be too reliant on the pass attack. Remove Bowers from the equation, and suddenly the Raiders just lack firepower all around. Smith needs a certain level of support given his aggressive play style (and Las Vegas' exploitable O-line).
The Chargers and Raiders are both threatening to make the AFC West a more competitive division this season. Las Vegas in particular is under pressure to deliver results with the oldest head coach in NFL history, but Bowers' potential absence looms large over their first big test of the season.
RB Quinshon Judkins, Cleveland Browns: Personal, questionable
Quinshon Judkins, the Browns' second-round pick, was accused of domestic assault and battery in July. The charges were subsequently dropped in August, which cleared the way for Cleveland to sign him to his rookie contract. The Ohio State product is expected to make his NFL debut on Sunday, although he's technically listed as questionable.
Judkins isn't hurt, he's just ramping up after missing a large chunk of offseason activities. The Browns aren't particularly deep at running back, so Judkins should step into a substantial role out of the gate. His backups, Dylan Sampson and Jerome Ford, averaged 2.4 yards and 1.3 yards per carry in Week 1, respectively.
Cleveland faces a tough challenge against Baltimore, arguably the NFL's best team on paper. But after a heartbreaker against Cincinnati, the Browns look like a team that can at least compete. This will be Joe Flacco's long-awaited return to M&T Bank Stadium, which adds an extra layer of intrigue beyond Judkins' potential debut.
DT Ed Oliver, Buffalo Bills: Ankle, out
Buffalo's defense coughed up a 40-burger against the Ravens in Week 1. If not for a Herculean effort from Josh Allen in the fourth quarter, the Bills would be 0-1 right now. Their defense clearly has its faults, which makes Buffalo's Week 2 injury report particularly worrisome.
In addition to the questionable status of cornerbacks Tre'Davious White and Taron Johnson, Buffalo will be without veteran defensive tackle Oliver. The 27-year-old picked up six tackles, two QB hits and a sack against Baltimore, but he injured his ankle in practice this week. The Bills cannot afford to bleed much more talent defensively.
On paper, the Jets are a comfortable step down in competition compared to the Super Bowl-aspiring Ravens, but New York put up 32 points on Pittsburgh in Week 1. That offense is borrowing heavily from the Ben Johnson-era Lions, and Justin Fields can give a bad defense problems with his versatility. New York isn't short on talent. The Bills can't expect a cakewalk.
WR Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Ankle, questionable
This comes as a mild surprise, as Godwin was expected to need at least a few weeks to recover from offseason ankle surgery. But the veteran wideout practiced for the first time this week and head coach Todd Bowles left the door open for Godwin to make his season debut on Monday Night Football against the Texans.
Tampa Bay basically stumbled backward into a win over the Falcons this past Sunday, with Younghoe Koo whiffing on a game-tying field goal in the game's final seconds. The offense, which is now led by its third different coordinator in a three-year span, did not look quite as propulsive and explosive as we were accustomed to under ex-OC Liam Coen.
Godwin's return should help, as his connection with Baker Mayfield transcends the typical QB-WR dynamic. Mayfield's rapport with his top wide receivers is what makes Tampa Bay so dangerous, and it's why the Bucs still profile as clear favorites to win the NFC South.
QB Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers: Foot, out
Purdy is expected to miss 2-5 weeks with turf toe, which vaults Mac Jones into the QB1 slot for San Francisco. It has been a long time coming, as Jones was a pre-draft favorite of Kyle Shanahan once upon a time.
A lot has changed — both for San Francisco and for Jones — since the 2021 draft, but both need each other now. Jones is hoping to revive his career in a proven scheme. The Niners would sure like to stay afloat without Purdy. The Saints are their Week 2 opponent, so the deck is stacked in their favor. There's a nonzero chance that Jones is the better quarterback on the field Sunday afternoon, with all due respect to Spencer Rattler.
In addition to Purdy, the Niners are looking at another shorthanded week offensively, as wide receiver Jauan Jennings and offensive tackle Trent Williams are questionable, which tight end George Kittle has been placed on injured reserve. So, Jones will still be fighting an uphill battle, even if the opponent is inferior.