As we gear up for our second NFL Sunday of the season, fantasy football managers everywhere are scrambling to make last-second lineup tweaks. Success in the fantasy realm comes down to understanding matchups and predicting outlier performances. It also requires you to keep tabs on the injured list, just in case.
There's nothing worse than absentmindedly letting the morning pass, only to check your lineup at 1:01 p.m. ET and realizing your starting wide receiver is ruled out — and that it's too late to yank him.
Let's dive into some of the more notable injuries that fantasy football managers should care about in the early slate of Week 2, from a potential QB1's absence to a deluge of tight end injuries that is sure to impact managers across your league.
K Younghoe Koo, Atlanta Falcons
Younghoe Koo did not travel with the Atlanta Falcons to Minnesota. He's being benched in favor of Parker Romo, who gets the nod after Koo whiffed on a potential game-tying field goal in the final seconds of Atlanta's Week 1 loss to Tampa Bay.
This is a surprising outcome. Koo has been a staple in Atlanta for years now – a fan favorite and, more often than not, a damn good kicker. It feels a bit extreme to bench him for one missed field goal under pressure, but the NFL is a business, and an unforgiving one at that. The Falcons can't afford to start the season slow and it's clear that Raheem Morris does not want to leave any more close games in Koo's hands.
TE Darren Waller, Miami Dolphins
Darren Waller will miss his second straight game to start the season. The unretired veteran is an immense talent and a worthy flier in fantasy once he's back, but honestly ... let's give the Miami Dolphins a chance to fix their offense before considering Waller any kind of sleeping giant. We need to make sure Tua Tagovailoa can still deliver a football with something resembling accuracy.
WR Xavier Worthy, Kansas City Chiefs
Xavier Worthy inadvertently collided with Travis Kelce in Week 1 and will miss Week 2 as a result. That sets up Hollywood Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster to handle the majority of Patrick Mahomes' wide receiver targets against Philadelphia, as rookie Jalen Royals is also hurt and Rashee Rice is currently serving a six-game suspension. Brown is the only Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver worth a start in most fantasy leagues, with Kelce obviously in line for a nice chunk of targets at tight end.
TE George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers simply refuse to catch a break. George Kittle is on IR after suffering a hamstring injury in Week 1. That elevates Jake Tonges to primary tight end duties, while injury questions abound elsewhere on the depth chart, too. Star O-lineman Trent Williams will miss Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints, and it will be Mac Jones lining up under center in Week 2, so fade Tonges — and the entire Niners offense.
QB Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco's signal-caller is expected to miss between two and five weeks with turf toe, a brutal early-season blow for a team that's been plagued by rotten injury luck. Purdy is probably a top-10ish fantasy quarterback when healthy. Kyle Shanahan's offense promotes big days in the pocket. But unfortunately, we cannot trust Mac Jones to replicate Purdy's production. Do not start Mac Jones. Don't do it!
TE Isaiah Likely, Baltimore Ravens
Isaiah Likely will miss his second straight game to open the campaign. That leaves Mark Andrews unimpeded for tight end targets, but he only managed one catch for five yards in the Baltimore Ravens' 40-point Week 1 explosion. Andrews is still worth starting at a thin position, but be wary — and be prepared for the possibility of Likely surpassing him on the depth chart in the coming weeks.
TE Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles
The Chiefs will be without a good chunk of their wide receiver room, but the Philadelphia Eagles aren't entering the Super Bowl LIX rematch at full strength either. Dallas Goedert, which was memorable in Philly's shellacking of Kansas City in February, is on ice due to a knee injury. That could open up more targets for desperate A.J. Brown owners.