NFL Week 2 Injury Report 2026: Fantasy Football & DFS Players to Monitor

NFL Week 2 Injury Watch at a Glance

Check final game-status announcements before setting your lineup. On mobile, scroll the table sideways to see every column.

Key Player Updates and Fantasy Impact

Brock Bowers Injury Update: Keep a Tight End Backup Ready

Injury status: Bowers missed the Raiders’ opener following a knee procedure. On September 14, Kubiak described him as day-to-day and said the team would follow its medical staff’s guidance. His availability against the Chargers remains unconfirmed.

Fantasy decision: Keep Bowers rostered and retain a usable alternative until his availability is clear. Michael Mayer filled the leading tight end role against Miami, catching six passes for 32 yards on seven targets. He is a short-term option if Bowers remains unavailable; his appeal depends on that opportunity continuing.

DFS consideration: Evaluate Mayer’s salary and expected receiving role only after checking Bowers’ status. If Bowers returns, do not project Mayer for the same workload simply because he was useful in Week 1.

Zay Flowers Injury Update: Day-to-Day With a Hamstring Issue

Injury status: Minter placed Flowers in the day-to-day range on September 14 after his hamstring injury. His Week 2 availability against New Orleans remains unresolved.

Fantasy decision: Hold Flowers and prepare receiver cover rather than assuming either a full workload or an absence. Rashod Bateman becomes a player to evaluate if Baltimore needs to redistribute opportunities, but a larger role would not guarantee a productive fantasy result.

DFS consideration: Keep a receiver alternative ready. A Ravens backup only becomes a useful DFS option if his likely role and salary support the selection.

Ladd McConkey Injury Update: Rib Injury Requires Monitoring

Injury status: Harbaugh said on September 14 that McConkey is day-to-day with a rib injury. Fellow receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith is also expected to miss time with a hamstring injury. An injured-reserve decision had not been announced as of September 14.

Fantasy decision: Keep a receiver alternative ready for McConkey. His participation later in the week and the team’s game-status announcement matter more than interpreting day-to-day as a promise to play.

DFS consideration: An absence in the Chargers’ receiving group could redistribute targets without making one backup a dependable value play. Evaluate expected routes, targets and salary before choosing a replacement.

Kyler Murray Injury Update: Concussion Protocol Leaves QB Plans Open

Injury status: Kevin O’Connell said on September 14 that Murray remained in concussion protocol after leaving the opener. Minnesota had not announced its starting quarterback against Chicago as of September 14.

Fantasy decision: Managers relying on Murray should arrange cover before their waiver deadline. Carson Wentz is a contingency option after serving as Minnesota’s second quarterback and replacing Murray in Week 1, but his Week 2 starting role still requires confirmation.

DFS consideration: Do not select Wentz on the assumption that he must start. Confirm the quarterback decision and assess his price before considering a lineup built around Minnesota’s passing game. In season-long leagues, a possible replacement matters more in Superflex or two-QB formats than on a roster with one reliable starting quarterback.

Sam Darnold Injury Update: No Firm Return Date

Injury status: On September 14, Seattle described Darnold’s condition as a short-term glute soft-tissue injury with no firm return timeline. The team said his hip joint was unaffected.

Fantasy decision: Short-term does not establish that Darnold will play in Week 2. Keep a quarterback alternative available. Drew Lock is a contingency candidate if Seattle confirms him as the starter, rather than an automatic addition for every one-QB league.

DFS consideration: Assess Seattle’s passing game around the confirmed starter. A quarterback change does not automatically make its receivers unusable or its lower-priced quarterback good value.

TreVeyon Henderson Injury Update: Practice Return Is Encouraging

Injury status: Henderson returned to practice on September 14 after missing the opener with an ankle injury. Mike Vrabel described an initial return to activity on September 14, without confirming a game-day workload.

Fantasy decision: Keep Henderson rostered, but separate being available from being ready for a substantial role. Monitor how the backfield could be shared with Rhamondre Stevenson before treating Henderson as an automatic starter or sharply reducing expectations for Stevenson.

DFS consideration: A return from injury is not enough to establish value. Consider the expected split of carries and receiving work, especially if the team has not clarified whether Henderson will have any restrictions.

A.J. Brown Injury Update: Confirmed Absence on Injured Reserve

Injury status: New England placed Brown on injured reserve, requiring him to miss at least four games. Brown is first eligible to return in Week 6 against the Jets on October 18, but that date does not guarantee he will be ready to play.

Fantasy decision: Remove Brown from your Week 2 starting lineup. Use a fantasy injured-reserve slot where your league allows it rather than dropping him solely because he cannot play this week.

Players to monitor: The Patriots identify Mack Hollins and Kyle Williams as candidates for more outside-receiver work. Both deserve an availability check in deeper leagues, but neither should be projected to reproduce Brown’s expected production automatically.

Ja’Kobi Lane Injury Update: Separate Concern in Baltimore

Injury status: Baltimore said Lane’s wrist needed further evaluation and could take longer than Flowers’ injury. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported a fractured wrist.

Fantasy decision: Do not add Lane as a healthy substitute for Flowers. Wait for clearer availability and workload information before considering him for a lineup.

How to Handle These Injuries in Season-Long Fantasy

Fill a real lineup need first. A usable quarterback for a Murray or Darnold roster may be more valuable than another speculative receiver. A Bowers manager needs tight end cover more urgently than a team already holding two healthy options.

Keep replacement claims conditional. Mayer’s appeal depends on Bowers’ availability. Wentz and Lock require confirmation of a starting role. Do not spend as though an uncertain injury has already guaranteed several weeks of work for the next player.

Check whom you would drop. A temporary injury replacement is not always worth losing a stronger season-long asset. Use your bench and any eligible injured-reserve positions before making an irreversible roster decision.

For receiver depth, running back options and suggested free-agent budget ranges, see the NFL Week 2 waiver wire rankings. Match the claim to your scoring system and current player pool rather than following an overall ranking blindly.

What These Injuries Mean for Week 2 DFS

Salary-cap contests: An injury can create an opportunity, but it does not establish value without a salary and a realistic workload. Evaluate playing time, routes and touches rather than choosing the cheapest recognizable backup. Confirm availability and expected workload before selecting a player.

Late decisions: Plan a replacement with a compatible position and salary before entering a lineup. Use late swap only where the contest permits it, and do not assume that a player whose game has started can be replaced.

Pick’Em contests: Read the contest’s injury and settlement rules before submitting selections. Do not assume an early exit, reduced role or late absence will automatically void a pick. For an introduction to the different formats, see the DFS sites and Pick’Em guide.

Practice Reports, Game Status and Week 2 Deadlines

The NFL injury-report format separates practice participation from game status. DNP means a player did not participate, LP means limited participation and FP means full participation. None should be confused with a guarantee of a particular fantasy workload.

Use the team’s final game-status announcement and game-day inactive list alongside the practice reports. Day-to-day is a coaching description, while Out, Doubtful and Questionable are game-status designations. A player’s Week 1 designation does not automatically apply to Week 2.

Week 2 begins with Detroit at Buffalo on Thursday, September 17, at 8:15 p.m. Eastern Time. Check your Thursday players and backup options before kickoff, then assess the remaining matchups before their own lineup deadlines.

NFL Week 2 Injury Report FAQs

Is Brock Bowers playing in Week 2?

Bowers was described as day-to-day on September 14, with his Week 2 availability still unconfirmed. Keep a tight end alternative until the Raiders announce his game status.

Are Zay Flowers and Ladd McConkey ruled out?

Their teams described both as day-to-day on September 14, not ruled out for Week 2. Keep receiver cover available and follow subsequent practice reports and official game-status announcements.

Can A.J. Brown play in Week 2?

No. Brown’s injured-reserve placement rules him out for Week 2. His earliest eligibility date is not a guarantee that he will return immediately when eligible.

Should I pick up every backup to an injured player?

No. Prioritize a clear opportunity that fits your roster. An uncertain injury, shared workload or unconfirmed starting role can make a backup less useful than a healthy alternative already available in your league.