Sunday felt as full of injuries as any NFL gameday in a long time, and that means fantasy football owners across the country will be scrambling for their Week 3 preparations, both on the waiver wire and in start-sit decisions. WRs are banged up, including Davante Adams, Courtland Sutton, Sterling Shepard, Sammy Watkins and Breshad Perriman, and a few notable passers didn't finish Sunday's games, either, including Jimmy Garoppolo and Drew Lock, while Tyrod Taylor didn't even start. We have the latest updates on each of those injuries below.
For information on banged-up RBs, including Christian McCaffrey, Raheem Mostert, and Cam Akers, click here. For all the latest fantasy injury news and updates, check back here and on Twitter @SN_Fantasy.
MORE WEEK 3: Full waiver list | FAAB budget planner | Buy-low, sell-high
Davante Adams injury update
UPDATE: Adams is considered "questionable" for Sunday night's game, though his injury isn't believed to be serious.
Adams departed Sunday's game twice. First, he had his ankle rolled up on and headed out for a bit before returning. Then, he exited the game with a hamstring injury. Adams was never ruled out for the remainder of Sunday's game, but he didn't come back in. The Packers play on Sunday Night Football against the Saints in Week 3.
We'll learn more as the week goes on. It's encouraging that he wasn't ruled fully out Sunday despite him not coming back in the game. An Adams absence would elevate Marquez Valdes-Scantling toward WR3 territory and make Allen Lazard a solid flex play. Both should be rostered in most leagues at this point regardless of Adams' health.
WEEK 3 STANDARD RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker
Courtland Sutton injury news
UPDATE 2: NFL Network's Ian Rapoport has confirmed that Sutton tore his ACL. He will now be out for the remainder of the season.
UPDATE 1: The knee injury suffered by Sutton on Sunday could be serious, according to NFL Network. In a follow-up tweet, Ian Rapoport mentioned the possibility of a season-ending injury.
Sutton was questionable for Sunday's game with an AC joint injury in his shoulder before being active and catching three passes for 66 yards. Sutton left the game in the third quarter with what was initially reported as cramping but later had added a knee injury component. Sutton didn't make it back into the game. Sutton is scheduled for a Monday MRI, while 9News in Denver is reporting Sutton's injury "could be significant."
The Broncos already look like they'll be without QB Drew Lock for a few weeks, so Sutton sees a decline in value even if he's healthy enough to play with Jeff Driskel. Week 1 showed us that it's really only Jerry Jeudy who's a viable fantasy option in this offense if Sutton's out, although KJ Hamler made his NFL debut Sunday and has big-play upside in deeper PPR leagues, especially if Sutton is out.
Will Jimmy Garoppolo play Week 3?
Garoppolo sprained his right ankle very early in Sunday's game but played all the way until halftime while carving up the Jets' defense. Garoppolo was ruled out immediately following the half, though, suggesting his examination at the break didn't go well. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Garoppolo sustained a high-ankle sprain.
A high-ankle sprain usually keeps players out for multiple weeks. A Garoppolo absence means a big step down for the entire San Francisco offense, as Nick Mullens would take over. Mullens threw 13 TDs and 10 interceptions in his 2019 action and isn't worth a waiver claim outside of deep two-QB leagues. Better pickups for Garoppolo owners would include Gardner Minshew and Justin Herbert (if Tyrod Taylor is still out).
Drew Lock injury update
Lock landed heavily on his right shoulder during Sunday's game, and ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Lock will miss between two and six weeks with a sprained AC joint in his throwing shoulder. Jeff Driskel replaced Lock and completed 18-of-34 passes for 256 yards and two touchdowns, while being intercepted once and running twice for five yards.
Driskel is a more appealing add than Mullens, although not by much. He's shown some rushing ability in the past, including averaging 50.1 yards per game across three 2018 starts, but it's not clear whether Denver's offense will incorporate such plays for Driskel. A Week 3 matchup with a stout Buccaneers defense means you're probably better off trusting Minshew or Philip Rivers off the waiver wire.
WEEK 3 PPR RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker
Is Tyrod Taylor still the Chargers' starting QB?
UPDATE: Taylor is not expected to start in Week 3.
Taylor apparently aggravated a rib injury in pregame warmups Sunday, making him a last-minute scratch as Justin Herbert got his first NFL start. After Herbert nearly beat the Chiefs, Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn said Taylor remains the starter if he's 100 percent. The mysterious nature of the injury bears watching this week ahead of a pretty favorable Week 3 matchup with the Panthers.
Herbert looked much better in Week 2 than Taylor did in Week 1. Sure, Taylor can still provide some fantasy value with his legs, but this development likely accelerates Herbert's chances of taking over altogether at some point this season. If you have the roster space to work with, especially in a two-QB or superflex league, Herbert is worth an immediate add.
Sammy Watkins injury news
UPDATE: Watkins has tweeted that he's "healthy," but he will need to clear the NFL's concussion protocol before being eligible to play Monday night. Consider him "questionable."
Watkins took a viscious hit to the head during Sunday's game, and while he walked off under his own power, he was visibly affected and did not return to the game. It looks almost certain that Watkins will have to clear concussion protocol to play in Week 3, although he'll have an extra day ahead of a Monday Night Football matchup with the Ravens.
If you owned Watkins already, you might as well hold onto him, as even if he misses one game, it shouldn't snowball into too many more. The bigger question is who has value beyond Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce in this passing game. Demarcus Robinson had been working as the No. 3 WR and caught three-of-four passes Sunday, but Mecole Hardman got involved on the same drive Watkins left and finished with two catches for 30 yards, one short rush, and a two-point conversion. Hardman certainly has the more intriguing long-term upside if you're taking a shot on an add here.
Breshad Perriman injury status
UPDATE: Adam Schefter has reported that Perriman sprained his ankle and is "week-to-week."
Perriman left Sunday's game with an ankle injury and didn't return, further depleting a Jets offense already without Le'Veon Bell and Jamison Crowder. Perriman will undergo tests on Monday, according to ESPN's Rich Cimini. The Jets play in Indianapolis in Week 3.
Perriman's fantasy value was already fringe at best -- his injury makes him droppable if you have other holes to fill this week. Chris Hogan led Jets wideouts in snaps Sunday and is a decent PPR pickup assuming his chest injury isn't serious, while Braxton Berrios also could be added in deeper PPR leagues if Crowder and Perriman are both out in Week 3.
Sterling Shepard injury update
UPDATE 2: Shepard has been placed on IR and will miss at least three games.
UPDATE: Shepard is in danger of missing a game or two, pending the results of an MRI.
Shepard exited Sunday's game with a toe injury, and after trying to play through it on one second-quarter play, he was ruled out for the remainder of the game at halftime. Giants head coach Joe Judge did not provide a postgame update on Shepard.
Shepard's injury was just adding insult to the Giants after Saquon Barkley went down, too. A Shepard absence actually clears things up in a bit of a crowded receiving corps, if Shepard is to miss time. Golden Tate caught five passes Sunday, while Darius Slayton caught three for 33 yards after two touchdowns in Week 1. All three New York wideouts are worth owning in most leagues, although their starting status likely depends on this Shepard injury ahead of Week 3 against the 49ers.