With another exciting week now in the books and Week 3 on the horizon, fantasy football owners are rushing to put in waiver claims. Before doing that, they'll need to know the latest injury updates on on key WRs Keenan Allen, Chris Godwin, Michael Pittman Jr., Gabe Davis, and Julio Jones, who all missed last week's games and aren't locks to be in this week's WR rankings.
Below, we'll give you the latest news on these WRs and break down how their injuries could potentially affect the Week 3 fantasy landscape. For news on banged-up players Trey Lance, Justin Herbert, Jerry Jeudy, and Dalton Schultz, click here; for more on ailing RBs James Conner and Damien Harris, go here; for news on banged-up RBs JK Dobbins and Alvin Kamara, go here.
Follow your fantasy team and watch every week during the 2022 NFL season on Sling TV. Stream Sling Orange or Blue for $35/month, or both for $50/month. Right now, get half off your first month, plus SHOWTIME, STARZ, AND EPIX -- first month on us! SIGN UP FOR SLING!
MORE WEEK 3: Top waiver pickups | FAAB report | Trade advice
Keenan Allen injury update, Week 3 fantasy outlook
Allen (hamstring) did not play last Thursday, though it's unclear if the quick turnaround did him in more than anything. NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported last week that there's optimism surrounding Allen after he underwent some tests to see if this would be a long-term injury.
With Allen not playing in Week 2 and having a longer layoff than most, it's important to see him get back on the practice field. If Allen still isn't 100 percent, the Chargers will lean on the wide receiver trio of Mike Williams, Josh Palmer, and DeAndre Carter. Williams was the star of the group against the Chiefs, leading the team with eight receptions (10 targets) for 113 yards and a touchdown. Also, he was one of three players with at least 10 targets (Gerald Everett and Austin Ekeler). Williams should be a WR2 in fantasy football this week, with Gerald Everett a solid streaming option at tight end. Palmer scored late against K.C. and will have flex upside against Jacksonville.
WEEK 3 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Chris Godwin injury update, Week 3 fantasy outlook
Godwin (hamstring) sat out all of last week after being injured early in Week 1's game. When the former Penn State wide receiver initially suffered the injury, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported Godwin could be sidelined for a few weeks.
It would be highly unlikely to see Godwin play this week against the Packers after not practicing at all last week due to the hamstring strain. With these types of soft-tissue injuries, both the player and team have to take the necessary precautions because there's always a chance for a setback. Without Godwin or the suspended Mike Evans, Tampa Bay will lean on Julio Jones (if healthy), Breshad Perriman, Russell Gage, and Scotty Miller. The latter three all received five or more targets in Week 2 against the Saints. The Bucs also added veteran slot wide receiver Cole Beasley to the practice squad, but he's best left on waivers for now.
WEEK 3 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Michael Pittman Jr. injury update, Week 3 fantasy outlook
Pittman Jr. was ruled out with a quad injury on Saturday after being downgraded to "questionable" during the week. However, Colts head coach Frank Reich said on Monday that Pittman "made good progress" over the weekend and should play against the Chiefs on Sunday.
The Colts need Pittman back in the starting lineup, as they sorely missed him in Sunday's embarrassing loss to Jacksonville. Without the young wide receiver, Ashton Dulin stepped up as the team's No. 1 WR with a team-high seven targets and five receptions for 79 yards. Even though Pittman is looking like he'll be able to play against Kanas City, Dulin should be on the radar of fantasy owners, as he's the Colts' second-best wide receiver through two weeks.
Gabe Davis injury update, Week 3 fantasy outlook
Davis surprisingly did not play on Monday night against the Titans due to an ankle injury that he suffered on Sunday in practice, per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. The young wide receiver should hopefully be ready to play in Week 3 against the Dolphins, but we need to see if he practices during the week.
The Bills did not skip a beat on offense without Davis, as Stefon Diggs led the way with 12 receptions (14 targets) for 148 yards and three touchdowns. Buffalo also got contributions from Jake Kumerow, Dawson Knox, and Isaiah McKenzie. If Davis is limited or cannot play against Miami, we should see more targets for Knox after Mark Andrews had a good performance vs. the Dolphins' defense in Week 2.
Julio Jones injury update, Week 3 fantasy outlook
Jones was another Buccaneers' wide receiver who did not play against the Saints due to a knee injury. The veteran receiver missed two days of practice last week and was a "true game-time decision", according to Ian Rapoport.
The Bucs were able to account for Jones' production, as Tom Brady got Breshad Perriman, Scotty Miller, and Russell Gage all involved in the offense. If Jones cannot play against Green Bay, Perriman, who scored the Bucs line receiving TD, or Miller may warrant a pickup off the waiver wire, but obviously this Bucs' WR situation is a guessing game righ tnow.
