Fantasy Football Strategy: Navigating the Pre-Season Fantasy Football Injury Report

Medically reviewed by Misty Seidenburg

The 2024 NFL season is fast approaching, and as you build your dream team, don’t forget to check out the latest fantasy football injury reports. Knowing who is injured and their rehabilitation status will help you make smart picks for a winning season. These are common football injuries we’re seeing in the pre-season, along with updates on players returning from season-ending conditions.

ACL Tears

Athletes who play football and other high-demand sports that require frequent stops, starts, and direction changes are susceptible to sprains involving the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL.)

The ACL runs diagonally across the middle of the knee and stabilizes the joint by preventing excessive rotation and forward movements. Slowing down or stopping suddenly, landing awkwardly from a jump, quick direction changes, and direct hits to the knee can damage the ACL. ACL sprains range in severity from mild overstretching to complete tears.

Let’s look at who is out with an ACL injury and who is returning after ACL reconstruction.

• Daniel Jones—Quarterback: New York Giants: Jones underwent ACL reconstruction surgery in November 2023 for an isolated ACL tear (no other damage). By spring 2024, he was cutting and running in spring practices and is on track to play in Week 1.
• Mike Williams—Wide Receiver: New York Jets: By the time training camp opens, Williams will be nine months post-op for a torn left ACL. He says he’s ready to play, but there can be some apprehension for Williams and other players returning with a surgically repaired knee.
• J. Hockenson—Tight End: Minnesota Vikings: Hockenson’s journey back to play is a bit more complex because he suffered a torn ACL and medial collateral ligament (MCL) in Week 16. Team reps say he is “ahead of schedule.” Yet, given that he’ll be just seven months out from surgery, he may start on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, depending on his progress in the weeks ahead.

ACL Injury Recovery With Physical Therapy

After Jones was injured in early November 2023, he opted for surgery on Thanksgiving day instead of waiting until after the holiday. That is because, for a professional NFL player, every day counts. Recovery from ACL surgery can take nine months to a year or more. The recovery time is closer to three months for ACL injuries that do not require surgical repair.

Physical therapy is an essential part of  ACL tear recovery. Once an athlete is cleared for activity, physical therapists introduce gentle post-op exercises to reduce swelling, rebuild muscle strength, and restore range of motion. Manual therapy, including stretching, soft tissue mobilization, and scar therapy, helps reduce soft tissue and joint restriction while promoting healing.

ACL tear prevention strategies are also crucial for injury prevention in football. Players work with physical therapists to improve their landing and turning power, coordination, speed, and balance to protect the knee and prevent season-ending injuries.

Achilles Tears

Another group of NFL players are rebounding from Achilles tendon injuries. The Achilles tendon is a strong fibrous cord that connects the calf muscles to the heel bone. It helps you push off your foot when walking, rise on your toes, and point your foot down. We all depend on this tendon when we walk and move our feet.

Like ACL injuries, Achilles tendon injuries are more common in sports with sudden starts and stops, such as football, soccer, basketball, and tennis. Achilles tendinopathy is tendon breakdown, typically from overuse, that responds well to conservative treatment with physical therapy.

An Achilles tendon tear is a more severe condition where the tendon is overstretched, partially torn, or fully ruptured. With a complete rupture, you might hear an audible “pop” followed by sudden, intense pain in the lower leg and back of the ankle. A torn Achilles tendon can be treated surgically or non-surgically.

According to research, most professional athletes choose surgery because it allows them to regain full strength. However, non-surgical treatment with physical therapy and other non-invasive treatments can also offer a good outcome.

Here are some of the NFL’s top players returning from Achilles surgery this season:

• Aaron Rodgers—Quarterback: New York Jets: Just four plays into his debut for the Jets in September 2023, Rodgers tore his Achilles and had surgery two days later. He defied the odds by returning to practice 77 days post-surgery, thanks to an innovative “speed-bridge” procedure designed to expedite recovery. With his aggressive rehab program and the extra time to recover, Rodgers’ style of play is unlikely to be impacted in 2024.
•  Kirk Cousins—Quarterback: Atlanta Falcons: In Week 8, an Achilles tear put an early end to Cousins’ promising 2023 season. While Cousins’ rehabilitation program wasn’t quite as aggressive as Rodgers’, he is said to have made excellent progress. It will be interesting to see if Cousins has fully regained all his power as he leans into the back recovered leg to push the ball down the field.
•  K. Dobbins—Running Back: Los Angeles Chargers: Quarterbacks aren’t the only players rebuilding from Achilles ruptures. In Week 1 of 2023, Dobbins tore his left Achilles after returning the year before from ACL/LCL reconstruction. But after joining the Chargers as a free agent, Dobbins is ready to impress. His surgeon cleared him to play back in March 2024 and said he looks “outstanding” in his recovery.

Physical Therapy and Achilles Injury Rehabilitation

Physical therapists have the tools and training to help elite athletes and weekend warriors prevent and recover from Achilles tendon injuries. Achilles tendinopathy and post-surgical therapy help encourage tendon healing, increase strength, and improve power needed to return to sports.

A comprehensive treatment plan to heal Achilles injuries combines therapeutic exercise and stretching with hands-on therapies to ease pain and stiffness, restore normal range of motion, and combat muscle weakness and instability. Athletes also benefit from preventative functional training to teach safe, controlled movements that minimize tension on the Achilles and lower the risk of sports injuries.

Sprains, Strains, and Fractures: Notable Pre-Season Football Injuries

Football players are at high risk of musculoskeletal injuries even with protective equipment. According to a study of college athletes published by the National Athletic Trainer Association, football has the highest game injury rate of all sports. The following players are coming off sports injuries or were recently hurt in the pre-season.

• Joe Burrow—Quarterback: Cincinnati Bengals: Burrow tore ligaments in his right wrist in 2023, which required surgery, but says the team has done a great job with his recovery, calling his rehab process “lights out.”
• Ricky Pearsall—Wide Receiver: San Francisco 49ers: Pearsall was recently taken off the injury list after rehabbing from a hamstring strain during workouts. He is activated to play but has been seen working with trainers on the side during recent practices.
• DeShaun Watson—Quarterback: Cleveland Browns: Watson is on track to start the season after a series of shoulder injuries, including a fracture of the shoulder socket. After surgery, he started a progressive throwing program and is still working to regain his distance before the fall.
• Chris Olave—Wide Receiver: New Orleans Saints: Olave was placed on the active/non-football injury list before training camp due to back tightness. In July, he left practice early due to a hip injury. As of now, his status remains unclear as his team evaluates his condition.
• Cole Bishop—Safety: Buffalo Bills: Bishop left a recent practice with an apparent injury and did not return. While he was seen with a “heavily wrapped arm,” his status is also currently unclear.

Check the NFL 2024 Injury Report, CBS Sports, and ESPN Fantasy Football online for the latest fantasy football injuries and insight on your top draft picks.

Factors That Impact Sports Injury Recovery

So, what does a severe football injury mean for your top fantasy football prospects? That depends on many factors, including:

• The player’s age
• Previous injuries
• Pain management strategies
• Health and fitness prior to injury
• Mental health and readiness to return to sport

The quality of their football player rehab program also impacts their ability to perform at pre-injury levels. While you’re pulling for your favorite players during their recovery, you can trust they have a dedicated team of physical therapists and athletic trainers working to get them back on the field safely.

But you don’t have to be a pro athlete to see results from sports therapy to improve performance, decrease the risk of injuries, and return to activity after surgery. To learn how you can benefit from a sports physical therapy program, find a physical therapy clinic near you or request an appointment online.

External Sources:

• 2024 fantasy football injury outlook – Aaron Rodgers, Kirk Cousins among those returning – ESPN
• NFL announces training camp reporting dates, locations for all 32 teams for 2024 season
• Return-to-play and performance after operative treatment of Achilles tendon rupture in elite male athletes: a scoping review | British Journal of Sports Medicine (bmj.com)
• Giants QB Daniel Jones says recovery from ACL tear is ‘going well’ – ESPN
• Achilles Tendon Rip-Stop SpeedBridge Repair – PMC (nih.gov)
• Play-By-Play | NATA
• Bengals QB Joe Burrow practices amid wrist injury comeback – ESPN