Fantasy football managers have several wide receiver injuries to monitor as 2026 drafts pick up steam. Some players have returned to practice, while others are still working back from major knee, ankle, and lower-body injuries.
These updates can affect fantasy ADP, early-season expectations, and roster construction. Let’s examine the latest outlooks for these fantasy notables and how to handle their individual situations.
Wide Receiver Injury Updates
Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams
Nearly two weeks after psoas soreness ended his Aug. 11 joint practice with Dallas, Nacua remained out of team drills on Aug. 24. He progressed to side work on Aug. 25, but the Rams have not returned him to a full practice after Sean McVay initially expected an absence of roughly one week. Los Angeles continues to expect Nacua back for Week 1.
Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals
A left knee hyperextension forced Chase to miss practice on Aug. 26 after he suffered the injury while pursuing a pass one day earlier. He downplayed the severity and indicated that he could have played if Cincinnati had a game, while the Bengals already planned to rest their starters in the preseason finale. Nothing currently suggests that his Week 1 availability faces a serious threat. Chase’s first-round fantasy value remains intact.
Malik Nabers, New York Giants
On Aug. 24, Nabers shed his red no-contact jersey and caught six passes across 13 snaps during seven-on-seven and 11-on-11 periods. He left the Aug. 26 practice roughly 20 minutes early, but head coach John Harbaugh said he did not suffer a new injury. Week 1 looks increasingly realistic following Nabers’ ACL and meniscus surgery, though New York still could manage his early workload.
Emeka Egbuka, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay kept Egbuka out of practice again on Aug. 25, nearly two weeks after he suffered a toe sprain during a joint practice with the New York Jets. The Buccaneers have not announced a return to team work, and he appears unlikely to play in the preseason finale. Egbuka still has time to prepare for the Sept. 13 opener, but the continued absence makes his Week 1 status less secure than the initial testing suggested. Fantasy managers should not assume a normal workload until he resumes practice.
Luther Burden III, Chicago Bears
Chicago limited Burden to individual drills when he returned to practice on Aug. 26, his first work since suffering a groin injury on Aug. 8. He left the field when seven-on-seven drills began and has yet to resume team periods. The Bears still hope to have him ready for Week 1, but nearly three lost weeks have stalled his bid for a breakout campaign.
Alec Pierce, Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis activated Pierce from Active/PUP on Aug. 27, clearing him to practice for the first time since undergoing ankle surgery in March. He participated in individual drills before moving to solo work when 11-on-11 began. Pierce said Week 1 remains the goal, but the limited first practice shows that he still has work to do before facing Baltimore on Sept. 13. Fantasy managers should prepare for the possibility of a reduced early-season workload.
Brian Thomas Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville received an injury scare on Aug. 25 when Thomas landed on his left shoulder after catching a deep touchdown during practice. Head coach Liam Coen described his removal as precautionary, and Thomas returned on Aug. 26 while wearing a no-contact jersey. The Jaguars likely will protect him during the preseason finale, but his quick return suggests he should be ready for Week 1.
Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts
A calf injury kept Downs out of practice on Aug. 25-27 after a groin issue also cost him time earlier in training camp. He described the latest problem as minor and said he expects to return soon, reducing concern about his availability against Baltimore. The recurring lower-body interruptions still deserve attention because Indianapolis expects Downs to handle an expanded role following Michael Pittman Jr.’s departure.
Khalil Shakir, Buffalo Bills
Buffalo has offered few details about the undisclosed injury that kept Shakir out of its final two preseason games. The absence has lasted roughly one week, but the Bills have not indicated that his Week 1 availability faces a serious threat. Keon Coleman’s foot and toe injury adds further uncertainty to a receiving corps that has struggled to keep its primary contributors on the field.
Jordyn Tyson, New Orleans Saints
Tyson is expected to miss approximately two months with the right hamstring injury he suffered during New Orleans’ Aug. 13 joint practice with Jacksonville. The lengthy timetable could keep the No. 8 overall pick sidelined until October and raises the possibility that he begins the season on injured reserve. The Saints have said the injury is unrelated to Tyson’s previous hamstring problems, but his extensive college injury history only adds to the concern. His redraft value takes a major hit as the injury derails what could have been a breakout rookie season before it even began.
Michael Pittman Jr., Pittsburgh Steelers
Limited practice work on Aug. 24 marked Pittman’s return after a right hamstring injury sidelined him for roughly two weeks. Pittsburgh subsequently kept him from traveling for the Aug. 27 preseason finale, leaving him without any exhibition action during his first offseason with Aaron Rodgers. Pittman and the Steelers continue to expect him to play in Week 1. The missed preparation time could contribute to a slower start in Pittsburgh’s new offense.
Xavier Worthy, Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City continued limiting Worthy during the week of Aug. 24 as he worked back from his training camp shoulder sprain. The Chiefs had not cleared him for unrestricted 11-on-11 drills, and head coach Andy Reid remained undecided about playing him in the Aug. 28 preseason finale. Worthy still appears on track for Week 1, but returning to full-team work remains the final benchmark fantasy managers need to see.
Wan’Dale Robinson, Tennessee Titans
A helmet-to-helmet hit during Tennessee’s Aug. 27 joint practice with Chicago sent Robinson for a concussion evaluation. He walked from the field under his own power, and quarterback Cam Ward said Robinson appeared to be doing well afterward, but the Titans had not announced whether he entered the concussion protocol. His Week 1 outlook depends on the evaluation and any required clearance process.
Jalen McMillan, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay sat McMillan on Aug. 25 following his brief return one week earlier and left him home for its trip to Jacksonville. The Buccaneers have not said whether he experienced a setback or simply received additional recovery time for his knee. They also have not indicated that McMillan will miss Week 1, but his inability to remain on the practice field makes his status worth monitoring.
Jayden Higgins, Houston Texans
A torn ACL suffered during Houston’s Aug. 18 joint practice with Las Vegas will cost Higgins the entire 2026 season. The second-year receiver was coming off 41 catches for 525 yards and six touchdowns as a rookie and was positioned for a significant role opposite Nico Collins. His absence leaves Tank Dell, Jaylin Noel, Kayshon Boutte, Zay Jones, and Sterling Shepard competing for larger roles, though Dell’s rehabilitation and Houston’s recent additions leave the pecking order unsettled.
Keon Coleman, Buffalo Bills
Getting out of his walking boot by Aug. 27 marked an encouraging step in Coleman’s recovery from the foot and toe sprain suffered during Buffalo’s preseason opener. He still had not returned to practice, however, and the Bills held him out of their preseason finale against Pittsburgh. More than two weeks remain before the Sept. 13 opener, making Week 1 a reasonable target.
Tank Dell, Houston Texans
Houston continued managing Dell through an individualized rehabilitation plan and held him out of its Aug. 27 joint practice with Carolina. The Texans still have not committed to his Week 1 availability as he works back from the severe knee injury suffered in December 2024. Jayden Higgins’ season-ending ACL tear opens a clear path to targets, but Dell first must prove capable of handling regular team work. His opportunity supports late-round upside, though fantasy managers should prepare for a limited or delayed start.
Christian Kirk, San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco still had not returned Kirk to practice as of Aug. 25 after a calf strain sidelined him on the opening day of training camp. Head coach Kyle Shanahan acknowledged that Kirk could begin the season on injured reserve, which would cost him at least four games. That possibility compounds the uncertainty surrounding his role behind Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel, and likely De’Zhaun Stribling. Kirk no longer warrants a selection in most standard drafts.
Chris Bell, Miami Dolphins
Miami increased Bell’s workload to full-contact team periods on Aug. 24 as he continued recovering from the ACL tear suffered at Louisville last November. The Dolphins plan to play him in the Aug. 28 preseason finale if he avoids a setback. Bell now appears likely to be available for Week 1, although his abbreviated offseason makes an immediate offensive role unlikely. He remains a player to track in dynasty and deeper leagues rather than a worthwhile selection in most standard redraft formats.
Tyreek Hill, Free Agent
During a July 23 update, Hill said he still lacked full power in his left leg nearly 11 months after suffering a knee dislocation, ACL tear, and additional ligament damage. He has offered no return timetable and remains unsigned. The combination of his age and uncertain availability makes him unsuitable for standard fantasy drafts at this time.
Ricky Pearsall, San Francisco 49ers
Pearsall developed swelling in the same knee that sustained a PCL injury during the 2025 season, forcing him to miss practice after initially participating in training camp. San Francisco evaluated all treatment options before settling on season-ending surgery. Pearsall is expected to make a full recovery for the 2027 season.
Chris Brazzell II, Carolina Panthers
Brazzell will miss the entire 2026 season after suffering a left LCL injury during a seven-on-seven training camp drill. The rookie will undergo knee surgery and was moved to injured reserve. Carolina drafted him in the third round to provide size and vertical speed behind Tetairoa McMillan, making the injury a notable loss for the receiver depth chart and creating more opportunities for Jalen Coker and Xavier Legette to establish themselves for fantasy gamers.
