From Malik Nabers to Patrick Mahomes, here are the injuries you need to note for 2026 fantasy football
Injuries happen. It's inevitable, particularly in such a violent sport like football. So for fantasy football managers, it's expected that you'll have to go through at least one or two tough injuries on your roster each season. Yahoo analyst Scott Pianowski always preaches to not draft into an injured player before the season starts. While sometimes that plan can backfire, more times than not it's a wise decision to remain risk-averse.
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Below we're going to go over all the notable injuries from 2025 and the offseason that should have an impact on the 2026 fantasy football draft landscape.
Quarterbacks
Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs (torn ACL)
Similar to Nabers, Mahomes went down with a major knee injury, though it occurred later in 2025 (December). The rough recovery timeline given to Mahomes was nine months, which could mean he'd be ready to roll early in the 2026 season. There's also optimism that Mahomes will be ready for Week 1.
Prior to the injury, Mahomes was having a resurgent season for fantasy, clocking in as the QB4 in points per game (21.2). That's thanks mostly to the future Hall of Famer setting career marks with 422 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns despite missing a few games.
How to approach in fantasy: Again, we need to monitor the situation and see if Mahomes will be ready for Week 1. If that's the case, it doesn't mean we're going to be chasing Mahomes in drafts. The injury could hold him back from providing that rushing upside and his passing numbers from last season were the worst of his career. The Chiefs also brought in RB Kenneth Walker III, so expect them to run the ball more. We also know that the depth at QB for fantasy is perhaps the best its ever been. Mahomes feels like a decent target if he drops in your draft (and you're able to get a solid backup plan at the position given the depth).
Jayden Daniels, Commanders (Elbow dislocation)
Daniels was limited to only seven games in 2025 thanks to multiple injuries with the elbow dislocation being the one that ultimately ended his season. He's not in danger of missing any time to start 2026 and should be ready for Week 1 barring something happening in training camp/preseason.
How to approach in fantasy: Daniels is a trendy bounce-back candidate for fantasy and is going off the board as the QB3 in early drafts. His rushing upside shouldn't be hindered by his injuries from last season and the Commanders brought in a new offensive coordinator in David Blough from Detroit. This offensive isn't drastically different from his rookie season, in which he finished as a top-five fantasy QB. Daniels feels like a safe option if you're looking to grab an elite QB early in your draft.
Box Nix, Broncos (fractured ankle)
Nix was injured in the playoffs and it likely cost Denver a chance at a Super Bowl title. But he's expected to be ready for training camp at the end of the month and, barring any setbacks, good for Week 1.
How to approach in fantasy: Nix is a very, very interesting late-round QB option. He's only 26 years old so we shouldn't be too concerned about him coming off injury; he's had plenty of time to recover. Plus, the Broncos have given him more help in the form of WR Jaylen Waddle. Nix was a top-10 fantasy QB in points per game last season but is being drafted as the QB14 on Yahoo. That feels like a very clear value and a player you should be prioritizing if you're going to wait on QB.
Daniel Jones, Colts (torn Achilles)
Jones went down with the Achilles injury in Week 14 and was ruled out for the remainder of the season. He had led the Colts to an 8-5 record prior to the injury and was one of the surprises of the fantasy season, the QB13 in fantasy points per game in 2025. A lot of that had to do with Jones' rushing upside; he had five rushing TDs before the injury.
How to approach in fantasy: I'd stay away from Jones, even with the QB being healthy and out there for Week 1. He's never had a good track record as a passer in his NFL career (86.6 career QB rating). And now this Achilles tear should hold back his rushing upside. As the QB25 in early ADP, Jones is being selected as a fringe backup QB for fantasy. That's all he is really. Maybe we see some decent weeks if he finds the end zone on the ground. But don't expect him to be a reliable starter.
Running Back
Cam Skattebo, Giants (ankle/leg)
Skattebo suffered three injuries — a dislocated ankle, fractured fibula and ruptured deltoid ligament. Ouch. But the second-year back is only 24 years old and appears on track to be ready for Week 1.
How to approach in fantasy: If all goes well and Skattebo is healthy to start the season, he has a lot of upside after what we saw early in his rookie season (RB10 in FPPG). Skattebo is going as the RB19, which is odd given the situation. The Giants didn't make any additions to the backfield over the offseason and there's a chance WR Malik Nabers isn't ready for Week 1. New York could lean heavily into the run game and we already know Skattebo has some passing-game chops (24-207-2 in eight games). He feels like a great ZeroRB target if he falls to you in the fourth or fifth round.
Quinshon Judkins, Browns (ankle/leg)
Similar to Skattebo, Judkins suffered multiple gruesome lower-body injuries late last season that cut his rookie campaign short. He's still young and has had plenty of time to recover, so the expectation is that Judkins will be ready to start the 2026 season. But definitely be sure to monitor him during training camp and preseason.
How to approach in fantasy: Judkins is a tough case. You have the injuries, you have a new head coach Todd Monken coming in, the QB situation is shaky and there's more depth at receiver. We also saw RB Dylan Sampson get a lot of work in the passing game. Still, Judkins showed some game-breaking ability before the injury and is going as a fringe RB2 in early drafts. If he's healthy, the second-year back should get most of the ground work and goal-line carries for Cleveland, which could be run-heavy if the passing game is bad.
Zach Charbonnet, Seahawks (torn ACL)
The 2025 Super Bowl champ didn't get to see the field for the Seahawks in that win, going down with the ACL tear earlier in the postseason. Charbonnet is expected to miss a portion of 2026 working his way back from the injury.
How to approach in fantasy: Charb is going as the RB45, around the top-125 overall in early drafts. He isn't a bad stash in your IR slot if your draft strategy involves targeting RBs early and often. If an injury pops up, Charbonnet could be an asset later in the season. Or you can trade him for help elsewhere if your RB room holds up. It also gives you some early waiver-wire flexibility, which isn't bad.
Wide Receiver
Malik Nabers, Giants (torn ACL)
Nabers' injury saga has been one of the most talked about stories of the entire offseason. He went down in Week 4 last season with a torn ACL and meniscus. Not only did he undergo surgery to repair his knee in October but also needed a second procedure during the offseason to remove scar tissue that was causing stiffness.
We don't have a concrete timeline we can trust for Nabers' return. The Giants and new head coach John Harbaugh have told reporters that the plan is for the wideout to be ready for Week 1. Other reports suggest Nabers could start the season on the PUP list and miss a portion of the early going.
How to approach in fantasy: Most of us won't be drafting teams until late August, so there's a lot of time to gather more intel on Nabers. If you're drafting now, Nabers is going around WR15, on Yahoo over the last seven days and is trending down. There's obviously plenty of risk there, but the idea of Nabers as your WR2 or even WR3 in any PPR format feels good if he can be ready for Week 1. If you're confident in your ability to identify late-round sleepers, snagging Nabers if he drops a bit isn't a bad strategy. Just know that it comes with considerable risk.
Tight End
George Kittle, 49ers (torn Achilles)
Kittle went down in the playoffs, though there's more optimism around his return coming earlier rather than later in the 2026 season. Teammates and reports suggest Kittle could be ready for Week 1. We'll have to wait and see if Kittle participates at training camp and in the preseason, and if he's ultimately deemed ready for the opener.
How to approach in fantasy: There will be plenty of risk in drafting Kittle depending on what the team says about his Week 1 status. And even if he's healthy, the Niners brought in WR Mike Evans, who should eat into the red-zone target share a bit. The best way to approach Kittle for fantasy is, if you grab him as the TE9 in your draft, either scoop up Jake Tonges (his backup) or have another TE as insurance if Kittle misses time or goes down again.
Tucker Kraft, Packers (torn ACL)
Kraft was trending toward being the most valuable tight end in fantasy in 2025. Then, the injury struck. So Kraft will go back to the drawing board and try to break out in 2026. He was the TE3 in fantasy points per game last season, hauling in 32-489-6 before the injury.
How to approach in fantasy: Kraft is another player we'll need to monitor closely before drafts in camp and preseason. There's a chance he misses time early in the season. That isn't exactly ideal given his ADP of TE5, going around the 5th-6th round. We do, however, get a value on that ADP if Kraft is ready for Week 1. But we'd also likely see his ADP rise. Kraft is young enough that he should bounce back fine from the injury. Plus, Green Bay has a more focused receiver room with Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks gone. If healthy, Kraft could be the No. 1 receiving option for what should be a solid offense.
