NFL
NFL Preseason injury tracker: list of injured players, teams affected and recovery times
The 2024 NFL season is less than a month away, but after Week 1 of the preseason, there’s already been some notable injuries throughout the league.
The preseason is our chance to see the rookies and the backups fighting for roster spots, but we don’t often see the starters out on the field. That’s because of the risk of injury. It’s just not worth it. And after several weeks of training camp and Week 1 of the preseason, there’s already been several injuries to players throughout the NFL.
Among those injured are Minnesota Vikings’ No. 10 overall draft pick, quarterback J.J. McCarthy. He had a great preseason debut, until he suffered a knee injury. Now it turns out he will need surgery, so he’s been sidelined indefinitely. Giants rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers suffered an ankle injury during practice this past weekend, but it’s not considered serious as of now. San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey has been ruled out of the rest of the preseason with a calf injury he suffered in training camp. Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs suffered from a hamstring injury on Monday during practice and it’s currently not known how much time he’ll need to miss.
With a little less than a month to go until the 2024 NFL regular season begins, here is a list of notable injuries throughout the league.
Notable NFL injuries after Preseason Week 1
Atlanta Falcons
- Linebacker Bralen Trice - ACL - Injured Reserve
- The Falcons third-round draft pick was placed on IR after he tore his ACL in the first preseason game.
- Wide receiver Rondale Moore - ACL - Injured Reserve/Out for the season
- Moore suffered a torn ACL during a joint practice in Miami last week and will miss the entire regular season.
Baltimore Ravens
- Running back Keaton Mitchell - Knee - Out for season
- Cornerback Nate Wiggins - Shoulder Sprain - Questionable
- Wiggins left the Ravens’ preseason opener with a shoulder sprain. He is considered day-to-day and could still be back for Week 1.
Carolina Panthers
- Andy Dalton - Quad - Questionable
- Jonathan Brooks - Knee - Out
Dallas Cowboys
- Quarterback Dak Prescott - Ankle - Questionable
- Prescott left practice last week with an ankle injury after being seen wearing a boot during the offseason. The injury is said to be minor, however, and he should be back to practice this week.
- Offensive tackle Chuma Edoga - Toe - Questionable
- Edoga left the Cowboys’ preseason game last week with a toe injury. He will not need surgery, but will be out at least a month and could start the season on IR, which would mean he could miss at least four games of the regular season.
Detroit Lions
- Running back Jahmyr Gibbs - Hamstring - Out
- The Lions’ 2023 first-round draft pick suffered a hamstring injury during practice on Monday, but it’s unclear the severity of the injury or how much time he’ll have to miss yet.
Green Bay Packers
- Running back MarShawn Lloyd - Hamstring - Out
- The rookie third-round pick injured his hamstring during the Packers’ preseason game against the Browns.
Indianapolis Colts
- Wide receiver Josh Downs - Ankle - Questionable
- Downs suffered a high-ankle sprain last week during practice and will be out for a few weeks. His status for Week 1 of the regular season is questionable.
Kansas City Chiefs
- Wide receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown - Shoulder - Doubtful
- After the Chiefs’ preseason opener, Brown was hospitalized due to a sternoclavicular joint dislocation. Chiefs coach Andy Reid mentioned that this same injury is what kept Tyreek Hill out for four weeks in 2019.
Los Angeles Chargers
- Quarterback Justin Herbert - Foot - Questionable
- Herbert has been dealing with plantar fasciitis in his right foot since early this summer. However, the hope is that he’ll return to practice soon and be ready to go for the Chargers’ season opener.
Los Angeles Rams
- Wide receiver Puka Nacua - Knee - Questionable
- Nacua suffered a knee injury during a joint practice with the Chargers earlier this summer and is now considered week-to-week. However, he is expected to be ready to play by Week 1.
Miami Dolphins
- Wide receiver Jaylen Waddle - Undisclosed - Questionable
- Waddle has been dealing with an undisclosed injury that doesn’t appear to be serious, although he has not yet returned to practice.
Minnesota Vikings
- Quarterback J.J. McCarthy - Knee - Doubtful
- During his preseason debut, the rookie McCarthy suffered a knee injury, a tear to his right meniscus. He will undergo surgery this week and depending on whether he needs a trim of the meniscus or a full repair, he could either return this week or be out until 2025.
- Tight end T.J. Hockenson - Knee - Out
- Hockenson is unlikely to be ready for Week 1 and could even miss up to seven games.
New York Giants
- Wide receiver Malik Nabers - Ankle - Questionable
- The rookie receiver suffered an ankle injury during practice last week and is now considered day-to-day. The Giants are calling it a mild ankle sprain. Coach Brian Daboll said he does not think the injury is a fracture, and Nabers is expecting to be ready to go for Week 1.
- Quarterback Drew Lock - Hip - Out
- Lock suffered a hip pointer injury and strained oblique during the Giants’ preseason opener against the Lions. He is likely to sit out at last three practices.
Pittsburgh Steelers
- OT Troy Fautanu - Knee - Questionable
- Fautanu left the Steelers’ preseason opener with a knee injury which turned out to be a minor MCL sprain. The team doesn’t think the injury is serious, but he is expected to miss at least two weeks.
San Francisco 49ers
- Running back Christian McCaffrey - Calf - Questionable
- McCaffrey has been out all of training camp and has been ruled out for the remainder of the preseason with a calf injury. He’s listed as questionable heading into Week 1.
- Cornerback Ambry Thomas - Arm - Doubtful
- Thomas left early from the Niners’ preseason opener against the Titans. Coach Kyle Shanahan revealed later that he’d broken his forearm, saying “it will be some time” before he’s ready to play again. He could start the season on IR or be waived with an injury settlement. He will have surgery to repair the broken arm.
Tennessee Titans
- Wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins - Knee - Out
- Hopkins suffered from a knee injury earlier this month and although he won’t need surgery, he is expected to miss “several weeks”.