Another Sunday, another round of significant injuries across the NFL.
As teams begin to game plan for Week 3, several will be doing so without key contributors.
From high-ankle sprains to potential season enders, here is a comprehensive look at the most impactful injuries from the past week of action and the initial timelines for their return.
Be sure to bookmark our NFL Injured Reserve Tracker, which will be updated weekly throughout the season.
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Biggest NFL Week 2 Injuries:
J.J. McCarthy Injury Update
Not only will the Vikings be missing Aaron Jones on Sunday, but quarterback J.J. McCarthy has also been ruled out of Week 3 due to an ankle injury.
McCarthy did not miss any snaps in Week 2, but struggled against the Atlanta Falcons, throwing 2 interceptions and completing just 11 of his 21 pass attempts.
He also took 6 sacks in the loss.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reports McCarthy could be sidelined for two to four weeks.
With McCarthy out, Carson Wentz should get his first start as a Viking after being signed right before the start of the season.
Wentz started one game last season with the Chiefs, a Week 18 shutout loss to the Denver Broncos.
Jayden Daniels Injury Update
Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels is dealing with a sprained knee and has been ruled out for Week 3 as a result.
The first reports from the team are that this is not serious, so it should not be a long-term issue.
However, Marcus Mariota will get the start on Sunday against the Raiders.
Joe Burrow Injury Update
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow went down on a seemingly innocent sack in the first half on Sunday, but he had to be helped off the field and into the locker room.
What first looked like an ankle injury turned out to be turf toe, according to a postgame report by Adam Schefter.
Burrow underwent successful surgery this week and will need a few months to recover. However, the team has not announced a timeline for his return yet.
Jake Browning led the Bengals to victory in Burrow's spot on Sunday, but he did throw 3 interceptions.
Justin Fields Injury Update
Jets quarterback Justin Fields is officially in concussion protocol after suffering a head injury in the fourth quarter of Sunday's loss to the Bills.
Before the injury, Fields completed just 3 of his 11 pass attempts for 27 yards.
He was replaced by Tyrod Taylor, who threw a touchdown pass.
Coach Aaron Glenn said it will be difficult for Fields to start if he does not practice by Thursday.
It seems more than likely that Fields will be absent in Week 3 against the Buccaneers.
If that is the case, Taylor will make his first start since 2023, when he was a member of the Giants.
Aaron Jones Injury Update
Not only did the Vikings watch their new quarterback struggle on Sunday night, but Aaron Jones left the game early with a hamstring injury.
He did stay on the sidelines and was shown hyping up his teammates, which is a promising sign that the injury is not too severe, but the team is already saying it is unlikely he will suit up against the Bengals this weekend.
Jones suffered a hamstring injury early in the 2023 season with the Packers.
He missed two games immediately after the injury, missed another four the rest of the season, and had the least effective season of his career when he was on the field.
Jordan Mason is the next man up at running back and should handle the bulk of the backfield work, but with Ty Chandler already on injured reserve, the Vikings will likely look to bring in some help.
Jayden Reed Injury Update
Jayden Reed appeared to come down with a touchdown catch early on Thursday night.
Not only was that score negated by a penalty, but Reed suffered a broken collarbone on the play that will keep him out until at least November.
The Packers are also without Christian Watson, who is recovering from a torn ACL, but they do have one of the deepest wide receiver units in the league.
Here is how the wide receiver usage shook out with Reed off the field on Thursday night:
- Romeo Doubs: 24 routes, 4 targets, 2 catches for 22 yards and a touchdown
- Matthew Golden: 22 routes, 2 targets, 0 catches
- Dontayvion Wicks: 21 routes, 5 targets, 3 catches for 38 yards
- Malik Heath: 7 routes, 1 target, 1 catch for 37 yards
Golden's line was disappointing, but he was just missed on what would have been two big plays.
The rookie should see a big bump in usage with Reed sidelined.
Austin Ekeler Injury Update
The other major injury on Thursday night was to Austin Ekeler, who suffered what the team believes to be a torn Achilles late in Washington's comeback attempt.
With Ekeler out for the season and Brian Robinson Jr. no longer on the roster, the Commanders will have to put a lot on the plate of seventh-round rookie Bill Croskey-Merritt.
Despite a good opener in Week 1, Croskey-Merritt was limited by game script on Thursday night, playing just 15 snaps and finishing with 4 carries.
Jeremy McNichols played just 2 fewer snaps and was the back of choice in the passing game after Ekeler left.
Washington will also likely have Chris Rodriguez Jr. active moving forward, and they added veteran Chase Edmonds on Monday.
Croskey-Merritt should see more work with Ekeler sidelined, but there could end up being some frustrating usage for those who want to see the rookie take over the backfield.
Other Notable Week 2 Injuries
- The Packers did not have two of their starting offensive linemen on Thursday night. Zach Tom missed the game with a quad injury, and Aaron Banks was dealing with ankle and groin injuries.
- The Cardinals lost two corners to injury against the Panthers. Garrett Williams suffered a knee injury, and Will Johnson injured his groin.
- The Chiefs lost their big offseason addition at corner, as well, with Kristian Fulton suffering an ankle injury.
- The Bears kept the corner injuries going with Jaylon Johnson exiting early because of a groin injury, the same injury that forced him to miss Week 1. He is reportedly likely to miss the rest of the season, a massive blow to Chicago's defense.
- The Falcons also lost a key piece of their secondary, with A.J. Terrell exiting Sunday night with a hamstring injury.
- In addition to losing Fields, the Jets had CBs Tony Adams (groin) and Michael Carter II (shoulder) leave early. They also lost EDGE Jermaine Johnson II to an ankle injury.
- The Carolina Panthers lost two starting offensive linemen in Week 2. OG Robert Hunt is expected to miss the rest of the season after tearing his biceps, and C Austin Corbett will be moved to the injured reserve, as well, with an MCL injury.
- Ravens EDGE Kyle Van Noy could end up missing multiple games after suffering a hamstring injury in Week 2 against the Browns.
- Cowboys C Cooper Beebe is expected to miss up to eight weeks with a high-ankle sprain. He suffered the injury late in the Week 2 win over the Giants.
- Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr. is “questionable at best” for Week 3, according to coach Mike Tomlin.
- The Bucs believe DL Calijah Kancey suffered a torn pectoral muscle on Monday night.
- The Eagles will get tight end Dallas Goedert back on Sunday after he missed Week 2 with a sprained knee. Goedert led the team in receptions in Week 1 and is by far the best blocking tight end on the roster.
