Travis Kelce, Austin Ekeler, NFL Injury Statuses and Fantasy Impact for Week 2

Travis Kelce will make his 2023 NFL season debut on Sunday.

That is a welcome sight not just for Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, but for fantasy football players as well.

Kelce was the biggest name on the Week 1 injury report and the good news is his knee injury is not significant enough to keep him out of the Week 2 clash with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Not all of the top fantasy football point earners could be on the field on Sunday, though, as Austin Ekeler is dealing with an ankle injury ahead of the Los Angeles Chargers' matchup with the Tennesee Titans.

Below is a look at other notable injury news that will affect fantasy football matchups in Week 2.

• Travis Kelce, TE, KC: Will play Sunday (knee), per ESPN's Adam Schefter
• Austin Ekeler, RB, LAC: Doubtful (ankle), per Schefter.
• DeAndre Hopkins, WR, TEN: Questionable (ankle), expects to play, per 104.5 The Zone's Buck Reising.
• Jakobi Meyers, WR, LV: Doubtful (concussion), per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
• Brandin Cooks, WR, DAL: Game-time decision (knee), per ESPN.com's Todd Archer
• Jerry Jeudy, WR, DEN: Expected to play (hamstring), per Rapoport.
• Mark Andrews, TE, BAL: Questionable (quad), per Rapoport. 
• Aaron Jones, RB, GB: Questionable (hamstring), per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.
• Christian Watson, WR, GB: Questionable (hamstring), per Pelissero.
• Puka Nucua, WR, LAR: Questionable (oblique), per ESPN.com's Sarah Barshop.
• James Conner, RB, ARI: No injury designation, will play (calf).

Travis Kelce Will Play Sunday

Kelce's season debut will take place in Jacksonville on Sunday.

Mahomes desperately needed his tight end on the field in Week 1 to deal with the Detroit Lions.

The Kansas City quarterback made due with a makeshift group of pass-catchers, led by Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Justin Watson, but no Chiefs player recorded over 50 receiving yards in the Week 1 loss.

Mahomes completed at least one pass to 11 different players last Thursday. The target and reception share should drastically change inside the Kansas City offense with Kelce on the field.

A year ago, Kelce had three 100-yard performances on the road. He had eight or more targets on seven occasions away from Kansas City. Three of his games with eight or more catches came on the road.

It's safe to say Mahomes will target Kelce early and often against a potential challenger for the top seed in the AFC.

Kelce's road workload in 2022 suggests he will make a strong case to be the top performing pass-catcher among all wide receivers and tight ends in fantasy football in Week 2.

Austin Ekeler Does Not Practice On Friday

There is no such thing as a clean injury week when it comes to fantasy football.

Just as Kelce returns, Ekeler's status is in doubt for Sunday. He missed practice with an ankle injury on Friday and is officially listed as doubtful.

The Chargers' rushing attack could be as effective without Ekeler in Week 2 because of Joshua Kelley.

Kelley totaled 91 rushing yards on 16 carries and scored once in Week 1's matchup with the Miami Dolphins.

Los Angeles faces a tougher Week 2 matchup against a Tennessee defense that held the New Orleans Saints to 69 rushing yards in Week 1. That total was recorded without the suspended Alvin Kamara on the field for the Saints.

The road matchup is tricky, but if Ekeler does not play or is limited, Kelley will at least have a higher usage rate.

Some of the other top waiver-wire options do not have great matchups. Gus Edwards and Justice Hill will try to replace J.K. Dobbins in the Baltimore Ravens' road game against the Cincinnati Bengals, while Kyren Williams and the Los Angeles Rams host the San Francisco 49ers.

Ezekiel Elliott could be a sneaky waiver-wire pickup. The New England Patriots need more support for Mac Jones and they face a Miami defense that was gashed for 233 rushing yards by the Chargers last week.