Ja'Marr Chase, Malik Nabers, More NFL Injury Statuses and Fantasy Impact, Draft Advice

Eight days from the start of the 2026 NFL season means fantasy managers need to be actively tracking the injury situation for many star players coming out of the preseason.

Among the notable names dealing with injuries going into the regular season are Ja'Marr Chase, Malik Nabers, Jeremiyah Love, Patrick Mahomes, Breece Hall, Mike Evans, George Kittle and Luther Burden.

Here is the latest information on their injuries and most recent update on their potential availability for Week 1.

Player (Injury)	Week 1 Status
Ja'Marr Chase (Hyperextended knee, bone bruise)	Expected to play
Malik Nabers (Torn ACL recovery)	Expected to play
Patrick Mahomes (Torn ACL, LCL recovery)	Day-to-day
Jeremiyah Love (High ankle sprain)	Unclear
Emeka Egbuka (Toe sprain)	Optimistic
Mike Evans (Quad strain, groin injury)	Expected to play
Breece Hall (Groin strain)	Expected to play
Luther Burden (Groin injury)	Expected to play
George Kittle (Torn Achilles recovery)	Hopeful to play

Chase, who was injured trying to make a catch in practice last week, admitted afterward he could have kept practicing if the situation allowed for it.

The Bengals star is still coming off the board at No. 3 overall in most fantasy drafts, so there's no reason to be concerned about any long-term impact of his knee.

Similarly, albeit coming off a much more significant injury, is Malik Nabers trending toward playing in Week 1. He is being careful about not saying anything definitive, but the fact he has progressed to working with the New York Giants in full practice sessions is a positive sign.

The injury recovery is being factored into where Nabers is going in fantasy drafts. He is currently being drafted as the WR13 and an early third-round pick in 12-team leagues, sandwiched between Rashee Rice and DeVonta Smith.

Mahomes has strongly indicated he is going to play in the season opener, but Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid is taking a more measured approach in his comments.

There has been nothing from Chiefs camp to suggest Mahomes won't start in Week 1 against the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football.

One thing that could impact Mahomes' overall fantasy value this year is how often he wants to take off running. He might be reluctant to turn it loose, especially early in the season, as he tests his knee against opposing defenses.

Last season, even with missing the final three games, was Mahomes' best rushing year in the NFL. He finished with 422 yards and five touchdowns on the ground.

Between his knee and the addition of Kenneth Walker III in free agency, Mahomes might not feel the need to run as much. If the Chiefs offense can get back to being anywhere near as explosive as it was earlier in his career, he could be a steal of the draft since he is being drafted as the QB14 and No. 107 player overall.

Jaxson Dart, who has injury issues of his own, is going 13 spots ahead of Mahomes on average.

Emeka Egbuka suffered a toe injury early in training camp, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been optimistic about his Week 1 status since mid-August. Barring something changing in practice this week or next, there's no reason to believe he will be limited in the opener.

Other wide receivers who are expected to play in Week 1 but are lower on the fantasy pecking order include Luther Burden III of the Chicago Bears and Mike Evans of the San Francisco 49ers.

Burden's fantasy hype was reaching borderline absurd levels before he started having groin issues in camp. There are reasons to believe in him having a big 2026, including a Bears offense that looks poised to take another step forward.

Among all receivers with at least 200 routes run last season, Burden's 2.69 yards per route run ranked third behind Puka Nacua (3.70) and Jaxon Smith-Njigba (3.62).

Bears head coach Ben Johnson told reporters after the team's preseason finale that Burden "looks 100 percent to me" in practice.

Evans, despite being on track for Week 1, should be more closely monitored since he has dealt with various lower-body issues throughout camp. His ailments were quad and groin strains that were described as minor.

The 49ers will certainly be hoping that's the case since they are already without Ricky Pearsall for the entire season. Rookie De'Zhaun Stribling has earned high marks throughout training camp and preseason, but if he has to step in right away as the No. 1 target, there figure to be some growing pains along the way.

Evans is being drafted as the WR29 midway through the sixth round. This feels like a safe spot for him because the upside in Kyle Shanahan's offense is huge as long as he stays healthy to play in enough games to make it count.

Sticking with the Niners, George Kittle is expected to practice this week before the team takes off for Australia for the Sept. 10 opener against the Los Angeles Rams.

The 49ers have said they won't rush Kittle back for the opener, but there's a possibility he could play in Week 2 since they don't have to worry about travel for awhile with three straight home games before playing in Seattle on Oct. 11.

Regardless of whether it's Week 1 or Week 2 for Kittle, the fact he is this far in his recovery just eight months after tearing his Achilles in a playoff game is remarkable.

Kittle finished with seven receiving touchdowns in just 11 games and tied for second in fantasy points per game among tight ends last season, so even if he misses time, the upside is high enough that you can bet on him in the middle rounds. Just make sure you have a solid backup option to account for time he could miss.

On the running back front, Jeremiyah Love probably would have been a first-round pick if he were healthy. The Arizona Cardinals made it clear by giving him 14 touches in the preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders he was going to be a high-volume player.

Unfortunately, the 14th touch is when Love injured his ankle. It was later determined to be a high-ankle sprain, but the Cardinals did not specify what grade of sprain it was.

Typical recovery time for a high ankle sprain ranges from one to six weeks, depending on the severity. Love is going as the RB15 and late in the second round.

NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported on Tuesday that Love is about "50-50" to play in Week 1.

The Cardinals offense should be interesting from a fantasy perspective because they figure to play a lot of high-scoring games thanks to their defense, but Love's injury makes it hard to fully trust him right out of the gate.

On a more positive note, all indications on Breece Hall are that he will be ready to play in Week 1 after missing time in camp due to a groin injury.

Hall is currently being drafted right behind Love as the RB 16. There's not as much skill position talent on the New York Jets as there is in Arizona, but Geno Smith playing behind a competent offensive line compared to what he had with the Raiders last year offers some upside for the team.

Beyond Hall and Garrett Wilson, there aren't any skill-position players on the Jets who can be trusted yet. Just in terms of volume, Hall is going to be a strong fantasy investment this season.