Justin Herbert, Alvin Kamara NFL Injury Statuses and Fantasy Impact for Week 3
The 48-hour watch over Justin Herbert's injury status is on.
The Los Angeles Chargers quarterback was listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
Herbert appeared to be in significant pain in Week 2 after suffering a rib injury in the second half of a Thursday night clash with the Kansas City Chiefs. He finished the game with a touchdown pass on his final drive.
Fantasy players should have a contingency plan in place in case Herbert's injury designation drops from questionable to doubtful or out.
Rapoport noted in his report that Chase Daniel took first-team snaps in practice throughout the week. The longtime backup may lead the Chargers to a victory, but he might not be the ideal fantasy football option to replace Herbert.
The injury news is not all bad for some of the top fantasy football point scorers. Alvin Kamara was viewed at New Orleans Saints practice on Friday and Christian McCaffrey was officially taken off the injury report Friday.
Below is a look at all of the significant injuries affecting fantasy football teams for Sunday's Week 3 games.
- Justin Herbert, QB, LAC: questionable (ribs), per Rapoport
- Alvin Kamara, RB, NO: questionable (ribs), per NFL.com.
- Jameis Winston, QB, NO: questionable (back/ankle)
- James Conner, RB, AZ: game-time decision (ankle), per Kliff Kingsbury
- T.J. Hockenson, TE, DET: questionable (hip), per NFL.com.
- D'Andre Swift, RB, DET, questionable (ankle), per NFL.com
- Gabe Davis, WR, BUF: questionable (ankle), per Syracuse.com's Matt Parrino.
- Dawson Knox, TE, BUF: questionable (foot), per Parrino.
- Corey Davis, WR, NYJ: questionable (knee), per The Athletic's Zach Rosenblatt.
- C.J. Uzomah, TE, NYJ: questionable (hamstring), per Rosenblatt.
- Shaq Leonard, LB, IND: out (back), per Rapoport
- Michael Pittman Jr.. WR, IND: will play, per ESPN's Field Yates
- Hunter Renfrow, WR, LV: out (concussion), per ESPN's Stephania Bell
- Josh Jacobs, RB, LV: questionable (illness), per Bell.
- Taylor Lewan, OT, TEN: out (knee), per NFL.com.
- J.K. Dobbins, RB, BAL: questionable (knee), per NFL.com.
- Jakobi Meyers, WR, NE: questionable (knee), per ESPN's Mike Reiss.
- Keenan Allen, WR, LAC: questionable (hamstring), per NFL.com
- Julio Jones, WR, TB: questionable (knee), per ESPN's Adam Schefter.
- Russell Gage, WR. TB: questionable (hamstring), per Schefter
- Chris Godwin, WR, TB: out (hamstring), per Schefter.
Herbert Questionable with Rib Injury
Herbert might not be an ideal fantasy football option in Week 3. He struggled to throw the ball after he suffered his rib injury against the Chiefs last Thursday.
The Chargers had three extra days to rest their quarterback, but they could still go to Daniel to give Herbert one more week to rest.
Daniel has Austin Ekeler and Mike Williams to work with. Keenan Allen could be on the field as well, though he is listed as questionable with the hamstring injury that kept him out of the visit to Kansas City.
The Chargers could opt for a heavy dose of Ekeler in either quarterback situation, and that may make him one of the top fantasy football performers in Week 3.
Tight end Gerald Everett could also factor into the game plan. Daniel may not be willing to throw many deep balls, and Herbert could be limited on deep throws because of his rib.
Daniel has not thrown more than 20 passes in a single game since the 2019 season, so even if he has all of those weapons around him, he may not throw a ton.
Tua Tagovailoa and Jimmy Garoppolo are the top two waiver-wire options if they are available. Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins take on a Buffalo Bills defense that is missing several starters. Garoppolo takes the reins of the San Francisco offense again with Trey Lance out for the season.
Carson Wentz in a revenge spot against Philadelphia or Jared Goff in a potential high-scoring game versus Minnesota could also be one-week alternatives while Herbert heals.
Kamara Listed as Questionable
Kamara appears to be in a good position to play on Sunday after missing Week 2 with a rib injury. He is officially listed as questionable for the New Orleans Saints' road game against the Carolina Panthers.
New Orleans.Football's Mike Triplett reported on Friday that Kamara and quarterback Jameis Winston were participants in the early part of practice.
New Orleans' offense did not do many things of note in Week 2's loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Kamara was out, and Winston has been dealing with a back injury.
A potential return for Kamara would provide a major boost to the Saints because they would not have to solely rely on Winston for big plays. Mark Ingram and Tony Jones Jr. were active last week, but Ingram was listed as questionable going into the NFC South clash.
Ingram had the biggest fantasy football impact out of the New Orleans backfield with 58 yards on 10 carries. Dwayne Washington and Taysom Hill also earned carries.
If Kamara plays Sunday, you would have to think he receives a regular workload in the rushing and passing games, especially with the issues Winston may face in the pocket with his back injury.
The Saints are 7-1 against Carolina with Kamara on the field. He averaged 4.8 yards per carry and 7.7 yards per reception in his career against the Panthers.
Carolina conceded 320 rushing yards against the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants to open the season. The Panthers could struggle again versus one of the top running backs in the NFL.
If Kamara can't play, a pivot to Ingram or any other Saints running back would be a last-ditch play if you fail to find anyone else on the waiver wire. Tony Pollard, Breece Hall and Dameon Pierce are some of the options to consider off the waiver wire in case Kamara won't play.
Fantasy Football Week 3: Examining Trade Value for This Year's Top 100 Players
It can be hard not to get complacent if you're riding a 2-0 start, and it can be hard not to overreact if you're licking your wounds after an 0-2 calamity to open your fantasy season.
Either way, though, it doesn't mean you shouldn't be in tune to trends, evaluating your own roster and open to potential deals as others in your league try to fleece you.
As you navigate those treacherous waters, the trade value chart is here to help. These values are created with standard PPR formats in mind. Players not listed have a trade value of one. And as always, may the fantasy points be with you!
Trade Value: 15
1. Cooper Kupp, WR, Los Angeles Rams
Trade Value: 14
2. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts
3. Christian McCaffrey, RB, Carolina Panthers
4. Stefon Diggs, WR, Buffalo Bills
Trade Value: 13
5. Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings
6. Tyreek Hill, WR, Miami Dolphins
Trade Value: 12
7. Nick Chubb, RB, Cleveland Browns
8. D'Andre Swift, RB, Detroit Lions
9. Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants
10. Austin Ekeler, RB, Los Angeles Chargers
11. Ja'Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
12. Davante Adams, WR, Las Vegas Raiders
13. Deebo Samuel, WR, San Francisco 49ers
Trade Value: 11
14. Joe Mixon, RB, Cincinnati Bengals
15. Najee Harris, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers
16. Dalvin Cook, RB, Minnesota Vikings
17. Derrick Henry, RB, Tennessee Titans
18. Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints
Trade Value: 10
19. Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, Detroit Lions
20. A.J. Brown, WR, Philadelphia Eagles
21. Michael Pittman Jr., WR, Indianapolis Colts
22. Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
23. Jaylen Waddle, WR, Miami Dolphins
24. Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs
25. Mark Andrews, TE, Baltimore Ravens
Trade Value: 9
26. James Robinson, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars
27. Leonard Fournette, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
28. Aaron Jones, RB, Green Bay Packers
29. David Montgomery, RB, Chicago Bears
30. Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills
31. Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens
Trade Value: 8
32. Michael Thomas, WR, New Orleans Saints
33. Christian Kirk, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
34. Keenan Allen, WR, Los Angeles Chargers
35. CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys
36. Rashon Bateman, WR, Baltimore Ravens
37. Diontae Johnson, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
38. Amari Cooper, WR, Cleveland Browns
Trade Value: 7
39. Darren Waller, TE, Las Vegas Raiders
40. Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Dallas Cowboys
41. Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, Kansas City Chiefs
42. Miles Sanders, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
43. James Conner, RB, Arizona Cardinals
44. Kareem Hunt, RB, Cleveland Browns
45. Cordarrelle Patterson, RB, Atlanta Falcons
46. Josh Jacobs, RB, Las Vegas Raiders
47. Jeff Wilson Jr., RB, San Francisco 49ers
Trade Value: 6
48. Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs
49. Jalen Hurts, QB, Philadelphia Eagles
50. Jerry Jeudy, WR, Denver Broncos
51. D.J. Moore, WR, Carolina Panthers
52. Mike Williams, WR, Los Angeles Chargers
53. Marquise Brown, WR, Arizona Cardinals
54. Terry McLaurin, WR, Washington Commanders
55. Chris Godwin, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
56. Tee Higgins, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
57. Courtland Sutton, WR, Denver Broncos
58. Gabriel Davis, WR, Buffalo Bills
Trade Value: 5
59. Kyle Pitts, TE, Atlanta Falcons
60. Zach Ertz, TE, Arizona Cardinals
61. Pat Freiermuth, TE, Pittsburgh Steelers
62. Dallas Goedert, TE, Philadelphia Eagles
63. George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers
64. Justin Herbert, QB, Los Angeles Chargers
65. Kyler Murray, QB, Arizona Cardinals
Trade Value: 4
66. Javonte Williams, RB, Denver Broncos
67. Michael Carter, RB, New York Jets
68. Damien Harris, RB, New England Patriots
69. Dameon Pierce, RB, Houston Texans
70. J.K. Dobbins, RB, Baltimore Ravens
71. Antonio Gibson, RB, Washington Commanders
72. Garrett Wilson, WR, New York Jets
73. Drake London, WR, Atlanta Falcons
74. D.K. Metcalf, WR, Seattle Seahawks
Trade Value: 3
75. T.J. Hockenson, TE, Detroit Lions
76. Dalton Schultz, TE, Dallas Cowboys
77. Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
78. Russell Wilson, QB, Denver Broncos
79. Tom Brady, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
80. Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers
81. Curtis Samuel, WR, Washington Commanders
82. Corey Davis, WR, New York Jets
83. Brandin Cooks, WR, Houston Texans
84. Allen Robinson II, WR, Los Angeles Rams
85. Rashaad Penny, RB, Seattle Seahawks
Trade Value: 2
86. Devin Singletary, RB, Buffalo Bills
87. A.J. Dillon, RB, Green Bay Packers
88. Tony Pollard, RB, Dallas Cowboys
89. Darrell Henderson, RB, Los Angeles Rams
90. Cam Akers, RB, Los Angeles Rams
91. Breece Hall, RB, New York Jets
92. Jamaal Williams, RB, Detroit Lions
93. Chase Edmonds, RB, Miami Dolphins
94. Raheem Mostert, RB, Miami Dolphins
95. Tyler Lockett, WR, Seattle Seahawks
96. Jakobi Meyers, WR, New England Patriots
97. Devin Duvernay, WR, Baltimore Ravens
98. Jahan Dotson, WR, Washington Commanders
99. Jarvis Landry, WR, New Orleans Saints
100. Adam Thielen, WR, Minnesota Vikings
Jaylen Waddle has become such a fascinating player from a trade value perspective.
On the one hand, he was a WR2 last season in standard PPR formats because he was a receptions magnet, with 104 as a rookie. While that didn't translate to elite yardage (1,015) or touchdown (six) production, those marks were still good enough to make him a top-20 wideout.
But there was justifiably concern coming into this campaign that Tyreek Hill might eat into some of his production. And perhaps that might bear out over the course of the season.
After two weeks, though, both players have been viable WR1 options in fantasy:
- Hill: 19 receptions for 284 yards and two touchdowns on 25 targets.
- Waddle: 15 receptions for 240 yards and three touchdowns on 24 targets.
Some of that production was bolstered by Tua Tagilivoa's incredible, six-touchdown performance on Sunday. A regression to the mean is coming in that regard, and Waddle seems more likely to be affected by it, given Hill's history as a big-play machine throughout his career.
That means you may be able to sell a player in Waddle a bit high at the moment. It's very rare that two players on the same team post WR1 numbers, though it isn't impossible. There's certainly no need to deal Waddle—he's going to have a good season.
But if somebody comes offering a top-10 running back for him after his electrifying Week 2 performance, you should consider such a deal.
It's time to start valuing Amon-Ra St. Brown as a legitimate WR1 in fantasy, though.
Dating back to last season, the 22-year-old now has scored a touchdown in seven of his last eight games. During that stretch, he's notched 70 or more receiving yards seven times, eight or more receptions in eight straight games, and double-digit targets eight straight times.
This is no longer a small sample size: Brown is a baller. If you can get him at WR2 prices, do it.
Don't push the panic button on Tom Brady just yet. At times in this early season, he's been without his top three wideouts (Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Julio Jones) and three offensive lineman (Donovan Smith, Josh Wells and Ryan Jensen).
It's been a tough start, no doubt. But the veteran threw for 5,316 yards and 43 scores last season. Pick up a solid QB2 option, wait for the Bucs to get healthier and weather this storm. You'll be glad you didn't sell low on him as the season progresses.
Unless you think doubting Brady is a good idea. That traditionally works out just great for those who dare it.