The season has barely started, and fantasy managers already have plenty of injured players to keep track of. Between Summer setbacks and recoveries stretching back to last season, figuring out who deserves a spot on your roster can be tricky. Our Week 2 fantasy football IR injury update examines the notable absences, potential return timelines, and what they mean for the players stepping into larger roles.
A.J. Brown's Patriots debut ended with a high ankle sprain after a defender landed on his right ankle. New England placed him on IR on Friday, sidelining him for at least the next four games. That makes Week 6 his earliest possible return, although fantasy managers shouldn't treat eligibility as a promise that he'll be ready.
Brown belongs in your IR spot wherever possible. Losing him this early is frustrating, but you're obviously not dropping him.
In the meantime, Demario Douglas is my preferred pickup over Romeo Doubs. I'd take the shot on Douglas in deeper leagues, but adding him doesn't mean you need to start him in Week 2. In a standard 12-team league, you should have better options while we see how this passing game functions without Brown.
Zach Charbonnet tore his ACL in the Divisional Round of the playoffs and underwent surgery in February. After opening training camp on the PUP list, he remained there to start the regular season and will miss at least the first four games.
Fortunately, the updates have been encouraging. Head coach Mike Macdonald indicated Charbonnet is on track for an aggressive return timetable, although he hasn't shared when that would be. Even with the positive news, I wouldn't expect Charbonnet back until at least Week 8. Until then, Jadarian Price and George Holani will lead this backfield.
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Charbonnet is worth stashing if your league has IR spots, with potential RB2 value over the second half of the season. Just understand that you're signing up for a wait that could extend well beyond the minimum absence.
Isiah Pacheco dealt with a knee injury during training camp, but a subsequent back issue landed him on IR. Even though he will be eligible to return in Week 5, we learned on Monday that he may not return this season at all.
Ian Rapoport reported that Pacheco underwent a procedure to remove a body that was pressing against a nerve in his back. His estimated recovery time is 12 weeks.
Detroit brought Pacheco in to back up Jahmyr Gibbs. In his absence, Jacob Saylors and Sione Vaki are positioned to share the complementary work, while Gibbs should get all the touches he can handle.
I'm not convinced Pacheco automatically gets the RB2 job back once he's healthy. His replacements have three months to make their case, and returning from IR doesn't come with a reserved parking spot on the depth chart. He's a lower-priority stash.
Jayden Higgins tore his ACL during training camp and will miss the entire season. There's no reason to hold him in redraft leagues, even if you have an open IR spot.
The injury prompted Houston to trade for Kayshon Boutte while also creating an opportunity for Jaylin Noel to take on a larger role. Both are worth monitoring, but neither gets an automatic promotion onto fantasy rosters because Higgins is out. For now, Nico Collins is the only Texans wide receiver I trust as a fantasy option.
Tank Dell is still working his way back from the devastating knee injury he sustained late in the 2024 season. He missed all of 2025 and will open another season on IR, with Week 5 the earliest he can return.
Unfortunately, eligibility doesn't tell us much about when Dell will be able to contribute. General manager Nick Caserio recently indicated that recovering his top-end speed remains part of the process. There's no confirmed return date, and fantasy managers shouldn't build their plans around getting him back this season.
I'm rooting for Dell to get back on the field. Given the uncertainty, though, I'd prioritize other injured players with clearer paths to helping my fantasy team.
Jordyn Tyson's rookie season is on hold after a training camp hamstring injury. The Saints placed him on IR, ruling him out for at least the first four games, but the reported recovery estimate of roughly two months leaves room for a longer absence.
There's still potential for Tyson to make a meaningful second-half impact. However, missing valuable practice time makes the climb steeper for a rookie who still has to establish himself in an NFL offense. He's an IR stash for managers who can afford to be patient.
In the meantime, Devaughn Vele has an opportunity to operate as the WR2 opposite Chris Olave. Juwan Johnson also becomes more interesting with one fewer receiver competing for targets. I'd keep Johnson in the streaming conversation while Tyson is sidelined.
Ricky Pearsall aggravated the PCL injury that derailed his 2025 season and underwent season-ending surgery. After returning to play last year, he experienced swelling again early in training camp. He obviously has no redraft value.
To me, the 49ers' handling of this situation deserves criticism. Pearsall returned, aggravated the knee again, and ultimately reached another training camp without the problem resolved. That's a brutal outcome for a player whose career keeps getting interrupted before he can build any momentum.
His absence gives De'Zhaun Stribling an opening to stake his claim to the WR2 role and prompted San Francisco to bring back Deebo Samuel. Stribling has a chance to turn that opportunity into a lasting role, making him the young receiver to monitor here.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network .
