RADIO
Our fantasy football IR report and tracker for injured NFL players on injured reserve in Week 3 of 2025. Fantasy football injury updates reports for Joe Burrow, Aaron Jones Sr., Jayden Reed, Christian Watson, and Austin Ekeler
Injuries are an unfortunate reality of the NFL, and that reality reared its ugly head for multiple fantasy-relevant players in Week 2. Heading into Week 3, there will be at least a couple of managers in every league with difficult injury decisions to make.
For any player placed on Injured Reserve after Week 2, Week 7 is the earliest possible return date. On a more positive note, players who were given long-term injury designations before the season now have just two games remaining until they are eligible to return.
Below is analysis and advice for five players who are currently on either the injured reserve (IR), Physically Unable to Perform (PUP), or Non-Football Injury (NFI) lists but are still likely to impact fantasy decisions in one way or another. Let's dive in.
Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:- 2025 fantasy football rankings
- Running back (RB) fantasy football rankings
- Wide receiver (WR) fantasy football rankings
- Tight end (TE) fantasy football rankings
- Quarterback (QB) fantasy football rankings
- FLEX fantasy football rankings
- Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
- Kicker (K) fantasy football rankings
- Dynasty fantasy football rankings
Joe Burrow Injury Update
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (toe) made an early exit from his Week 2 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars after taking a hit from Jaguars defensive lineman Arik Armstead.
After the game, it was revealed that Burrow suffered a Grade 3 turf toe injury and will require surgery. He's expected to miss at least three months due to the injury.
Burrow is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL and was expected to pilot a high-powered Bengals offense in 2025. In 17 games last season, he threw for 4,918 passing yards and 43 touchdowns, adding 201 yards and two scores as a rusher as well.
.@Bengals QB Joe Burrow joins the NFL Top 100 Players of 2025 countdown at No. 6!@NFLFilms @JoeyB pic.twitter.com/SakSi71sfZ
— NFL (@NFL) September 2, 2025
A three-month timeline for Burrow would mean a return around mid-December, somewhere in the Week 14-17 range. That means he may be on the field for the fantasy playoffs, but managers will need to adjust to stay afloat until then.
History says that presumed Bengals' starter Jake Browning could be a solid replacement option. In seven starts filling in for Burrow in 2023, Browning completed 70.4% of his 243 pass attempts for 1,936 yards, 12 touchdowns, and seven interceptions.
In leagues with an IR spot, Burrow is a clear stash candidate. However, managers without that option should be willing to drop him to avoid clogging a roster spot for the vast majority of the fantasy season.
Aaron Jones Sr. Injury Update
Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones Sr. (hamstring) suffered a hamstring injury during the team's Week 2 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. Minnesota placed him on Injured Reserve on Tuesday, and the Vikings have a Week 6 bye, which means Jones Sr. will not be eligible to return until Week 8.
Jones Sr. excelled in 2024, accumulating over 1,500 yards from scrimmage and seven touchdowns across 17 games. However, through the first two weeks of 2025, his role appeared to be shifting.
Vikings running back Jordan Mason has recorded 24 carries this season compared to just 13 for Jones Sr. While Jones Sr. should still see the majority of passing-down work upon his return, Mason may continue to establish himself as the clear early-down and goal-line back in Minnesota.
"I'm not sure we could have much more confidence in Jordan (Mason) as a bellcow kind of back," Kevin O'Connell says in the wake of Aaron Jones going on IR.
— Will Ragatz (@WillRagatz) September 17, 2025
The Vikings also signed veteran running back Cam Akers on Wednesday after placing Jones Sr. on Injured Reserve.
It's unclear at this point exactly how much time Jones Sr. will miss. However, there's no indication that he will require surgery or any other procedure, which means he should be able to return this season.
Managers with an open IR spot should be willing to stash Jones Sr., but they may need to alter expectations. The 30-year-old is likely to provide low-end flex production upon his return and should no longer be viewed as an every-week starter.
In shallow leagues, managers may be better served by moving on from Jones Sr. and opening up a roster slot.
Jayden Reed Injury Update
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed (clavicle, foot) suffered a fractured collarbone in his team's Week 2 win over the Washington Commanders. Reed was also playing through a Jones fracture in his foot. He reportedly underwent surgery on both injuries and has been placed on Injured Reserve by the team.
The reported timeline for Reed's collarbone injury was six to eight weeks, but he may be out longer now that his foot was operated on as well.
Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed wound up undergoing surgery Tuesday on both a broken clavicle and a Jones fracture in his left foot. “Successful foot & clavicle surgery thank you God,” Reed posted on social media.
He now is out indefinitely. pic.twitter.com/7n3MCHTZJm
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 17, 2025
Reed recorded three catches for 45 yards and a touchdown in the team's Week 1 win over the Detroit Lions. Across 17 games in 2024, he logged 55 catches for 857 yards and six touchdowns, adding another 163 yards and a score as a rusher.
Without Reed, Packers wideouts Romeo Doubs, Dontayvion Wicks, and Matthew Golden should all see more opportunities. Wicks was the biggest beneficiary in Week 2, recording four catches for 44 yards on six targets after being targeted just twice in Week 1.
Reed managers should look to scoop up Wicks if he remains available. As far as Reed himself is concerned, he may no longer be worth rostering in redraft leagues.
Even if he can return in time for the final few weeks of the fantasy season, there's no guarantee that Reed will provide useful fantasy production given Green Bay's pass-catching depth.
Christian Watson Injury Update
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson (knee) suffered an ACL tear in Week 18 of the 2024 season. The team placed him on the physically unable to perform list before the start of 2025, meaning he must miss at least the Packers' first four games.
Although Watson's injury occurred less than nine months ago, the fourth-year wideout's return to the field could be sooner rather than later. Watson recently said he expects to begin practicing as soon as he is eligible to come off the PUP list.
Christian Watson said he anticipates returning to practice when his window opens up. He’s on PUP through Week 4 because of a Week 18 ACL tear. Packers have a Week 5 bye and host the Bengals in Week 6.
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) September 15, 2025
Green Bay's Week 5 bye could allow Watson to see game action as early as Week 6. While there will likely be a ramp-up period before Watson sees a full snap share, he could conceivably be a major piece of the team's offense by the middle of the season.
In 15 games in 2024, Watson recorded 29 catches for 620 yards and two touchdowns. An average of less than two catches per game would make it difficult for Watson to be a consistent producer in PPR leagues.
However, Watson had 28 catches and five touchdowns across just nine games in 2023. With Green Bay wideout Jayden Reed (clavicle, foot) likely to miss most or all of the rest of this season, Watson's per-game production could be closer to 2023 levels upon his return.
In leagues where Watson is still available, he should absolutely be stashed in an IR spot. He's not guaranteed to provide starting-level fantasy production, but Watson is a high-upside dart throw who should come at a minimal cost.
Austin Ekeler Injury Update
Washington Commanders running back Austin Ekeler (Achilles) suffered a torn Achilles tendon during his team's Week 2 loss to the Green Bay Packers. It's an unfortunate setback for the 30-year-old, who will undergo surgery and miss the remainder of the 2025 season.
As a result, fantasy managers are left with no choice but to drop Ekeler and open up a roster spot.
Ekeler's absence leaves a void in Washington's running back room. Playing time in the backfield now figures to be split between three relatively unproven options: Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Jeremy McNichols (hamstring), and Chris Rodriguez Jr.
The team also signed veteran running back Chase Edmonds to its practice squad.
Croskey-Merritt is the buzziest name out of the group above. He appears poised to handle the majority of early-down work. Unfortunately for Ekeler managers, Croskey-Merritt is already rostered in the majority of leagues.
That leaves McNichols and Rodriguez Jr. as more realistic replacement options. Based on past usage, it could be McNichols who is called upon to fill Ekeler's role in the Commanders' offense as the primary passing-downs back.
J-MAC FINDS THE END ZONE @JeremyMcNichols
📺 #WASvsDET FOXpic.twitter.com/ZiVgIuddfC
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) January 19, 2025
McNichols popped up on the injury report this week with a hamstring injury, but he practiced in full on Thursday and appears to be trending towards playing in Week 3.
In the five games that Ekeler missed during the 2024 season, McNichols totaled 160 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns on 30 total touches. He recorded just 122 yards from scrimmage on 34 touches across the 12 games where both he and Ekeler were active.
McNichols may not be able to provide fantasy-relevant production. Still, history clearly indicates that his workload should be expected to increase, which at least provides him the opportunity. In deep leagues, he could be worth stashing at the end of benches until the Commanders' backfield mix comes into clearer view.
More Fantasy Football Analysis
Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App
Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!
