X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Fantasy Football Injuries To Watch for Week 4 Lineups - Justin Herbert, Sam Darnold, Jaylen Warren, Sam LaPorta, more

Sam Darnold - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Aidin Ebrahimi looks at key fantasy football injuries and injury updates to watch for Week 4 of the 2024 season Including Justin Herbert, Sam Darnold, Jaylen Warren, and more.

Week 3 continued the chaotic start to this NFL season, as we saw many upsets and unlikely outcomes. Offenses looked better compared to the previous two weeks, and things are really starting to heat up.

Unfortunately, as is the case in every week of NFL action, there were some injuries. Seeing which players are dealing with injuries and which ones aren't quite at 100% yet will go a long way if you're looking to win your fantasy leagues.

Without further ado, let's look at some injuries to watch and consider heading into Week 4. Don't forget to bookmark our fantasy football player news page, or download the free RotoBaller fantasy football mobile app with push notification alerts to stay notified.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

Justin Herbert, QB, Los Angeles Chargers

Jim Harbaugh finally experienced his first loss as Chargers head coach. The run game struggled, and Justin Herbert re-aggravated the ankle injury he suffered in Week 2 against Carolina.

He returned and finished the game in Week 2, but couldn't do the same in Week 3 and was replaced by Taylor Heinicke. Heinicke failed to lead the Chargers to a win, and Herbert was seen in a walking boot after the game.

According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, Herbert had X-rays that were negative after the game. It seems like he has avoided major injury, but could still miss some time. J.K. Dobbins will likely get an even bigger workload if Herbert misses time.

 

DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

During practice on September 13 star wideout A.J. Brown hurt his hamstring which forced him to miss the Eagles' Week 2 game against the Falcons. Brown told ESPN that he expected to miss "a couple of weeks" due to his injury, and he also sat out Philadelphia's Week 3 win over the Saints.

Philadelphia's bad luck continued in Week 3. DeVonta Smith was on-pace for a massive game, but took a devastating hit and left the game early with a concussion. Superstar offensive lineman Lane Johnson was concussed too, and they were both put in concussion protocol.

Smith will have to go through the protocol to get cleared for their next game against the Buccaneers, but history has shown players will take more than one week to get cleared after a concussion. Saquon Barkley will be the focal point of the Eagles' offense without their star WRs.

 

Trey McBride, TE, Arizona Cardinals

After a solid sophomore season, Cardinals TE Trey McBride looked to become a Pro Bowl-level player in 2024. He put up 97 yards and scored a TD in his first two games, but got concussed in Week 3 after taking a big hit.

Much like Smith, McBride was put in concussion protocol and could miss the Cardinals' Week 4 matchup against the Commanders. Elijah Higgins has already scored a touchdown this year and could put up some numbers in McBride's absence.

 

Sam Darnold, QB, Minnesota Vikings

Sam Darnold has shocked the world so far this season, and some might say he's the early favorite to win the 2024 NFL MVP award. But Vikings fans were scared when Darnold went down with a knee injury against the Texans.

He missed one play but returned and finished the game. After undergoing further evaluation on Monday, an MRI revealed he had no structural damage to his left knee and is expected to be fine when the Vikings take on the Packers in Week 4.

 

Jaylen Warren, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers

Jaylen Warren had a nice 2023 season and challenged Najee Harris for the RB1 spot. Unfortunately, he suffered a hamstring injury during the preseason but was cleared to play in Week 1. However, it seems like he was never fully recovered in the first place.

After lacking explosiveness, Mike Tomlin pulled him from the game in Week 3, and he's set for an MRI. If he misses time, the veteran Cordarrelle Patterson could get some touches in his place.

 

Taysom Hill, TE, New Orleans Saints

Last week, Taysom Hill was hospitalized after suffering a chest injury, but he was released shortly after. He returned to practice on Thursday but was ruled out for the Saints' Week 3 matchup against the Eagles.

NFL insider Jay Glazer later revealed Hill's injury was a bruised lung, and he still had some difficulty breathing. He then claimed the Saints wanted to "protect [Hill] from himself" due to Hill's many different roles on the field.

When asked about the situation, Saints HC Dennis Allen simply said "I’m hopeful that he’ll be ready to go next week."

 

Adam Thielen, WR, Carolina Panthers

Last year, Adam Thielen had his first 1,000-yard season since 2018 but has gotten off to a slow start this season. Thielen scored his first touchdown of the year against the Raiders in Week 3, but he got hurt as he made that touchdown grab.

Thielen underwent an MRI on Monday, but according to Panthers HC Dave Canales, he needs to take more tests to understand the severity of his injury. With Thielen likely to miss Week 4, look for Diontae Johnson, Xavier Legette, and Jonathan Mingo to get more targets.

 

Sam LaPorta, TE, Detroit Lions

Sam LaPorta's 2024 campaign has gotten off to a very poor start. After an incredible rookie season, he suffered a hamstring injury in the preseason. As a result, the Lions lowered his workload, but LaPorta was determined to bounce back in Week 3.

Unfortunately, he sprained his ankle while blocking, and had to leave the game. He returned but left once again, only to return a final time to finish the game. He looked hurt every time he returned, but it seems like he has avoided a major injury.

According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, LaPorta suffered a low ankle sprain. A low ankle sprain takes half as long to heal as a high ankle sprain, which means there's a chance he can play in Week 4.

If he doesn't, Brock Wright could replace him. Wright had four catches for 34 yards in Week 3.

 



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!

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Pete Crow-Armstrong

Homers Twice, Drives in Three
Brice Matthews

Joining Astros
MLB

White Sox-Guardians Postponed on Thursday
Brandon Aiyuk

Likely to Begin Season on PUP List, but Not Ruled Out for Week 1
Jameson Williams

Not in the Team's Long-Term Plans?
Tallison Teixeira

Set For His First UFC Main Event
Micah Parsons

Plans to be Present for Start of Training Camp
Derrick Lewis

Set To Headline UFC Nashville
Ikem Ekwonu

Next Up for Extension in Carolina?
Jalen Thompson

Heading into Last Year With Cardinals?
Gabriel Bonfim

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Najee Harris

Suffers Eye Injury in Fireworks Mishap
Stephen Thompson

Returns At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Calvin Kattar

In Dire Need Of Victory
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere A Favorite At UFC Nashville
Nate Landwehr

Aims To Bounce Back
MMA

Austen Lane Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Vitor Petrino

Set For His Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Set To Open Up UFC Nashville Main Card
Junior Tafa

Set For Light-Heavyweight Bout
Alex Bregman

Will Return to Red Sox This Weekend
Chris Sale

Braves Won't Consider Trading Chris Sale
Clarke Schmidt

to Undergo Season-Ending Elbow Surgery on Friday
Nick Nash

Unlikely to Make Falcons Active Roster
Lane Johnson

in No Rush To Retire
Jalen Williams

Signs Contract Extension With Thunder
Blake Corum

has "Gotten His Speed Back"
Jarquez Hunter

Picking Up Rams Offense Quickly
Alijah Martin

Agrees to Two-Way Deal With Raptors
Tristan Vukcevic

Set to Return to Washington
Kirk Cousins

Feels Misled by Falcons
Bijan Robinson

Says Falcons Have "Outlandish Goals" for the Running Game
Luther Burden III

Bears Expect Luther Burden III to be Ready for Training Camp
Cole Kmet

an Unlikely Trade Piece
Tony Pollard

Titans Hope to Balance Rushing Attack With Tony Pollard, Tyjae Spears
Byron Buxton

Sitting Thursday
Quentin Johnston

Not Assured of Starting Role
Cordarrelle Patterson

on the Roster Bubble in Pittsburgh?
Shedeur Sanders

Not Assured of Roster Spot in Cleveland?
Wan'Dale Robinson

Hoping For More Downfield Opportunities
Anfernee Simons

Celtics Are "Actively Trying to Trade" Anfernee Simons
NBA

Alex Ducas Heading to Australia
Dominick Barlow

Inks Two-Way Deal With 76ers
Jordan McLaughlin

Spurs Re-Sign Jordan McLaughlin to One-Year Deal
Dylan Harper

Out Thursday, Expected to Play Saturday
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Homers Twice on Wednesday
Mike Trout

Homers Twice in Win Over Rangers
Jazz Chisholm Jr.

Leads Yankees to Victory
Salvador Perez

Crushes Two Homers in Win
Cleveland Browns

Greg Newsome on the Trade Block?
VJ Edgecombe

Diagnosed with a Sprained Thumb
Zach Tom

An Extension Candidate in Green Bay
Devin Booker

Agrees to Extension with Phoenix
Trevor Williams

to Undergo Season-Ending Elbow Surgery
Byron Buxton

Exits After Hit-by-Pitch, X-Rays Negative
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Playing on Wednesday
Alex Bregman

has "Really Good Chance" to Return Before All-Star Break
Teoscar Hernández

Teoscar Hernandez Expected to Return on Friday
Walter Clayton Jr.

Leads Jazz to Summer League Win
Carter Bryant

Struggles in Summer League Loss
Kyle Filipowski

Drops a Double-Double in Summer League Action on Tuesday
Oklahoma City Thunder

Malevy Leons Logs Impressive Summer League Outing on Tuesday
Dalton Knecht

Collects 25 Points in Lakers Summer League Win
Los Angeles Lakers

Darius Bazley Drops 27 Points in Summer League on Tuesday
Gary Woodland

Looking to Find Rhythm at Scottish Open
Aaron Rai

Brings Consistent Play to Scottish Open
Maverick McNealy

a Solid Value Play at Scottish Open
Aldrich Potgieter

Making Scottish Open Debut
Tom Kim

Looks to Rebound at Scottish Open
Brian Harman

a Safe Option at Scottish Open
Luke Clanton

a Sneaky Value Play at Scottish Open
Sam Burns

Looking to Stay Hot at Scottish Open
Chet Holmgren

Agrees to Rookie Max Extension
Alex Bregman

Not Returning Wednesday
Jhoan Duran

Unavailable Due to Illness
Shane McClanahan

Tosses Clean Frame in First Rehab Appearance
Jacob Wilson

Day-to-Day After HBP
Nicolai Hojgaard

May Feel More at Home in Europe
Harry Hall

Showing Fine Form Heading to Scotland
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. to be Reassessed Wednesday
Ryan Fox

Playing Well Since Early Spring Struggles
Malaki Branham

Traded to Washington
Max Greyserman

has Solid History at the Genesis Scottish Open
Blake Wesley

Moves to Washington
Harris English

Aims High for Scotland Next
Corey Conners

Primed for the Genesis Scottish Open
Kelly Olynyk

on the Move Again
Daniel Brown

Attempts the Scottish Swing Again
Anthony Davis

Recovering From Eye Surgery
Jacob Bridgeman

Needs Putter to Work at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Headlines Field at Genesis Scottish Open
Rory McIlroy

a Smart Play for Scottish Open
Adam Scott

Looking to Build on History at The Renaissance Club
NASCAR

Sepp Straka Not Likely to Find Momentum at Scottish Open
Justin Rose

Hopes Month Hiatus Helps Him Bounce Back at Scottish Open
NHL

Tyler Johnson Retires After 13 NHL Seasons
Jack McBain

Inks New Five-Year Deal with Mammoth
Cam York

Re-Signs with Flyers for Five Years
Jake Knapp

Fits the Mold for Success at The Renaissance Club
Ty Gibbs

Finishes Second at Chicago and Advances in In-Season Challenge
Alex Bowman

Defeats Bubba Wallace in In-Season Challenge, but Not Without Controversy
Alex Bowman

Bubba Wallace Wrecked by Alex Bowman Again, Putting Playoffs in Doubt
Michael McDowell

Throttle Failure Ends Michael McDowell's Chances to Win at Chicago
Austin Hill

Earns First NASCAR Cup Series Top Ten at Chicago
Tyler Reddick

Scores a Strong Third-Place Run at Chicago
Kyle Busch

Matches his Best Career Finish At Chicago on Sunday
Denny Hamlin

Fights his Way to a Top-5 Finish at Chicago
William Byron

has his Worst Weekend of the Season at Chicago
Sonny Milano

on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Jakub Dobes

Signs Two-Year Deal with Canadiens
NHL

Hendrix Lapierre Signs One-Year Deal with Capitals
Carson Hocevar

Should DFS Players Consider Carson Hocevar for Chicago Lineups?
Tye Kartye

Kraken Re-Sign Tye Kartye for Two Years
Ross Chastain

May be A Decent DFS Option for Chicago Lineups
Dmitri Voronkov

Signs Two-Year, $8.35 Million Extension with Blue Jackets
Ryan Preece

Should DFS Players Roster Ryan Preece at Chicago?
Austin Dillon

Is Too Great of A Risk to Add to Chicago Lineups
Zane Smith

Is A Value Play Worth Rostering At Chicago
Austin Hill

is A Favorable Value Option for Chicago DFS Lineups
Ty Dillon

Is Ty Dillon A Decent Driver to Add For NASCAR DFS At Chicago?
William Byron

Qualifying Crash Makes William Byron a Likely DFS Must-Have
Alex Bowman

Should Finish Well, but Probably Costs Too Much for Serious DFS Consideration
Joey Logano

Has Been Relatively Mediocre on Road Courses Lately
Ryan Blaney

Doesn't Really Fit Neatly into Optimal DFS Lineups
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF