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As we head deeper into the NFL playoffs and today's Conference Championship matchups, there is notable injury news and constantly changing situations. These are the latest gameday player injury updates as of Sunday, January 29.
Fantasy football stalwarts such as Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Elijah Mitchell, and more have been dealing with injuries ahead of their Conference Championship games. We have plenty of must-starts on this week's injury list, so fantasy managers should be ready to pivot should things go south.
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Patrick Mahomes Injury Update
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (ankle) managed to somehow practice in full all week with a right high-ankle sprain, and he's been removed from Friday's final injury report. Mahomes will suit up in the AFC Championship game on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals, although his mobility will certainly be limited.
Expect the 27-year-old to get the ball out of his hands as quickly as possible with shorter passes, which could be good news for the likes of running back Jerick McKinnon, receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, and of course tight end Travis Kelce (back). The bottom line, though, is that Mahomes' injury will keep him from being the most attractive DFS QB this weekend, limiting his upside pretty significantly.
Travis Kelce Injury Update
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (back) popped up on Friday's injury report and has been listed as questionable for Sunday's AFC Championship against the Cincinnati Bengals despite practicing in full on Friday.
Kelce's addition to the injury report came as a big surprise, but he's reportedly been battling back spasms throughout the latter portion of the week. Despite the back issues, the superstar TE is fully expected to suit up against the Bengals.
Mecole Hardman Injury Update
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman (pelvis) is listed as questionable to play on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC Championship tilt. Hardman was limited all week while trying to work his way back from an extended injury absence. His actual availability likely won't be known until closer to game time.
Hardman scored touchdowns in each of his last three games, but he last saw the field in Week 9. Given the long layoff, he'll be untrustworthy for fantasy lineups if he's active this weekend. The 24-year-old has plenty of speed to spare, but the Chiefs just have too many mouths to feed on offense as things currently stand.
Hayden Hurst Injury Update
Cincinnati Bengals tight end Hayden Hurst (calf) said that he will play in the AFC Championship contest against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. Hurst was added to the injury report on Thursday and was officially limited in practice after being a full-go on Wednesday.
It's an injury that slowed the 29-year-old down at the end of the regular season, so it bears watching heading into this weekend's big game. In the Divisional Round win over the Buffalo Bills, Hurst contributed five catches on six targets for 59 yards and a touchdown, his third TD on the year and first since Week 5.
Christian McCaffrey Injury Update
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (calf) returned to practice on Friday and was removed from the final injury report. Despite missing practice on Wednesday and Thursday, he will play on Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship.
CMC is dealing with a bruised right calf, but he could be forced into more work if Elijah Mitchell (groin), who is listed as questionable, cannot play or is limited. The 26-year-old was out-carried by Mitchell in last week's win over the Dallas Cowboys, but he should remain the focal point of San Fran's backfield this weekend, albeit in a tough matchup against the Eagles' defensive front. McCaffrey's guaranteed volume (19.5 touches per game for the Niners) will make him worth the DFS cost.
Elijah Mitchell Injury Update
San Francisco 49ers running back Elijah Mitchell (groin) is officially inactive for the NFC Championship game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. It comes as a surprise after it was reported earlier on Sunday that Mitchell was expected to play despite being listed as questionable for the contest.
With the 24-year-old now sidelined for the big game, expect lead back Christian McCaffrey to see a big workload in the backfield, with wide receiver Deebo Samuel also heavily involved. Rookie Tyrion Davis-Price is a healthy scratch for this game, so expect rookie Jordan Mason to serve as McCaffrey's backup. Mason didn't see any work in last week's win over the Dallas Cowboys, but he saw two carries for 12 yards in the wild-card win over the Seattle Seahawks.
A.J. Brown Injury Update
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (hip) was removed from the team's injury report on Wednesday after tweaking his left hip in the blowout win over the division-rival New York Giants in the Divisional Round.
The Eagles didn't need Brown much in their 38-7 victory, and he disappointed his fantasy managers with only three receptions and 22 receiving yards. He should be full-speed ahead for the NFC Championship game against the San Francisco 49ers this Sunday.
While the Niners D is one of the best in the league, they were very generous to opposing wideouts in fantasy in 2022, and Brown finished the regular season as the WR5 in half-point PPR scoring. A big bounce-back game could be in the cards this weekend.
Deebo Samuel Injury Update
After practicing in limited fashion on Wednesday and Thursday, Deebo Samuel was a full participant in San Francisco's Friday practice session and enters Sunday's matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles with no official injury designation.
The Niners were likely just playing it safe with their star receiver early in the week. Samuel was banged up down the stretch of the regular season and was forced to miss multiple games with knee and ankle issues. He's looked healthy in the postseason and will be a full go against Philly this week.
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