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There are some notable injuries ahead of Week 18 of the NFL season. While the vast majority of leagues held their championship finals last week, there are some fantasy managers still battling it out in the final week of the regular season, which means we must monitor these situations closely. These are the latest notable injury updates as of Sunday morning, January 8th, 2023.
Fantasy football stalwarts such as Jalen Hurts, Lamar Jackson, James Conner, and many more have been dealing with injuries ahead of Week 18. 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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Jalen Hurts Injury Update
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (shoulder) will suit up for the Week 18 matchup against the New York Giants. He has been limited in practice all week and was listed as questionable coming into this game. Despite that, Hurts will be out there for the first time since suffering a sprained right shoulder in Week 15.
The Eagles need to win this game to secure a first-round bye week, so Hurts will need to shake off the rust quickly. The MVP candidate should be a strong fantasy option against the Giants' backups as they plan to rest a majority of their starters.
Lamar Jackson & Tyler Huntley Injury Updates
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley (wrist, shoulder) is still questionable for the AFC North showdown with Cincinnati. However, head coach John Harbaugh is remaining mum on Huntley's availability, with ESPN's Adam Schefter reporting that a decision on who will start Week 18 won't be made until pregame warmups.
Lamar Jackson (knee) has already been ruled out, so it is down to Huntley and Anthony Brown, who would be making his first career start if the former doesn't suit up. Either way, Huntley or Brown won't make ideal fantasy options against an adequate Bengals defense.
Elijah Mitchell Injury Update
San Francisco 49ers running back Elijah Mitchell (knee) has been officially activated off the injured reserve. This was expected as Mitchell should be back in action for the Week 18 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals.
However, it's unclear how big of a role Mitchell is going to have during his first game back. The 24-year-old hasn't played since Week 12, so the 49ers might ease him into action. The expectation is that Christian McCaffrey is going to be the lead back and get a bulk of the carries. Mitchell won't be a great option in fantasy formats going forward with McCaffrey healthy.
Jonnu Smith Injury Update
New England Patriots tight end Jonnu Smith (concussion) has been ruled out for the team's Week 18 matchup with the Buffalo Bills. Smith was a limited participant in practice on both Thursday and Friday but has not progressed enough to return to game action following a concussion he suffered in Week 16.
Hunter Henry will continue to dominate New England's tight end snaps and target share but should be viewed as just a desperation streaming option this week as the Bills have surrendered the second-fewest PPR fantasy points to the position this season.
Deebo Samuel Injury Update
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel (ankle, knee) has been removed from the Week 18 injury report and is expected to play in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. It will be Samuel's first game action since he sprained his left MCL and sprained his left ankle in Week 14.
Because of the long layoff, there's a good chance the Niners take it easy on the 26-year-old and ease him back into the offense to ensure that he's fully healthy entering the postseason. If running back Christian McCaffrey (knee) is limited at all or held out, Samuel's chances for a bigger workload would increase, but he's still a risky fantasy proposition in his first game back in a game the Niners should be able to win easily.
James Conner Injury Update
Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner (knee/shin) did not practice this week and has officially been ruled out for Week 18 against the San Francisco 49ers. Conner is a veteran back, so there's no real reason to put him out there in a meaningless game since the Cardinals have already been eliminated from playoff contention.
That said, Keaontay Ingram will draw the start for Arizona. However, he has a low floor and low ceiling against one of the elite defenses in the NFL. The Niners have allowed the fewest fantasy points to running backs this season, and David Blough at quarterback doesn't set up well for Ingram's touchdown upside.
Brian Robinson Jr. Injury Update
Washington Commanders rookie running back Brian Robinson Jr. (knee) has officially been ruled out for the Week 18 regular-season finale against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. The Commanders will be without both Robinson and Antonio Gibson (foot, knee), who was placed on Injured Reserve on Thursday.
Robinson had a very impressive first NFL season, considering he was shot in the knee in training camp and didn't make his debut until Week 5. He'll finish with 205 carries for 797 yards (3.9 yards per carry) and two touchdowns, adding nine catches on 12 targets for 60 yards and another score in 12 games.
The rookie eventually became Washington's lead back and should enter 2023 as their primary ball carrier on early downs. With Robinson and Gibson out against Dallas, expect Jonathan Williams to see most of the backfield work, with Jaret Patterson backing him up.
Daniel Jones Injury Update
New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones isn't dealing with an injury, but might be sidelined nonetheless in a Week 18 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Giants are locked into their playoff seeding and have nothing to gain by winning the regular-season finale.
As a result of this situation, the G-Men are likely to rest key starters against Philly, including Jones. New York has called up QB Davis Webb from the practice squad. It's a strong indicator that Jones will see little to no action against the Eagles this week.
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