Fantasy Injury News

Posted September 2, 2026 at 8:03 PM ET

With Week 1 kickoffs now inside two weeks, several fantasy-relevant injury situations moved in the right direction at Wednesday practices around the league. Here’s a look at the receivers and one running back trending up.

Wide Receivers

Zay Flowers, Ravens (lower body): Flowers has missed several practices in recent weeks, but per CBS Sports, he’s expected to return to full practice next week and the expectation around the building is that he’ll be good to go for Baltimore’s Week 1 matchup with the Colts. The Ravens’ new $140 million receiver remains the clear No. 1 in a passing attack that leans heavily on him; if he were to have a setback, Rashod Bateman and rookie Ja’Kobi Lane would be the beneficiaries, but for now Flowers looks like a locked-in fantasy starter.

Mike Evans, 49ers (groin): Evans returned to practice Wednesday after being sidelined with the groin issue that’s dogged him through camp. Per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Evans has maintained throughout that he plans to play in San Francisco’s Week 1 opener against the Rams on September 10, and the latest flare-up is considered minor barring a setback. It’s been a bumpy camp for the veteran, but the trajectory heading into the opener is positive.

Khalil Shakir, Bills (undisclosed): After being held out of practice for a stretch, Shakir was given a more optimistic outlook this week regarding his Week 1 availability against the Texans, per beat reporters. Buffalo’s receiver room has dealt with a rash of injuries this camp, and Shakir climbing back toward full health is a meaningful boost for a Bills passing game that will need him healthy from the jump.

Running Backs

Kenneth Walker III, Chiefs (ankle/foot): Walker was a full practice participant Wednesday, the clearest sign yet that the foot and ankle soreness that limited him for stretches of camp is behind him. With Kansas City’s backfield picture still sorting itself out behind him, a fully healthy Walker locks in as the early-down lead back over rookie Emmett Johnson and veteran Brashard Smith, and he’s trending toward a full workload for the opener.

As always, check back for updates as teams file their first official injury reports of the regular season in the coming days.