2026 fantasy football injury report: The outlooks ...
Key takeaways
- But alas, it is the quarterback group that touches the ball the most, thereby exposing them to increased injury risk -- a risk that had real consequences in 2025.
- Quarterbacks bore the brunt of the significant high-visibility player injuries.
- It comes as no surprise that the first shared video clip of Mahomes casually dropping back and throwing a football subliminally messaged his determination to be on the field Week 1.
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
Patrick Mahomes is aiming to be ready for Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season. Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire Stephania Bell Jun 8, 2026, 11:18 AM ETClose Stephania Bell is a senior writer and injury analyst for ESPN. Stephania is a member of the FSWA Hall of Fame and a certified orthopedic clinical specialist and strength and conditioning specialist. She also appears on "Fantasy Football Now" and the Fantasy Focus Football podcast.Follow on XMultiple Authors Email Print Open Extended Reactions Perhaps the most surprising player not on this year's list is San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey. Two years ago, he appeared in just four games sandwiched between two significant injuries: bilateral Achilles tendinitis manifesting before the season even began and a PCL sprain. Who would have thought entering the 2025 season that CMC would be one of the healthiest players when all was said and done, playing every game (19 total if you include the postseason) while touching the ball more than any other non-quarterback in the league?
But alas, it is the quarterback group that touches the ball the most, thereby exposing them to increased injury risk -- a risk that had real consequences in 2025. Over the course of the season, 62 quarterbacks made at least one NFL start. In some cases, a change was made due to performance or rest. Still, the majority of quarterback substitution starts were due to injury.
Quarterbacks bore the brunt of the significant high-visibility player injuries. Some missed multiple weeks but were able to return (Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson) while others saw their seasons end prematurely (Daniel Jones, Patrick Mahomes). Quarterbacks lead the way as we look ahead to 2026, but fear not. Every skill position gets a mention because no NFL athlete is immune to injury.