2026 Week 6 Fantasy Football Injury Recap

After Sunday's games, Week 6 was fairly benign.  Last night changed that.  Last night we lost Terry McLaurin for the season and Mike Evans for an undetermined amount of time.  This has been the most injury-prone season I can remember, and this year, more than any other, fantasy football champions will be crowned based on depth and attrition.  Plan wisely.  Below I cover all the key Week 6 injuries and how they affect fantasy football. 

Quarterbacks

Jalen Hurts — Philadelphia Eagles

Injury: Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and bilateral pulmonary emboli

Expected Time Missed: Likely remainder of the 2026 season

Primary Beneficiary: Tanner McKee

Fantasy Impact:

This is a scary situation, and our thoughts and prayers are with Jalen right now. Fortunately, he is expected to make a full recovery, and there is reason to believe he can return to playing at a high level next season.

What initially appeared to be a superficial blood clot in his lower leg has now been diagnosed as a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) with multiple pulmonary emboli, meaning blood clots have traveled to his lungs. This is a potentially life-threatening medical emergency, and Hurts has been placed on anticoagulants (blood thinners) to prevent further clot formation while his body breaks down the existing clots. Athletes cannot safely play contact football while taking anticoagulants because of the increased risk of serious bleeding.

Typically, patients with DVT and pulmonary emboli require anticoagulation for at least three months, although treatment can extend to six months or longer. At that point, physicians assess whether anticoagulation can safely be discontinued or needs to continue indefinitely. The decision depends on several factors, including what caused the clot, the risk of recurrence, and the patient's overall medical history. Hopefully, Hurts will only require a finite course of treatment, allowing him to return to football next season.

How did this happen? We may never know for certain. Blood clots can extend from superficial veins into the deeper venous system, where they can break free and travel through the bloodstream to the lungs. Prolonged immobility, including during long flights, is a recognized risk factor for developing blood clots, although there is no evidence establishing air travel as the cause in Hurts' case.

Assuming his treatment goes well and he is eventually cleared to discontinue anticoagulation, there is no reason to automatically expect a decline in his athletic performance next season. Unlike a major orthopedic injury, blood clots do not necessarily result in lasting deficits in strength, speed, or explosiveness. The priority now is his health, and hopefully we'll see Hurts back at full strength in 2027.

Running Backs

Alvin Kamara — New Orleans Saints

Injury: Back injury

Expected Time Missed: No confirmed absence; returned to the game

Primary Beneficiary: None currently

Kamara briefly exited Sunday's game with a back injury but was able to return. The specific diagnosis has not been confirmed.

Fantasy Impact: 

Kamara entered Sunday’s game with a pre-existing back injury and appeared to aggravate it after landing hard on his right hip. He briefly exited but returned and scored a touchdown. While the aggravation could lead to increased soreness and limited practice participation this week, his ability to return and produce is encouraging. Back injuries can generally be managed with proper rehab, and assuming symptoms settle, I would not expect a significant decline in fantasy production. However, recurrent flare-ups remain a concern.

Carson Steele — Philadelphia Eagles

Injury: Shoulder injury

Expected Time Missed: Undetermined

Primary Beneficiary: Dameon Pierce, Jaydon Blue

Fantasy Impact: Steele exited early with what looked like a shoulder dislocation.  He has since been waived by the Eagles.

Wide Receivers

Davante Adams — Los Angeles Rams

Injury: Distal hamstring rupture (Semitendinosus)

Expected Time Missed: 6–10 weeks

Primary Beneficiary: Puka Nacua, Jordan Whittington

Fantasy Impact: 

Adams tore his semitendinosus tendon, one of the three hamstring muscles, and is expected to miss 6–10 weeks. At this point, the bigger question is whether he'll return before the fantasy season ends.

Adams is reportedly undergoing a procedure that may involve resecting the torn tendon rather than repairing it. If that's the case, he'll rely more heavily on his remaining hamstring muscles and tendons going forward. One study of elite athletes undergoing surgical excision for distal semitendinosus ruptures found an average return-to-sport timeline of 6.8 weeks.

Even if Adams returns within that window, it's difficult to imagine a 33-year-old receiver immediately regaining his previous level of explosiveness. Losing the contribution of the semitendinosus can initially reduce hamstring strength, particularly during high-speed sprinting and acceleration. Athletes can eventually restore most, if not all, of their strength through rehabilitation, but that process takes time.

Adams could return before the fantasy season ends, but the timeline is tight. More importantly, returning to the field doesn't necessarily mean returning to elite production. I would expect his explosiveness and ability to separate to be compromised initially, making him difficult to trust during the fantasy playoffs. If you need the roster space, he's a reasonable drop.

Terry McLaurin — Washington Commanders

Injury: Left knee injury

Expected Time Missed: Undetermined; potentially extended absence

Primary Beneficiary: Stefon Diggs, Antonio Williams

Fantasy Impact: 

McLaurin ruptured his left patellar tendon on Monday Night Football. The camera angle gave us an excellent view of the injury mechanism. As he planted his left leg while getting pushed, his quadriceps contracted eccentrically to control knee flexion and absorb the force of his body weight. This placed tremendous tensile stress on the patellar tendon, which ultimately failed under the load. His knee immediately buckled, and he collapsed to the ground, unable to get up or walk off the field.

This is a devastating injury, particularly for a wide receiver who relies on speed, acceleration, and explosiveness. The patellar tendon is a critical component of the knee's extensor mechanism, transferring force from the quadriceps to the tibia during running, jumping, and cutting. A complete rupture requires surgical repair and extensive rehabilitation, and many athletes struggle to regain their previous level of explosiveness. At 31 years old, returning to his former level of play will likely be the greatest challenge of McLaurin's career.

Modern surgical techniques and rehabilitation have come a long way, so a successful return is certainly possible. However, the outlook for a 31-year-old receiver following this injury is concerning. If I rostered McLaurin in dynasty and could get anything of reasonable value in a trade, I would seriously consider taking it.

Ladd McConkey — Los Angeles Chargers

Injury: Concussion

Expected Time Missed: Week 7 bye; potential Week 8 return pending clearance

Primary Beneficiary: Quentin Johnston, Tre Harris

Fantasy Impact: 

It has been a brutal year for McConkey, who is now dealing with his third notable injury of the season, this time a concussion. Fortunately, the Chargers have a Week 7 bye, giving him additional time to recover and clear concussion protocol. Assuming his symptoms resolve and he progresses through the protocol without setbacks, there's a reasonable chance he'll be ready for Week 8.

Romeo Doubs — New England Patriots

Injury: Right shoulder injury

Expected Time Missed: Minimum four games

Primary Beneficiary: A.J. Brown, DeMario Douglas

Fantasy Impact: ​

Doubs suffered a right shoulder injury after landing hard on it while making a touchdown catch. He has since been placed on injured reserve, meaning he'll miss at least four games.

The mechanism is consistent with an AC joint sprain, which occurs when the ligaments connecting the collarbone to the shoulder blade are damaged. These injuries can be particularly painful for receivers, especially when reaching overhead, absorbing contact, or landing directly on the shoulder.

The good news is that AC joint injuries generally have a favorable long-term outlook. According to our Fantasy Injury Team injury database, wide receivers with AC joint injuries missed an average of just 0.8 games, although Doubs will miss at least four due to his injured reserve designation. Our data also shows an average 22.4% decline in fantasy production in the first game back, with production returning to baseline by the second game.

Given his extended recovery window, Doubs should have sufficient time to regain shoulder strength and stability before returning. I wouldn't expect significant long-term limitations, although pain with contact and re-injury remain concerns.

Mike Evans — San Francisco 49ers

Injury: Right Achilles injury, aggravated during Week 6

Expected Time Missed: Day-to-day; Week 7 status uncertain

Primary Beneficiary: George Kittle, Brandin Cooks, Christian Kirk

Fantasy Impact: 

Achilles tendinitis is notoriously difficult to manage, especially during the NFL season when opportunities for rest are limited. It's no surprise Evans experienced another flare-up Monday night, forcing him to leave the game without returning. His Week 7 availability is now in question.

Evans is as tough as they come, and I have little doubt he'll push to get back on the field. However, Achilles tendinitis rarely resolves quickly, particularly with the repetitive sprinting, cutting, and explosive movements required of a wide receiver. This is an injury that could linger throughout the remainder of the season.

As we saw before he exited Monday night, Evans can still produce at a high level when he's on the field. The bigger concern is reliability. Painful flare-ups can occur with little warning, potentially limiting his explosiveness or forcing him out of games early. Evans was already considered a high injury-risk player entering the season, and this only adds to those concerns.

Rashod Bateman — Baltimore Ravens

Injury: Shoulder injury, aggravated during Week 6

Expected Time Missed: Day-to-day; Week 7 availability uncertain

Primary Beneficiary: Zay Flowers, Ja'Kobi Lane

Fantasy Impact: Bateman aggravated a shoulder injury, knocking him out for Week 6.  It's not believed to be a serious injury, and his Week 7 practice status will give insight to his availability this week.  Bateman has not been good for fantasy and can remain on the waivers. 

Darnell Mooney — New York Giants

Injury: Neck injury

Expected Time Missed: Undetermined

Primary Beneficiary: Malik Nabers

Fantasy Impact: ​

Mooney suffered a neck injury during Sunday's game and was unable to return. The exact diagnosis has not been confirmed, making it difficult to establish a reliable recovery timeline.

Neck injuries can range from relatively minor muscular strains to more concerning injuries involving the cervical spine or surrounding nerves. If this is simply a muscular injury, Mooney could return relatively quickly without a significant impact on his performance. However, any involvement of the cervical spine or nerve structures could lead to a more prolonged absence.

For now, there isn't enough information to make a confident prediction about his Week 7 availability or fantasy outlook. His practice participation and any additional diagnostic information will be important to monitor before making lineup decisions.

Dontayvion Wicks — Green Bay Packers

Injury: Ankle injury

Expected Time Missed: No confirmed absence; returned to the game

Primary Beneficiary: None currently

Fantasy Impact: 

Wicks' right ankle was forced into plantarflexion after taking a hit, placing excessive stress on the ligaments and tendons along the front of the ankle. Fortunately, he was able to return to the game, which is an encouraging sign.

However, ankle injuries can become more painful and stiff as inflammation develops over the following 24–48 hours. While his return suggests the injury may not be significant, we'll monitor his practice participation throughout the week for any lingering limitations.

Dalton Kincaid — Buffalo Bills

Injury: Rib injury

Expected Time Missed: Week 7 bye; potential Week 8 return

Primary Beneficiary: Dawson Knox

Fantasy Impact: ​

Kincaid suffered a rib injury but was able to finish the game, making a significant fracture less likely. Rib injuries can be particularly uncomfortable for tight ends, limiting torso rotation, overhead reaching, and the ability to absorb contact while blocking or catching passes.

The good news is that our Fantasy Injury Team database of 19 tight ends with rib injuries shows an average of less than one game missed and no significant decline in fantasy production upon return. With Buffalo heading into its bye week, Kincaid has additional time to recover. Assuming symptoms improve, I wouldn't expect this injury to meaningfully impact his fantasy outlook.