We’ve all had players who have fallen victim to the injury bug, leaving your championship season in the dust. This article looks at players recovering from injuries that occurred during the 2024 season or during the offseason, and whether they are worth spending a draft pick on.
Target: Chris Godwin
Despite the Buccaneers drafting Ohio State’s star wide receiver Emeka Egbuka with the 19th overall pick this year, Chris Godwin still owns the WR2 role in Tampa’s offense. Before suffering a dislocated ankle in Week 7 last season, he hauled in 50 receptions for 576 yards and five touchdowns. He averaged 19.7 fantasy points per game, which would have ranked him as the second-highest scoring wide receiver in the league.
According to a study from the National Institute of Health, ankle injuries are the most common in the NFL, accounting for about 25% of all football-related injuries. Between 2015 and 2018, 668 ankle injuries were reported with a recurrence rate of 23.52%. That data may steer some people away from Godwin, but since this is his first ankle injury, I’m not concerned and he is definitely still worth drafting this year.
Avoid: Najee Harris
There’s just something about NFL players and fireworks that rarely ends well. The details of Najee Harris’s Fourth of July mishap are still murky, but it left him with a serious eye injury. Harris has returned to drills at practice, which is encouraging, but reports out of Chargers camp suggest he may not be ready for Week 1 and could miss up to four weeks.
When asked about Harris, Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh offered little clarity, saying he was uncertain on his recovery. The Chargers also spent a first-round pick on North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton, who produced back-to-back seasons of 1,500 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns. Hampton is already getting reps with the starters, which makes it look like the Chargers are preparing to move forward without Harris, making him a handcuff selection at best.
Target: Jordan Love
Jordan Love is coming off another solid season with the Packers, throwing for 3,389 yards and 25 touchdowns. While that was a decline from his stellar 2023 campaign of more than 4,000 yards and 32 touchdowns, his dip in production can be tied to a string of nagging injuries. He suffered an MCL sprain in Week 1, a strained groin in Week 8, and an elbow injury in Week 18. None were catastrophic, but they clearly took a toll both physically and mentally.
Love himself told Kay Adams on the Up and Adams Show: “A lot of fighting through injuries, trying to get my mind right for the game, and trying to fight through some pain, things like that. It was an inconsistent year.”
Even after offseason thumb surgery, Love has already returned to 7-on-7 work. His resilience, combined with Green Bay’s decision to finally draft a first-round wide receiver in Texas star Matthew Golden, makes him a strong target. Golden led the SEC with nine touchdown receptions last year and has the versatility to play X, slot, or Z. He could quickly develop into Love’s first true WR1. Draft Love as a late QB1 or first tier backup and feel comfortable doing so.
Avoid: Chris Olave
Concussions remain one of the most frightening injuries in football. Chris Olave has already suffered four concussions in his three-year career, including two in 2024 that cost him more than half the season.
Olave reached 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons when the Saints had steadier quarterback play. Now, with Week 1 approaching, the team’s QB competition is between 25-year-old rookie Tyler Shough and the inconsistent Spencer Rattler. Neither is an ideal partner for Olave.
Despite this uncertainty, Olave still carries an ADP of 72.5, which feels high for a receiver with durability concerns and questionable quarterback play. I would rather target Chris Godwin, Rome Odunze, or Jerry Jeudy, all of whom have more upside at a similar draft cost.
Target: Christian McCaffrey
Christian McCaffrey’s 2024 season was wrecked by injuries. He missed the first eight games with an Achilles issue, returned briefly, and then a PCL injury ended his year for good. But when healthy, McCaffrey remains one of the most dynamic running backs in football.
With an ADP of 10.5, targeting McCaffrey is a no-brainer, but it’s essential to pair him with a handcuff. The 49ers traded for Brian Robinson Jr., one of the best insurance policies in fantasy. Robinson has been a dependable power back with Washington, averaging around 700 rushing yards and five touchdowns per season.
History shows San Francisco’s backups can thrive when McCaffrey is sidelined. Early in 2024, Jordan Mason stepped into the RB1 role and averaged 17.1 fantasy points with a touchdown per game over four weeks. That kind of production makes Robinson an invaluable late-round pick. So while I am all-in on McCaffrey as he comes back from a devastating year of injuries, I also want to be prudent. Draft him with confidence in late round 1, but be sure to grab Robinson in the late rounds just in case misfortune strikes McCaffrey again.
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