Week 14 NFL Injury Alert: Will Mike Evans, Jayden Daniels, and Justin Herbert’s Status Make or Break Your Fantasy Playoffs?

Here we are, staring down Week 14—the final curtain call for most fantasy football realms. It’s been a wild ride getting here, hasn’t it? I’ll be your trusty scout through the labyrinth of the NFL injury saga, offering you the lowdown that might just tip the scales on your playoff dreams. If your roster’s looking a bit grim, well, some of the names tucked away in this report probably took a bite out of your chances. Fantasy football? It’s as much a game of grit as it is a roll of the injury dice. So buckle up—let’s dive into the twists and turns of this week’s injury report, because every update can change the face of your lineup. LEARN MORE

Welcome to Week 14 of the fantasy football season. I’ll be your guide as we navigate the NFL injury report in what will be the final matchup of the regular season for many fantasy leagues. We’ve come a long way and hopefully this report has helped you out during the week en route to a playoff berth. If you weren’t so lucky, it’s likely because of some names at the bottom of this story. Fantasy football is more injury luck than people realize.

Anyway, let’s take a look at the report for this week.

NFL injury updates and news

Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (IR — clavicle): Well, to the surprise of most, Mike Evans, who is still on IR, had his practice window opened on Wednesday after seemingly recovering faster than expected. The Bucs now have three weeks to activate Evans off IR; if not, his season will be over.

It may be asking a lot for Evans to return to the field this week, but this is still welcome news for fantasy football managers who are set to reach their league’s playoffs, as it’s looking likely that they’ll have their veteran star back in the fold. And, while Evans’ 1,000-yard streak came to an end as a result of the injury, the Bucs still have a lot to play for to close the season — meaning Evans should return to a focal point of the offense.

Jayden Daniels, QB, Commanders (elbow): All eyes will be on the Commanders going into Week 14. Reports are suggesting that Daniels could return to the lineup in Week 14 against the Vikings after missing the past three games due to a dislocated left elbow (non-throwing). Washington has lost seven in a row and the team is on the brink of being eliminated from playoff contention. Still, Daniels is determined to get back on the field before the end of the season. Monitor his practice status this week (he practiced in a limited fashion on Wednesday). If it isn’t Daniels, it’ll be Marcus Mariota again.

Justin Herbert, QB, Chargers (hand): Herbert suffered a fracture in his non-throwing hand in Week 13 versus the Raiders. He had successful surgery on his left hand; he also told reporters he’s still planning on playing on MNF in Week 14. Herbert will have about a week to heal up, so keep an eye on him in practice this week; he did not practice on Wednesday. How much the injury bothers him for fantasy purposes remains to be seen.

Omarion Hampton, RB, Chargers (ankle): Hampton’s window to be activated off injured reserve was opened last week, sparking some speculation the rookie RB could return in Week 13. That wasn’t the case, but it feels like there’s a good chance Hampton is back for Monday Night Football vs. the Eagles. If Hampton can return, he should get the bulk of the carries with Kimani Vidal serving as the backup.

Trey Benson, RB, Cardinals (knee): Benson is another RB who is eligible to return from IR in Week 14. He was limited all last week at practice, so monitor the reports this week to see if Benson can get back on the field Sunday against the Rams; that said, he didn’t practice Wednesday. It’s worth noting the Cardinals have been eliminated from playoff contention, so there’s no reason for Arizona to rush Benson back. We’ll need to see how this backfield split shakes out with Bam Knight and Michael Carter.

Alvin Kamara, RB, Saints (knee): Kamara was inactive for Week 13’s loss to the Dolphins. Rookie RB Devin Neal had 14 carries for 47 yards and three catches for 22 yards filling in. Kamara will have a chance to get back on the field in Week 14 versus the Bucs, but he didn’t practice Wednesday. The Saints aren’t playing for much, so expect Neal to continue to be involved even if the veteran is healthy.

Aaron Jones Sr., RB, Vikings (shoulder): Jones was forced to leave on Sunday against the Seahawks and did not return. He finished with 10 touches for just 25 yards in the loss. This isn’t the first injury for Jones, who will turn 31 on Tuesday, this season. If Jones is out, Jordan Mason could get the final stretch of games as the primary back. Minnesota has some great matchups to finish the season and Mason is rostered in 69% of Yahoo leagues, so in shallow leagues he may be available.

Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, Lions (ankle): St. Brown was injured early in the Thanksgiving Day loss to the Packers and did not return. Head coach Dan Campbell told reporters after the game that St. Brown will likely miss a game or two. He didn’t practice on Tuesday or Wednesday, which doesn’t bode well for his status for TNF in Week 14; he’s listed as questionable on the team’s official report for Thursday. If St. Brown is out, rookie WR Isaac TeSlaa makes for an interesting waiver wire add. He played 92% of the snaps in Week 13. Jameson Williams exploded for a 7-144-1 line and should see the majority of the targets in a strong matchup on Thursday Night Football vs. the Cowboys. Also, don’t be surprised if the Lions lean into the run game without the Sun God.

Drake London, WR, Falcons (knee): London has missed the past two games due to a PCL injury. He’ll have a shot to get back on the field for Week 14 but the Falcons sit at 4-8 and aren’t playing for much while Michael Penix Jr. is done for the season. Monitor London throughout the week; he didn’t practice on Wednesday. It’s a tough situation for fantasy managers after he was putting together a solid season. If London is able to return, he can be slotted back into your lineup, but temper expectations with Kirk Cousins at QB in a big fantasy week.

Tee Higgins, WR, Bengals (concussion): Higgins was held out of Thursday night’s win over the Ravens due to a concussion. The wideout remains in the NFL’s concussion protocol but will have a chance to be cleared before the team’s Week 14 matchup against the Bills on Sunday; he was limited in practice on Wednesday. If Higgins can return, it will be the healthiest the Bengals’ offense has been since early in the season before Joe Burrow’s injury. Joe Flacco had sustained Higgins’ fantasy value, so with Burrow, the wideout will go back to being a regular WR2 play most weeks.

Dalton Kincaid, TE, Bills (hamstring/knee): Kincaid missed a third straight game in Week 13 vs. the Steelers. His status for Week 14 could have huge fantasy football implications, and now, a knee injury has been added to his designation. The Bills still lack quality pass-catchers and they face the Bengals, who have been putrid against tight ends all season. If Kincaid can get back, that would be a big boost for fantasy managers.