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Below you will find our updated fantasy football injuries report for quarterbacks and tight ends in the week before Week 1 of the 2022 NFL season as of Friday, September 2nd. There are a handful of NFL QBs and TEs dealing with injuries, including Zach Wilson, Darren Waller, Zach Ertz, Albert Okwuegbunam, and Daniel Bellinger.
Being up-to-date on NFL injury news can give you an edge over your league mates in fantasy football. At the quarterback and tight end positions, there are a few notable names to keep an eye on in the injury department with the regular season rapidly approaching.
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Zach Wilson Injury Update
Zach Wilson sustained a knee injury in Week 1 of the preseason, causing fans of the New York Jets only more grief. Luckily, Wilson avoided a torn ACL or MCL, but he suffered a torn meniscus that required him to undergo surgery.
Even though the Jets aren't sharing a definitive timeline for the second-year quarterback's return, Robert Saleh believes Wilson will only need one week of practice before returning.
Considering that Wilson is the hopeful franchise quarterback for the Jets, they'll likely be cautious with his return to the field. Saleh shared that he isn't ruling out the possibility of the BYU product suiting up in Week 1. Still, Joe Flacco is currently expected to be the starter when the Jets kick off the season against the Baltimore Ravens.
Darren Waller Injury Update
Darren Waller missed most of training camp with the Las Vegas Raiders due to what the team was describing as a hamstring injury. The star tight end has returned to practice as he's switched agents and is hoping to receive a new contract before the regular season begins.
Waller's absence from practice could be less about a potential hamstring injury and more about him wanting a new contract, especially since his current contract isn't guaranteed until Week 1. The 29-year-old tight end has signed with Drew Rosenhaus and the goal is for both sides to reach an agreement on a revised contract extension before the regular season kicks off.
Ever since Waller began missing practices, he's seen a slight dip in his ADP across drafts. With Waller returning to practice and likely nearing a new contract, everyone should be taking the athletic tight end with confidence as he's set up for another productive campaign in 2022.
Zach Ertz Injury Update
Zach Ertz has been dealing with a calf injury since training camp with the Arizona Cardinals. With Week 1 right around the corner, Kliff Kingsbury is hoping that the veteran tight end can show signs of progress next week in practice before making a decision on his status.
Ertz has missed a decent portion of training camp and he didn't log any snaps during the preseason. If Ertz is unable to suit up in Week 1 against the Kansas City Chiefs, it could be rookie Trey McBride that draws the start at tight end for the Cardinals.
With DeAndre Hopkins sidelined for the first six weeks and Ertz battling a calf injury, Marquise Brown, Rondale Moore, and A.J. Green could see expanded roles to begin the 2022 season.
Albert Okwuegbunam Injury Update
Albert Okwuegbunam is expected to be the starting tight end for the Denver Broncos this season following the Russell Wilson trade that sent Noah Fant to the Seattle Seahawks. Ahead of Okwuegbunam's third year in the NFL, he was held out of the team's preseason finale with a lower-body injury.
The positive news is that the Missouri product made it clear that he would've been able to play in the preseason finale if it were a regular-season contest. Taking that into account, Okwuegbunam should be ready to play in Week 1 versus the Seahawks on Monday Night Football, especially since he'll have extra time to recover from his injury.
Also, rookie Greg Dulcich was placed on injured reserve to begin the season, so the former fourth-round pick should have less competition for snaps at the tight end spot in the early going.
Daniel Bellinger Injury Update
The New York Giants are thin at the tight end position, making rookie Daniel Bellinger the de facto starter at tight end entering the 2022 season. In the Giants' preseason finale versus the Jets, Bellinger suffered a concussion and he's going through the protocols ahead of Week 1.
The Georgia product has been doing light activities during practice this week, indicating that he could clear the protocol before the team's Week 1 matchup with the Tennessee Titans.
There isn't much competition at the tight end position on the Giants, so the fourth-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft should be in line for a decent workload to begin the season. Plus, Kenny Golladay is struggling to adjust to a new offense and Kadarius Toney is banged up, which could lead to more usage from Bellinger in Week 1.
While it's tough to recommend the 21-year-old tight end as your starting tight end in fantasy football, he is a solid backup or third option in the back half of drafts.
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