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Below you will find our latest fantasy football injuries report for wide receivers throughout the first week of August. The injury statuses for various NFL receivers are up in the air during training camp, including Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Tim Patrick, Michael Gallup, and James Washington.
With draft season soon approaching, these are some key wide receiver injuries to keep tabs on.
Don't forget to bookmark our NFL News Desk for all the latest updates throughout the preseason.
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Mike Evans Injury Update
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Pro Bowl receiver Mike Evans "tweaked" his hamstring on Friday, head coach Todd Bowles told the media. Evans, who has a history of hamstring issues, missed the remainder of Friday's practice and remained sidelined on Saturday, but there's reportedly nothing to worry about. Presumably, the team is being extra cautious with the handling of its talented receiver and Tom Brady's favorite target.
The Buccaneers certainly need to keep their pass-catchers healthy. With Chris Godwin recovering from an ACL injury and Rob Gronkowski announcing his retirement, Brady's top receivers behind Evans are Russell Gage and Julio Jones. Depending on how injuries shake up, Gage and Jones could both have some low-end fantasy relevance early in the season.
As for Evans, the 28-year-old is coming off his eighth consecutive season with at least 1,000 receiving yards. To be exact, he amassed 1,035 yards and 14 touchdowns en route to finishing as the WR9 in PPR leagues. Evans is currently being selected at an ADP of 22, making him the ninth receiver off the board. He certainly has the skill, role, and quarterback needed to finish as a top-12 receiver once again this year.
Chris Godwin Injury Update
Let's stay in Tampa Bay for an update on Evans' teammate, Chris Godwin. The talented wideout returned to practice on Friday for the first time since tearing his ACL in Week 15 last season. He had a successful first practice and was back out there on Saturday. "He's moving around good," explained Bowles. "He's running around, he's catching passes. He feels good, so we're just taking it day by day."
Six-and-a-half months is a remarkably quick recovery window for an ACL tear, but so far, Godwin has shown that he's in great shape. It remains to be seen if he'll be ready to suit up in Week 1, though. Pushing him too hard isn't worth it considering the risk of a setback, not to mention the fact that Godwin hasn't been able to practice for full-speed NFL action since last December.
Through 13-and-a-half games last season, Godwin caught 98 passes for 1,103 yards and five touchdowns, finishing as the WR16. That marked just the second time in his career that he has finished inside the top 28 wide receivers. He should have similar success in 2022, assuming he's able to play in at least a dozen games or so. The 26-year-old's ADP of 58 takes into account the fact that he might miss time. He's an intriguing option for fantasy managers who can afford to have him on their bench for the first few weeks.
Tim Patrick Injury Update
Tests confirmed that Denver Broncos wide receiver Tim Patrick tore his ACL last Tuesday. Unfortunately, he'll miss the entire 2022 season and look to return in 2023. It's a crushing loss for a Broncos offense that expects to bounce back with Russell Wilson taking over at the helm.
Although Patrick was third on the depth chart, he has arguably been the team's most steady weapon over the last two seasons. He finished as the WR44 or better both years, totaling 104 catches, 1,476 yards, and 11 touchdowns through 31 games.
Patrick was a steal in drafts prior to his injury, sporting an ADP of 155 (WR66). His season-ending injury adds a little more value to the stocks of Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton, though both players had already been trending up due to the improving state of the Denver offense. The player who benefits most is KJ Hamler, who is returning from his own ACL tear and now slots into the No. 3 receiver role.
Michael Gallup Injury Update
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Michael Gallup, who is recovering from an ACL tear, admitted that it's unrealistic to expect that he'll be ready for Week 1 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That shouldn't come as much of a surprise considering Gallup tore his ACL in Week 17 last season.
The Cowboys' wide receiver room isn't looking great right now. The unit is headlined by impending star CeeDee Lamb, but with Amari Cooper in Cleveland and Gallup and James Washington injured, the next man up is Jalen Tolbert, who was selected in the third round of this year's draft. Of course, don't rule out the possibility that owner Jerry Jones signs a veteran to the roster. Will Fuller and old friend Cole Beasley are both free agents.
As for Gallup, the 26-year-old still has fantasy intrigue even if he won't suit up for the season opener. He was the WR26 from Weeks 10 to 17 last season, catching 31 passes for 399 yards and two touchdowns during that eight-game window. Without Cooper in the mix, Gallup will be the Cowboys' No. 2 receiver as soon as he's healthy. He's currently a steal at his ADP of 142 (WR62).
James Washington Injury Update
If Gallup's injury and Cooper's departure weren't enough, the Cowboys received more bad news this week when wide receiver James Washingon fractured his foot during practice. He's expected to miss six to 10 weeks, meaning he won't suit up for the season opener and might not make his Cowboys debut until mid-October.
Washington, 26, signed with Dallas after four years in the Pittsburgh system. He teased upside with his big-play ability down the field, and it looked like he had legitimate shot at claiming the No. 2 role over Tolbert before suffering his foot injury. Instead, he now faces unfavorable odds as he works his way back to action. By the time Washington is healthy enough to play, Gallup will likely be in the lineup and Tolbert could very well assert himself as the clear No. 3.
Washington's ADP has dropped all the way to 293 (WR113).
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