Week 3 Injury Report: The NFL's Injury Crisis

The NFL injuries are not slowing down whatsoever. There have been plenty of re-injuries, which makes me think that some of these players were rushed back a bit too early. In case you had trouble keeping up with all of them, let's dive right into it.

To stay up to date on NFL injuries and for deeper explanations on mechanisms and research, check out my YouTube!

Travis Etienne, RB (NO)

Injury: Hamstring

Projected Return: Week 5-7

If you’ve read my articles, you know how much I am against rushing players back from muscle strains. It seems like that’s what the New Orleans Saints did with Travis Etienne. He was dealing with a hamstring strain that popped up in reports midweek but was ultimately cleared to play. With these low-grade muscle strains, they are actually sometimes at a higher risk of re-injury compared to higher-grade strains. This is because NFL athletes often return prematurely. The research shows a significantly elevated risk in the first game back after any grade of muscle strain, and that is what we saw Sunday with Travis Etienne. He’ll likely miss at least a couple of weeks, but research suggests he should sit three to four weeks to avoid further aggravation.

Breece Hall, RB (NYJ)

Injury: Thigh

Projected Return: TBD

Breece Hall exited the game late with a thigh injury. He made a comment post-game about feeling “something” prior to the tackle, and then an additional pain after getting tackled. He could be dealing with something as small as a contusion, but I wouldn’t rule out a quad strain or tear. A contusion would allow him to return as soon as next week, while he would likely miss at least a week or two with a quad strain. He’ll undergo further testing to determine the severity.

Justin Jefferson, WR (MIN)

Injury: Ankle

Projected Return: Week 4-8

Justin Jefferson had his ankle hit and forced into eversion, the mechanism for a medial ankle sprain. He tried to return to the game, which suggests that it could be a lower-grade injury. A lower-grade medial ankle sprain allows a return to sport in days to a couple of weeks, depending on symptom resolution and strength and mobility testing. It’s possible that his ankle was also forced into dorsiflexion into the turf, which is the mechanism of a high ankle sprain. NFL and elite athletes average about four weeks out, even with lower-grade high ankle sprains.

De’Von Achane, RB (MIA)

Injury: Knee

Projected Return: TBD

The Dolphins are “not optimistic” regarding De'Von Achane’s knee injury. A non-contact knee injury caused Achane to leave Sunday’s game. It’s hard to tell if it was his right or left knee that was injured on the play. His right knee was stressed in a varus position, which is the mechanism for an LCL sprain/tear. When looking at his left knee, he seemed to plant hard, twisting, and with slight valgus force, which is a concern for meniscus, MCL, and/or ACL injury. He will have an MRI done to confirm the damage.

Jalen McMillan, WR (TB)

Injury: Knee

Projected Return: TBD

Jalen McMillan aggravated his left knee, the same issue that kept him off the field since August. His left knee drove into the turf, which seemed to cause the injury. This mechanism is consistent with a PCL injury, but without having much info on what his original knee issue was, it’s hard to speculate.

Jalen Coker, WR (CAR)

Injury: Quad

Projected Return: TBD

After returning from injury this week, Jalen Coker suffered an additional injury to his quad. Coker has a history of quad strains in 2025 and 2024, which makes this a bit more concerning. Coker doesn't think the injury is overly serious, but he will undergo imaging this week. If it is a grade one to two strain, then he could miss multiple weeks, and considering his history, I would suggest at least four weeks to avoid further re-injuries.

Mike Evans, WR (SF)

Injury: Rib Strain

Projected Return: Week 4+

Mike Evans was in a lot of pain after he took direct contact to his chest, labeled a soft tissue injury to the muscles around the ribs. It looked like he was having some difficulty breathing, which initially caused some concern for organ-type damage. Ribs expand outwards with inhalation, and that can be symptomatic with rib pathology. To return, his symptoms have to resolve, and then he will have to work up to be ready to take significant contact. This makes return dates with these injuries variable. He has a chance to return next week, but we’ll have more info as the week goes on.

Baker Mayfield, QB (TB)

Injury: Thumb

Projected Return: Week 5-11

Baker Mayfield dislocated his right thumb in the process of attempting a pass. A thumb dislocation can pose many risks, including thumb ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) damage or a phalanx or metacarpal fracture. A partial UCL tear would be treated nonoperatively, and he could return anywhere from one to three weeks if he is able to achieve normalized grip and handling. If surgery is required and he has a full UCL tear and/or a fracture, he would likely miss around eight weeks, as shown in a study done on professional baseball players with this type of injury.

Jack Bech, WR (LV)

Injury: Forearm

Projected Return: Week 9-11

Jack Bech suffered a forearm fracture and has already been placed on injured reserve. He will likely undergo surgery, with a return to sport expected in around six to eight weeks.