Fantasy Injury Updates: Latest news on Michael Carter, Noah Fant, Jamison Crowder affecting Week 1 rankings

Week 1 is here, and many drafts have already taken place. However, some drafts are still going to happen before Thursday’s season opener, so it’s important to cover predraft and Week 1 information. Michael Carter, Noah Fant, Jamison Crowder, and Evan Engram are all in the latest news cycle heading into Week 1. While none are considered fantasy superstars, they’ll surely affect rankings and sleeper lists, especially in deep leagues and tight end premium leagues. Check the latest fantasy injury updates below.

Before diving into those, get an updated look at Michael Thomas’ fantasy value here and Deshaun Watson’s here. For whether Saquon Barkley should be a first-round pick, click here. For position battle news, click here. For all the latest fantasy news, follow us on Twitter @SN_Fantasy.

DOMINATE YOUR DRAFT: Ultimate 2021 Cheat Sheet

Michael Carter Injury Update

While this preseason was huge for Carter to separate himself in the Jets backfield, he seemingly failed to do so. Now, he’s dealing with an undisclosed injury that could affect his Week 1 availability. If he does play, it’s tough to see a heavy workload (if it was going to happen at all pre-injury). For now, he probably should remain on your bench in Week 1 either way unless you’re really struggling at the position.

Ty Johnson and Tevin Coleman have gotten more first-team reps in the offseason anyway, and if you haven’t already drafted your team, they are cheaper options to throw a dart at.

Carter is currently our RB42 in standard leagues for Week 1, and checks at RB47 in PPR.

2021 STANDARD FANTASY RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker | Top 200

Noah Fant Injury Update

Fant has been on the injury report in recent weeks dealing with a leg injury. However, he is expected to suit up for Denver in Week 1. At this point, we don’t expect any limitations either. He will likely be a top-10 projected player each week, and with Teddy Bridgewater stepping into the QB1 role in Denver, he’ll hopefully get a flurry of more accurate targets. He looks to be more attractive in standard leagues, as his game is built for YAC and big plays on limited opportunities in a talented group of pass-catchers. It’s worth noting that Albert Okwuegbunam would be the next man in line at tight end if Fant were to suffer an unexpected setback before Sunday.

Fant is our TE8 in standard and TE10 in PPR for Week 1.

2021 FANTASY SLEEPERS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Each team

Jamison Crowder Injury Update

Crowder was placed on the Jets’ reserve/COVID-19 list after testing positive for the virus. While the initial thought was he’d miss the season opener (@ Carolina), Robert Saleh said today he may be back just in time. While he’s not necessarily going to be a highly started (or even rostered) player, it’s worth monitoring, as his absence or presence will affect other pass-catchers around him. Most notably, Elijah Moore probably looks better this week if Crowder is out. Corey Davis should be unaffected as he looks to settle into the No. 1 WR role. For Zach Wilson, he’s obviously better off if he has his full complement of pass-catchers to work with.

For Week 1, Crowder is currently our WR60 in PPR and WR65 in standard. We will adjust these rankings accordingly if he’s declared out before Sunday.

2021 PPR FANTASY RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker | Top 200

Evan Engram Injury Update

Engram (calf) is now being called a longshot to play in Week 1 at home against Denver. He’s often been a regular on Giants’ injury reports, so the early absence is alarming. Veteran TE Kyle Rudolph is now the starter for Week 1, and he’s shown capable of producing decent fantasy outings in years past.

WEEK 1 STANDARD RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker

With the latest news, we assume Engram will be out, so we’ve ranked Rudolph accordingly. He is our TE18 in PPR and TE19 in standard. With Kenny Golladay (hamstring) and Saquon Barkley (knee) still somewhat banged up, Daniel Jones may rely on him this week. If Engram continues to fight injuries, Rudolph is worth watching all season long.

WEEK 1 PPR RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker