The 2026 NFL season is in full tilt with Week 1 in the books, but unfortunately that also means the injuries that come with playing the violent game that is professional football are also back in our lives. 

The biggest-name offseason acquisitions -- Los Angeles Rams All-Pro edge rusher Myles Garrett and New England Patriots Pro Bowl wide receiver A.J. Brown -- are sidelined for multiple weeks and plenty of other high-impact contributors were injured on Sunday. Which players will be placed on injured reserve for at least a month? Who will fight to get back on the field after a week or two? Who will look to return in Week 2? 

We've gathered the biggest early-season injuries from around the league, and we'll be evaluating each injury situation with a panic meter as listed below:  

Panic meter:

  • 🚨 = Low panic level
  • 🚨🚨 = Medium panic level
  • 🚨🚨🚨 = High panic level

Rams DE Myles Garrett (knee)

Panic level: High 🚨🚨🚨

Los Angeles will be without the 2025 NFL Defensive Player of the Year for an extended amount of time, which is a big deal. Garrett missed most of training camp, including a joint practice against the Dallas Cowboys, with swelling in his knee. The Rams, head coach Sean McVay and Garrett, thought he could power through the injury in Week 1 against the San Francisco 49ers, but that obviously didn't come to fruition. Garrett produced just his fourth career game without a tackle on 39 defensive snaps and his first since Week 11 of the 2024 season. 

Now, he's headed for knee surgery. 

"Thought we would take an approach where he'd be feeling good enough to go contribute positive change and be the player that he's capable of," McVay said Monday, via ESPN. "That wasn't the case. And so the next right thing for us is to be able to get this thing fixed."

Los Angeles placed him on injured reserve, which means he will be out at least four games, and McVay said there won't be a timeline for Garrett's absence until after the surgery on Monday. The Rams head coach said the decision for him to have surgery came shortly after speaking with Garrett and seeing his on-field limitations. He looked like a shell of the player who racked up an NFL single-season record 23.0 sacks just last season. Garrett admitted he wasn't playing freely and was thinking about how to move to stay healthy. That's why the surgery is happening. 

"When I was out there, I was a little bit more focused on myself and trying to stay healthy than what they were doing, and that showed," Garrett said. "I wasn't who I needed to be for my team."  

There are a few reasons why the panic level is high for Garrett. One reason is that he's a generational, physical specimen, so for him of all people to not be able to overcome an injury, that means it's pretty bad. Two, the Rams could not be more all in for the 2026 season than they are right now. Future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald came out of retirement on a one-year deal to play with Donald. In addition to Donald, the following key contributors are free agents next offseason: wide receiver Davante Adams, center Coleman Shelton, cornerback Emmanuel Forbes, guard Steve Avila, edge rusher Byron Young, defensive tackle Kobie Turner, wide receiver Puka Nacua and kicker Harrison Mevis. 

Los Angeles can't afford to not have Garrett out for long while playing in an NFC West with the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, a San Francisco 49ers team that just smoked them in Week 1 and an Arizona Cardinals team that could be surprisingly feisty after beating the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium on Sunday. A prolonged absence could lead to the Rams scratching and clawing just to be a wild card team. Plus, Garrett is on the wrong side of 30 years old now. He'll be 31 years old on Dec. 29. 

Garrett is a generational freak, but this injury shows there's no guarantee the Rams will be getting the superhero-level production they were banking on in 2026 when they traded away Pro Bowl edge rusher Jared Verse, their 2027 first-round, 2028 second-round pick and 2029 third-round pick.  

Patriots WR A.J. Brown (ankle)

Panic level: High 🚨🚨🚨  

Three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver A.J. Brown didn't survive his first game as the New England Patriots' No. 1 target, suffering a high right ankle sprain in Week 1 at the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. Now, Brown is on injured reserve, which means he is out at least four games. 

The panic is high because the Patriots' passing offense looked completely lost against Seattle, albeit one of the league's best defenses, without Brown. Romeo Doubs, the ex-Green Bay Packers receiver New England signed on a four-year, $68 million contract with $39 million guarantee this offseason, struggled mightily, going without a catch on three targets including a drop. That drop then led to one of quarterback Drake Maye's career-high three interceptions a play later. 

New England's offense could end up stuck in the mud without Brown the next month or so since they don't really have another target who can take the top off a defense on deep, downfield routes. Trading away deep threat Kayshon Boutte prior to the start of the 2026 season feels incredibly shortsighted at the moment. 

Seahawks QB Sam Darnold (hip/glute tendon)

Panic level: Medium 🚨🚨    

Seattle two-time Pro Bowl quarterback Sam Darnold suffered a nebulous hip injury on the Seahawks' opening drive of the new season. ESPN reports Darnold has a "very unique" soft-tissue injury that didn't actually cause structural damage to his hip joint. It's worrisome that he doesn't have a recovery timeline established just yet, but the Seahawks reportedly expect his time on the sidelines will be short. 

A medium panic level makes sense here because of the uncertainty for when Darnold returns, but Drew Lock has shown he is capable of holding the fort. Lock should be able to do just that over the next two weeks at the Arizona Cardinals and the Washington Commanders. 

Vikings QB Kyler Murray (concussion) 

Panic level: Low 🚨    

The hit from Packers safety Javon Bullard that caused Minnesota Vikings two-time Pro Bowl quarterback Kyler Murray's concussion looked bad, but head coach Kevin O'Connell said on Monday that Murray is able to participate in meetings. The team is taking Murray's health as day-by-day while he goes through the steps of the NFL's concussion protocol, but they honestly don't need to rush him back.

Murray panicked on his first throw against the Green Bay Packers, heaving a lollipop into double coverage on a blitz that resulted in an interception. Plus, Carson Wentz put together a historic performance off the benching, throwing for 133 yards and 3 passing touchdowns on 12 of 19 passing. That made him just the second player in the Super Bowl era with three-plus passing touchdowns off the bench in a winning effort in a season opener along with Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme back in 2003, per CBS Sports Research. Minnesota has no need to rush Murray back. If Wentz thrives against the Chicago Bears in Week 2, then there's a quarterback conversation to be had. If not, then Murray will likely be able to pass through concussion protocol by Week 3. 

Raiders TE Brock Bowers (knee)

Panic level:  Medium 🚨🚨 

The news that Las Vegas Raiders All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers underwent a meniscus trim surgical procedure the Tuesday before Week 1 was shocking. Even more shocking is that ESPN is reporting Bowers is projected to miss just "a game or two" after he dealt with a knee strain and a PCL injury in 2025. 

Panic here is medium because Bowers' history of knee injuries is seemingly becoming a trend. However, the return timeline is short. Las Vegas is in wait-and-see mode, but it feels like there's a chance the Raiders could do a little more waiting than just a couple games. 

Ravens WR Zay Flowers (hamstring)

Panic level: Low 🚨  

Baltimore Ravens two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Zay Flowers erupted for a career-high 150 yards receiving and a receiving touchdown all in the first half of the Ravens' 41-23 demolition of the Indianapolis Colts. The reason he didn't produce anything more after halftime is because he was ruled out with a hamstring injury. 

The good news is Ravens head coach Jesse Minter told reporters on Monday that Flowers is simply "day to day." That's a major relief for Baltimore and two-time NFL MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson, someone who likely won't have to go very long without his top target. 

Chargers WR Ladd McConkey (ribs)

Panic level: Medium 🚨🚨     

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey was the lone highlight in the Chargers' ugly 26-14 home defeat against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 1 with five catches for 82 yards. However, he exited in the third quarter after absorbing a huge hit on a route over the middle after laying on the ground in pain for a notable amount of time. 

Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh told reporters on Monday that McConkey is "day to day." However, there's a couple reasons why there should be a medium panic level attached. If McConkey does end up missing a week or two, the Chargers could be in big trouble. None of quarterback Justin Herbert's other targets were able to break open on time for Herbert to connect with them, and there were a couple occasions where it looked like an intended receiver ran the wrong route. 

McConkey seems to be the only player Herbert truly trusts, so if he's out for even a short amount of time, Los Angeles' season could be cooked with one of the hardest schedules in the league from Weeks 3-12 looming. Plus, it's hard to forget how Herbert first got a chance to start: with a Chargers team doctor accidentally puncturing quarterback Tyrod Taylor's lungs while trying to administer a pain killer for Taylor's cracked ribs. 

Eagles OLB Jonathan Greenard (pectoral)

Panic level: High 🚨🚨🚨  

Philadelphia Eagles Pro Bowl edge rusher Jonathan Greenard's pectoral injury should now be setting off alarm bells. His 2025 campaign with the Minnesota Vikings ended with shoulder surgery, but the Philadelphia Eagles came to the conclusion Greenard was still worth trading a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 third-round to the Vikings in exchange for Greenard and a 2026 seventh-round pick this offseason. 

Then, the Eagles promptly extended him on a four-year, $98 million deal that amounts to $60 million in new money over two years. That $30 million average per salary is tied for the ninth-highest among edge rushers, along with recently departed Eagles edge rusher Jaelan Phillips and his four-year, $120 million deal with the Carolina Panthers. 

Greenard believes he isn't far from returning though. Prior to Week 1, he felt he was "in a pretty good spot."

"Obviously it's not 100 (percent), but in a pretty good spot, though, where I'm confident where I feel at,' Greenard said on Sept. 10, via The Athletic. 

However, the Eagles still made him inactive for their Week 1 win against the Washington Commanders. The uncertainty about his return and the potential connection to his injury a year ago given the close proximity the pectoral muscle has to the shoulder could cause Greenard's absence to drag on. 

49ers WR De'Zhaun Stribling (ankle)

Panic level: High 🚨🚨🚨    

Rookie wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling, the San Francisco 49ers' preseason breakout artist, will reportedly miss a minimum of a month with a deltoid sprain in his ankle, per ESPN. The panic here is with the 49ers' training/medical staff. Stribling went into the blue medical tent early in the team's Week 1 win over the Los Angeles Rams, and they cleared him to play. On his first play back in action, he fell to the grass grabbing his ankle, clearly aggravating the injury in a greater way. 

The reporting said Stribling is still seeking other medical opinions with surgery not currently in the cards but a possibility. It's worrisome that he could be rushed back when the 49ers need him, not necessarily when his body is ready to fulfill that need. Given how fellow 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall needed surgery to repair a PCL injury in his knee after that wasn't initially the plan, it's worth considering Stribling could be sidelined for an extended amount of time. 

Cowboys LB DeMarvion Overshown (hamstring)

Panic level: Medium 🚨🚨     

The panic level for Dallas Cowboys linebacker DeMarvion Overshown is medium despite the team believing the hamstring injury that sidelined him in the Sunday night loss at the New York Giants isn't major. 

"A [hamstring] strain. It looks like it could be one to two weeks as well," Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer said on Monday. "We'll see how he does but nothing long term."  

Overshown's injury history entering the final season of his NFL rookie contract is long. He missed his entire rookie season after tearing his ACL in a preseason game at the Seattle Seahawks. In 2024, he tore his ACl, MCL and PCL in his right knee in December of that season against the Cincinnati Bengals. His recovery from that injury limited him to just six games played in 2025. 

It's probably safer for the Cowboys to work in contingency plans for Overshown to get hurt any given Sunday, especially since he began this season as their green dot linebacker who will rely Christian Parker's play calls to the rest of the defense. Overshown begged Parker for that role all offseason, and now they'll likely be without him against two dynamic quarterbacks in Weeks 2 and 3: 2024 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels (home against the Washington Commanders) and two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson (in Brazil against the Baltimore Ravens). 

Cowboys radio sideline reporter Kristi Scales reported in the Dallas Morning News that third-round rookie linebacker Jaishawn Barham relayed defensive play callas as the "green dot" linebacker over new Cowboy and four-year NFL veteran linebacker Dee Winters. Not ideal. 

Ravens WR Ja'Kobi Lane (wrist)

Panic level: Medium 🚨🚨    

Lane, a third-round rookie who was arguably Baltimore's brightest star in training camp, suffered a first-half wrist injury at the Indianapolis Colts, and he didn't return after halftime. He totaled a single catch for 11 yards, but a four-yard touchdown reception was wiped off the board because of a holding penalty. ESPN reports Lane fractured his wrist.

That could keep Lane off the field for an extended amount of time, and with he and Flowers banged up, Baltimore's receiving core is thinning out.. LaJohntay Wester has only really seen the field as a punt returner, and fourth-round rookie Elijah Sarratt was a Week 1 healthy scratch. Devontez Walker missed Week 1 with a groin injury. Lamar Jackson won't have many options to work with over the next few weeks if Flowers can't return quickly. 

Cowboys S Malik Hooker (forearm)

Panic level: Medium 🚨🚨  

A forearm fracture doesn't sound like it would entail a short recovery process, but the Dallas Cowboys believe that will be the case for safety Malik Hooker. 

"He does in fact have a [forearm] fracture," Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer said on Monday. "It sounds like it's one that doesn't require as long of a period of time. So we're hoping it's like a two-week window, [he'll] have surgery tomorrow."

The 30-year-old, 10-year veteran is one of Dallas defenses' top locker room leaders, so it's certainly a blow that he'll be out with the Cowboys new-look defense still struggling to find an identity under Christian Parker. They allowed the Giants to convert 9 of their first 10 third downs before a third-down kneeldown on the game's final play dropped that tally to 9 for 11. That percentage is New York's highest in a game since 1978. 

Schottenheimer said P.J. Locke will take the bulk of the work filling in for Hooker, but Dallas's defense appears to need all the help they can get. 

Eagles LG Landon Dickerson (knee)

Panic level: High 🚨🚨🚨    

 Philadelphia three-time Pro Bowl left guard Landon Dickerson suffered another lower body injury in Week 1 against the Washington Commanders. Well, it was more of a reaggravation of a training camp injury, which paints a troubling picture. Watching Dickerson on Sunday, see the embedded video below, it looked like he was stuck in quicksand. The six-year NFL veteran simply couldn't move. That's not ideal, which is why Dickerson welcomes being placed on injured reserve. 

"Honestly, to address the elephant in the room, I played like sh-t yesterday," Dickerson said Monday on SportsRadio WIP. "I was a complete liability yesterday. That was my fault. ... A few weeks ago, I got rolled up in practice. I thought as weeks went by it would get better. It didn't. We kind of went out there and got some imaging on it today. Found out what was wrong with it. Really the best plan moving forward is to put me on IR, so I can have a good stretch at the back end of the season. What happened last year was limp it through for 18 weeks. I don't think anybody wants to see that again. That was ugly. I don't want to do that again. That was some BS."  

Dickerson claimed his current injury isn't connected to his 2025 meniscus injury that required surgery. He still played in 15 games after undergoing that procedure in August of that year, something he obviously admitted was unwise. The panic here is high because after all these lower body issues, it's unclear if Dickerson will be able to make through another NFL season relatively unencumbered. 

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