Major NFL Injuries 2026: Season-Enders, QBs and the IR List
The 2026 NFL season is six weeks old and the injury list already reads like a playoff bracket of what-ifs. Jalen Hurts is expected to miss the rest of the season with blood clots, Jaxson Dart and De'Von Achane are done, Terry McLaurin tore a patellar tendon on Monday night, and four starting quarterbacks have already missed games. Here are the major NFL injuries of 2026 so far, with every status checked as of October 20, 2026.
The biggest NFL injuries of 2026 so far
Every player below suffered a season-ending injury, or is expected to miss the season, during the 2026 regular season. Statuses come from team announcements and at least two major outlets, and the week numbers follow the official schedule (Week 1 opened September 9 and Week 6 closed with Monday night's 49ers win over Washington).
| Player | Team | Pos | Injury | When | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jalen Hurts | Eagles | QB | Blood clots (DVT, clots in both lungs) | Disclosed Oct 19 | Expected out for season, on IR |
| Jaxson Dart | Giants | QB | Left knee: MCL, PCL, meniscus | Week 2 at Rams, Sep 21 | Season-ending surgery |
| De'Von Achane | Dolphins | RB | Torn left ACL | Week 3 vs Chiefs, Sep 27 | Out for season |
| Terry McLaurin | Commanders | WR | Torn left patellar tendon | Week 6 at 49ers, Oct 19 | Out for season |
| Brian Burns | Giants | Edge | Torn ACL | Week 3 vs Titans, Sep 27 | Out for season |
| Edgerrin Cooper | Packers | LB | Torn Achilles | Week 4 vs Buccaneers, Oct 4 | Out for season |
| Javon Hargrave | Packers | DT | Torn Achilles | Week 5 vs Bears | Out for season |
| Durham Smythe | Ravens | TE | Torn Achilles | Week 4 vs Titans, Oct 4 | Out for season |
| Arian Smith | Jets | WR | Torn ACL | Week 2 vs Packers, Sep 20 | Out for season, on IR |
Quarterback injuries in 2026: four starters have missed games
No position moves a point spread like quarterback, and 2026 has already cost four teams their starter for at least one game.
Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles: blood clots
Jalen Hurts first dealt with a blood clot in his calf around October 8 and still played the Eagles' Week 5 game against Jacksonville in London after an ultrasound cleared him. He was ruled out for Week 6, placed on injured reserve on October 17, and on October 19 the Eagles and his agent disclosed deep vein thrombosis and clots in both lungs. He is on blood thinners and multiple outlets report he is expected to miss the rest of the season, while the team says it expects a full recovery. Tanner McKee started the 25-14 home loss to Carolina, and Philadelphia is 2-4.
Jaxson Dart, New York Giants: season-ending knee surgery
Jaxson Dart was hurt on the first drive of the Giants' Week 2 Monday night loss to the Rams on September 21. The damage was to his left MCL, PCL and meniscus (the ACL was intact), and he had surgery that ends his regular season; meniscus repair usually takes four to six months. Jameis Winston has started since, and the Giants are 3-2-1.
Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens: sprained left ankle
Lamar Jackson sprained his left ankle when he was sacked on the final play of the first half against Tennessee on October 4. He missed Week 5 at Atlanta and Week 6 at Cleveland, with Tyler Huntley starting both, and as of October 20 the Ravens called him day-to-day ahead of Week 7 against Cincinnati. The Ravens opened -3 for that game and sit at -2.5.
Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: dislocated throwing thumb
Baker Mayfield dislocated his right thumb late in the Week 3 loss to Minnesota on September 27. X-rays showed no fracture, but he has missed Weeks 4 through 6 and Todd Bowles has not set a return date. Rookie Jalon Daniels has started in his place, and Tampa Bay is 1-5.
Season-ending injuries beyond the quarterbacks
De'Von Achane, Miami Dolphins
De'Von Achane tore the ACL in his left knee on a non-contact play in the first quarter of Miami's 24-10 loss to Kansas City on September 27. The Dolphins lost their most explosive skill player three games into the season and are 0-5.
Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders
Terry McLaurin went down in the first quarter of Monday's 23-17 loss in San Francisco, and Dan Quinn confirmed on October 20 that he tore the patellar tendon in his left knee. Washington is 1-4-1 and loses its top receiver for the rest of the year.
Brian Burns, New York Giants
Brian Burns tore his ACL in the fourth quarter of the Giants' 12-7 win over Tennessee on September 27, the same weekend New York was already without Dart. John Harbaugh confirmed the tear the next day.
Green Bay Packers: two Achilles tears in two weeks
Linebacker Edgerrin Cooper tore his Achilles against Tampa Bay on October 4, and defensive tackle Javon Hargrave tore his in the Week 5 win over Chicago. Micah Parsons is also still on the PUP list recovering from the torn ACL he suffered in Week 15 of 2025, with Week 9 reported as his earliest return. Green Bay is 4-2 anyway.
Baltimore tight end Durham Smythe (torn Achilles, October 4) and Jets receiver Arian Smith (torn ACL, September 20) round out the in-season list.
NFL players on injured reserve with a return in view
These players are out for weeks, not the season. Return windows are the team or reported estimates as of October 20, 2026, and they slip often (Myles Garrett was first expected back after four games).
| Player | Team | Injury | Expected return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Davante Adams | Rams WR | Ruptured hamstring, Oct 18 | 6 to 10 weeks |
| Myles Garrett | Rams edge | Knee surgery after Week 1 | IR since Sep 17; not practicing this week |
| Tyquan Thornton | Chiefs WR | Dislocated ankle, torn ligaments, Oct 4 | 12 to 16 weeks |
| Jaycee Horn | Panthers CB | Torn quad, Sep 27 | About 8 weeks (estimates vary) |
| Michael Pittman Jr. | Steelers WR | Foot (plantar fascia) | November 15 at the earliest |
| Rashawn Slater | Chargers LT | High ankle sprain, surgery | At least 4 games from Oct 9 |
| Anton Harrison | Jaguars LT | Knee, arthroscopic surgery | Weeks, possibly months |
| Mike Onwenu | Patriots G | Ankle, Sep 20 | At least 4 weeks from Sep 22 |
| Mike Evans | 49ers WR | Achilles, left MNF Oct 19 | Unresolved for Week 7 |
Two receivers are on the way back. A.J. Brown missed four games with a high ankle sprain from the opener and was activated by New England on October 17, and Kansas City's Rashee Rice missed Weeks 5 and 6 with a hamstring injury.
Preseason injuries that changed 2026 before it started
- Jayden Higgins, Texans WR: torn ACL in an August practice, out for the season.
- Jalon Walker, Falcons LB: torn ACL in training camp, out for the season.
- Bryan Bresee, Saints DT: torn ACL on the first day of camp, season-ending surgery.
- Danny Pinter, Ravens C: torn patellar tendon in a joint practice with Minnesota, on IR.
- Alex Wright, Browns DE: torn Achilles in a joint practice with Buffalo, on IR.
Which NFL teams have been hit hardest by injuries in 2026?
How the 2026 injuries moved the betting market
The cleanest way to measure an injury is the price before and after it. These moves come from the Super Bowl board and Week 7 lines we track, using SportsbookReview and VegasInsider snapshots (lines move, so check before you bet). For more on why prices react this way, see how line movement works.
| Market | Before | Now (Oct 20) | Injury news |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eagles to win Super Bowl | +2,500 to +4,000 (Oct 12) | +15,000 to +20,000 | Hurts out for season |
| Rams to win Super Bowl | +650 (Oct 12) | +1,100 to +1,200 | Adams 6 to 10 weeks |
| Cowboys at Eagles, Week 7 | Eagles -3 (lookahead) | Cowboys -4.5 to -5.5 | Hurts out |
| Rams at Raiders, Week 7 | Rams -6 | Rams -4.5 | Adams out |
| 49ers at Falcons, Week 7 | 49ers -4.5 | 49ers -3.5 to -4.5 | Evans unresolved |
| Bengals at Ravens, Week 7 | Ravens -3 | Ravens -2.5 | Jackson day-to-day |
The Philadelphia number is the biggest swing on the board: the Eagles were a home favorite on the lookahead line and are now a 4.5 to 5.5-point home underdog to Dallas. When a status is still open, as with Jackson and Evans, books tend to hold a smaller adjustment and finish the move once the inactive list comes out about 90 minutes before kickoff. That is why shopping the number at more than one book matters most in injury weeks; our sportsbook comparison lists where to look, and live betting odds show where each line sits now.
Prediction markets react to the same news, often within minutes. Kalshi's NFL game and Super Bowl contracts trade like a price you can buy or sell, so you can get out of a position before the game ends if an injury report changes your view, and Polymarket lists its own NFL futures and game markets. If you are new to those prices, our guide on how to read Kalshi and Polymarket odds converts them to sportsbook odds.