Breece Hall, Emeka Egbuka among top 20 injuries that matter most heading into the season

By Frank Schwab — In News — August 18, 2026

   ​Maybe it’s time to bubble wrap everyone in the NFL for the next few weeks. It’s not even the second week of the preseason and there have been a bunch of injuries. Some teams will be impacted in a significant way heading into the season by the injuries they’ve already taken on. Here are the 20 biggest injuries to monitor, ranked by the importance of that player to his team and also the severity of the injury and concerns over them heading into Week 1 and beyond: 20. Bills WR D.J. MooreMoore suffered an ankle injury in the preseason opener but it appears it’s not serious. The Bills are relying on him to be a true No. 1 for Josh Allen. 19. Colts QB Daniel JonesJones ranks low because all signs point to him being ready for Week 1. But his return from a torn Achilles, and how effective he is early in the season, is huge for a Colts team that was rolling last season before Jones was injured. 18. Bears S Coby BryantBryant had knee surgery in early August and is expected to be out 4-to-6 months. In a best-case scenario one of the Bears’ key free-agent additions will be back in early December. But that’s not even assured. Chicago’s defense is a major question mark coming into the season and that injury doesn’t help. 17. Saints DT Bryan BreseeBresee is one of the best players on the Saints’ defense, and he’s out for the season with a torn ACL suffered in camp. There was positive momentum at the end of last season for the Saints, but losing Bresee hurts their chances of winning the NFC South. 16. Seahawks RB Zach CharbonnetThe reigning Super Bowl champs lost Kenneth Walker III in free agency and Charbonnet is still recovering from ACL surgery. Coach Mike Macdonald offered an optimistic outlook that Charbonnet has a shot to play in Week 1. The Seahawks drafted Jadarian Price in the first round to boost running back, and getting Charbonnet back early in the season would help the offense. 15. Eagles WR Makai LemonRookie receivers can fall behind quickly due to injuries. Lemon, a first-round pick, missed most of OTAs and training camp due to hamstring injuries. He is a talented player but could have a tough time catching up. 14. Bears RB Kyle MonangaiMonangai suffered a knee injury in practice and is week to week. Chicago got into a groove with Monangai and D’Andre Swift providing a good 1-2 punch at running back. The Bears will have to lean heavily on Swift early in the season is Monangai isn’t ready. 13. Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr. The Falcons signed Tua Tagovailoa as insurance if Penix wasn’t back for the opener, and Tagovailoa’s first preseason game didn’t go well. Penix still is limited to 7-on-7 work due to recovery from a torn ACL, which makes it tough to believe he’ll be ready for Week 1. The Falcons are in danger of falling behind early in the season. 12. Falcons DE Jalon WalkerWalker, a 2025 first-round pick, tore his ACL during camp. The Falcons’ other 2025 first-round pick at edge rusher, James Pearce Jr., was suspended for eight games. Combine tho  

Content Source: Yahoo News

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