The 2025 NFL season has been wild so far, and not just because of close games or crazy plays. This year, injuries have taken over headlines, affecting some of the league’s biggest stars and changing the direction of several teams, and even fantasy football leagues everywhere.
The San Francisco 49ers have been one of the teams hit hardest. Their starting quarterback, Brock Purdy, has been injured for a long time and their defensive stars Fred Warner and Nick Bosa are both out for the rest of the season, leaving a huge hole in their defense. Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens has been dealing with a hamstring injury. The New York Giants’ running back Cam Skattebo has been sidelined with a season ending injury as well. These injuries have forced many teams all over the league to rely on backups and adjust their game plans to stay competitive.
The Washington Commanders also suffered major losses, with quarterback Jayden Daniels coming off an injury just to then get a season ending elbow injury after. Running back Austin Ekeler tore his Achilles tendon. Not only has this hurt their offense, but it’s also crushed fantasy football teams who have picked any of these players in the first round. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have had one the highest “injury costs” in the league, losing more than $30 million worth of players to injuries.
Injuries in the NFL have been increasing over the past few years. According to reports, the average number of injuries per game has gone up from around 4.6 in 2019 to over 5.5 in recent seasons. Experts say that faster offensive play, less contact in practice and shorter recovery time might be to blame. Passing plays, especially, tend to lead to more injuries than running plays.
For fantasy football players, all of these injuries, with more expected to come with the rate at which it’s currently going, have made the season even more unpredictable. Stand-out players with injuries have forced fantasy managers to constantly adjust their lineups and find replacements. It’s become a test of who can plan ahead and adapt the fastest. Even though the NFL has adjusted rules and added more safety equipment, soft-tissue injuries like hamstring and calf strains keep rising. As the 2025 season continues, every team, in the league and fantasy, are going to have to keep changing due to injuries.