Week 1 of the 2026 NFL regular season has barely begun, but we already had a concerning injury just two and a half minutes into the Super Bowl LX rematch season opener. Then, the Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold went down with a hip injury, never to return, as the backup QB Drew Lock showed his reliability in the reigning champions’ 13-10 win. In the very same game, the New England Patriots’ latest acquisition, AJ Brown, also ended up on the IR. The possible NFC West clash between the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams also came with its fair share of woes. But, of course, that was just the exciting kickoff to a very promising season.

Come Sunday, we have a total of nine matchups, followed by five on Monday, all promising thrilling highlights to say the least. But in a physical game like the NFL, injuries are no rarity. So, before we head into D-Day, let’s see how various teams are looking and what the absence of their injured players could mean for them.

The rollercoaster Seattle-Patriots matchup gave us flashbacks and put two key players on the IR

The Patriots parted ways with Stefon Diggs and traded for wide receiver AJ Brown in the offseason in hopes that he is their missing piece. The playmaker was working out exactly how head coach Mike Vrabel had thought: being a centerpiece for the team’s passing attack. But the season opener didn’t go the way he had planned.

In the third quarter of their 13-10 loss, Seahawks CB Nehemiah Pritchett’s knee landed on the outside of Brown’s right ankle. He walked off the field and was seen in a boot when leaving the stadium on Wednesday. Considering that the team decided to immobilize his ankle, it is certain that he is dealing with a bigger problem than just a scrape. He could be dealing with a sprain or a fracture. The Patriots have the sixth-hardest schedule this season and are playing four playoff teams in the first four weeks. An NFL insider had worse news waiting for the team:

“Just in: The #Patriots have placed WR AJ Brown on IR due to a high-ankle sprain suffered on Wednesday night, per @AdamSchefter. He will miss at least the next 4 games: vs. PIT, at JAX, at BUF, and vs. LV,” reported NFL insider Ari Meirov on Friday.

Brown had three catches for 26 yards before leaving the game. He won’t be joining the team for at least four games. The stretch includes crucial matchups against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Jacksonville Jaguars, and the Buffalo Bills. Unfortunately, the damage didn’t end with A.J. Brown.

Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold was also forced out with a hip injury. Initially, the team feared a season-ending fracture. But later, tests brought much-needed relief by officially ruling out a broken bone. Instead, Darnold is dealing with an unusual muscle strain.

He’s set to miss Seattle’s Week 2 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals on September 20, with the team expected to provide a clear timeline for his recovery once practice resumes. However, head coach Mike Macdonald already believes he will be the one starting against their NFC West rivals, the Arizona Cardinals, next week, or more. The Seahawks have a considerably easier schedule (14th hardest) and only begin playing playoff teams come Week 3, giving Darnold enough time to recoup. But Macdonald is confident in Lock even if his primary quarterback takes longer to make his way back to the field, as he stated on Thursday:

“On top of that, since he’s got here, I feel like he’s just played great football in practice and in the preseason. We saw what he could do last night. If he has to play again, then we expect the same moving forward.”

Talking of NFC West rivals, the second Week-1 game, the NFL’s first regular-season game in Melbourne, did not come without injuries.

The 49ers flipped the game upside down in Australia, but fell prey to injuries…again…

The San Francisco 49ers proved that despite being an underdog, they come with many surprises up their sleeves. But in the lopsided 27-7 win, they also went through a major setback against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 1.

Defensive tackle Alfred Collins was ruled out ahead of the matchup due to a knee injury and has been placed on injured reserve, while rookie WR De’Zhan Stribling was carted off the field after an ankle injury.

Meanwhile, the Rams have not yet recorded any injuries. Their returning defensive star, Aaron Donald, however, did not play against the 49ers, with no reason disclosed.

With those two games down in the book, here are more teams facing the injury bug as they open their regular seasons.

What to expect with the remaining Week-1 games

Atlanta at the Steelers:

The Atlanta Falcons seem to be the injury-prone team this season. They currently have ten players on their Thursday IR, with six players in limited practice and two with no practice.

Atlanta’s QB situation has taken another unexpected turn. Tua Tagovailoa managed to become the Week 1 starter but was ruled out because of a right oblique injury. Instead, Cooper Rush will now start against the Pittsburgh Steelers, as QB Michael Penix Jr. remains unavailable but had full participation on Thursday. Their OT Jawaan Taylor and DE Za’Darius Smith also did not practice on Thursday.

“Falcons QB Tua Tagovailoa, who suffered an oblique injury, is experiencing enough discomfort that he will miss Sunday’s game vs the Steelers. Cooper Rush will start. Michael Penix Jr. is getting closer, but he’s not there yet,” NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported on X.

Meanwhile, the Steelers are looking strong so far with only one hiccup. Their key cornerback Joey Porter Jr. is questionable as of now after limited participation in their last three practices due to back issues.

The Raiders vs. the Dolphins

The Las Vegas Raiders are also dealing with a notable absence ahead of their opener. TE Brock Bowers is out after undergoing a knee procedure and is expected to miss at least the opening game, which creates another offensive hurdle for the Raiders. But he is not the only one on their IR.

Their running back Ashton Jeanty is also on the injury report but has fully participated in the team’s three practices. His game status remains unknown, however. Meanwhile, the Dolphins have four players on the IR, but they had full practices on Friday.

The SNF game

As the Dallas Cowboys hope to prove their defense’s strengths this season, they will enter their opener without left guard Tyler Smith, who was placed on injured reserve after suffering a thumb injury and is expected to miss 4-6 weeks.

Their running back Malik Davis is also out for the matchup against the New York Giants due to his hip. He had a limited participation on Friday. Meanwhile, the Giants have listed six players on their IR, with only wide receiver Malik Nabers being questionable. He did have a full practice on Friday.

With more Week 1 games approaching, the injury list can grow before the weekend ends, leaving several teams scrambling to rebuild their game plans before the season even gets fully underway.