Fantasy Football News: Kenneth Walker III, Tyreek Hill, Kyler Murray

At this point of the season, fantasy football managers are having to pay extra attention to injury reports. Most teams are dealing with injuries and how much, or how little, players are practicing is a good indication if they will be available for this week.

This week is no different as a number of top players at their positions could miss Week 8 while this week could also mark the return of a former first overall pick for the first time this season.

Tyreek Hill says he is playing in Week 8 against the New England Patriots

The biggest news this week was around Tyreek Hill and a hip injury that kept him out of practice on Wednesday. This was surprising and for anyone with Hill on their roster, it would be a big absence this week as he is easily the highest scorer at the position.

However, on Thursday the Dolphins wide receiver provided good news and said that he is fine and will be playing on Sunday against the Patriots, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. As long as he is active, he is a must-start and has a good chance to once again be the highest scoring player at wide receiver.

Kenneth Walker III misses second straight practice

However the news for Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III isn't as optimistic as he sits out the second straight practice of the week due to a calf injury. The former second round pick has had an excellent start to the season with six touchdowns over four games from Week 2 to Week 6.

That streak ended this past week against the Arizona Cardinals but he still was very productive with 105 rushing yards and two receptions for six yards. This week wasn't a great matchup as the Seahawks are set to play the Cleveland Browns, who have arguably the best defense in the NFL right now.

This is why if people are looking for options to replace Kenneth Walker III, it shouldn't be rookie Zach Charbonnet. He is also dealing with an injury and was limited on Wednesday. However, if he is active, he is likely a volume-based RB3 that hopefully finds the end zone.

Christian Watson avoids serious knee injury and should be in fantasy football lineups for Week 8

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson suffered an apparent knee injury at the end of the game against the Denver Broncos. This was not good news for a player who has already missed three games at the beginning of the season due to injuries.

However, the knee injury is not a long-term issue as Watson has now had two full practices to begin the week. At this point, he shouldn't have an injury designation and is set to play in a good matchup against the Minnesota Vikings.

It has been a quiet start to the season for Christian Watson as he has only had eight receptions, 143 receiving yards and one touchdown. This is a week that the Packers should be looking to get Jordan Love back on track after he started the season great. The best way to do this is to call plays early for Christian Watson which can help Love get into a rhythm.

Kyler Murray off injury report but that doesn't mean he will return in Week 8

The Arizona Cardinals have been without their starting quarterback the entire 2023 season after he suffered a torn ACL last year. The former first overall pick began the season on the PUP list but the Cardinals opened the practice window to allow Murray to begin getting closer to a return to the field.

On Thursday, it was another step closer as he was removed from the injury report which is a good sign that his rehab is heading in the right direction. However, the Cardinals may want to remain patient in terms of when Murray returns.

The reason is that the schedule is pretty tough over the next two weeks with the Baltimore Ravens this week and the Cleveland Browns next week. After that, the schedule is more manageable with games against the Atlanta Falcons, Houston Texans, and Los Angeles Rams.

If Murray is on the waiver wire, this is the time to pick him up but managers might have to wait just a few more weeks before getting him into the starting lineup for fantasy football.