Injury report: Jaylen Warren, Nate Herbig and Marquez Valdes-Scantling

Week 2 of the NFL preseason has now concluded and with it came a new slate of injuries to affect the fantasy world.

Even with preseason games being notoriously light, a new player is popping up on injury reports seemingly every week. A team will hold out its key players who experience any discomfort at this point in the year but even in the preseason, significant injuries are a risk.

As fantasy drafts approach, take note of the three biggest injuries from Week 2 of the 2024 preseason and how they will affect fantasy football.

Jaylen Warren

In his third season, Warren was again expected to begin the year as the backup to Najee Harris but potentially push the 26-year-old for the starting role. That will have to wait for a few weeks as Warren suffered a hamstring injury in Pittsburgh's preseason game against Buffalo.

Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported that the injury will sideline Warren for at 2-4 weeks, putting his Week 1 status up in the air. More details are expected to unravel as the season inches closer but for now, expect him to miss the season opener.

In his absence, Harris should see an increased workload with less competition for his snap count. Cordarrelle Patterson is listed behind Warren as the third-string back with La'Mical Perine also on the roster. Neither are expected to have any significant role in the offense.

Nate Herbig

While Warren's injury hurts the Pittsburgh offense, the team received even worse news with Herbig, the projected starting center, suffering what is believed to be a serious shoulder injury. Per Steelers beat reporter Gerry Dulac, the injury is potentially season-ending, something that could prove to be fatal for the Pittsburgh offensive line.

Offensive line injuries and moves often get overlooked in fantasy but Herbig's absence could be a major loss for all Pittsburgh skill players. In what was projected to be one of the top offensive lines in the league, Herbig was the center piece of the unit — literally and figuratively. His absence will force rookie Zach Frazier into the starting lineup.

Marquez Valdes-Scantling

Buffalo is currently dealing with a wave of injuries, though none are particularly relevant for fantasy. Along with Valdes-Scantling, Mitch Trubisky and Quintin Morris are considered week-to-week. Valdes-Scantling suffered a neck injury during the preseason game against Pittsburgh.

As the most fantasy-relevant name of the group, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reports that Valdes-Scantling's X-rays were negative. The update is a positive after his injury looked as if it could have been much worse upon initial impact. The hope is for 'MVS' to be cleared by Week 1, though Buffalo remains tentative on that prospect.

Valdes-Scantling is not projected to start for Buffalo but is a veteran presence at receiver for Josh Allen in a room full of otherwise inexperienced players.