September has arrived, and that means the NFL’s injury conversation is about to become considerably more concrete.

Until now, we’ve mostly dealt with rehabilitation timelines, training-camp participation and preseason precautions. Soon we’ll have official practice designations and game-status reports.

Those formal Week 1 reports haven’t begun yet—the NFL’s reporting schedule starts during the week leading into the opener—so several situations remain fluid.

Still, we already know enough to identify some injuries that could materially alter the beginning of the 2026 season.

Here are the 10 situations I’m watching most closely.

1. Malik Nabers, WR — New York Giants

Current outlook: Trending toward Week 1, but not cleared yet

There might not be a more important individual injury situation in the NFC East.

Nabers continues working his way back from the torn ACL that ended his 2025 season. The encouraging part is that his progression has reached full team work, and he recently shed the no-contact jersey.

Nabers said Monday that he feels “real good”, but stopped short of guaranteeing he’ll play against Dallas. There are still medical checkpoints to clear before the Giants make that decision.

Why it matters

New York’s offense changes dramatically when Nabers is available.

Odell Beckham Jr.’s successful roster bid gives the Giants useful veteran depth, but Beckham isn’t being asked to replace their No. 1 receiver. Nabers provides the explosive component and defensive attention that opens the rest of the field.

If he plays against Dallas, the Giants’ passing game looks substantially different.

If he doesn’t, they’ll immediately be testing their newly constructed receiver depth.

Concern level: Moderate

2. George Kittle, TE — San Francisco 49ers

Current outlook: Legitimate chance to play

George Kittle’s attempt to return from a torn Achilles in time for Week 1 has become one of the more remarkable rehabilitation stories of the offseason.

He has been activated from PUP and is progressing into team drills this week before San Francisco leaves for Australia.

Kyle Shanahan clarified Monday that Kittle has not suffered a setback, saying the tight end has been passing the benchmarks established during his rehab. His availability will likely become much clearer before the 49ers make the lengthy trip to Melbourne.

Why it matters

Look at the opponent.

Los Angeles can now send Aaron Donald and Myles Garrett at the 49ers’ offense.

Kittle isn’t merely a receiver. His ability as a blocker becomes extremely valuable against a defensive front capable of wrecking protection plans.

San Francisco can function without him.

Against this particular opponent, it would strongly prefer not to.

Concern level: Moderate-to-high

3. Nick Bosa, EDGE — San Francisco 49ers

Current outlook: Expected to play if progress continues

Kittle isn’t San Francisco’s only superstar worth monitoring before Australia.

Bosa is coming back from last season’s ACL injury and more recently experienced tendinitis in the surgically repaired knee.

The 49ers remain optimistic.

Shanahan said Bosa has been feeling good and that much of San Francisco’s recent caution has been about workload management rather than another significant injury. The plan is to work Bosa into selected portions of this week’s practices before traveling.

Why it matters

The 49ers-Rams game already has enormous intrigue.

Removing Bosa from San Francisco’s defense would significantly change it.

Even if he plays, however, another question matters:

How many snaps can he realistically handle?

San Francisco doesn’t merely need Bosa active. It needs him capable of affecting Matthew Stafford late in the game.

Concern level: Moderate

4. Micah Parsons, EDGE — Green Bay Packers

Current outlook: OUT for Week 1

There is considerably less uncertainty here.

Parsons remains on the PUP list while recovering from reconstructive ACL surgery and is expected to miss at least Green Bay’s first four games. His recovery timetable had consistently pointed toward a possible return later in September or early October.

Why it matters

Green Bay opens against Minnesota without its best pass rusher.

There’s no clever way to replace Parsons.

The Packers can redistribute snaps and create pressure schematically, but offenses treat elite edge defenders differently. Protection slides toward them. Tight ends chip them. Quarterbacks speed up.

Without Parsons, Minnesota has considerably more freedom when building its protection plan.

This isn’t only a Week 1 problem, either.

Green Bay has to survive an opening stretch without one of its most important defensive players.

Concern level: High, but known

5. Zach Charbonnet, RB — Seattle Seahawks

Current outlook: OUT for at least four games

Seattle spent much of the offseason leaving open the possibility that Charbonnet could make an accelerated return from the ACL tear he suffered during the playoffs.

That possibility is gone.

The Seahawks placed Charbonnet on reserve/PUP, meaning he must miss at least the first four games. He rushed for 730 yards and led Seattle with 12 rushing touchdowns last season.

Why it matters

Kenneth Walker III is no longer in Seattle.

So when the Seahawks host New England for the NFL kickoff game, they won’t simply be missing a rotational runner.

They’re beginning the defense of their championship with a redesigned backfield.

First-round rookie Jadarian Price suddenly becomes one of the most important young players in the opener.

Seattle can still run the football effectively.

It just doesn’t have much proven continuity at the position.

Concern level: High

6. Laremy Tunsil, OT — Washington Commanders

Current outlook: OUT, potentially for an extended period

Washington officially placed Tunsil on injured reserve Monday following surgery to repair his torn triceps.

Because the Commanders waited until after establishing their initial roster, Tunsil retains the possibility of returning later this season, but the organization has already described his absence as significant.

Why it matters

Protecting Jayden Daniels just became more difficult.

Washington has moved Brandon Coleman back to left tackle, where he already has NFL experience, and the organization has publicly expressed confidence in him.

But Tunsil is one of football’s better pass protectors.

And Washington opens against Philadelphia.

That’s not the opponent you’d choose when breaking in a replacement left tackle.

Concern level: High

7. Ja’Marr Chase, WR — Cincinnati Bengals

Current outlook: Expected to be OK, but worth monitoring

This one appears considerably less serious than several others on this list.

Chase hyperextended his left knee during practice last week while attempting to make a deep reception. He sat out afterward, but indicated that he believed he could have played had Cincinnati been preparing for a regular-season game.

That’s encouraging.

It doesn’t mean Cincinnati should ignore it.

Why it matters

The Bengals aren’t built to treat Chase like just another receiver.

He led the NFL with 185 targets last season, catching 125 passes for 1,412 yards.

There’s a massive difference between Chase being active and Chase being completely unrestricted.

Assuming there are no setbacks, I’d expect him out there against Tampa Bay.

But his workload during the first official Week 1 practices will be worth watching.

Concern level: Low-to-moderate

8. Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph — Detroit Lions

Current outlook: Both OUT for at least four games

Detroit won’t begin the season with one of the NFL’s best safety combinations.

Branch remains in rehabilitation from a torn Achilles, while Joseph continues recovering from the knee problem that limited him last season.

Both were retained on reserve/PUP at final cuts, guaranteeing they will miss Detroit’s first four games.

Why it matters

This might be the most consequential position-group injury on the list.

Branch is a versatile defender capable of functioning around the line of scrimmage, covering from the slot and creating pressure.

Joseph is a proven ballhawk who led the NFL with nine interceptions in 2024.

Detroit isn’t replacing one high-level safety.

It’s replacing both simultaneously.

The Lions open against New Orleans before facing Buffalo in Week 2.

That second matchup in particular could expose any communication or coverage issues in the rebuilt secondary.

Concern level: Very high

9. Tank Dell, WR — Houston Texans

Current outlook: OUT for at least four games

Dell’s long road back will continue into the regular season.

Houston designated him for return while placing him on injured reserve, ensuring that he misses at least four games while continuing his recovery from the devastating knee injury he sustained late in 2024.

Why it matters

Houston’s receiver room has experienced tremendous turnover.

Second-year receiver Jayden Higgins is already out for the season with a torn ACL, and the Texans recently traded for Kayshon Boutte after releasing several veteran receivers.

Nico Collins remains the centerpiece.

But Houston’s depth behind him is going to be tested immediately.

Boutte’s acquisition looks considerably more important now than it did simply as a late-August transaction.

Concern level: High

10. Harold Landry III, EDGE — New England Patriots

Current outlook: OUT for at least four games

The Patriots hoped Landry might get off PUP before final cuts.

He didn’t.

New England placed him on reserve/PUP Sunday, guaranteeing that the veteran pass rusher will miss at least the opening four games. He led the Patriots in sacks during the 2025 regular season.

Why it matters

Seattle doesn’t need another advantage in the opener.

New England already knows how difficult the defending champions can be when allowed to stay on schedule offensively.

Without Landry, more responsibility moves toward Dre’Mont Jones, Elijah Ponder and the Patriots’ younger edge players.

New England still has talent throughout its defense.

But losing its leading sack producer against Sam Darnold and Seattle’s offense creates one obvious question:

Where does consistent edge pressure come from?

We’ll find out quickly.

Concern level: High

Injury to Watch Most Closely

If you’re asking which uncertain injury I’m following over the next several days, it’s Malik Nabers.

Kittle is close.

But the Giants have constructed much of their offensive ceiling around Nabers becoming one of football’s elite receivers.

Everything sounds encouraging.

Full practices.

Contact work.

Positive comments about how he feels.

Yet Nabers himself isn’t declaring victory.

That distinction matters.

The objective isn’t getting him onto the field against Dallas at all costs. It’s getting him through a 17-game season without turning an aggressive Week 1 return into a setback.

For the situations that are already decided, Detroit concerns me most.

Losing Branch and Joseph together fundamentally changes the back end of that defense.

And that’s ultimately why injury coverage shouldn’t simply be a list of body parts and designations.

The important question isn’t:

Who is hurt?

It’s:

What changes because they’re hurt?

That’s what we’ll be tracking throughout the season.