Broncos WR Jaylen Waddle may have suffered a foot injury after he was spotted leaving Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams in a walking boot. As a result, there's been a wide range of speculation as to whether Waddle could be slated to miss time due to a potential injury.
The Broncos take on the 49ers in San Francisco on Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET on CBS. Denver has begun the season 2-1 and is fresh off a 30-26 win against the Rams in Week 3. It may need Waddle available to beat the undefeated 49ers on the road.
Below, we’ll look at the latest Jaylen Waddle injury update and whether he will play in Week 4, including how it shifts fantasy football outlooks and Broncos picks for PrizePicks.
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Jaylen Waddle Injury Update: Will Waddle Play in Week 4?
Waddle appearing in a walking boot was certainly a cause for concern for many following the team’s Week 3 contest. However, according to Sam Jane of the Denver Post, Waddle is “fine” and isn’t expected to miss time.
The Broncos are slated to hold their first practice of the week Wednesday afternoon as they prepare to take on the 49ers. The team will release its injury report after practice, which will provide a concrete update.
It’s been an up-and-down start to the season for Waddle. The veteran WR caught 8 passes for 138 yards in a 20-13 Week 2 win against the Jacksonville Jaguars. However, he's combined for just 3 catches and 12 yards in Denver’s other two games.
Waddle was acquired from the Miami Dolphins in exchange for a 2026 first-round pick, a 2026 third-round pick, and a 2026 fourth-round pick during the offseason. Having a volume WR like him in the lineup would be huge as the Broncos face a scary San Francisco team on Sunday.
Jaylen Waddle Fantasy Football Outlook, Impact on Broncos
Waddle's QB, Bo Nix, just scored a 1-yard rushing TD with just 47 seconds remaining on Sunday Night Football to give the Broncos a monumental Week 3 victory over the Rams.
The Denver offense hasn’t exactly been electric to begin the season. According to RBSDM, the Broncos produce -0.063 EPA per play (22nd) with just a 40.8% success rate (25th).
According to PlayerProfiler, Waddle has registered a 23.2% target share, which ranks 23rd among WRs. The former Alabama star has also tallied a 60.0% deep target share, ranking seventh for this year's wideouts.
The Broncos may choose to be cautious with Waddle’s injury in the short term. Practice participation will be telling. After all, he's logged just one full season since entering the league in 2021. Still, avoiding a big-time injury is huge.
Fantasy managers viewed Waddle as a top-tier WR, as shown by his 37th-overall and WR16 average draft position (ADP), via FantasyPros.
The 49ers have surrendered -0.04 EPA/play and are fairly vulnerable against the pass, evidenced by a -0.02 EPA/dropback mark. San Francisco has allowed 207.3 passing yards per game (15th) but has given up just 16.7 points per game as a unit through three games.
Elsewhere for Denver, WRs Courtland Sutton (18.39% target share) and Pat Bryant (10.34%) figure to be in the mix regardless of whether Waddle plays this weekend.
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Based on reports regarding Jaylen Waddle, it appears that the star WR isn’t seriously hurt and should be fine to suit up against the 49ers in Week 4. However, it's still worth keeping an eye on the Broncos’ injury report and his practice status as the week goes on.
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