Calvin Ridley Injury Update
Calvin Ridley has spent the past couple of weeks reminding fantasy managers that, sometimes, the anxiety is louder than the facts. The Tennessee Titans’ WR1 took some time off from practices and missed the preseason finale, all chalked up to—wait for it—“general soreness.” It’s almost comical, considering how every little update turns into wild speculation in the fantasy community. Ridley isn’t battling a fractured foot, some dreaded high-ankle sprain, or even mystical “undisclosed issues.” Just soreness. And it seems the coaching staff is more relaxed than my uncle watching preseason football, insisting that Ridley will be lining up Week 1 against the Denver Broncos, healthy and ready to go.
I remember the first time I drafted Ridley. It felt thrilling—like a calculated risk with major upside. Fast forward to this season, and he’s navigated way more drama than most fantasy assets. Think of the fractured foot back in 2020—originally dubbed a “bone bruise,” which sounds like something you’d get bumping into the coffee table, until you realize he played a season on it. Surgery came later, but the pain lingered, followed by a brutal stretch where Ridley’s struggles went deeper than injury, diving into mental health territory. If you followed football that year, you saw headlines shift from stat projections to genuine concern for Ridley as a person. He stepped away after just five games, and an entire 2022 season went by courtesy of a gambling suspension—not even health-related, just another detour on this guy’s winding road.
So now here he is, a veteran presence and one of the most reliable guys on a team with a rookie quarterback. There’s a certain gravity to Ridley’s role: new team, new leader, and, finally, healthy. If you want a sense of readiness, look no further than his preseason. In 11 offensive snaps, Ridley caught all three targets for 50 yards. It’s a tiny sample, sure, but for fantasy folks, every rep gets dissected. He looked sharp, fluid, almost like the days when he was carving up secondaries in Atlanta. There’s a reason people are high on Ridley’s fantasy outlook: Tyjae Spears is missing time at running back, so targets should flow Ridley’s way, especially early. I’ve got an old league mate who loves those “volume plays”—he’d call Ridley a lock for double-digit targets in Week 1.
What’s wild is just how steady Ridley’s projected numbers already look. Most sites put him in the 55-yard, 4-catch range for the opener. Maybe not league-winning, but definitely a solid floor. And given his past, sometimes that’s all you want—no weekly drama, just straightforward production. Of course, fantasy football thrives on emotion and risk. The phrase “minor soreness” gets thrown around, but if Ridley’s on the field, I’m starting him. After all, he’s the veteran captain, and reports say he’s fully recovered mentally and physically, ready to mentor Cam Ward and anchor the Tennessee offense. With a healthy Ridley, there’s always a shot for that big play. I still remember watching him turn a seemingly routine catch into a forty-yard sprint; those moments keep fantasy dreams alive.
Week 1 arrives September 7, and unless something truly unexpected happens, Ridley will start. There’s no secret designation, no looming cloud of a missed opener. Just one of the game’s sharpest route runners prepping for another big season. Maybe bump expectations up a notch, but don’t get too wild—the numbers will be there, and the opportunity is even bigger. If you’ve got him rostered, relax. Sometimes, the best play is trusting the obvious: Ridley is ready, soreness is minor, and he’s about to prove why he was worth the draft pick. The typical fantasy heartbreak? Not this time—at least not yet. Let Week 1 play out, and enjoy seeing Ridley back where he belongs, making an impact.
