Evan Engram Injury Update
Evan Engram’s Sunday was supposed to be the start of something new—a fresh season, new city, new connections, a Denver crowd with its hopes up for the former Jaguars star. But this is the NFL, right? If you watch long enough, you learn never to get too comfortable. Sometimes the plot twists are less “Hollywood ending” and more, well, limping off to a blue medical tent with your helmet swinging at your side.
Let’s get right to it: Engram suffered a calf injury in the Broncos’ opening win over the Tennessee Titans. Not some little tweak, either—he went into the tent not once, but twice, and by the fourth quarter, Denver fans were just hoping to see him back on the sideline looking okay. “Questionable to return” is always ambiguous. Sometimes that means “he’ll shake it off and be back in next series,” other times it’s “don’t count on him for a few weeks.” This time? More the latter. He was listed as questionable and ultimately did not make it back into the action before time ran out, with uncertainty hanging in the September air.
Of course, you can’t talk about Engram and not mention the promise he brought to Denver. He was supposed to be Sean Payton’s chess piece, a stretchy tight end who could give rookie Bo Nix an easy out when things got tense. Three catches for 21 yards before the injury—not mind-blowing, but you saw the seeds planted. It honestly felt like a nice fit. I remember thinking, with every dump-off to the flat: “Yeah, this could be fun.” But as always in football, fun can be temporarily suspended by a pulled muscle. Especially if it’s a calf. Skill guys—receivers, tight ends, running backs—hate calf injuries. They linger, they sap your burst, and they don’t really care about your fantasy lineup.
Speaking of fantasy, plenty of managers were holding out hope for Engram this year. If you’re one of them, you’ve got to be a little nervous now. Calf issues aren’t always “one week and done,” and Engram’s history isn’t spotless either; he dealt with lower leg problems in his Giants days, too. I’d keep an eye on the Broncos' injury reports this week before making any hasty drops. Maybe grab a backup tight end if you’re risk-averse—or hey, try living dangerously! But I wouldn’t blame anyone for taking the safe route. Denver’s bench isn’t stocked with sure things at tight end, either.
And which Engram jersey did everyone rush out to buy this summer? It’s No. 1. Switched it up for the Broncos, making him easy to spot out there when he’s healthy—a single streak of navy and orange darting behind linebackers. There’s something charming about a player picking No. 1, like a personal challenge to live up to it. Let’s just hope the injury isn’t the start of a “one and done” storyline for this season.
Injuries are just part of the deal, though. Veteran fans swap stories about heartbreakers all the time: “Remember when he went down in the opener?” Comes with the territory. But goodness, you hope this calf thing is minor and Engram is back making themiddle of the field a little less safe for defenders soon. For now? Broncos fans and fantasy GMs both have to practice patience—and maybe trade a knowing, slightly exasperated nod at their television screen. That’s life in football, and football life sometimes means sitting on updates and hoping for news that finally sounds a little less “questionable” and a little more “back in action.”
