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“Injury Report: Suffered multiple leg injuries over his career, including a torn ACL (2005), ankle sprains (2007) and a stress fracture (2008).” That was the word from Cleveland Browns rookie running back Montario Hardesty’s CBS draft report. The Browns fell in love with his “potential”, and opted to trade up to acquire him in the second round. Hopefully you paid more attention to the red flags, and didn’t reach for him in your fantasy draft.

Let’s take a look at all the recent injuries with fantasy football implications. Click “Ctrl-F” on your keyboard to quickly locate a player.

Courtesy of KFFL & CBS; organized by KLGM

Coach Raheem Morris said the most serious injury on the team is the fractured thumb of QB Josh Freeman, who is on track to start the season opener.

The agent for Saints RB Ladell Betts told the New Orleans Times-Picayune that his client has been released. That’s a sign that the injury to RB Chris Ivory (knee) in Thursday’s preseason game vs. the Titans wasn’t that serious. Head coach Sean Payton had no update on Friday. It also means Ivory has nailed down the backup job behind Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush.

Broncos backup RB LenDale White suffered a torn Achilles’ tendon in the team’s preseason finale at Minnesota and is expected to be out for the season.

The Cleveland Browns confirmed to CBSSports.com Friday that rookie RB Montario Hardesty will miss the 2010 season with what is believed to be a torn left ACL. He has already been placed on injured reserve and surgery will be scheduled soon. Hardesty was hurt in the Browns’ final preseason game — and his first preseason game of the year — after missing all of training camp and most of the preseason with a bone bruise in his right knee. Peyton Hillis is expected to take over Hardesty’s short-yardage/goal-line role while Jerome Harrison should see more carries called his way as the starter in Cleveland.

Arizona Cardinals RB Beanie Wells left Thursday’s preseason finale against the Redskins after suffering a minor leg injury. After the game, Wells was diagnosed with a leg contusion. He told reporters that he should be fine going forward, however. Coach Ken Whisenhunt did not consider the injury a concern.

Houston Texans RB Steve Slaton missed Thursday’s preseason finale against the Bucs with a toe injury suffered last week against Dallas. Slaton has a toe strain and not a turf toe as initially believed. The team expects him to be ready for Week 1 against the Colts.

Detroit Lions RB Kevin Smith stated “I can sit here and say I trust my knee and I trust everything, but it’s going to take work. I’ve just started to get back into the groove of football, game tackling, making moves.”

Detroit Lions S Louis Delmas (groin) got the night of on Thursday night as the Lions faced the Bills in preseason action. Delmas has been dealing with a groin injury for a few weeks now.

The Green Bay Packers placed CB Al Harris (ACL), S Atari Bigby (ankle) and RB James Starks (hamstring) on the PUP list on Tuesday. Harris, Bigby and Starks can’t be activated before Week 6.

Oakland Raiders coach Tom Cable commented on Tuesday whether RB Darren McFadden, who missed the first two preseason games with a hamstring injury, is ready to carry the load in the season opener against the Titans, if Michael Bush (thumb) remains sidelined. “I think so. I think he’s ready to go,” Cable said. “He looked good the other night in the short work he got, and he practiced well (this week).”

Oakland Raiders RB Michael Bush (thumb) is highly unlikely to be ready to play Week 1 and could miss up to four games or more, speculates Jerry McDonald, of ANG Newspapers. According to orthopedic surgeon Dr. Michael Schwartz, a time span of four to six weeks following surgery would be a “best case scenario,” but he added he was speaking in general terms and did not know the specifics of Bush’s injury.

It seems more likely OLB Shawne Merriman (Achilles’) will miss the first couple games of the season. Coach Norv Turner did not specifically commit to Merriman not playing, but he did indicate that it would take Merriman some time to round into playing shape after he resumes practicing. He has been battling Larry English at right outside linebacker.

The New England Patriots lost a key player Tuesday when CB Leigh Bodden, their best cornerback, was placed on injured reserve.

Minnesota Vikings WR Sidney Rice was placed on the reserve physically unable to perform list Tuesday.

New Orleans Saints FS Darren Sharper (knee) will be placed on the reserve/Physically Unable to Perform list, which means he will miss at least the first six weeks, sources told Brian Allee-Walsh, of NewOrleans.com.

New York Giants LB Phillip Dillard (hamstring) likely will miss a week after straining his hamstring during the final preseason game, according to the New York Daily News’ Ralph Vacchiano.

New York Giants RB Andre Brown (toe) may miss Week 1 because of turf toe, reports The Star-Ledger’s Mike Garafolo. Brown said he is expected to miss two weeks because of the injury.

Green Bay Packers CB Will Blackmon (knee) suffered a setback from his rehab last week, but special teams coordinator Shawn Slocum said Blackmon is back on track, according to Tom Silverstein and Greg A. Bedard, of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Pittsburgh Steelers QB Byron Leftwich (knee) will miss two to four weeks because of a sprained medial collateral ligament, a source told Ed Bouchette, of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Miami Dolphins OT Jake Long (knee) said he will be ready for the team’s Week 1 game despite suffering a knee injury in the preseason finale, according to Mike Berardino, of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. “I’m not sure yet,” head coach Tony Sparano said when asked for an update on Long. “I really don’t know what his status is.”

New England Patriots RB Laurence Maroney (abdomen, groin, ankle) has been dealing with a number of issues, including an abdominal strain and groin and ankle injuries, reports Monique Walker, of The Boston Globe, according to a league source.

New England Patriots WR Wes Welker (knee) is ready for Week 1; however, he still feels he’s not yet at the same form he was last season when he caught 123 passes, according to Albert Breer, of The Boston Globe. “I still feel like I’m a long ways off from that personally,” Welker said. “People say it looks the same. I don’t feel the same. So I’m not gonna put a number on myself.”

San Francisco 49ers rookie RB Anthony Dixon (ribs) suffered a rib injury Thursday, Sept. 2, against the San Diego Chargers, reports The Associated Press. The injury is not considered serious.

Jacksonville Jaguars RB Maurice Jones-Drew (knee) said he feels great and cannot wait to get back out on the field against the Denver Broncos during Week 1, reports The Associated Press. He has missed five consecutive practices. He said he will be back doing everything he needs to do Monday, Sept. 6, to prepare for Week 1. He also called the false report about him having surgery “a big mess over nothing.”

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