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Christian Kirk has been one of the most consistently reliable fantasy football wide receivers during both of his seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars. During the 2023 NFL season, he has ranked among the top 30 wide receivers in PPR leagues eight times. He currently ranks as the overall WR28 this year, making him a lineup staple, profiling as a WR2/3 on most fantasy rosters.
While Kirk has played in every game for the Jaguars so far this season, that is unfortunately expected to change. He reportedly suffered a core muscle injury after making his first reception in their most recent game. The ailment knocked him out for the remainder of the contest and put his potential availability in serious jeopardy going forward.
Christian Kirk's injury status for Week 14
On the first play of the Jacksonville Jaguars' first offensive drive of their Monday Night Football showdown against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 13, Christian Kirk made a diving reception. He appeared to be in pain, and after being checked out by the medical staff, he was ruled out for the remainder of the game with a core injury.
According to NFL Insider Ian Rapoport:
"Christian Kirk suffered a core muscle injury on his catch last night and is expected to need surgery. Rehab for a core muscle issue is generally about eight weeks."
This is devastating news for the Jacksonville Jaguars' quest toward the NFL Playoffs. It's also brutal timing in fantasy football, as he is likely to be unavailable for the entirety of the 2023 fantasy football playoffs. The Jaguars, as well as Kirk's fantasy managers, will now need to come up with an alternative plan to replace the usually reliable Kirk in their lineups.
What happened to Christian Kirk?
During the Jaguars' Week 13 MNF contest against the Cincinnati Bengals, Kirk suffered a reported core muscle injury in the first quarter. The injury occurred on their first offensive play of the game when he made a diving catch. After initially being listed as questionable to return, he was eventually ruled out for the remainder of the game.
The results of Kirk's MRI made things even worse, as the injury was diagnosed as severe. It will reportedly require surgery and force him to miss multiple weeks. The Jaguars are likely hoping that he will be able to return at some point this year, as he has been one of the most important pieces in their offensive system.
When will Christian Kirk return to action?
An exact timetable for his return is yet to be determined for Kirk, and he likely won't be officially released until after his surgery for a core muscle injury. For now, he will surely be unavailable for the Jaguars' Week 14 game against the Cleveland Browns. The typical recovery for this type of injury is alleged to be around two months, so it's possible he won't return until next year.
As outlined by Rapoport, an average length of recovery for his specific injury lines up to bring him back around the Super Bowl if the Jaguars are still alive at that point. In Kirk's absence, Calvin Ridley and Zay Jones will likely see an uptick in usage. This will likely increase their fantasy football value, but with Trevor Lawrence spraining his ankle, much uncertainty surrounds the Jaguars' offense in Week 14.
