The Saints and Steelers came out as victors on Monday night in Week 2.
It's only been two weeks, but injuries have ravaged the NFL already.
The 2023 season has been filled with several devastating injuries for big-name players. As a result, teams have been left scrambling to find replacements.
Steadying the ship without stars is critical to reaching the playoffs in a long season. Some teams have had seen backups fill in admirably, while others are still seeking better production.
Here are five injuries that have had the biggest impact on the 2023 NFL season so far:
Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
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While Burrow hasn't missed any regular season action yet, his preseason calf injury is undoubtedly hurting the Bengals. Cincinnati didn't score an offensive touchdown in the first six quarters of its season. When Burrow and Co. finally got on track in the second half of Week 2, he reaggravated the injury and his status moving forward is unclear. The 0-2 Bengals desperately need a healthy Burrow -- their backup QB is 27-year-old Jake Browning, who has never completed an NFL pass.
Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets
Rodgers' Achilles injury altered the NFL landscape just minutes into the Jets' season. Former No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson stepped in for Rodgers and managed the Jets to an upset win over the Bills. New York crashed back to reality in a Week 2 blowout loss to the Cowboys, where Wilson had three interceptions. The Jets' season has been completely derailed, even if Rodgers miraculously returns earlier than anticipated.
Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns
The latest, and perhaps most gruesome, injury of the 2023 season came Monday night. Chubb suffered a severe knee injury in Cleveland's loss, ending his sixth NFL season prematurely. The four-time Pro Bowler has been one of the league's best running backs since being drafted in 2018, trailing only Derrick Henry in rushing yards over that span. The Browns will now turn to a pair of unproven second-year backs in Jerome Ford and Pierre Strong.
Saquon Barkley, New York Giants
Week 2 was not kind to star running backs. Barkley suffered an ankle sprain late in Sunday's comeback win over the Cardinals. The injury apparently seemed worse than it actually was, because head coach Brian Daboll said Tuesday that Barkley wasn't yet ruled out for Thursday's game. More likely, though, is that Barkley sits this one out and takes some extra time to rest up -- initial reports suggested he would miss three weeks. New York's win over Arizona was crucial with several tough opponents coming up (49ers, Seahawks, Dolphins and Bills).
Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams
You never want to be without your star receiver, but the Rams are certainly making the most of it. Kupp was put on IR with a hamstring injury before the season, meaning he'll miss four weeks at minimum. Little did anyone know that receivers Tutu Atwell and rookie Puka Nacua would emerge as legitimate weapons. Atwell, a third-year wideout with 18 catches in his first two seasons, has 13 receptions and 196 yards through two games. Nacua, a fifth-round rookie, leads the league with 25 receptions and 35 targets and trails only Justin Jefferson in yards. Kupp's injury could be remembered positively after the Rams discovered two potential stars.
