Trey Hendrickson Had Finger Surgery and Sits Against Tennessee as Defensive Injuries Pile Up

Baltimore edge rusher Trey Hendrickson had surgery on his broken right finger this week and is out for Sunday's game against the winless Tennessee Titans, head coach Jesse Minter told reporters Friday. Hendrickson broke the finger in the season opener and played the last two games with it taped. The Ravens decided to fix it now, and Minter described the absence as very short term, framing the procedure as the right long-term call for the team.

Hendrickson headlines a wave of defensive news from Thursday and Friday that matters more for team defense (DST) streamers, IDP leagues and point spreads than most fantasy managers will notice. Cleveland's Mason Graham is week to week with knee and ankle sprains, the Rams ruled out Aaron Donald, and the Patriots will play in Buffalo without top corner Christian Gonzalez.

Hendrickson out, Baltimore still a heavy favorite

The Ravens host Tennessee at 1 p.m. ET, and the Titans are 0-3. Without Hendrickson, Baltimore leans on second-year outside linebacker Mike Green, who has one sack and two quarterback hits this season, and undrafted rookie Ethan Burke is likely to get his first defensive snaps, per reporting from Baltimore.

The market has not flinched. The Ravens opened around -8.5 and have moved to -11.5 at multiple books, with a moneyline near Ravens -750 and Titans +525. The total has gone the other way, dropping from 47.5 at open to 42.5 (43.5 at some books). That combination tells you how the market sees this game: Baltimore controlling it, with a lower-scoring script than first priced.

For fantasy, the Ravens DST remains a start. A home favorite of double digits against a winless offense is the standard streaming profile, and one missing rusher does not change that. The Titans' offense, meanwhile, gets a slight bump in pass-protection terms, but it is not enough to make any Tennessee pass catcher more than a desperation flex.

The rest of the defensive injury board

Mason Graham got rolled up on Cleveland's first defensive series of Thursday's 27-24 win over Pittsburgh. An MRI showed MCL and ankle sprains, and per ESPN and Yahoo reporting, he is not believed to have a long-term injury but should miss a few weeks. That is a real loss: Graham, who had half a sack as a rookie, has four sacks this season, a team high and tied for second in the NFL. The Browns are 3-1 and atop the AFC North, and they have a mini-bye before visiting the Jets on Oct. 11. IDP managers who rode his breakout should look to the wire.

Aaron Donald did not practice all week with a back injury. NFL Network described it as mild, with the Rams taking a long-term view, but it is his second absence of the season after he sat out the opener in Australia. The Rams also ruled out cornerback Jaylen Watson. On the other side, Philadelphia has its own problems, including linebacker Zack Baun (concussion), but the Eagles' offensive line is the unit with the most to gain.

Gonzalez out in Buffalo

Mike Vrabel ruled out Christian Gonzalez (shoulder) and defensive lineman Christian Barmore. Gonzalez had eight tackles and five passes defensed in three games and is the best cover player in the New England secondary. Charles Woods is expected to start in his place.

The timing is rough for the Patriots, who sit at 1-2 after reaching the Super Bowl last season, heading to a 3-0 Buffalo team. The Bills are favored by 6.5 with a total of 48.5, and the moneyline sits around Bills -330 and Patriots +265. The spread has actually ticked down half a point from -7, but the price on -6.5 has gotten more expensive (around -120), so the market is not moving toward New England.

On Buffalo's side, cornerback Christian Benford (toe) is questionable and defensive lineman T.J. Sanders is doubtful after an appendectomy nearly two weeks ago. Those are worth watching for the Patriots' passing game, but they are smaller than the hole Gonzalez leaves.

Fantasy fallout

- Bills pass catchers get a bump. Without Gonzalez, New England loses its top cover corner. Buffalo's top receiver is the clear winner, and the 48.5 total has more room to go over with a backup corner on the field. - Ravens DST: still start. Hendrickson's absence lowers the sack ceiling, not the floor of a double-digit home favorite. - Rams-Eagles leans run-heavy. With Donald out and Philadelphia down three pass catchers, expect the Eagles to lean on the ground. That is a positive for the Philadelphia backfield and a modest negative for the Rams DST. - IDP: Replace Graham for at least the next week or two. Mike Green is the Baltimore name to add if your league rewards pressures and sacks.

Betting angle

Defensive injuries move spreads less than quarterback injuries, but they move totals and props. The Ravens-Titans total dropping five points from its open is the clearest example this week, although that move reflects more than Hendrickson. In Buffalo, the price on the Bills spread getting steeper even as the number dipped to 6.5 is consistent with the Gonzalez news landing on the Buffalo side.

The practical move: Gonzalez's absence argues for Buffalo receiver yardage props more than the side. Hendrickson's absence matters most for Ravens team sack props, which deserve a skeptical look when the pass rush is missing its best piece. For how the Verdexed model weighs these absences against each matchup, check /nfl/predictions and the weekly board at /blog/nfl-week-4-picks-2026.

What's next

Minter's short-term framing suggests Hendrickson could be back as soon as Week 5, and his practice participation next week will be the tell. Graham's timeline starts with the Jets game on Oct. 11, and the Browns' mini-bye gives him extra recovery time. For Donald, the Rams' long-term approach means a Wednesday practice next week would be a strong signal he is past it. Gonzalez's shoulder is the one without a public timeline, so treat the Patriots' secondary as compromised until he is back on the practice field.