Hayden Hurst injury update: Latest on Panthers TE for Fantasy Football Week 14

Last season, the Cincinnati Bengals named Hayden Hurst as their starting tight end. He finished the season with 52 receptions for 414 yards and two touchdowns in 13 games. His performance enticed the Carolina Panthers into giving him a three-year contract during the 2023 offseason.

But while the former South Carolina standout has played nine games this season, he only has 18 catches for 184 yards and a touchdown. To make matters worse, he is dealing with a severe condition that could force him out of action for multiple weeks.

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Hayden Hurst's injury update

The Carolina Panthers will face their division rivals, the New Orleans Saints, in Week 14. While the Panthers are already out of playoff contention, they could play spoiler to the Saints' chances of winning this season's NFC South title.

However, Carolina must do it without Hayden Hurst because he has been ruled out due to a concussion. While he participated in the team's practices before the game, Hurst did not engage in full-contact drills.

Hurst first appeared on the Panthers' injury report due to a concussion in Week 11. He ended up missing their game against the Dallas Cowboys. He was also inactive for their Week 12 game versus the Tennessee Titans and in Week 13 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Panthers listed Hurst in their Week 9 injury report due to illness, but he recovered and played against the Indianapolis Colts. It was his best game this season as he finishede with four catches for 54 yards. It's his only 50-yard game this season, compared to three with Cincinnati last year.

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What happened to Hayden Hurst?

His father, Jerry Hurst, tweeted:

“@haydenrhurst has been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Amnesia by an independent neurologist as a result of the hit he took in Chicago November 9. Slow recovery, don’t know when he’ll be back. Prayers appreciated!”

Post-traumatic amnesia refers to temporary memory loss after a brain injury. A person dealing with this condition may experience difficulty in recalling past events.

Hayden Hurst might have experienced symptoms of the condition during their Week 10 game against the Chicago Bears. He hit his head hard on the turf after the Bears' Jaquan Brisker tackled him on a third-and-three play with four minutes left in regulation. The impact of Brisker's hit led to an incomplete pass.

Meanwhile, the six-year NFL veteran tweeted that his condition isn't career-ending. He also admitted to remembering nothing up to four hours after the game against Chicago.

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When will Hayden Hurst return?

The tight end's return remains uncertain as he misses his fourth consecutive game. Players under concussion protocol must clear a five-phase process before being allowed to play. However, being a limited participant is a positive update, considering he did not practice at all in previous weeks.

However, tempering optimism about Hayden Hurst's return to action is best. But even if he clears the protocol, he hasn't been a solid fantasy football option this season. The most he has scored is 15.1 fantasy points in PPR, set in Week 1 versus the Atlanta Falcons.

That was when he had his first and only touchdown catch (so far) this season. Since then, he hasn't reached double-digit fantasy points again in 2023. The most he's had was 7.4 points in Week 9 against the Colts. Therefore, there are better options at tight end than him, especially with fantasy playoffs fast approaching.