Newly acquired Chiefs’ WR Kadarius Toney left Sunday’s win over the Chargers in the first half and didn’t return due to a hamstring injury.
Toney has been fighting a multitude of injuries for much of his NFL career thus far. After being drafted by the Giants in the first round of the 2021 Draft, he played in only 10 games during his rookie season due to oblique issues. He was good to go for the start of the 2022 season and suited up in Weeks 1 and 2 before a hamstring injury sidelined him for Weeks 3 – 7.
He was shipped off to Kansas City on October 27, 2022 in exchange for a third and a sixth round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. He played in Week 9 against the Titans, hauling in two passes for 12 yards, before logging his first career touchdown against the Jaguars in Week 10. It was his best game since Week 5 of the 2021 season.
Unfortunately, the momentum he picked up against Jacksonvile came to a screeching halt in the first half of the aforementioned game against Los Angeles when he suffered the hamstring strain.
The hamstring muscle group consists of the semitendinosus, semimembranosus, and biceps femoris, all of which are large muscles that require a lot of energy. They play a major role in running, jumping, acceleration, and agility. Specifically when it comes to running, the hamstrings are working nonstop.
Over a ten year period, the NFL Injury Surveillance saw the highest percentage of hamstring strains occurring in defensive backs (23.5%) with wide receivers just behind at 18.2%. These injuries impact skill-position players more because of how the hamstrings work and their function.
A strained hamstring means the muscle fibers are compromised to some extent. When players try to play through a strained hamstring, they are risking a full tear.
We’ve calculated Toney’s hamstring strain to be a Grade 2, which indicates there is some tearing in the hamstring. Given his previous injury history, our Optimal Recovery Time for him is 34 days away. His Injury Risk is High (55%) and his Health Performance Factor is Poor (22%).
