Atlanta Injury Report Today: Why the Hawks and Falcons Lists Are a Mess

Atlanta Injury Report Today: Why the Hawks and Falcons Lists Are a Mess

Honestly, if you're an Atlanta sports fan, checking the atlanta injury report today is basically a part-time job you never applied for. It’s January 18, 2026, and the trainer's room at State Farm Arena is looking more crowded than the Connector at rush hour. We’ve got stars sitting out, young guys trying to step up, and a general sense of "who is even available to play?" hanging over the city.

It’s been a rough stretch.

The Hawks just got absolutely dismantled by the Boston Celtics. Like, 132-106 dismantled. And while you can't blame it all on the medical staff, looking at the names on the scratch sheet explains a lot about why Jaylen Brown was able to drop 41 points without breaking a sweat. If you don't have your defensive anchors, you're gonna have a bad time.

The Hawks are hurting (literally)

The big story for the Hawks right now is the absence of Dyson Daniels. He’s dealing with a right ankle sprain, and man, did they miss his perimeter defense against Boston. When you're facing a team that can shoot the lights out, you need a guy who can actually stay in front of his man. Without him, the Celtics were basically playing a game of NBA 2K on rookie mode.

But it’s not just Dyson. The list is long.

Zaccharie Risacher is still sidelined with a bone contusion in his left knee. That’s a tough one because those things are notoriously finicky—you think you're good, you jump once, and the pain is right back. Then you've got Kristaps Porzingis dealing with left Achilles tendinitis. The Hawks have to be incredibly careful there. You don't mess with an Achilles, especially with a guy his size.

Here is the current breakdown of who is stuck on the sidelines for the Hawks as of today, January 18:

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  • Dyson Daniels (G): Out with a right ankle sprain. No firm timeline yet, but he was seen on the bench in a boot during the Celtics blowout.
  • Zaccharie Risacher (F): Out with a left knee bone contusion. He’s been missing for a bit now, and the team is being cautious.
  • Kristaps Porzingis (C): Out with left Achilles tendinitis. This is a "wait and see" situation based on daily inflammation.
  • N'Faly Dante (C): Out for the long haul with an ACL tear.
  • Nikola Djurisic (G): Currently on G League assignment, so he's technically not injured, but he’s not on the active roster either.

Basically, the Hawks are thin. They’re starting to rely heavily on Jalen Johnson, who had a rough night shooting (4-of-14), and Onyeka Okongwu, who actually played well with 21 points. But you can't win in this league with half your rotation in street clothes.

What's happening with the Falcons?

Switching gears to the gridiron, the Falcons are in that weird post-regular-season/playoff-prep headspace where every "limited participation" tag feels like a crisis.

The big names everyone is watching are Drake London and Kyle Pitts. Both have been nursing knee issues. Now, the word from Flowery Branch is that they’re likely to be a "go," but seeing them on the report at all makes fans nervous. Raheem Morris has been pretty optimistic, basically saying they’re managing the workload.

It's a delicate balance. You want your best weapons on the field, but you don't want them at 60% capacity when the stakes are high.

Darnell Mooney is also in that "questionable" bucket with a knee injury. The Falcons' offense lives and dies by its ability to stretch the field, and if Mooney can't sprint, that whole vertical threat disappears.

Then you have the defensive side. Brandon Dorlus has been ruled out with a hamstring. The good news? It’s not the knee injury they originally feared when he was carted off. The bad news? He’s still out for at least a few weeks.

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The Braves' long road to recovery

I know, it’s January. We shouldn't be talking about baseball yet, right? Tell that to Alex Anthopoulos. The Braves' atlanta injury report today is more about the long-term outlook for Spring Training 2026.

The rotation was a disaster zone last year, and we're still seeing the fallout. AJ Smith-Shawver is deep in his Tommy John recovery. He underwent surgery in June of last year, so he’s likely missing a huge chunk of 2026, if not all of it.

The "January check-in" is real for Sean Murphy, too. He had surgery for a hip labral tear back in September. The team is supposed to get a better feel for his progress right about... now. There’s a very real chance the Braves start the season with a different look behind the plate if Murphy isn't 100%.

And don't even get me started on the pitching "gambles." Grant Holmes is trying to rehab a UCL injury without surgery. That’s a massive risk. If it doesn't hold up in Spring Training, he’s gone for the year. Reynaldo López is also a question mark after shoulder inflammation derailed his All-Star momentum. The Braves are saying he’ll be "ready with no restrictions," but we've heard that song before.

Why the "Today" report matters so much

You might think, "It's just one game" or "It's only January," but these reports dictate the betting lines, the trade rumors, and the general vibes of the city.

When the Hawks lose by 26, people start screaming for trades. But if you look at the atlanta injury report today, you realize the "trade" is just getting Dyson Daniels and Risacher back on the floor.

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It’s about context.

For the Falcons, it’s about health at the right time. For the United (who are dealing with Ajani Fortune's broken foot and Brooks Lennon's Achilles issues), it's about depth.

Actionable insights for the fans

If you're following these teams closely, here is how you should actually use this info:

  1. Watch the 90-minute mark: For the Hawks, the final "Active/Inactive" list usually drops about an hour and a half before tip-off. Don't trust the "Questionable" tag until that final update.
  2. Monitor the G League: Keep an eye on the College Park Skyhawks roster. When the Hawks are this banged up, they recall guys like RayJ Dennis or Caleb Houstan on short notice.
  3. Falcon Friday reports: The Friday practice report is the holy grail for NFL injuries. If a guy is "DNP" (Did Not Participate) on Friday, he’s almost certainly not playing Sunday, regardless of what the coach says in the presser.
  4. Spring Training invites: For the Braves, watch who gets the "non-roster invite" in a few weeks. If they sign a veteran catcher or a bunch of "inning eater" pitchers, it means the internal medical reports on Murphy and López aren't as sunny as they're telling the media.

Atlanta sports is a rollercoaster. Sometimes the ride is stuck because of a mechanical failure (injuries), and sometimes it's just a bad day at the park. Either way, keeping an eye on who’s actually able to suit up is the only way to keep your expectations realistic.

Check the beat writers on X (formerly Twitter) like Lauren Williams for the Hawks or Tori McElhaney for the Falcons about two hours before game time for the most "live" updates you can get. Stay patient, because this injury list isn't shrinking anytime soon.


Next Steps for You:
If you want to see how these injuries are affecting the current standings, I can pull up the latest Eastern Conference rankings for the Hawks or the NFC South outlook for the Falcons.