At this point in the season, all 32 NFL teams are dealing with injuries. Even some of the best players in the world. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is nursing an ankle sprain that had his availability in question, Eagles running back and MVP candidate Saquon Barkley is “dealing with a little something,” and then the Lions currently have a whopping 21 players on injured reserve.
The Seahawks also had a positive update on quarterback Geno Smith and running back Kenneth Walker III, but still have other key injuries on offense. The Ravens and Steelers will both be without key players for Saturday’s pseudo AFC North division championship game.
Who is trending in the right direction this week, and who do we have to worry about? Below, we will break down every injury report from Friday and Saturday.
Odds courtesy of SportsLine consensus
Texans: DT Foley Fatukasi (ankle), WR John Metchie III (shoulder), C Juice Scruggs (illness) OUT; LB Christian Harris (ankle) QUESTIONABLE
Chiefs: T D.J. Humphries (hamstring), CB Chamarri Conner (concussion) OUT
For the Texans, Harris didn’t practice on Thursday after not appearing on the injury report the previous two days. In Kansas City, Patrick Mahomes (ankle) has no injury designation after being a full practice participant all week.
Jackson was limited on Thursday, so expect backup James Pierre to receive a considerable workload even if Jackson is cleared to play. Ogunjobi was a full practice participant on Thursday, while Elliot was downgraded to out for Saturday after initially being labeled as doubtful.
For the Ravens, Oweh was limited the previous two days after not practicing on Tuesday. With Agholor out, Bateman’s status looms even larger. Baltimore’s next man up at receiver is Tylan Wallace, who caught his first career touchdown on an 84-yard play during the Ravens’ Week 5 win over the Bengals.
Baltimore waived Johnson shortly after releasing Friday’s injury report.
The arrow is pointing up for Cappa, who was a full practice participant on Friday. Brown was a limited participant on Friday after not practicing the previous two days. With Hubbard out, 2023 first-round pick Myles Murphy is slated to replace him in the starting lineup. Wideout Tee Higgins (knee) will play after being a limited practice participant on Friday (he didn’t practice the previous two days). Quarterback Joe Burrow (right wrist, knee) is also good to go after being limited all week.
In Cleveland, each of the Browns’ questionable players were limited on Friday. Njoku was limited after not practicing the previous two days.
Hodge and Carter were both limited on Friday. Hodge was limited on Wednesday and Friday but did not practice Thursday. Carter was limited the last two days after not practicing on Wednesday.
Johnson and Schlottmann were both full participants all week, which is a good sign for Big Blue. Quarterback Tommy DeVito is good to go after cleaning concussion protocol. Wideout Malik Nabers (knee, foot) is also cleared to play.
- Cardinals: RB Trey Benson (ankle), LT Paris Johnson Jr. (knee), OLB Jesse Luketa (thigh), LB Mack Wilson (concussion), CB Elijah Jones (ankle), K Matt Prater (left knee) OUT; CB Sean Murphy-Bunting (hand), DT Roy Lopez (ankle) QUESTIONABLE
- Panthers: WR Xavier Legette (hip) OUT; OLB Jadeveon Clowney (illness), DE A’Shawn Robinson (knee), WR David Moore (concussion), G Robert Hunt (illness), WR Jalen Coker (quadriceps), T Ikem Ekwonu (illness)
Lopez and Murphy-Bunting were limited all week. Dallas and Brown did not practice Friday after not appearing on the injury the previous two days.
For the Panthers, Clowney and Moore were both full participants on Friday. Conversely, Robinson, Hunt and Ekwonu did not practice.
Jones was a full participant each of the last two days. Dexter and Jenkins were limited on Friday after not practicing the previous two days.
Branch was limited the past two days for the Lions, while Melifonwu was a full participant all week. Regarding Montgomery, he has opted to rehab his injury instead of undergoing surgery with the hope of returning at some point during the playoffs.
- Colts: WR Alec Pierce (concussion), LB E.J. Speed (knee) OUT; TE Mo Alie-Cox (hip), CB Julius Brents (knee), LB Jaylon Carlies (fibula, shoulder), WR Ashton Dulin (ankle), K Matt Gay (neck), C Ryan Kelly (knee) QUESTIONABLE
- Titans: WR Colton Dowell (knee), LB Luke Gifford (concussion) OUT; T Jaelyn Duncan (hamstring), K Nick Folk (abdomen), LB Kenneth Murray Jr. (hamstring), RB Tony Pollard (ankle), LB Otis Reese (ankle), QB Will Levis (right shoulder) QUESTIONABLE
Pierce practiced Friday (in a red no-contact jersey), but he was unable to clear enough steps in the protocol in order to play this week. Rookie second-round pick Adonai Mitchell is in line to get increased reps in Pierce’s absence.
In Nashville, both Folk and Reese were limited on Friday, while Murray and Pollard did not practice. Levis didn’t appear on the injury report until Friday. Titans head coach Brian Callahan had already announced this week that Mason Rudolph will start ahead of Levis.
A positive for the Jets is that each of their questionable players, sans Carter, were full participants on Friday. Williams didn’t practice the entire week.
Eagles wideout A.J. Brown (knee) will play after being limited during Thursday’s and Friday’s practices. Brown didn’t clear concussion protocol despite being a full practice participant on Friday.
Ertz was limited the last two days after not practicing on Wednesday. Chinn was a full participant on Friday after being limited the previous two days.
Ham didn’t appear on Wednesday’s injury report, was a full participant on Thursday and was limited on Friday. Smith was limited on both Wednesday and Friday and did not practice on Thursday. Jay Ward is in line to start in the event that Harrison — a perennial Pro Bowler — can’t go.
In Seattle, quarterback Geno Smith and running backs Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet are good to go after being on the injury report this week.
- Patriots: RB JaMycal Hasty (ankle), CB Marcus Jones (hip) OUT; S Kyle Dugger (ankle, illness), G Cole Strange (knee), T Caedan Wallace (ankle), S Jabrill Peppers (hamstring), DE Keion White (groin) QUESTIONABLE
- Bills: WR Curtis Samuel (rib), LB Matt Milano (groin), LB Baylon Spector (calf), LB Dorian Williams (elbow), CB Rasul Douglas (knee), S Damar Hamlin (rib), S Taylor Rapp (neck) QUESTIONABLE
Peppers and White both showed up on the injury report on Friday. Both players were limited practice participants for the Patriots.
Each of Buffalo’s questionable players were limited all week except for Spector, who sustained his injury near the end of Thursday’s practice.
Left guard Ezra Cleveland (knee), right guard Brandon Scherff (knee/shoulder), left tackle Walker Little (ankle), and tight end Brenton Strange (shoulder) were limited in practice all week but will suit up against Las Vegas.
None of the Raiders’ questionable players practiced on Friday. Meredith also didn’t practice. On a positive note, quarterback Aidan O’Connell (knee), wideout Jakobi Meyers (ankle) and running back Alexander Mattison (neck) will play.
- 49ers: RB Isaac Guerendo (foot, hamstring), OL Trent Williams (ankle) OUT; DL Nick Bosa (hip, oblique), LB Dre Greenlaw (Achilles, knee) QUESTIONABLE
- Dolphins: LS Blake Ferguson (non-football illness) OUT; WR Dee Eskridge (knee), WR Jaylen Waddle (knee) DOUBTFUL; T Terron Armstead (knee), T Kendall Lamm (back), WR Tyreek Hill (wrist, rest), LB Bradley Chubb (knee), LB Cameron Goode (knee) QUESTIONABLE
Bosa and Greenlaw were both limited on Friday. With Guerendo out, Patrick Taylor Jr. is in line to start at RB for the 49ers. Taylor scored his first touchdown of the year during the 49ers’ Week 14 win over the Chicago Bears.
Waddle didn’t practice all week, so the odds of him playing don’t look too good. Hill was limited on Friday after being a full participant on Thursday. Lamm and Goode were both full participants on Friday.
For the Buccaneers, Edwards was a full participant on Friday after being limited the previous two days.
For the Cowboys, each of their questionable players, sans Parsons and Bass, were limited on Friday. Parsons did not practice after not appearing on the injury report the previous two days, but is expected to play.
- Saints: QB Derek Carr (left hand), RB Alvin Kamara (groin), WR Bub Means (ankle), WR Chris Olave (head) OUT; WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling (chest/illness) QUESTIONABLE
- Packers: LB Quay Walker (ankle), S Javon Bullard (ankle) OUT; CB Jaire Alexander (knee), Corey Ballentine (knee), TE Luke Musgrave (ankle), S Evan Williams (quadricep) QUESTIONABLE
Saints quarterback Derek Carr will miss his second game in a row with a fractured left hand, and New Orleans running back Alvin Kamara (groin) will miss his first game of the 2024 season. Saints wide receiver Chris Olave will miss his sixth consecutive game with a head injury, and recently added deep threat Marquez Valdes Scantling (chest/illness) is questionable despite not practicing all week.
Green Bay will be without two defensive starters in inside linebacker Quay Walker (ankle) and safety/nickel corner Javon Bullard (ankle). Packers Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander (knee) has missed five of the past six games, but he practiced fully all week, cracking open the door for the possibility of a return in Week 16. Tight end Luke Musgrave (ankle), who has been out since Week 5, could return in Week 16 after being limited practice participant all week. Rookie starting safety Evan Williams (quadricep) popped up on the injury report Saturday as a limited practice participant, which is why he is listed as questionable.
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