Gameday Injury Expectations: Week 12

Photo: USA Today Sports

UNDERSTANDING THE NFL'S INJURY REPORT

The injury report released by the NFL is actually two reports. The first is the Practice Participation report, which lists which injured players were able to practice and how much. It also includes players who rested or missed practice for non-injury related reasons. The second is the Game Status Report, which gives the probability a player will play, i.e. Questionable, Doubtful, Out. The Practice Participation Report is released every day of the week (Monday through Saturday). The Game Status Report is released with the Friday participation report (Wednesday for Thursday games, Saturday for Monday games).

In this feature, I'll include the Game Status Listing, my expectation of their likelihood to play, and the player's practice participation throughout the week.

Key:

PLAYER | INJURY | GAME STATUS LISTING | FOOTBALLGUYS EXPECTATION

Practice Participation Listing by Day

* = playing on Monday night

I'll also include a table at the bottom of the article for easy reference.

Here's the latest on every relevant injured player on the practice participation and game status report this week:

QUARTERBACK

Tom Brady | Achilles | Not Listed | Expected to Play

Practice Participation: Wed - DNP | Thurs - Limited | Fri - Not Listed

With the number of torn Achilles tendon on the rise and the recent injury to Richard Sherman fresh in everyone's memory, Brady's Wednesday DNP raised eyebrows. The Patriots and Brady quickly quashed those worries. Brady was removed from the injury report on Friday and isn't listed on New England's game status report. He told reporters he was just getting a little extra treatment and had no concerns about the injury. While pocket quarterbacks aren't as limited by mobile quarterbacks by soft tissue injury, Achilles injuries are a little different. Quarterbacks stress that area of the ankle at the top of drops and while hitching during progression reads. There's a chance Brady's accuracy will be affected this week but the risk of catastrophic injury is low.

Others of note: Cam Newton (thumb/shoulder), Jacoby Brissett (concussion), and Blake Bortles (wrist) have practiced, are not listed on the game status report, and are expected to play without limitation. Jameis Winston (shoulder) and Jay Cutler (concussion) have been declared out. I'll update return to play expectations on all inactive players in Monday's column.

RUNNING BACK

Leonard Fournette | Ankle | Not listed | expected to Play

Practice Participation: Wed - Limited | Thurs - Limited | Fri - Limited

Fournette was limited last week in practice and the team was concerned enough to suggest they wanted to see how Fournette looked in warmups before clearing him to play. Fournette then played a season-high 52 snaps and matched a season-high 28 carries. After the higher-than-anticipated workload, the Jaguars again limited Fournette in practice. Fournette told reporters the ankle may continue to be an issue but something he's comfortable working through. He is not listed on the game status report and will play. When on the active roster, the Jaguars have shown no interest in limiting his gameday workload. Assuming no in-game setbacks, Fournette should be in line for 20+ touches.

Matt Forte | Knee | Questionable | Active

Practice Participation: Wed - DNP | Thurs - DNP | Fri - Limited

Forte managed a Friday limited practice and was listed questionable. Forte hasn't played since the Thursday night game in Week 9 and Friday's workout is the first time he's practiced in three weeks. Todd Bowles told reporters the team was "encouraged" by Forte's practice and called his running back a game-time decision. Conditioning and recurrent swelling with activity remain important worries here. It's doubtful Forte plays this week. More likely, the plan is to see if Forte's knee responds well to football-related activity before increasing his practice next week.

***Sunday Update: Surprisingly, Forte is active. Conditioning and recurrent soreness are concerns today. Don't expect a heavy workload.

*Alfred Blue | Hamstring | Not Listed | Expected to Play

Practice Participation: Thurs - Limited | Fri - Limited | Sat - Full

The Texans haven't released their Saturday practice and game status reports yet but Bill O'Brien has said he expects Blue to return this week.

Others of note: Isaiah Crowell (shoulder) has practiced, is not listed on the game status report, and is expected to play without limitation. Devonta Freeman (concussion), Aaron Jones (knee), Ty Montgomery (ribs), Mike Davis (groin), and Mike Tolbert (hamstring) are doubtful and likely inactive or have been declared out. I'll update return to play expectations on all inactive players in Monday's column.

WIDE RECEIVER

Julio Jones | Knee / ANkle | Not Listed | expected to Play

Practice Participation: Wed - Limited | Thurs - Limited | Fri - Limited

Jones had no setbacks in last week's game and missed no practices this week. The Falcons did not list him on the game status report. Jones continues to deal with multiple soft tissue injuries and will be at risk of an in-game setback but when he's healthy enough to avoid a questionable tag, his ceiling expectation is always in play.

Kelvin Benjamin | Knee | Declared Out | Inactive

Practice Participation: Wed - DNP | Thurs - DNP | Fri - DNP

The Bills say Benjamin is day-to-day and reports on his imaging studies were reassuring. However, there's been little optimism he'll play this week. Benjamin did not practice at all this week. While the Bills are comfortable with veteran players resting during the week, it's rare to see them activate a player who hasn't managed at least one limited session. Buffalo is likely still deciding how to involve Benjamin in their weekly game plan. With his status unknown through midweek, there's little chance they included their new receiver in this week's game plan. If Benjamin is active, he'll likely only see time around the red zone. Expect him to be inactive.

***Saturday Update: Benjamin did not travel with the team and has been declared out.

Jordan Matthews | Knee | Questionable | Active

Practice Participation: Wed - Limited | Thurs - Limited | Fri - Limited

Matthews had been listed on injury reports in Philadelphia and Buffalo many times with knee soreness. Early last week, his presence on the injury report did not seem out of the ordinary. By Saturday afternoon, there was a rising current of concern about his Week 11 availability and the Bills deactivated him on Sunday. There's been very little about Matthews' status in local media reports this week. Until reported differently, assume Matthews will be evaluated in pre-game warmups before a decision is made.

***Sunday Update: Both Ian Rapoport and Adam Schefter reported overnight Matthews is expected to play.

Emmanuel Sanders | Ankle | Questionable | Likely to Play

Practice Participation: Wed - DNP | Thurs - Limited | Fri - Limited

Sanders appeared to get a veteran day off on Wednesday before practicing the rest of the week -- one he likely needed after playing 76 snaps against Cincinnati last week. Sanders returned to limited practices Thursday and Friday. There are no local reports of concern and Sanders is likely to play. How effective he'll be with the revolving quarterback situation is debatable. The Broncos are now turning to Paxton Lynch against an inconsistent Oakland secondary on the road.

***Sunday Update: Both Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport reported overnight Sanders is expected to play.

Rishard Matthews | Hamstring | Questionable | Inactive

Practice Participation: Wed - Not Listed | Thurs - Limited | Fri - DNP

Matthews left Thursday's practice with a hamstring strain, then was given "a day to rest" according to Mike Mularkey. Matthews told reporters he expects to play. Mularkey told reporters they'd know more about Matthews' availability on Saturday. Mularkey's comment about weekend re-evaluation is a little different than the usual "We'll warm him up and see," approach and hints the medical staff has some concern for Matthews' recovery. However, the Titans have expressed some level of concern with offensive talent and soft tissue injuries frequently this year only to have them play and see a full workload. DeMarco Murray and Delanie Walker have both been more productive than expected on minimal practice. If Matthews is active, it's reasonable to expect the same while recognizing a higher-than-usual risk of injury during the game. I'll update with any actionable weekend notes.

***Sunday Update: Matthews is inactive today.

Danny Amendola | Knee | Questionable | Expected to Play

Practice Participation: Wed - Limited | Thurs - Limited | Fri - Limited

Amendola once again was limited in practice this week. He's expected to play. In Week 10, Amendola didn't see his snap count or target count increase in Chris Hogan's absence. Last week, Amendola had a season-high nine targets and his snap percentage increased to 60% -- a level he hadn't reached since Week 7. That may be a sign Amendola's health is improving.

Others of note: DeAndre Hopkins (foot), Tyreek Hill (glute), Marqise Lee (knee), Robby Anderson (ankle), Bruce Ellington (ribs), Brandon LaFell (hamstring), and J.J. Nelson (chest) have practiced, are not listed on the game status report, and are expected to play without limitation. Robert Woods (shoulder), JuJu Smith-Schuster (hamstring), Chris Hogan (shoulder), Will Fuller (ribs), Allen Hurns (ankle), John Brown (toe), and Josh Bellamy (concussion) are doubtful and likely inactive or have been declared out. I'll update return to play expectations on all inactive players in Monday's column.

TIGHT END

Greg Olsen | Foot | Not Listed | Expected to Play

Not Listed on Practice Participation Report

Olsen was moved to the active roster late in the week. He was not listed on the participation report or game status report but is expected to play. Ron Rivera told reporters the Panthers planned to be "judicious" with Olsen's workload and "save him from himself and save him from us...knowing that his conditioning and his football shape isn't what it needs to be right now." Rivera specifically noted the team did not want to use Olsen for 60 plays. Expect him to be used in higher leverage situations -- critical third downs and most red zone opportunities. Those 25-30 snaps could be enough to allow Olsen to reach a strong statistical line.

Jimmy Graham | Ankle | Questionable | Expected to Play

Practice Participation: Wed - DNP | Thurs - DNP | Fri - Full

Graham did not practice until Friday but there's no concern for his availability this week. The Seahawks frequently rest veterans early in the week and Pete Carroll told reporters Graham was fine. Expect him to see his usual workload this week.

Charles Clay | Knee | Questionable | Expected to Play

Practice Participation: Wed - Limited | Thurs - Limited | Fri - Limited

Clay is still recovering from a midseason knee injury. His snap percentages are not back to his pre-injury baseline yet, but Clay has played most of the snaps before the Bills fell hopelessly behind in the past two games. He's expected to play this week.

Trey Burton | Back | Questionable | Inactive

Practice Participation: Wed - Limited | Thurs - DNP | Fri - DNP

Burton has been dealing with back spasms all week. After a limited practice on Wednesday, the Eagles chose treatment over practice on Thursday and Friday. Doug Pederson told reporters Burton would be a game-time decision. Zach Ertz told reporters he expected Burton to play. Hopefully, both will be accurate. Back spasms are difficult to predict and Burton could struggle to get loose in warmups. The Eagles play at home. The ability to get treatment while avoiding a plane ride and hotel bed will be helpful.

Others of note: Rob Gronkowski (illness), Tyler Kroft (hand), Cameron Brate (ankle), and George Kittle (ankle) have practiced, are not listed on the game status report, and are expected to play without limitation. Martellus Bennett (shoulder/hamstring) and Vance McDonald (ankle) are doubtful and likely inactive or have been declared out. I'll update return to play expectations on all inactive players in Monday's column.

*Note: Monday night players with asterisk practice Thursday/Friday/Saturday.

Note: Monday night players with asterisk practice Thursday/Friday/Saturday.

Follow me on Twitter @JeneBramel for breaking injury news and analysis throughout the week.