NOTE: During the regular season, this column is a living document through Tuesday morning. I'll be updating as needed after team press conferences, imaging reports, Monday Night Football injuries, etc. Major changes to the content will be noted in red.
Scroll to the bottom of this article for a quick look table of the week's most pressing injury situations and a review of players on injured reserve / PUP / NFI.
Footballguys will have close and detailed coverage of all injuries this season. Here's a look at my expected schedule. I will do my best to stick to this. Work and family responsibilities may sometimes cause brief delays.
Monday Injury Rounds: Posted Sunday night, updated through Tuesday AM. Detailed analysis of the week's injuries with table for quick review. Offensive injuries will be live Sunday night. Critical defensive and offensive line injuries will be added throughout the day on Monday. I'll be updating with news and analysis through Tuesday.
Midweek Injury Expectations: Posted Wednesday night. Analysis of the practice participation report with a table including my projection of each injured player's likely game status. Will include discussion of any major breaking injury news.
Sunday Gameday Expectations: Posted by Saturday afternoon, updated through Sunday morning inactives. Will include individual player blurbs with detailed thoughts on the week's injury news and my speculation on player availability and limitations. Will include table highlighting each day's practice participation, official game status, and my availability expectation.
I'll be contributing to our waiver wire podcast (Tuesday release) and our live Sunday morning pregame show (10 ET Sunday on YouTube). I will also be retweeting key pieces of news and my own reaction and analysis, so make sure you're following @JeneBramel and checking my timeline on Twitter throughout the week.
INJURY ROUNDS
Aaron Rodgers | Left knee injury | Week-to-Week | Questionable Week 2
Note: This entire entry was re-written on Monday night. Thanks to the readers who asked for clarification of a poorly written set of paragraphs.
Rodgers had his left leg bent awkwardly underneath him on Sunday night. Despite multiple replays, it was not clear what type of injury Rodgers had sustained. Rodgers would leave on the cart for further evaluation -- which prompted concern for a season-ending injury -- only to return in the second half and lead the Packers to a stunning comeback win.
Though Rodgers was effective during the comeback, his movement in the pocket was obviously limited. He was reluctant to rotate over his front plant foot and could not bend his knee to tie his shoes in the fourth quarter. After the game, Rodgers said he was already experiencing swelling in his injured knee. He also reminded reporters he had a procedure to clean up his left knee in 2015, the same knee he had ACL surgery on in college.
Two major injury categories are possible here -- ligament or cartilage.
It's possible Rodgers sprained a ligament in his knee, most likely the medial collateral ligament (MCL) on the inside of his knee. Players sometimes play through low-grade MCL sprains. However, even a low-grade sprain can affect the stability of the knee and put a player at risk of more severe injury. it seems unlikely that the usually conservative Green Bay medical staff would clear Rodgers to return with a ligament injury.
The other possibility is a cartilage or meniscus injury. Injuries to these shock absorbers can be aggravated by playing but won't affect the stability of the knee joint and put other major ligaments at risk of injury. These injuries also lead to stiffness and swelling. Rodgers' post-game comments about wearing a sleeve to keep the joint loose fit a meniscus or cartilage injury more than a ligament sprain. And Rodgers' 2015 surgery likely addressed some leftover meniscus or cartilage issues.
Rodgers likely had an MRI on Monday but the Packers would only say they were continuing to gather information.
It's too soon to handicap Rodgers' odds of playing in Week 2. He's been cleared to play while hobbling through calf and hamstring strains in the past and he's going to push hard to play in a home divisional matchup against Minnesota this week.
However, he's likely more stiff and sore on Monday. The Packers' medical staff was very careful with his recovery from a collarbone fracture in the past and exhibited similar caution with other key players in the past. Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Bryan Bulaga, Jermichael Finley, and Morgan Burnett were all kept from playing until their worrisome injuries were near fully healed.
If Rodgers has a ligament injury to his knee and shows any signs of looseness to the joint, the medical staff isn't likely to clear him. If there are no worries about the stability of his knee, he'll still have to prove he can be mobile enough to protect himself from further injury by the end of the week.
For now, I think Rodgers more week-to-week than day-to-day. While there are no indications of a season-threatening injury, it's possible Rodgers will need more than a week to recover.
Leonard Fournette | Right hamstring strain | Day-to-Day | Questionable Week 2
Fournette told reporters he could have returned to the game after a first-half hamstring strain. However, the team didn't clear him to return to the sideline until late in the second half and the way he grabbed at his hamstring coming off the field raises concern. Expect him to have an MRI on Monday to evaluate the severity of his strain. Fournette will have the benefit of a late afternoon home game in Week 2, but he should be considered questionable until we see how much he does in practice mid-week.
Luke Kuechly | Left leg injury | Day-to-Day | Probable Week 2
Kuechly was briefly in pain after hyper-extending his left leg while making a tackle. After the game, Kuechly told reporters he would be fine. It won't be surprising if the Panthers send Kuechly for imaging on Monday, however. There were hints of a low-grade LCL injury and/or a mild bone bruise on video. I'll update with anything of note on Monday.
Doug Baldwin | Right MCL sprain | Week-to-Week | Out Week 2
Baldwin was injured while blocking downfield. His MCL sprain is unrelated to his offseason left knee condition. Pete Carroll told reporters Baldwin would need further evaluation before committing to a recovery timetable. Video suggests Baldwin has a low-grade sprain but recovery from MCL sprains can be tough to predict. Baldwin could return in two weeks if he feels his joint is stable. But players sometimes need 3-4 weeks to recover from low-grade injuries. And given his recent left knee soreness, it's likely the Seahawks will err on the side of caution with Baldwin at increased risk of aggravating that injury as he recovers.
Monday Update: Baldwin reportedly has a Grade 2 MCL sprain. While technically a mid-grade injury, there's a ton of room between a Grade 1 sprain (microtears within the ligament) and a Grade 3 sprain (ruptured ligament). If Baldwin's injury is closer to the Grade 1 end of the continuum, he may still be able to return within 1-2 weeks. If the injury is anything more than that, however, Baldwin's recovery could well take 4-6 weeks. Pete Carroll told reporters the Seahawks weren't sure how long Baldwin would be out. That's not reassuring. Prepare for Baldwin to be much closer to the 4-6 week recovery timeframe than 1-2 weeks. And if Baldwin's recovery stretches to the four-week mark, Seattle's Week 7 bye week may play a role in the decision-making process.
Greg Olsen | Right foot injury | Week-to-Week | Doubtful Week 2
Olsen stepped on a defender's foot during a route and could not finish the game. Later seen in a walking boot with crutches, Olsen's history of a 2017 Jones' fracture repair -- an injury that commonly requires revision surgery -- raises immediate concern for a recurrent foot fracture. Teammates said Olsen had yet to have an x-ray. That's unlikely, given the mechanism of injury and his history. Rivera told reporters Olsen's injury was not the same thing as last year. However, Rivera wasn't accurate when describing Kuechly's injury during his post-game remarks and shouldn't be trusted here either. If Olsen did avoid another foot fracture, he may still have suffered a multiple-week foot sprain. Expect to hear Olsen will have additional imaging on Monday. Hopefully, those reports won't be followed by a trip to see Dr. Robert Anderson, who repaired Olsen's previous foot fracture.
Delanie Walker | Right ankle fracture / dislocation | Out for Season | Injured reserve
Walker suffered an obvious right ankle fracture after getting rolled up on during a tackle. The Titans immediately immobilized Walker's leg and carted him to the locker room. Walker's injury will require surgical fixation of the broken bone and also repair of a ligament injury. Rehab and recovery will keep him out until 2019.
Monday Update: The Titans confirmed Walker suffered a fracture/dislocation of his ankle. He will have surgery and be placed on injured reserve.
Marcus Mariota | Right elbow injury | Week-to-Week | Questionable Week 2
Mariota took a glancing blow to the side of his arm after releasing a pass and eventually left the game. On the sideline, Mariota indicated the inside of his elbow was sore and seemed to have difficulty gripping with his right hand. There's a wide range of possibilities here -- from a less likely small fracture or ligament injury to a more likely contusion around the joint. Mariota had an x-ray after the game and could require additional imaging on Monday. If Mariota does have a contusion around the joint, it may involve the nerve on the inside of the elbow. Those injuries often recover quickly but can sometimes cause lingering tingling or weakness. The Titans will know more about Mariota's recovery tomorrow morning.
Others of note:
Devonta Freeman remained on the sideline with a knee injury during the second half Thursday night. Freeman told reporters he was fine and the Falcons have not given any indication the injury is serious. After recovering from a PCL sprain without surgery this offseason, any concern about Freeman's knee should be followed closely.
Marquise Goodwin suffered a quad contusion but was able to return to the game. DeSean Jackson is in the return-to-play concussion protocol. Jeremy Hill likely suffered at least high-grade MCL sprain and will miss multiple weeks.
Monday Update: Hill suffered an ACL and MCL injury. He will have reconstructive surgery and miss the rest of the season.
Offensive line and defensive notes:
Keanu Neal tore his left ACL on Thursday night and has been placed on injured reserve. Carolina offensive tackle Daryl Williams aggravated a preseason knee injury, will likely miss multiple weeks, and may need surgery. Houston offensive tackle Seantrel Henderson suffered a high ankle sprain with an associated ankle fracture and will likely have surgery and miss the rest of the season. Tennessee offensive tackle Taylor Lewan was diagnosed with a concussion. San Francisco lost starting guard Mike Person (foot strain) and backup Josh Garnett (dislocated toe).
Follow-up Appointments
Carson Wentz | Left ACL reconstruction / LCL repair | Week-to-Week | Out Week 2
The Wentz saga continues.
Last weekend, Ian Rapoport suggested it would be several more weeks before Wentz was cleared to return. On Sunday morning, Chris Mortensen reported the Eagles are now optimistic Wentz may be able to return much sooner. Philadelphia's training staff has been carefully tracking Wentz's practice GPS data and biomechanical recovery to ensure his knee will hold up to football speed and stress. Mortensen now gives Wentz a chance at returning in Week 3.
While it's important to track each update, the final hurdle for Wentz is still clearance for contact. Only when that's happened can we expect Wentz is within two weeks of returning.
Joey Bosa | Left foot injury | Week-to-Week | Doubtful Week 2
Bosa reportedly suffered a second injury to his left foot during practice on Wednesday. He has been immobilized in a walking boot since the injury and will reportedly see Dr. Robert Anderson for a second opinion on Wednesday. Ian Rapoport is calling the latest injury a bone bruise but there are no additional details about location or severity. Second opinions from specialists often include discussions about surgical intervention; more rarely, the discussion involves a more conservative rehab approach. We'll know more by mid-week but Bosa looks doubtful at best this week.
Alshon Jeffery | Right rotator cuff repair | Week-to-Week | Out Week 2
Jeffery acknowledged he was still a few weeks away in an interview last week as he continues to strengthen his shoulder in rehab.
Marlon Mack | Left hamstring strain | Week-to-Week | Questionable Week 2
Mack was able to return to consecutive limited practices last week as he continues to recondition after an early preseason hamstring strain. The Colts were appropriately cautious with Mack in Week 1. Barring an aggravation, expect Mack to do more in practice this week.
Sony Michel | Knee procedure | Day-to-Day | Questionable Week 2
Bill Belichick was uncharacteristically revealing last week when discussing Michel's recovery from an early offseason knee procedure, telling reporters Michel was making progress but not yet game ready. After a week of limited practice, it was not surprising to see Michel on the inactive list Sunday. The rookie running back is much more likely to be active this week, as Jeremy Hill will likely miss multiple weeks with a knee injury.
Will Fuller | Hamstring strain | Day-to-Day | Questionable Week 2
Fuller managed three limited practices last week and traveled with the team to New England before being declared inactive. Unless there was a late-week setback, Fuller should be closer to returning in Week 2.
Others of note:
Andrus Peat and Anthony Castonzo continue to recover from preseason soft-tissue injuries. The New Orleans and Indianapolis offensive lines need them back soon. Olivier Vernon and Harold Landry are still recovering from preseason high ankle sprains.
INJURED PLAYERS ON ACTIVE ROSTER
Quarterbacks Injured | On the Active Roster
|
||||||
Player
|
Team
|
Injury
|
Date
|
Player/Team Says
|
FBG Expects
|
Notes
|
GB
|
Left knee injury
|
Week 1
|
Day-to-Day
|
Day-to-Day
|
Questionable Week 2 | |
Phi
|
Left ACL reconstruction / LCL repair
|
Mid-December 2017
|
Week-to-Week
|
Week-to-Week | Week 3+ Return
|
Doubtful Week 2 | |
Ten
|
Right elbow injury
|
Week 1
|
Awaiting Information
|
Day-to-Day
|
Probable Week 2 | |
Running Backs Injured | On the Active Roster
|
||||||
Player
|
Team
|
Injury
|
Date
|
Player/Team Says
|
FBG Expects
|
Notes
|
Jac
|
Right hamstring strain
|
Week 1
|
Day-to-Day
|
Day-to-Day
|
Questionable Week 2
|
|
Atl
|
Knee injury
|
Week 1
|
Day-to-Day
|
Day-to-Day
|
Probable Week 2
|
|
Ind
|
Left hamstring strain
|
PS Week 1
|
Week-to-Week
|
Week-to-Week
|
Questionable Week 2
|
|
NE
|
Fluid aspiration knee joint | PS Week 1 | Week-to-Week | Week-to-Week | Limited Role Week 2 | |
NE
|
Right ACL / MCL sprain | Week 1 | Injured reserve | IR | 2019 return | Out Week 2 | |
Bal
|
Knee injury | Week 1 | Week-to-Week | Week-to-Week | ||
NYG
|
Knee injury | Week 1 | Day-to-Day | Day-to-Day | Probable Week 2 | |
Wide Receivers Injured | On the Active Roster
|
||||||
Player
|
Team
|
Injury
|
Date
|
Player/Team Says
|
FBG Expects
|
Notes
|
Sea
|
Right MCL sprain
|
Week 1
|
Week-to-Week | 2-6 Weeks | Week 4+ return | Out Week 2 | |
Phi
|
Right rotator cuff repair
|
Mid-February 2018
|
Week-to-Week | Week-to-Week | Week 4-6+ return | Out Week 2 | |
SF
|
Quad strain
|
Week 1
|
Day-to-Day | Day-to-Day | Probable Week 2 | |
Was
|
Concussion
|
Week 1
|
Day-to-Day | Day-to-Day | Questionable Week 2 | |
Will Fuller
|
Hou |
Hamstring strain
|
PS Week 2
|
Day-to-Day | Day-to-Day | Questionable Week 2 |
NYJ |
Abdominal injury
|
PS Week 3
|
Day-to-Day | Day-to-Day | Questionable Week 2 | |
Mia
|
Finger fracture
|
PS Week 1
|
Week-to-Week | Week-to-Week | Questionable Week 2 | |
Car
|
Cardiac procedure
|
PS Week 4
|
Week-to-Week | Week-to-Week | Questionable Week 2 | |
Tight Ends Injured | On the Active Roster
|
||||||
Player
|
Team
|
Injury
|
Date
|
Player/Team Says
|
FBG Expects
|
Notes
|
Car
|
Right foot injury
|
Week 1
|
Awaiting Information
|
Week-to-Week
|
Doubtful Week 2 | |
Ten
|
Right ankle fracture / dislocation
|
Week 1
|
Injured reserve
|
Injured reserve | 2019 return
|
Out for season | |
Pit
|
Right foot injury
|
Early preseason
|
Week-to-Week
|
Week-to-Week
|
Questionable Week 2 | |
Bal
|
Foot stress fracture fixation
|
PS Week 3
|
3-4 Weeks
|
4+ Weeks
|
Out Week 2 | |
Ari
|
Right Achilles repair
|
Late December 2017
|
Week-to-Week
|
Week-to-Week
|
Questionable Week 2 | |
Offensive Linemen Injured | On the Active Roster
|
||||||
Tackles
|
Team
|
Injury
|
Date
|
Player/Team Says
|
FBG Expects
|
Notes
|
Andrus Peat | NO | Quad strain | Preseason | Day-to-Day | Day-to-Day | |
Taylor Lewan | Ten | Concussion | Week 1 | Day-to-Day | Day-to-Day | |
Jack Conklin | Ten | ACL reconstruction | Early January 2018 | Week-to-Week | Week-to-Week | |
Anthony Castonzo | Ind | Hamstring strain | Aggravated PS Week 1 | Day-to-Day | Day-to-Day | |
Daryl Williams | Car | Right MCL sprain | Aggravated Week 1 | Week-to-Week | Week-to-Week | |
Seantrel Henderson | Hou | Left ankle fracture w/ high ankle sprain | Week 1 | Injured reserve | Injured reserve | 2019 return | |
Andre Smith | Ari | Elbow injury | Week 1 | Awaiting information | Week-to-Week | |
Denzelle Good | Ind | Knee injury | PS Week 4 | Week-to-Week | Week-to-Week | |
J'Marcus Webb | Ind | Hamstring strain | Week 1 | Week-to-Week | Week-to-Week | |
Guards
|
Team
|
Injury
|
Date
|
Player/Team Says
|
FBG Expects
|
Notes
|
D.J. Fluker | Sea | Hamstring strain | Preseason | Week-to-Week | Week-to-Week | |
Mike Person | SF | Foot strain | Week 1 | Week-to-Week | Week-to-Week | |
Josh Garnett | SF | Toe dislocation | Week 1 | Week-to-Week | Week-to-Week | |
Centers
|
Team
|
Injury
|
Date
|
Player/Team Says
|
FBG Expects
|
Notes
|
Travis Frederick | Dal | Guillain-Barre Syndrome | Preseason | Week-to-Week | Month-to-Month | Week 4+ Return | |
Pat Elflein | Min | Ankle / shoulder surgery | Offseason | Week-to-Week | Week-to-Week | Week 3+ Return | |
Defensive Players Injured | On the Active Roster
|
||||||
Edge Rushers
|
Team
|
Injury
|
Date
|
Player/Team Says
|
FBG Expects
|
Notes
|
Joey Bosa | LAC | Left foot sprain | PS Week 1 | Day-to-Day | Week-to-Week | Doubtful Week 2 |
Carlos Dunlap | Cin | Calf injury | Week 1 | Day-to-Day | Day-to-Day | |
Olivier Vernon | NYG | Ankle sprain / contusion | PS Week 4 | Day-to-Day | Week-to-Week | Questionable Week 2 |
Ezekiel Ansah | Det | Shoulder injury | Week 1 | Awaiting information | Awaiting information | |
Emmanuel Ogbah | Cle | Ankle injury | Week 1 | Week-to-Week | Week-to-Week | Doubtful Week 2 |
Markus Golden | Ari | ACL reconstruction | Early October 2018 | Week-to-Week | Week-to-Week | |
Harold Landry | Ten | High ankle sprain | PS Week 3 | Week-to-Week | Week-to-Week | |
Randy Gregory | Dal | Concussion | Week 1 | Day-to-Day | Day-to-Day | |
Defensive Linemen
|
Team
|
Injury
|
Date
|
Player/Team Says
|
FBG Expects
|
Notes
|
Vita Vea | TB | Calf strain | Offseason | Week-to-Week | Week-to-Week | |
Linebackers
|
Team
|
Injury
|
Date
|
Player/Team Says
|
FBG Expects
|
Notes
|
Luke Kuechly | Car | Left leg injury | Week 1 | Day-to-Day | Day-to-Day | Probable Week 2 |
Deion Jones | Atl | Foot injury | Week 1 | Awaiting Information | Week-to-Week | Questionable Week 2 |
Mark Barron | LAR | Achilles inflammation | Preseason | Week-to-Week | Week-to-Week | Doubtful Week 2 |
K.J. Wright | Sea | Arthroscopic knee surgery | PS Week 4 | Week-to-Week | Week-to-Week | Week 2+ Return | Questionable Week 2 |
Preston Brown | Cin | Ankle injury | Week 1 | Day-to-Day | Day-to-Day | Questionable Week 2 |
Malcolm Smith | SF | Hamstring strain | Preseason | Week-to-Week | Week-to-Week | Questionable Week 2 |
Rashaan Evans | Ten | Hamstring strain | Early preseason | Week-to-Week | Week-to-Week | |
Defensive Backs
|
Team
|
Injury
|
Date
|
Player/Team Says
|
Photos provided by USA TODAY Sports
Tags
Injuries
Joey Bosa
Carlos Dunlap
Rashaan Evans
D'Onta Foreman
Leonard Fournette
Devonta Freeman
Will Fuller V
Wayne Gallman
Markus Golden
Marquise Goodwin
Randy Gregory
Joe Haden
Vernon Hargreaves III
Hunter Henry
Mack Hollins
Hayden Hurst
DeSean Jackson
Deion Jones
Jake Kumerow
Harold Landry III
Tyquan Lewis
Marlon Mack
Marcus Mariota
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Jerick McKinnon
Sony Michel
Keanu Neal
Emmanuel Ogbah
DeVante Parker
Aaron Rodgers
Curtis Samuel
Adam Shaheen
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just now
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