Wednesday Media Updates
***Christian McCaffrey was expected to return this week from a shoulder separation that kept him out through the Panthers' Week 13 bye. Unfortunately, the team revealed McCaffrey suffered a quad injury while working out last week that tightened up again on Wednesday. His status is in doubt after he was unable to finish practice. A Thursday DNP could push his return back at least one week.
***Drew Brees was not designated to return from injured reserve and was not cleared to practice. Ian Rapoport said the Saints may try to have Brees practice on Thursday. He remains a longshot to play this week.
***Josh Jacobs did not return to practice on Wednesday. One local beat writer -- Vic Tafur of The Athletic -- reported the team expects Jacobs to return. The DNP after a full week of missed practice with a high ankle sprain is not reassuring unfortunately. The Raiders routinely give trusted starters rest days early in the week. A return to practice Thursday would be a good sign.
***Mike McCarthy told reporters Ezekiel Elliott was unlikely to do much in practice this week. A short week may make it difficult to play through a calf strain.
***The Giants are optimistic Daniel Jones will return this week. They plan to evaluate him on Thursday and if his hamstring responds well, he'll likely be named the starter by the end of the week.
THURSDAY NIGHT INJURY EXPECTATIONS
Here are the key offensive players listed on the practice participation or game status report for Thursday Night Football:
New England at Los Angeles Rams
***There are no injury concerns for either team.
Early week practice participation and playing expectations
The Wednesday and Thursday practice participation reports are our first chance to see which players each NFL team is limiting in practice after the previous week's games. Players limited in mid-week practice aren't necessarily in danger of missing that week's game. But they all need to be watched closely.
* = playing on Monday night
^ = playing on Tuesday night
|
Quarterbacks
|
Team
|
Injury
|
Practice Participation
|
Game
Status |
FBGs
Expects |
||
|
Wednesday
|
Thursday
|
Friday
|
|||||
| Josh Allen | Buf | Knee / Ankle | Full | Full | Expected to Play | ||
| Drew Brees | NO | Ribs | IR | IR | Likely Inactive | ||
| Daniel Jones | NYG | Hamstring | Limited | Limited | Likely to Play | ||
| Matthew Stafford | Det | Thumb | Limited | Limited | Expected to Play | ||
| Tua Tagovailoa | Mia | Thumb | Limited | Limited | Expected to Play | ||
| Drew Lock | Den | Back | Not Listed | Full | Expected to Play | ||
| Philip Rivers | Ind | Toe | DNP | Full | Expected to Play | ||
| Brandon Allen | Cin | Chest | Full | Full | Expected to Play | ||
|
Running Backs
|
Team
|
Injury
|
Practice Participation
|
Game
Status |
FBGs
Expects |
||
|
Wednesday
|
Thursday
|
Friday
|
|||||
| Christian McCaffrey | Car | Shoulder / Thigh | Limited | DNP | Likely Inactive | ||
| Josh Jacobs | LV | Ankle | DNP | Limited | Likely to Play | ||
| Devontae Booker | LV | Back | Full | Full | Expected to Play | ||
| Ezekiel Elliott | Dal | Calf | Limited | Limited | Likely to Play | ||
| James Robinson | Jac | Knee | Limited | Limited | Expected to Play | ||
| Antonio Gibson | Was | Toe | DNP | DNP | Likely Inactive | ||
| Kenyan Drake | Ari | Hip | Not Listed | Limited | Likely to Play | ||
| Chris Carson | Sea | Foot | Limited | Limited | Expected to Play | ||
| Carlos Hyde | Sea | Toe | Limited | Limited | Expected to Play | ||
| Travis Homer | Sea | Knee | DNP | DNP | Likely Inactive | ||
| DAndre Swift | Det | Illness | Limited | Limited | Likely to Play | ||
| Kerryon Johnson | Det | Knee | Limited | Full | Expected to Play | ||
| Clyde Edwards-Helaire | KC | Illness | Full | Full | Expected to Play | ||
| Todd Gurley | Atl | Knee | Limited | Limited | Expected to Play | ||
| Ito Smith | Atl | Neck | Limited | Limited | Expected to Play | ||
| Myles Gaskin | Mia | Knee | Limited | Limited | Expected to Play | ||
| Salvon Ahmed | Mia | Shoulder | DNP | DNP | Likely Inactive | ||
| Matt Breida | Mia | COVID+ | C-reserve | C-reserve | Likely Inactive | ||
| DeAndre Washington | Mia | Hamstring | Limited | Limited | Likely to Play | ||
| Malcolm Perry | Mia | Chest | Limited | Limited | Likely to Play | ||
| Latavius Murray | NO | Knee | Not Listed | Limited | Likely to Play | ||
| Phillip Lindsay | Den | Knee | Full | Full | Expected to Play | ||
| Frank Gore | NYJ | Concussion | DNP | DNP | Awaiting Information | ||
| Alexander Mattison | Min | Illness | DNP | DNP | Inactive | ||
| Duke Johnson Jr | Hou | Illness | Not Listed | DNP | Likely to Play | ||
| Joshua Kelley | LAC | Foot | DNP | Limited | Awaiting Information | ||
| A.J. Dillon | GB | COVID+ | C-reserve | Activated | Likely Inactive | ||
|
Wide Receivers
|
Team
|
Injury
|
Practice Participation
|
Game
Status |
FBGs
Expects |
||
|
Wednesday
|
Thursday
|
Friday
|
|||||
| Tyreek Hill | KC | Illness | DNP | Full | Expected to Play | ||
| Michael Thomas | NO | Ankle | Limited | Limited | Expected to Play | ||
| Julio Jones | Atl | Hamstring | DNP | DNP | Likely to Play | ||
| Mike Evans | TB | Hamstring | Limited | DNP | Likely to Play | ||
| Chris Godwin | TB | Finger | DNP | Full | Expected to Play | ||
| Kenny Golladay | Det | Hip | DNP | DNP | Likely Inactive | ||
| Terry McLaurin | Was | Ankle | Limited | Full | Expected to Play | ||
| A.J. Brown | Ten | Ankle | DNP | DNP | Likely to Play | ||
| Deebo Samuel | SF | Foot | DNP | Limited | Likely to Play | ||
| Tyler Lockett | Sea | Hip | Full | Full | Expected to Play | ||
| D.J. Moore | Car | COVID+ | C-reserve | C-reserve | Likely Inactive | ||
| Curtis Samuel | Car | COVID reserve | C-reserve | C-reserve | Likely to Play | ||
| Allen Robinson | Chi | Knee | Limited | Limited | Expected to Play | ||
| Chase Claypool | Pit | Illness | Not Listed | DNP | Likely to Play | ||
| *Jarvis Landry | Cle | Hip | *Full | Expected to Play | |||
| Brandin Cooks | Hou | Foot / Neck | Limited | Limited | Expected to Play | ||
| Keke Coutee | Hou | Knee | Limited | Full | Expected to Play | ||
| Jerry Jeudy | Den | Ankle | Limited | Full | Expected to Play | ||
| Allen Lazard | GB | Core | Limited | Limited | Expected to Play | ||
| Equanimeous St. Brown | GB | Knee / Concussion | DNP | Limited | Awaiting Information | ||
| Tee Higgins | Cin | Hamstring | Limited | Limited | Likely to Play | ||
| Nelson Agholor | LV | Ankle | Full | Full | Expected to Play | ||
| Jamison Crowder | NYJ | Calf | Not Listed | Limited | Awaiting Information | ||
| Breshad Perriman | NYJ | Shoulder | Limited | Limited | Expected to Play | ||
| Willie Snead | Bal | COVID+ | C-reserve | Activated | Likely to Play | ||
| Laviska Shenault | Jac | Thumb | Limited | Limited | Expected to Play | ||
| Alshon Jeffery | Phi | Calf | Limited | Full | Expected to Play | ||
| Jakeem Grant | Mia | Back | Limited | Limited | Likely to Play | ||
|
Tight Ends
|
Team
|
Injury
|
Practice Participation
|
Game
Status |
FBGs
Expects |
||
|
Wednesday
|
Thursday
|
Friday
|
|||||
| Jonnu Smith | Ten | Knee | Limited | Full | Expected to Play | ||
| Hayden Hurst | Atl | Ankle | Limited | Limited | Expected to Play | ||
| Marcedes Lewis | GB | Knee | Limited | DNP | Expected to Play | ||
| Jace Sternberger | GB | Concussion | DNP | DNP | Likely Inactive | ||
| Kyle Rudolph | Min | Foot | DNP | DNP | Likely Inactive | ||
| Irv Smith | Min | Back | DNP | Limited | Awaiting Information | ||
| Jacob Hollister | Sea | Knee | Full | Full | Expected to Play | ||
| Adam Shaheen | Mia | Foot | Limited | Limited | Expected to Play | ||
Note: Asterisk denotes Monday night players who practice Thursday/Friday/Saturday.
Follow me on Twitter @JeneBramel for breaking injury news and analysis throughout the week.