Gameday Injury Expectations: Week 8

Jene Bramel's Gameday Injury Expectations: Week 8 Jene Bramel Published 10/29/2022

UNDERSTANDING THE NFL'S INJURY REPORT

The injury report released by the NFL is 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

Here's the latest on key injured players on the practice participation and game status report this week:

Current Status on High-Impact Injured Players

Scroll down for full details, extensive updates, and the complete table of projected availability. Here are the most important notes for this week's games:

Sunday Decision

Trending Doubtful (Likely Inactive)

Trending Probable (Expected to Play)

Returning to the active roster

Ruled Out

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Playing Sunday at 9:30 AM Eastern

Russell Wilson | Hamstring | Not listed | Expected to play

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

Wilson fully practiced Friday and is expected to start in London. The Broncos considered giving Wilson through their Week 9 bye to continue rehab but decided he was recovered enough to practice and play.

Playing Sunday at 1:00 pm Eastern

Davante Adams | Illness | Questionable | Expected to play

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

Adams should be available after returning to practice on Friday after missing midweek workouts with an illness.

Sunday update: Adams reportedly felt better on Friday and Saturday and will play. He should have minimal limitations.

Ezekiel Elliott | Knee | Doubtful | Likely inactive

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

Elliott refused to rule himself out earlier in the week but never returned to practice. When asked about Elliott's Week 9 status, Jerry Jones said Elliott was unlikely to be active and that the team's decision "had everything to do...with this bye coming up."

Expect Elliott to rest this week and return in Week 10.

Sunday update: Dallas elevated two running back to the roster on Saturday. All beat writers expect Elliott to be inactive today.

Amon-Ra St. Brown | Concussion | Questionable | Expected to play

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

St. Brown reportedly was not diagnosed with a concussion after last week's in-game stumble but was required to progress through the return-to-play concussion protocol this week due to the more cautious NFL diagnostic criteria.

Expect the Lions and the independent neurology to clear St. Brown to return this week.

Sunday update: Ian Rapoport reports St. Brown is cleared to play.

DAndre Swift | Shoulder / Ankle | Not listed | Expected to play

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

After surprising local reporters with a decision to keep Swift inactive last week, the Lions returned Swift to a full week of practice this week and did not list him on the game status report.

It's uncertain whether the Lions will immediately return Swift to his pre-injury usage of 30-40 snaps per game. It's likely Swift will split time with Jamaal Williams in his first week back but double-digit touches are a realistic possibility.

Darren Waller | Hamstring | Questionable | Sunday decision

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

Waller returned to practice this week, and most local beat writers expect him to return. He remains at risk of aggravation but could immediately return to his pre-injury usage.

Sunday update: Adam Schefter reports Sunday morning the Raiders are planning a pregame workout to determine Waller's status.

Dalton Schultz | Knee | Questionable | Likely to play

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

Schultz continues to experience minor setbacks in his attempts to play through a PCL sprain. While he has missed snaps and series in recent weeks and the Cowboys continue to be careful with his practice reps, Schultz is expected to play.

Expect 30-40 snaps again this week.

Darrel Williams | Knee | Questionable | Sunday decision

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

Williams is considered a gameday decision, and local reporters are not speculating on his playing status. Check back for more information, but it's unlikely Williams will be ready for a primary role. Expect Eno Benjamin and Keoantay Ingram to see the majority of the snaps again in Week 8.

Juwan Johnson | Hamstring | Questionable | Gameday decision

Practice Participation: Wed - Not listed | Thurs - Limited | Fri - Limited

Johnson was added to the injury report after a Thursday hamstring strain but was able to return to drills on Friday. He is considered a gameday decision but is likely closer to playing than Adam Trautman, who is unlikely to play with an ankle injury.

Mack Hollins | Heel | Questionable | Likely to play

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

Beat writers expect Hollins to play after a full week of limited practice. Hollins played every snap last week, and there are no indications of a newly concerning injury.

Noah Brown | Foot | Questionable | Likely inactive

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

The Cowboys list Brown as questionable, but he's unlikely to play after not practicing this week.

Playing Sunday at 4:05 pm Eastern

Ryan Tannehill | Ankle | Questionable | Declared out

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

The Titans were hopeful Tannehill would play early in the week, but the missed Friday practice is a worrisome sign. Mike Vrabel told reporters the team planned to give Tannehill until Sunday to continue his rehab. He's likely more doubtful than questionable. Malik Willis is prepared to start in Tannehill's absence.

Saturday update: Tannehill was declared out. Willis will start Sunday.

Brandin Cooks | Wrist | Questionable | Expected to play

Practice Participation: Wed - Not listed | Thurs - Not listed | Fri - Full

Cooks was listed as a resting veteran early in the week then designated as questionable after a full Friday practice. He should be available for his full snap count this week.

Nico Collins | Groin | Questionable | Likely inactive

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

Collins is listed as questionable but unlikely to play after missing practice all week.

Playing Sunday at 4:25 pm Eastern

Tyler Lockett | Hamstring / Ribs | Questionable | Likely to play

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

Lockett played through a hamstring strain last week but managed only 65% of the team's offensive snaps after not playing less than 80% in any game this season.

After trending toward playing following a full Thursday practice, Lockett reported soreness in an oblique muscle on Friday and was held out of drills. Seattle considers Lockett a gameday decision. The combination of hamstring and oblique muscle strains will likely hold Lockett's usage down significantly, even if he's cleared to play.

Sunday update: As he often does, Lockett will try to play through his injuries. Both Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport expect Lockett to be active. Rapoport's take was less certain -- "there is some optimism he goes" -- but the general tone of weekend reports suggests Lockett will play. The oblique strain may hamper his catch radius but the full Friday practice suggests the hamstring strain did well after last week's snaps. Lockett has a lower ceiling than usual but should be available for 30-40 routes.

DK Metcalf | Knee | Questionable | Sunday decision

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

Metcalf injured his patellar tendon last week and was reportedly week-to-week and unlikely to play. He returned to some drills on Friday, and Pete Carroll told reporters Metcalf was a gameday decision -- something the Seahawks "wouldn't have thought possible" earlier in the week.

If Metcalf's knee responds well to the limited Friday workout, he may play a limited role. More likely, Seatlle will hold him out and continue rehab with an eye toward a Week 9 return.

Sunday update: Metcalf must have responded well to Friday's workout. Adam Schefter is reporting Metcalf "will return from his injury sooner than expected and play." Ian Rapoport reports a "good chance" Metcalf plays today. Seattle did add a receiver off the practice squad as insurance on Saturday. Projecting Metcalf's usage is tricky. There's an argument the Seahawks would not activate Metcalf if he was not ready for his usual workload but there's some risk of aggravation of his condition. Err toward using Metcalf in your lineup if you're comfortable with the boom-bust option.

Logan Thomas | Calf | Questionable | Likely to play

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

Thomas sat out last week's game with a calf strain and was limited in practice all week. Local reporters observed Thomas participating in red zone drills on Friday, suggesting he'll be active in some role this week.

Van Jefferson | Knee | Designated to return | expected to play

The Rams plan to activate Jefferson on Saturday. Sean McVay says the Rams will monitor Jefferson's usage during the game but expects him to see a "normal workload." Los Angeles' current third receiver Ben Skowronek is seeing 70-80% of the Rams' snaps. Don't expect Jefferson to entirely replace Skowronek in his first week back. 25-40 snaps and 3-5 targets is his likely upside this week.

Dyami Brown | Groin | Questionable | Sunday decision

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

Brown returned to a full week of practice and is listed as questionable. If the Commanders put him on the active roster, he's unlikely to return to full usage immediately.

Playing Sunday at 8:20 pm Eastern

Christian Watson | Hamstring | Questionable | Likely to play

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

The Packers acknowledged Watson's importance as a stretch receiver. Matt LaFleur said, "We certainly do need him, but we're not going to treat him any differently." Green Bay is generally careful with injured players, but LaFleur said the team was"cautiously optimistic" about Watson's availability.

I'll update with Sunday morning news.

Playing Monday at 8:15 PM Eastern

No injuries of note on Saturday game status report

Footballguys injury coverage will return Monday with a review of the most important Week 8 injuries.

Photos provided by Imagn Images
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