Understanding the NFL's Injury Report
(per Dr. Bramel)
The injury report released by the NFL is two reports. The first is the Practice Participation report, which lists which injured players practiced and their participation level. 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 and my expectations of their likelihood of playing.
If you are reading this article on Saturday, make sure you circle back on Sunday morning as more updates trickle in within the next 24 hours
Key:
Player | Injury | Game Status Listing | Footballguys Expectation
Current Status on High-Impact Injured Players
Gameday Decision
- WR Zay Jones
- RB Dameon Pierce
- WR Odell Beckham Jr
- WR Zay Flowers
- TE Gerald Everett
- RB Rachaad White
Trending Doubtful (Likely Inactive)
- WR Darius Slayton
- RB D'Onta Foreman
Trending Probable (Expected to Play)
Eligible to return from injured reserve
Ruled Out
- WR Noah Brown (knee)
- WR Tee Higgins (hamstring)
- WR Michael Wilson (shoulder)
- WR Michael Thomas (knee - placed on IR)
- WR Treylon Burks (concussion)
- RB Jerick McKinnon (groin)
- WR Mecole Hardman Jr. (thumb - placed on IR)
- RB Kendre Miller (ankle)
- TE Hayden Hurst (concussion)
Sunday 1:00 PM EST Games
Zay Jones, Jacksonville Jaguars | Knee | Questionable | 50/50
The Jaguars have Zay Jones listed as "Questionable" with a knee injury - the same injury that has hampered him for most of the season. Jones was able to return last week (Week 11), so I believe the odds of him playing in Week 12 are good, as there are currently no reports that Jones suffered a setback.
Dameon Pierce, Houston Texans | Ankle | Questionable | 50/50
Dameon Pierce has been able to log full practices all week and is on track to play Sunday. In his three-game absence, Pierce's teammate Devin Singletary has performed well, finishing as a top-10 RB in two of the three weeks. If you roster both Pierce and Singletary, you might be wondering which RB to start. I tend to still lean toward Singletary. It is likely a committee moving forward, but there is some evidence suggesting that Pierce may have sustained a high ankle sprain.
RBs who sustain a high ankle sprain have a 12% decrease in fantasy production for the rest of the season. For this reason, I would avoid putting Pierce in my lineups.
Sunday Update: All signs point Pierce being active Sunday.
Darius Slayton, New York Giants | Neck | Doubtful | Likely Inactive
Darius Slayton was able to participate in a limited fashion towards the back half of this week, but the Giants still have the WR listed as "Doubtful" heading into Sunday. 95% of players listed as "Doubtful" do not play. Slayton's absence may open the way for Wan'Dale Robinson and Jalin Hyatt to get more targets.
Rachaad White, Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Knee | Questionable | 50/50
Rachaad White was a late addition to the injury report with a knee injury - never a good sign. We will have to wait till Sunday to hopefully get some clarity on the situation.
Sunday Update: Adam Schefter reported Sunday that the White injury was precautionary and that he is expected to play.
Buccaneers added RB Rachaad White to their injury report on Saturday as questionable for Sunday’s game only as a matter of precaution, per source. There is nothing structurally wrong with White’s knee, it briefly locked up on Friday and, just to be careful, the Buccaneers added…
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 26, 2023
Sunday 4:05 PM EST Games
Marquise Brown, Arizona Cardinals | Heel | Questionable | Likely Active
Marquise Brown has been listed as questionable on the final injury report with a heel injury. Players rarely miss time with injury designations of "heel." Of course, anything is possible but I would expect him to be active come Sunday.
Sunday Update: Adam Schefter confirmed my beliefs and reported that Marquise Brown is projected to play.
Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams | Ankle | Questionable | Likely Active
The Los Angeles Rams have announced that Kyren Williams will return in Week 12, and they plan to activate him from IR. I've written about RBs post-high ankle sprain (and even addressed it above regarding Dameon Pierce), but RBs historically have not fared well after a high ankle sprain. For those who missed 5+ weeks, the data is even more ominous.
The Rams cut Darrell Henderson, suggesting they are confident that Williams will be able to handle a full workload, but he is also a player where I would want to wait and see before I am confident starting him again.
Sunday Night 8:20 PM EST Game
Odell Beckham Jr, Baltimore Ravens | Shoulder | Questionable | 50/50
Odell Beckham Jr hurt his shoulder last Thursday, and by video, it did seem possible to be an AC joint sprain. It appears that Beckham has benefited from the extra days of rest, and on Friday, he was able to be a full practice participant. All signs point to Beckham Jr. being active in Week 12.
Sunday Update: Beckham Jr. is expected to play.
Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens | Hip | Questionable | 50/50
Things were looking bleak earlier in the week for Zay Flowers as he did not practice with a hip injury. However, Flowers was able to get a full practice in Friday and it is possible that he is trending in the right direction.
Sunday Update: Like his teammate, Flowers is projected to be active.
Gerald Everett, Los Angeles Chargers | Chest| Questionable | 50/50
Gerald Everett was limited to starting the week with a chest/rib injury before logging a full practice on Friday. This is significant progress from last week when Everett did not practice at all. The recovery timeline for this injury, combined with his practice reports should instill confidence that Everett is active in Week 12.
Sunday Update: Reports suggest that Everett should be active Sunday.
Monday Night 8:15 PM EST Game
D'Onta Foreman, Chicago Bears | Ankle | Doubtful | Likely Inactive
In the Week 12 version of the Monday Injury Report, I wrote about how there was evidence that D'Onta Foreman sustained a high ankle sprain. The average time missed for NFL RBs with high ankle sprains is 3.3 weeks. Given the late game and this data, Foreman should be left out of all starting lineups.
Sunday Update: Foreman's status has been changed to Doubtful. He is unlikely to play.
Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings | Hamstring | Questionable | Likely Inactive
From a recovery standpoint, I would have expected Justin Jefferson to have returned by now, but it sounds like the Vikings' wideout is not quite ready.
Justin Jefferson (hamstring) is NOT expected to play this week, per @DMRussini pic.twitter.com/d2SPaPDMjU
— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) November 23, 2023
Earlier in the season, when Minnesota lost Kirk Cousins, it seemed like the Vikings would just hold Jefferson out the rest of the season as it was looking like the team was not going to be in the playoff hunt. However, if the season ended today, the Vikings would be in the playoffs, and their team is looking good with Josh Dobbs under center. Minnesota could still activate Jefferson, but if he is not active by Sunday, I would sit him unless you have a solid backup plan for Monday night. Jefferson must be activated from IR by Week 13, as Minnesota has already started his 21-day return window. If Jefferson does not play in Week 12, I feel good about him being back next week.
Sunday Update: Adam Schefter is reporting that Jefferson is unlikely to be activated by the Vikings come Monday. I would leave him out of lineups.