As Week 14 begins in the NFL, the league is beginning to enter the home stretch of the season. The games are more important and injury reports are increasing as more teams take hits. There are still five weeks left in the regular season as the playoff races are heating up, as evidenced by the Detroit Lions’ big win over the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night.
The Chicago Bears have some key injuries to skill players D’Andre Swift and DJ Moore, while the Pittsburgh Steelers had a surprise on the injury report with wide receiver George Pickens. Meanwhile, the New York Jets will be without running back Breece Hall, who has been ruled out against the Miami Dolphins.
Before Sunday’s games begin, let’s take a look at the final injury reports around the league.
Another minor injury report for the Falcons, as Orhorhoro was listed as questionable, but participated fully in Friday’s practice.
For the Vikings, Phillips was a late addition to the injury report as he was limited on Friday. Van Ginkel was limited all week, while Reichard participated fully in training all week.
The Panthers downgraded pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney for Sunday’s matchup after initially being listed as questionable.
With Goedert out, Grant Calcaterra is expected to get more goals on Sunday. The three-year veteran has already set career highs this season in receptions (17) and receiving yards (216) and has caught an astonishing 85% of his targets. Some good news for the Eagles is the return of wide receiver DeVonta Smith, who practiced fully on Friday and is scheduled to play on Sunday.
Each of Cleveland’s questionable players participated in limited practices each of the last two days. With Tillman out and Thrash questionable, expect a considerable amount of targets to be thrown at fellow receivers Elijah Moore and Jerry Jeudy.
Pickens ends up as a surprise on the injury report after suffering a hamstring strain in Friday’s practice, earning him the questionable designation. Pass rusher Alex Highsmith (ankle) practiced fully and will not carry an injury designation.
- Jaguars: CB Tyson Campbell (thigh), P Logan Cooke (left knee), LS Ross Matiscik (hamstring), LB Yasir Abdullah (hamstring) QUESTIONABLE
- Titans: G Logan Bruss (knee), OT Jaelyn Duncan (hamstring) OUT; CB Roger McCreary (shoulder), LB Kenneth Murray Jr. (hamstring), DT T’Vondre Sweat (shoulder), LB James Williams (knee), OT Leroy Watson IV (back), OLB Jerome Baker (neck), DB Jarvis Brownlee Jr. (hip) QUESTIONABLE
Every one of the Jaguars’ questionable players except Cooke was limited during Friday’s practice. The Jaguars will be without Trevor Lawrence, who was placed on injured reserve this week after suffering a concussion during last Sunday’s game against the Texans. Mac Jones will start in his place.
For the Jaguars, McCreary, Murray and Sweat did not practice all week. Williams and Lynch participated fully on Friday after both players did not practice on Thursday.
- Assailants: CB Nate Hobbs (ankle), RB Zamir White (quadriceps) OUT; TE Justin Shorter (back) DOUBTFUL; WR Jakobi Meyers (ankle), RB Alexander Mattison (ankle) QUESTIONABLE
- Buccaneers: LB KJ Britt (ankle), S Mike Edwards (hamstring), CB Troy Hill (foot/knee), LB Markees Watts (knee) OUT; RB Bucky Irving (hip/back), DB Tykee Smith (knee), LB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka (ankle), WR Trey Palmer (hip), DB Josh Hayes (hamstring), ILB JJ Russell (hamstring) QUESTIONABLE
Meyers and Mattison were limited on Friday. Backup running back Ameer Abdullah is in line for further training with White and Mattison on the injury report. Abdullah had 118 all-purpose yards in the Raiders’ last two games.
Irving was limited Friday after not practicing the previous two days. Regardless of Irving’s status, Rachaad White is expected to continue to have an increasing role in the offense. White rushed for a season-high 76 yards on just 11 carries during last week’s overtime win over the Panthers.
- Saints: TE Taysom Hill (knee), OL Nick Saldiveri (knee), WR Bub Means (ankle) OUT; DE Tanoh Kpassagnon (Achilles), RB Kendre Miller (hamstring) QUESTIONABLE
- Giants: CB Deonte Banks (rib), DT Rakeem Nunez-Roches (neck/shoulder), ILB Bobby Okereke (back) OUT; G Jermaine Eluemunor (quad) DOUBTFUL; OT Evan Neal (hip), LB Dyontae Johnson (ankle), WR Malik Nabers (groin), DT Jordon Riley (knee), OT Chris Hubbard (knee), DB Andru Phillips (shoulder) QUESTIONABLE
Kpassagnon and Miller participated fully throughout the week. For the Giants, Nabers did not practice Friday and was limited Thursday. Nabers has been dealing with a groin issue for most of the season.
- Jets: RB Breece Hall (knee), CB Qwan’tez Stiggers (illness) OUT; LB CJ Mosley (neck); CB Sauce Gardner (hamstring) DOUBTFUL; OL Olu Fashanu (toe), OL Morgan Moses (knee, shoulder), OL Xavier Newman (groin), OL Alijah Vera-Tucker (ankle), WR Allen Lazard (chest) QUESTIONABLE
- Dolphins: OT Terron Armstead (knee), LB Anthony Walker (hamstring), OLB Bradley Chubb (knee), LB Cameron Goode (knee), CB Kader Kohou (back), RB Raheem Mostert (hip), LB Blake Ferguson (unrelated illness with football) ) QUESTIONABLE
The Jets downgraded both Hall and Stiggers to outs on Saturday. In the backfield, running back Braelon Allen should get the bulk of the carries. Meanwhile, Gardner did not practice all week, while Mosley will be placed on injured reserve.
For the Dolphins, Walker and Ferguson are trending upward as both players participated in full practice on Friday. Mostert, Chubb, Kohou and Goode were limited all week.
Walker did not practice Thursday and Friday and was limited Wednesday. Given Walker’s status, backup Zach Charbonnet is expected to continue getting some carries. Charbonnet had six touches and a touchdown in last week’s win over the Jets.
For the Cardinals, Stills and Jones were limited the last two days.
The Bills could be without two of their best position players on Sunday, as Coleman and Kincaid were limited in practice on Friday. Both will be decisions at game time. Kincaid missed the last three games, while Coleman missed the last four.
Jackson and Verse were limited the last two days for the Rams, but head coach Sean McVay expects both players to face Buffalo.
Ten days of rest have certainly helped Moore and Swift, but the Bears’ best players went from not participating in practice to being limited on Friday. With Johnson out, Travis Homer would be the No. 1 running back if Swift can’t go.
As you can see, the 49ers continue to deal with a long list of injuries. Bosa has not been ruled out despite his absence during practice this week. With Mason out and Christian McCaffrey on injured reserve, the 49ers’ running game will likely center around rookie Isaac Guerendo, who rushed for 99 and 85 yards in wins over the Seahawks and Cowboys (respectively) earlier this year. .
- Chargers: LB Denzel Perryman (groin) DOUBTFUL; LB Junior Colson (ankle), S Tony Jefferson (hamstring), WR Ladd McConkey (knee/shoulder) QUESTIONABLE
- Bosses: WR Mecole Hardman (knee) QUESTIONABLE
Perryman was questionable all week, while McConkey was limited during each of the Chargers’ practices. Quentin Johnston, Josh Palmer and Jalen Reagor will likely get more targets in case McConkey can’t go.
The Chiefs are as healthy as a team can be at this point in the season. Hardman did not practice Friday after not appearing on the injury report the previous two days.
Analysis to come
