Gameday Injury Expectations: Week 1

Photo: Imagn Images

UNDERSTANDING THE NFL'S INJURY REPORT

The injury report released by the NFL is actually 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

I'll also include a table at the bottom of the article for easy reference.

Here's the latest on every relevant injured player on the practice participation and game status report this week:

QUARTERBACK

Cam Newton | Shoulder | QUESTIONABLE | Expected to Play

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

The Panthers listed Newton questionable on the game status report but there are no questions about his availability this week. Newton has practiced fully for multiple weeks and participated in a preseason game. Reports from practice continue to be reassuring. There have been no concerns about his arm strength and accuracy. Newton should be expected to play without limitation this week.

Joe Flacco | Back | Not Listed | Expected to Play

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

The Ravens likely didn't tell the whole truth about Flacco's back injury -- players don't struggle for months and miss 4-6 weeks of practice with soreness unless there's an underlying structural condition -- but they were consistent in their expectation Flacco would return to practice and play in Week 1. That's what's happened. Flacco fully practiced this week and reports are reassuring he's recovered enough to play. Symptoms of a disc herniation may recur at any time but this is more of a week-to-week watch than a snap-to-snap concern.

Tyrod Taylor | Concussion | Not Listed | Expected to Play

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

Taylor completed the return-to-play protocol and was cleared to return early this week. He has had a full week of practice without recurrent symptoms, is not listed on the injury report, and will play this week.

Others of note: Carson Palmer (not injury related) and Blake Bortles (wrist) practiced this week and will play without limitation. Andrew Luck (shoulder) has been declared out. I'll update return to play expectations on all inactive players on Monday.

RUNNING BACK

LESEAN MCCOY | Illness | NOT LISTED | Expected to Play

Practice Participation: Wed - Not Listed | Thurs - Limited | Fri - Full

McCoy was added to the injury report midweek after getting sick before Thursday's practice. He returned before the end of practice, then fully participated in Friday's limited session. He is not listed on the game status report and will play.

Thomas Rawls | Ankle | Questionable | Game-time Decision

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

Early this week, Pete Carroll told reporters Rawls was recovering from a high ankle sprain and the team wanted to see how well Rawls progressed in practice before declaring him ready to return. Rawls fully practiced all week. Ordinarily, that would be a reassuring sign. But the Seahawks seem committed to caution with Rawls and have continued to label him a game-time decision all week. High ankle sprains are easily aggravated injuries, especially for running backs who are at risk of unsure footing on every play. With Eddie Lacy, Chris Carson, and C.J. Prosise fully healthy, it's possible Seattle chooses to continue to rest Rawls this week. If he is active, it's tough to project more than a handful of touches for Rawls unless the first few series necessitate otherwise due to the ineffectiveness or injury of the other backs.

Sunday AM Update: No confirmation yet, but it's looking more likely Seattle will rest Rawls today. Ian Rapoport tweeted the Seahawks may hold him out to "get him to 100%."

Danny Woodhead | Thigh | Not Listed | Expected to Play

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

Woodhead returned to a full practice this week. After preseason media reports noting the injury as a hamstring strain, the Ravens listed Woodhead as a thigh injury. It's likely semantics rather than a compensatory injury. Woodhead is not listed on the game status report and should play without limitation.

**jamaal Charles | Knee | Not Listed | Expected to Play

Practice Participation: Thurs - DNP | Fri - Full | Sat - Full

The Broncos are planning a veteran day of rest for Charles each week. He returned to full practice on Friday and Saturday and is not listed on the injury report. It's expected Charles will see 8-12 touches per game and all indications are he'll be ready for that workload this week.

T.J. Yeldon | Hamstring | Questionable | Game-time Decision

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

Yeldon told reporters this week his original timetable was 2-3 weeks. That likely means he had a borderline Grade 1/2 strain. Those can require a month of recovery. Yeldon is within the 3-4 week timeframe currently and had two consecutive limited practices at the end of the week. Local media reports are scarce and it's unclear which side of questionable Yeldon currently sits. I'll have more on him as the weekend progresses.

Sunday AM Update: Ian Rapoport tweeted Yeldon could be held out today to get to 100%.

Others of note: Bilal Powell (ribs), Matt Forte (knee), Jeremy Hill (ankle), D'Onta Foreman (groin), and Zach Zenner (back) have practiced, are not listed on the game status report, and expected to play without limitation. Alfred Blue (ankle) and Devontae Booker (wrist) have been declared out. I'll update return to play expectations on all inactive players in Monday's column.

Closing the book on preseason injuries: DeMarco Murray (hamstring), Devonta Freeman (concussion), Jay Ajayi (concussion), and C.J. Prosise (groin) are all fully practicing. None were listed on their team's injury report this week and can be considered fully recovered and ready to play without limitation.

WIDE RECEIVER

Odell Beckham, Jr | Ankle | Questionable | Game-time Decision | Limited if plays

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

As of Saturday afternoon, Beckham's status was uncertain. Reports had the Giants' wide receiver traveling to Dallas with the team, leaving some optimism Beckham would be able to play a limited role Sunday night. However, it's difficult to ignore the pessimism from earlier in the week. Beckham didn't do any football-related work all week with the team choosing to continue intensive treatment and rehab over individual drills. Beckham told reporters he would not play if his ankle required bracing or taping. And Bob McAdoo said the team would not risk Beckham if there was a risk of aggravation.

There's a slim chance this is a long con from the Giants. Teams generally don't allow players to speak with the media early in the week unless they're certain that player will be active. But the most likely explanation for Beckham's three DNP listings is simple -- he could not practice. If Beckham wasn't cleared for change of direction and individual drills by Friday, there's little chance additional treatment will allow him to do so by the weekend. If Beckham wasn't cleared by Friday, it's highly unlikely he'll be able to play without bracing/taping, a difficult ask on a high ankle injury for an athletic trainer anyway. If Beckham wasn't cleared by Friday, McAdoo and the Giants know there's a risk of aggravation this week.

Allowing Beckham to travel suggests the Giants are willing to let Beckham test his ankle in warmups tomorrow night. They wouldn't have chosen travel over treatment otherwise. But Beckham remains on the doubtful side of questionable. It seems silly to dress Beckham and use him as a decoy and risk an aggravation while running routes they don't intend to target him on. The best case scenario here is limited snaps in high leverage situations. The only certainty here is that Beckham will be closer to full health next week if he doesn't play this week.

I'll have more Saturday night, Sunday morning, and as pregame warmups evolve.

Sunday AM Update: The tweet storm from Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport has labeled Beckham as a game-time decision. Rapoport notes there was enough improvement with treatment to leave an option open for Beckham. Schefter followed up with a source who believes "there is real doubt" whether he will play. Nothing has changed on this for me. They may allow Beckham to warm up but the absolute best case scenario feels like 10-15 snaps/routes in high-leverage situations. You're essentially playing red zone roulette and hoping to see a touchdown on low odds. I still believe the risk-reward equation leans strongly toward Beckham being inactive tonight.

**Demaryius Thomas | Groin | Not Listed | expected to play

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

Thomas has dealt with chronic hip issues for two seasons now and there were concerns his groin injury could be a compensatory injury. After a full week of full practice, those fears are mostly allayed and Thomas can be expected to play without limitation this week.

Jamison Crowder | hip | Questionable | Expected to play

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

Crowder was added to the injury report midweek with a hip flexor strain. Midweek soft tissue strains are always worrisome and hip flexor injuries can be difficult to overcome for receivers. Injuries to the front of the hip may limit explosion and change of direction, and both are critical for a slot receiver.

Jay Gruden escalated concerns in his Friday press conference by suggesting the team needed to see further recovery from Crowder overnight and would reassess on Saturday. Crowder was allowed to speak to the media, however, and downplayed the injury. He told reporters the injury was "minor" and of "no concern." Barring a surprise report or aggravation in pregame warmups, Crowder looks likely to play with minimal limitation.

Sunday AM Update: Adam Schefter tweeted Crowder will play today.

Tyler Lockett | Knee | Questionable | Expected to Play

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

The Seahawks use the questionable tag as a surrogate for probable to play in many instances. That's likely the case with Lockett who returned to consecutive full practices this week after a recent stem cell injection. He is expected to play and should not be limited.

Markus Wheaton | Finger | Questionable | Likely Inactive

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

Wheaton is not expected to play this week. The official game status report listed him questionable but the original return to play timetable had him out at least one regular season week. There's a slim chance he'll return to play this week with the Bears' depth chart shallow at receiver.

Kenny Golladay | Ankle | Questionable | Game-time Decision

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

The Lions are the league's stingiest team with injury information. One beat writer suggested Golladay was likely to be active this week but there's no consensus in Detroit because there's no information to analyze. Golladay has been competing for third wide receiver snaps and likely would see limited action at best if he's active.

John Ross | Knee | Questionable | Game-time Decision

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

Marvin Lewis went Animal Farm on the Cincinnati media on Friday. He told reporters Ross could play then followed up with a "some guys could play but some are more ready than others" line. Ross has a knee sprain that was expected to keep him out another 1-2 weeks. It's possible he's recovering more quickly than expected. The Bengals generally list players they know will not be active as doubtful and Ross' two consecutive practices leave room for optimism. Still, I think Ross is unlikely to see enough snaps this week to have statistical upside. His practice this week bodes well for Week 2.

Curtis Samuel | Ankle | Questionable | Expected to Play

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

The Panthers listed multiple players questionable who practiced fully and are expected to play. Put Samuel in that category. His playing time could be limited but not due to injury concerns.

Others of note: Amari Cooper (knee), Larry Fitzgerald (not injury related), DeAndre Hopkins (thumb), Jeremy Maclin (hand), Jordan Matthews (chest), Josh Doctson (hamstring), Kenny Britt (knee), Breshad Perriman (hamstring), and Braxton Miller (ankle) have fully practiced, are not listed on the game status report, and expected to play without limitation. Mike Williams (back) and Will Fuller (shoulder) have been declared out. I'll update return to play expectations on all inactive players in Monday's column.

Closing the book on preseason injuries: John Brown (quad, sickle cell trait) followed up last week's two touchdown preseason game performance with a full week of practice. The Cardinals did not limit his work and he looked to be without limitation in the preseason game. Brandon Marshall (shoulder), Tyrell Williams (groin), Eric Decker (ankle), Cooper Kupp (groin), and Corey Davis (hamstring) are all fully practicing. None were listed on their team's injury report this week and can be considered fully recovered and ready to play without limitation. The Titans may not commit fully to Davis as an integral part of their offense yet but he will be healthy enough to play a role.

TIGHT END

JORDAN REED | Foot | Not Listed | Expected to Play

Practice Participation: Wed - Not Listed | Thurs - Not Listed | Fri - Not Listed

Reed has now navigated three weeks of full practice and suffered no setbacks. He was optimistic about an orthotic specially made to relieve pressure from the injured area at the base of his big toe and it's been successful. He was not listed on Washington's practice report at all this week and is ready for his usual workload.

Sunday AM Update: There's no change to Reed's Week 1 status. However, an Ian Rapoport tweet this morning includes confirmation of the fracture in Reed's toe. While the orthotic seems to be working for now, this remains an evolving situation. Reed himself confirmed the injury last month but it's been an underreported story. Here were my thoughts in early August.

I was ready to be optimistic about Reed after seeing tweets noting how well his first practice with his new foot orthotic went.

Then, I read this quote Reed gave reporters on Sunday:

"It's the cleats more than anything," Reed said. "The cleats prior to this were more narrow and pressing on the bone that I had the fracture in. These cleats are wider and the orthotics are softer so I don't feel it."

Wait, what?

Reed's injury had previously been reported as a toe sprain. Last week, he confirmed he has been dealing with the injury since last year and today confirms he had a fracture in the foot. There is still a piece or two missing from this puzzle. But a turf toe like injury associated with a fractured bone irritated by certain types of cleats sounds very much like a sesamoid bone issue.

There are two small sesamoid bones found within the tendon on the underside of the joint between the big toe and the foot. Inflammation around those bones, a stress response within the bones, or a fracture would all cause pain in the same area as turf toe/toe sprain. Players may choose rest, anti-inflammatory medication, and orthotics to treat these conditions, but sesamoid injuries often require surgery. Reed's visit to Dr. Robert Anderson -- the NFL's most prominent foot surgeon -- now makes a ton more sense.

Reed was very pleased with how his foot responded to the orthotic. And he told reporters he'd be back shortly. But the orthotic could be a final attempt to manage this condition through the season. There's been no confirmation about Reed's specific injury. But my spidey senses are tingling on this one. Reed may well make it through the year without difficulty. But his revelation today is worrisome.

I'll have more in tomorrow's Injury Rounds article.

Tyler Eifert | Knee | Not Listed | Expected to Play

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

The Bengals surprised observers by holding Eifert out of the third preseason game after warmups then telling reporters he was dealing with knee tendinitis. Eifert returned to practice soon after, however, and was not listed on the game status report after full practice this week. He should see his usual workload.

George Kittle | Hamstring | Questionable | Game-time Decision

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

Kittle reportedly tweaked his hamstring earlier this week but made enough progress to continue practicing. Kyle Shanahan told reporters he'd be "surprised" if Kittle wasn't active this week.

*Note: Monday night players with asterisk practice Thursday/Friday/Saturday

*Note: Monday night players with asterisk practice Thursday/Friday/Saturday.

Follow me on Twitter @JeneBramel for breaking injury news and analysis throughout the week.