![Injury Expectations | Wednesday Update | Week 2](https://footballguys.imgix.net/nfl-action-photos/BeckOd01_H.jpg?auto=format,compress&w=730)
KEY WEDNESDAY MEDIA UPDATES
***The Giants play on Monday night and won't release an official practice participation report until Thursday. But today's reporting on Odell Beckham is 180 degrees different from last week's pessimistic locker room interview. Multiple media sources reported "lots of optimism" Beckham will play this week. After traveling with the team and briefly appearing in pre-game warmups Sunday night, Beckham should be more likely to do some individual work in practice this week. It's still not clear whether Beckham will be able to return for a full complement of snaps. It's more likely he'll be limited to higher leverage situations and see fewer targets than usual in his first week back. But the trend looks positive for now.
***LeSean McCoy (wrist) and Jay Ajayi (knee) are both listed on the practice participation report but both were full participants and should be fine. McCoy has a wrist contusion that should be a non-issue this week. Seeing Ajayi on the report with a knee concern raises eyebrows after the pre-draft concern for a bone-on-bone condition. And it's odd for Ajayi to be given a rest day when he's yet to play in a regular season game. It's worth watching closely on Thursday but a consecutive full practice should allay any worries.
***John Brown is back on the injury report with the quad issue that plagued him during the preseason and led to some grumpy answers to reporter questions from Bruce Arians. Brown played 63 of 75 snaps last week. The Cardinals didn't comment on his status on Wednesday. Tomorrow's practice participation will inform us whether the team is pacing Brown's practice participation or there's been an aggravation.
***Thomas Rawls and T.J. Yeldon were full practice participants and will return this week.
***Andrew Luck didn't practice today as expected. That puts his return in Week 4 out of the question and makes a Week 5 return unlikely, too.
THURSDAY NIGHT INJURY EXPECTATIONS
Here are the key offensive players listed on the practice participation or game status report for Thursday Night Football:
This is an odd week. There aren't many question marks here. The Texans have a number of players already declared out -- but every other player who was listed on the practice report this week is not listed on the game status report and will play.
Texans OUT: Alfred Blue (ankle), Brian Cushing (concussion, now suspension), Will Fuller (shoulder), Ryan Griffin (concussion), C.J. Fiedorowicz (concussion > injured reserve)
Texans NOT LISTED: Deshaun Watson (ankle), J.J. Watt (finger), Jadeveon Clowney (foot), DeAndre Hopkins (wrist), Benardrick McKinney (knee), Kevin Johnson (knee)
I expect all the Texans in the "Not Listed" category to play with minimal limitation. Watson's ankle injury is minor and will not keep him from starting. Watt's finger injury is painful but should not hinder his pass rush. Were the Texans concerned about Clowney, McKinney, or Hopkins, I believe they'd have listed them questionable. All should see their usual workload.
The Bengals have listed John Ross and Shawn Williams as questionable. Both fully practiced all week and are expected to return. Williams will start at safety. Ross will see a limited package of plays as the team assimilates him into the offense.
EARLY WEEK PRACTICE PARTICIPATION REPORT AND EARLY EXPECTATIONS
The Wednesday and Thursday practice participation reports are our first chance to see which players each NFL team are 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.
*Note: Monday night players with asterisk practice Thursday/Friday/Saturday
Quarterbacks
|
||||||
Player | Injury | Practice Participation | Game Status | FBGs Expects | ||
Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | ||||
Cam Newton | Shoulder | Full | Expected to Play | |||
Sam Bradford | Knee | Limited | Expected to Play | |||
Andrew Luck | Shoulder | DNP | Inactive | |||
Blake Bortles | Wrist | Full | Expected to Play | |||
Running Backs
|
||||||
Player | Injury | Practice Participation | Game Status | FBGs Expects | ||
Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | ||||
LeSean McCoy | Wrist | Full | Expected to Play | |||
Jay Ajayi | Knee | Full | Expected to Play | |||
Thomas Rawls | Ankle | Full | Expected to Play | |||
Mike Tolbert | Knee | Full | Expected to Play | |||
Duke Johnson Jr | Chest | Full | Expected to Play | |||
Jamaal Charles | Not Injury Related | DNP | Expected to Play | |||
Danny Woodhead | Thigh | DNP | Inactive | |||
Matt Forte | Knee / Abdomen | Full | Expected to Play | |||
T.J. Yeldon | Hamstring | Full | Expected to Play | |||
Chris Thompson | Back | Full | Expected to Play | |||
Devontae Booker | Wrist | Limited | Likely Inactive | |||
Donnel Pumphrey | Hamstring | Limited | Awaiting Information | |||
Wide Receivers
|
||||||
Player | Injury | Practice Participation | Game Status | FBGs Expects | ||
Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | ||||
Odell Beckham | Ankle | Likely to Play / Limited | ||||
Amari Cooper | Knee | Limited | Expected to Play | |||
Jamison Crowder | Hip | Full | Expected to Play | |||
John Brown | Quad | DNP | Likely to Play / ? Limited | |||
Danny Amendola | Concussion / Knee | DNP | Awaiting Information | |||
Josh Doctson | Hamstring | Limited | Awaiting Information | |||
Mike Williams | Back | DNP | Inactive | |||
Markus Wheaton | Finger | Limited | Likely to Play | |||
Terrance Williams | Ankle | DNP | Likely to Play | |||
Kenny Britt | Knee | Full | Expected to Play | |||
Tight Ends
|
||||||
Player | Injury | Practice Participation | Game Status | FBGs Expects | ||
Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | ||||
Charles Clay | Shoulder | Limited | Likely to Play | |||
Jermaine Gresham | Ribs | DNP | Awaiting Information | |||
George Kittle | Hamstring | Limited | Expected to Play | |||
Offensive Line
|
||||||
Player | Injury | Practice Participation | Game Status | FBGs Expects | ||
Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | ||||
Jason Peters | Groin | Full | Expected to Play | |||
Mike Iupati | Tricep | DNP | Likely to Play | |||
Cordy Glenn | Foot | Limited | Likely to Play | |||
Bryan Bulaga | Ankle / Illness | DNP | Awaiting Information | |||
Jason Spriggs | Hamstring | DNP | Awaiting Information | |||
David Bakhtiari | Hamstring | Limited | Likely to Play | |||
Alex Mack | Back | Limited | Likely to Play | |||
Mike Pouncey | Hip | Full | Expected to Play | |||
Ryan Kalil | Not Injury Related | DNP | Expected to Play | |||
Kyle Long | Ankle | Limited | Unlikely to Play | |||
Joe Thomas | Knee | DNP | Expected to Play | |||
Kevin Zeitler | Thumb | DNP | Expected to Play | |||
Ronald Leary | Concussion | DNP | Awaiting Information | |||
Garrett Bolles | Shoulder | Limited | Awaiting Information | |||
Marcus Cannon | Ankle | Limited | Likely to Play | |||
Kelvin Beachum | Knee | Full | Expected to Play | |||
James Carpenter | Shoulder | Full | Expected to Play | |||
Brandon Linder | Knee | Limited | Awaiting Information | |||
Spencer Long | Knee | Full | Expected to Play | |||
Morgan Moses | Ankle | Full | Expected to Play | |||
Joe Staley | Not Injury Related | DNP | Expected to Play | |||
Andrew Whitworth | Not Injury Related | DNP | Expected to Play | |||
Bobby Hart | Ankle | Awaiting Information | ||||
Jeremy Vujinovch | Ankle | Limited | Awaiting Information | |||
D.J. Humphries | Knee | DNP | Inactive | |||
Zach Strief | Knee | DNP | Inactive | |||
Ryan Kelly | Foot | DNP | Inactive | |||
Terron Armstead | Shoulder | DNP | Inactive | |||
Edge Players
|
||||||
Player | Injury | Practice Participation | Game Status | FBGs Expects | ||
Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | ||||
Khalil Mack | Not Injury Related | Limited | Expected to Play | |||
Brandon Graham | Tricep | Full | Expected to Play | |||
Bud Dupree | Shoulder | Limited | Likely to Play | |||
Myles Garrett | Ankle | DNP | Inactive | |||
Julius Peppers | Not Injury Related | DNP | Expected to Play | |||
Za'Darius Smith | Ankle / Knee | DNP | Unlikely to Play | |||
Defensive Line
|
||||||
Player | Injury | Practice Participation | Game Status | FBGs Expects | ||
Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | ||||
Leonard Williams | Wrist | Full | Expected to Play | |||
Jurrell Casey | Back | DNP | Likely to Play | |||
Stephon Tuitt | Biceps | DNP | Likely Inactive | |||
Bennie Logan | Knee | DNP | Likely to Play | |||
Danny Shelton | Knee | Limited | Expected to Play | |||
Jared Crick | Back | Limited | Awaiting Information | |||
Robert Nkemdiche | Calf | Limited | Likely to Play | |||
Linebackers
|
||||||
Player | Injury | Practice Participation | Game Status | FBGs Expects | ||
Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | ||||
Reuben Foster | Ankle | DNP | Inactive | |||
Thomas Davis | Knee | DNP | Expected to Play | |||
Karlos Dansby | Shin | DNP | Awaiting Information | |||
Deone Bucannon | Ankle | Limited | Unlikely to Play | |||
K.J. Wright | Ankle | DNP | Awaiting Information | |||
Anthony Barr | Hamstring | DNP | Awaiting Information | |||
Donta Hightower | Knee | DNP | Unlikely to Play | |||
Wesley Woodyard | Illness | DNP | Likely to Play | |||
Duke Riley | Knee | Limited | Awaiting Information | |||
Cory James | Knee | Limited | Expected to Play | |||
Antonio Morrison | Elbow | DNP | Awaiting Information | |||
Anthony Hitchens | Knee | DNP | Inactive | |||
Defensive Backs
|
||||||
Player | Injury | Practice Participation | Game Status | FBGs Expects | ||
Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | ||||
Eric Weddle | Illness | DNP | Expected to Play | |||
Devin McCourty | Groin | Limited | Likely to Play | |||
Jalen Ramsey | Ankle | DNP | Likely to Play | |||
Ron Parker | Ankle | Full | Expected to Play | |||
Vontae Davis | Groin | DNP | Inactive | |||
Sean Smith | Neck | Limited | Likely to Play | |||
Richard Sherman | Hamstring | DNP | Expected to Play | |||
Ronald Darby | Ankle | DNP | Inactive | |||
Orlando Scandrick | Hand | DNP | Inactive | |||
Darian Stewart | Groin | DNP | Awaiting Information | |||
Aqib Talib | Not Injury Related | DNP | Expected to Play | |||
Darius Butler | Hamstring | Limited | Awaiting Information | |||
E.J. Gaines | Shoulder | Limited | Expected to Play | |||
Prince Amukamara | Ankle | Limited | Awaiting Information | |||
Morris Claiborne | Ankle | Limited | Expected to Play | |||
Jalen Mills | Thumb | Full | Expected to Play | |||
Johnathan Cyprien | Hamstring | DNP | Awaiting Information | |||
Leshaun Sims | Groin | Limited | Likely to Play | |||
D.J. Swearinger Sr | Back | Limited | Awaiting Information | |||
Bashaud Breeland | Elbow | Full | Expected to Play | |||
Gareon Conley | Shin | Limited | Awaiting Information | |||
Jimmie Ward | Hamstring | Limited | Awaiting Information | |||
Maurice Alexander | DNP | Awaiting Information | ||||
Kayvon Webster | DNP | Awaiting Information |
*Note: Monday night players with asterisk practice Thursday/Friday/Saturday.
Follow me on Twitter @JeneBramel for breaking injury news and analysis throughout the week.