Wednesday Media Updates
***The Saints designated Drew Brees to return to practice. While undoubtedly a positive sign, this does not mean he's close to playing. Sean Payton said Brees "has a ways to go still and he's someone we're not going to just hurry back and put him in the game." Brees is confident he can return soon but noted that he has benchmarks to hit -- being able to throw without discomfort and fully protect himself in the pocket -- and wouldn't commit to a return. He remains on the doubtful side of questionable for now.
***Do not expect Christian McCaffrey back this week. After a brief workout on Tuesday, McCaffrey did not practice Wednesday. Matt Rhule told reporters there was no change in McCaffrey's status. McCaffrey "has a chance for next week" but isn't doubtful to make the trip with Carolina to Green Bay for Saturday's game.
***George Kittle was designated to return to practice. There's no chance he plays this week but the Niners are starting the reconditioning and evaluation process on the slim chance Kittle recovers well enough to risk in a limited role in a must-win game later in the season. His most likely return date remains Week 1 2021.
***Daniel Jones is dealing with ongoing hamstring soreness and a new ankle sprain and was limited in practice. He wants to play but the team will need to be convinced Jones has the mobility to play effectively.
***Ronald Jones II needed to be able to practice by Friday to prove he was comfortable playing through a broken finger. Added to the COVID list now, Jones likely won't be available to show his comfort level. Expect him to be inactive this week.
***Raheem Mostert was still experiencing pain last week and looks unlikely to be ready this week. Kyle Shanahan said the Niners are hopeful Mostert would be able to practice on Friday.
***Matthew Stafford often plays through difficult injuries but did not sound confident in his ability to recover from a painful rib cartilage injury in time to play this week. He told reporters he wouldn't play unless he could throw comfortably. That's unlikely to happen this week -- even with an injection to manage pain.
***Washington will continue to evaluate Alex Smith this week but a calf strain has prevented him from practicing. The unusual anatomy in his reconstructed lower leg will limit his mobility further and may prove too difficult for Smith to overcome this week.
THURSDAY NIGHT INJURY EXPECTATIONS
Here are the key offensive players listed on the practice participation or game status report for Thursday Night Football:
Los Angeles Chargers at Las Vegas Raiders
Chargers Injuries
- RB Austin Ekeler (quad) -- Likely to play after consecutive limited practices
- WR Keenan Allen (hamstring) -- Generally plays through soft tissue injuries if able to practice
- TE Hunter Henry (hip) -- Full practice and not listed on final injury report
- WR Mike Williams (back) -- At risk of limited snaps but trending toward playing
Raiders Injuries
- WR Nelson Agholor (ankle) -- Fully practiced, will play
- WR Henry Ruggs (COVID list) -- Expected inactive
Early week practice participation and playing expectations
The Wednesday and Thursday practice participation reports are our first chance to see which players each NFL team is 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.
* = playing on Monday night
^ = playing on Saturday
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Quarterbacks
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Team
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Injury
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Practice Participation
|
Game
Status |
FBGs
Expects |
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Wednesday
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Thursday
|
Friday
|
|||||
| ^Josh Allen | Buf | Knee / Ankle | ^Full | ^Full | ^Full | Not Listed | Expected to Play |
| Drew Brees | NO | Ribs | IR / DTR | IR / DTR | Likely Inactive | ||
| Daniel Jones | NYG | Hamstring / Ankle | Limited | Limited | Awaiting Information | ||
| Matthew Stafford | Det | Rib / Thumb | DNP | DNP | Likely Inactive | ||
| Philip Rivers | Ind | Toe | DNP | Full | Expected to Play | ||
| Alex Smith | Was | Calf | DNP | DNP | Likely Inactive | ||
| Tua Tagovailoa | Mia | Ankle | Full | Full | Expected to Play | ||
| Sam Darnold | NYJ | Ankle | Full | Full | Expected to Play | ||
| *Brandon Allen | Cin | Knee | *DNP | Likely to Play | |||
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Running Backs
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Team
|
Injury
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Practice Participation
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Game
Status |
FBGs
Expects |
||
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Wednesday
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Thursday
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Friday
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|||||
| ^Christian McCaffrey | Car | Thigh | ^Limited | ^DNP | ^DNP | Doubtful | Inactive |
| Ezekiel Elliott | Dal | Calf | DNP | DNP | Expected to Play | ||
| James Robinson | Jac | Knee | Limited | Limited | Expected to Play | ||
| Antonio Gibson | Was | Toe | DNP | DNP | Likely Inactive | ||
| Peyton Barber | Was | Ankle | Limited | Limited | Likely to Play | ||
| *James Conner | Pit | Quad | *DNP | Awaiting Information | |||
| Chris Carson | Sea | Foot | Limited | Limited | Expected to Play | ||
| Carlos Hyde | Sea | Toe | Limited | Full | Expected to Play | ||
| Travis Homer | Sea | Knee | DNP | DNP | Likely Inactive | ||
| Ronald Jones II | TB | Finger / COVID????? | DNP | C-reserve | Likely Inactive | ||
| ^Melvin Gordon | Den | Shoulder | ^DNP | ^Limited | ^Limited | Questionable | Expected to Play |
| ^Phillip Lindsay | Den | Hip | ^Limited | ^Limited | ^Limited | Questionable | Expected to Play |
| Raheem Mostert | SF | Ankle | DNP | Limited | Awaiting Information | ||
| David Johnson | Hou | COVID contact | Activated | Full | Expected to Play | ||
| Duke Johnson Jr | Hou | Neck | Limited | DNP | Awaiting Information | ||
| Damien Harris | NE | Ankle | Not Listed | Limited | Likely to Play | ||
| James White | NE | Foot | Limited | Limited | Likely to Play | ||
| Myles Gaskin | Mia | COVID | C-reserve | C-reserve | Likely Inactive | ||
| Salvon Ahmed | Mia | Shoulder | Limited | Limited | Awaiting Information | ||
| Matt Breida | Mia | COVID+ | Activated | Not Listed | Expected to Play | ||
| Adrian Peterson | Det | Forearm | Limited | Full | Expected to Play | ||
| Chase Edmonds | Ari | Ankle | DNP | DNP | Likely Inactive | ||
| Alexander Mattison | Min | Illness | DNP | Limited | Likely Inactive | ||
| La'Mical Perine | NYJ | Ankle | IR / DTR | IR / DTR | Likely Inactive | ||
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Wide Receivers
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Team
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Injury
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Practice Participation
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Game
Status |
FBGs
Expects |
||
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Wednesday
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Thursday
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Friday
|
|||||
| Tyreek Hill | KC | Hamstring | Full | Full | Expected to Play | ||
| DK Metcalf | Sea | Ankle | Full | Not Listed | Expected to Play | ||
| Julio Jones | Atl | Hamstring | DNP | DNP | Likely Inactive | ||
| Calvin Ridley | Atl | Foot | Limited | Limited | Expected to Play | ||
| Michael Thomas | NO | Ankle | DNP | DNP | Awaiting Information | ||
| Kenny Golladay | Det | Hip | DNP | DNP | Likely Inactive | ||
| A.J. Brown | Ten | Ankle | Limited | DNP | Likely to Play | ||
| Deebo Samuel | SF | Hamstring | DNP | DNP | Inactive | ||
| Robert Woods | LAR | Thigh | DNP | Limited | Expected to Play | ||
| ^D.J. Moore | Car | COVID+ | ^Activated | ^Limited | ^Limited | Not Listed | Expected to Play |
| ^Curtis Samuel | Car | Hamstring | ^Not Listed | ^Not Listed | ^Limited | Questionable | Likely to Play |
| DeVante Parker | Mia | Hamstring | Limited | Limited | Likely to Play | ||
| Jakeem Grant | Mia | Hamstring | Limited | Limited | Awaiting Information | ||
| Darnell Mooney | Chi | Knee | Full | Full | Expected to Play | ||
| Brandin Cooks | Hou | Neck | Limited | Limited | Awaiting Information | ||
| Jarvis Landry | Cle | Hip | Full | Full | Expected to Play | ||
| ^Jerry Jeudy | Den | Ankle | ^Limited | ^Full | ^Full | Not Listed | Expected to Play |
| ^Allen Lazard | GB | Core / Foot | ^Limited | ^Limited | ^Limited | Not Listed | Expected to Play |
| ^Equanimeous St. Brown | GB | Knee | ^Limited | ^Limited | ^Limited | Not Listed | Expected to Play |
| John Brown | Buf | Ankle | IR / DTR | IR / DTR | Inactive | ||
| Jamison Crowder | NYJ | Calf | DNP | Limited | Awaiting Information | ||
| Breshad Perriman | NYJ | Shoulder | Limited | Full | Expected to Play | ||
| Marquise Brown | Bal | COVID contact | C-reserve | C-reserve | Likely to Play | ||
| Miles Boykin | Bal | COVID contact | C-reserve | C-reserve | Likely to Play | ||
| Julian Edelman | NE | Knee | IR / DTR | IR / DTR | Awaiting Information | ||
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Tight Ends
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Team
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Injury
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Practice Participation
|
Game
Status |
FBGs
Expects |
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|
Wednesday
|
Thursday
|
Friday
|
|||||
| George Kittle | SF | Foot | IR / DTR | IR / DTR | Likely Inactive | ||
| Mike Gesicki | Mia | Shoulder | DNP | Limited | Likely Inactive | ||
| ^Noah Fant | Den | Illness | ^DNP | ^Full | ^Full | Not Listed | Expected to Play |
| Jimmy Graham | Chi | Hip | Full | Limited | Expected to Play | ||
| Austin Hooper | Cle | Back | Limited | Limited | Likely to Play | ||
| Kyle Rudolph | Min | Foot | DNP | DNP | Likely Inactive | ||
| ^Ian Thomas | Car | Abdomen | ^Full | ^Full | ^Full | Not Listed | Expected to Play |
| ^Marcedes Lewis | GB | Knee | ^Limited | ^Limited | ^Limited | Not Listed | Expected to Play |
| ^Jace Sternberger | GB | Concussion | ^DNP | ^DNP | ^DNP | Declared Out | Inactive |
| Will Dissly | Sea | Shoulder | Full | Full | Expected to Play | ||
| Greg Olsen | Sea | Foot | IR / DTR | IR / DTR | Awaiting Information | ||
| Trey Burton | Ind | Knee | DNP | Full | Expected to Play | ||
| Mo Alie-Cox | Ind | Knee | DNP | DNP | Likely Inactive | ||
| Tyler Eifert | Jac | Quadricep | DNP | Limited | Expected to Play | ||
Note: Asterisk denotes Monday night players who practice Thursday/Friday/Saturday.
Follow me on Twitter @JeneBramel for breaking injury news and analysis throughout the week.
