Heading into Week 3 we have lots of injury news that has already come out prior to the weekend, and there is still some left to monitor. With that said, bringing you guys and gals the most important statuses to monitor heading into Sunday’s slate of NFL games!
Julio Jones WR, ATL (Hamstring)
As we have seen all week, Julio is still questionable to suit up on Sunday against the Bears. Head Coach Dan Quinn has reported that Jones will be a “game-time decision” heading into Sunday, but we should have this status early however, as this game kicks off at 1 PM ET. Jones was not able to get in a practice this week; however, he was involved in the game plans so to say by the coaching staff this week, meaning there is definitely some optimism that he will take the field. A big status to monitor.
Josh Jacobs RB, LV (Hip)
Jacobs didn’t even show up on the injury report until mid-week as both he, Darren Waller , and Henry Ruggs were all absent from practice for the first two days of the week. Jacobs was only able to log in a limited practice on Friday after missing all four days before, however, at least it is a positive sign that he did return to practice before the weekend. The Raiders have already ruled OUT Henry Ruggs, and much like Jacobs, Waller returned to a limited practice on Friday as well. BOTH big statuses to monitor for Saturday’s practice/walk-through.
George Kittle TE, SF (Knee)
I am placing Kittle on here, mainly because he wasn’t ruled OUT until Friday, meaning some of those may have not seen this news yet, so wanted to make sure and include him. The lingering knee issue Kittle sustained in Week 1 against the Cardinals after going up for a tall pass and coming down awkwardly has continued to be an on-going issue for Kittle and he will not play in Week 3. Hopefully, we get Kittle back for Week four.
Julian Edelman WR, NE (Knee)
This could continue to be a weekly routine for Julian Edelman as I believe he has been questionable for two weeks now heading into the Patriots Week 1 and Week 2 games, however, he took the field both times, and made a big splash in Week 2 against the Seahawks putting up a monster eight catch, 179 yard receiving performance on eleven total targets. I think we see the same situation here with Julian, he will likely suit up once again for the Pats showdown against the Raiders on Sunday.
Kenny Golladay WR, DET (Hamstring)
Golladay has said that he will do “whatever it takes” to be on the field for the Lions Week 3 match against the Arizona Cardinals after missing the first two games of the season. It has also been stated that he is not 100% yet, but he feels very good after a week of limited practice heading into the weekend. This is wrapping up to be labeled as a game-time decision here for Golladay, and the Lions sure could use him after starting the season 0-2. Detroit in the afternoon of Sunday’s slate of games, so it may literally be after lunch until we get his status. I want to say things look good for him to suit-up, but in the end, it isn’t usually the player’s call on if they play or not, it will be up to the coaching and medical staff. We will monitor.
A.J. Brown WR, TEN (Knee)
Another reporting, much like Kittle, that didn’t come out until Friday, so wanted to make sure and include Brown here as well. Brown is still dealing with a deep bone bruise in his knee that has sidelined him for two weeks now, and it will keep him on the sideline for Week 3, meaning that Brown’s next available opportunity to take the field will be in Week 4.
James White RB, NE (Personal)
White continues to tend personal matters after losing his father literally right before the Pats Week 2 game, in which he did not suit up in as a result. There is no timeframe on the return for White as of right now as he tends to his family, his mother especially, after was also critically injured in the car accident as well. Prayers and thoughts going out to the White family.
Jamison Crowder WR, NYJ (hamstring)
Even though Crowder was not placed on the injured reserve list, he is still going to miss his second game of the season in the Jets Week 3 tilt against the Colts. Crowder did not practice once again all week, and the hamstring injury continues to put a damper on his return. This is not great news either, as the Jets do have a quick turn-around after Sunday’s game, as they play the Broncos on Thursday Night Football for Week 4 as well. The Jets are also without Breshad Perriman (ankle), and Le’Veon Bell (hamstring), who did hit the injured reserve list. Either way, the Jets WR corps will be very thin this week and could be thin again for Week 4 if this Crowder can’t go again.
Jerry Jeudy WR, DEN (Ribs)
Jeudy is looking at a game-time call for Sunday’s game against the Buccaneers. However, the good news on this matter is that Jerry did log in a full practice on Friday, so this was a very positive sign for the rookie stand-out heading into the weekend. Obviously, it didn’t mean he will play officially, as he is still listed as questionable, but with the practice being a full participant, we can likely lean on the side of playing compared to sitting.
Phillip Lindsay RB, DEN (Toe)
Mentioned in the first injury report that Lindsay was involved in about how turf toe can literally be a pain in the ass to recover from and here we are with Lindsay labeled as “doubtful” to take the field in Week 3 with the lingering turf toe injury. Lindsay was just a limited participant in Friday’s practice, but this was literally his first work of any kind in almost two weeks, so this is likely why his status is “doubtful,” rather than “questionable”. I would likely safely call this a sit once again for Lindsay, as the coaching staff likely won’t want to rush him back with only a limited Friday practice. However, we will keep an eye on Lindsay’s status.
Zack Moss RB, BUF (Toe)
Another player lost to the turf monster for Week 3 is rookie RB Zack Moss. Moss was held out of practice on both Wednesday and Thursday of this week, and the matter didn’t improve any for Friday’s practice either. Moss has already been ruled OUT by Head Coach Sean McDermott, so if his case of turf toe is anything like Lindsay’s, we could be possibly looking at a multi-week absence from Moss here.
Christian Kirk WR, AZ (Groin)
Kirk was placed on the injury report towards the end of the week, a groin injury that may or may not have hampered his production as a WR to start the season so far for the Cardinals. Either way, the groin injury has come a bit much, and this has caused the Cardinals to already have ruled Kirk OUT for their Week 3 match against the Lions. Kirk will look to potentially only miss one week, but it is still a bit too early to know. We will monitor his status going into Week 4.
Jalen Reagor WR, PHI (Thumb)
Reagor was ruled OUT for Sunday’s Week 3 clash against the Bengals on Friday of this week. Reagor was playing through a torn UCL in his right thumb during the Eagles Week 2 loss to the Rams, but the injury has now caught up with him and we could be looking at a multi-week absence for Reagor as well as he deals with the thumb injury. This is a pretty huge blow for the Eagles receiving corps that is still without Alshon Jeffery (however he did practice this week!). Reagor was poised to have a heavy workload in the early season with the Eagles wide-outs being so thin, but the injury will plague him at least for one week, maybe more.
Cam Akers RB, LAR (Ribs)
Obviously, Akers rib injury is one that is not easily recovered, as he has already been ruled OUT for the Rams Week 3 match up against the Bills. Akers sustained the separated rib cartilage injury in the Rams Week 2 tilt against the Eagles, and now will miss his first full game of the season on Sunday. The Rams will turn to both Malcolm Brown , who just had pinkie finger surgery this past weekend, and second year back in Darrell Henderson to shoulder the RB load.
Duke Johnson RB, HOU (Ankle)
We thought Duke would return for the Texans Week 2 clash against the Ravens, however, he was ultimately labeled inactive for that game. Now, heading into their Week 3 match up against the Steelers, Duke’s status looks a bit better than it did the week before. Johnson was able to log limited practices in three days this week, so that is a good sign that he may be much closer to a return. The reports are stating that the Texans will see how Duke feels in Pittsburgh on Sunday before labeling him in or out, making him a game-time call for game against the Steelers.
Jimmy Garoppolo QB, SF (Ankle)
Jimmy Grapes sustained an ankle sprain in the Niners Week 2 clash against the Jets, and even though he played through it mostly, he will sit for their Week 3 match against the New York Giants. This will give a spot-start for back-up QB Nick Mullens against the Giants this week, and we will continue to monitor Jimmy’s status heading into Week 4 on whether he returns or not.
TyRod Taylor QB, LAC (Team Doctor Malpractice)
Tyrod sustained a punctured lung while trying to receive a pain-killing injection to his rib area just hours before the Chargers Week 2 game against the Chiefs. This allowed a first career NFL debut for rookie QB Justin Herbert, and now, he will make his second career start against the Panthers on Sunday. We will continue to monitor Taylor’s status heading into Week 4, but this injury could be one that keeps him out for another couple of weeks.
Drew Lock QB, DEN (Shoulder)
Another QB that hit the shelf this week was starting QB for the Broncos in Drew Lock . Lock injured his rotator cuff/labrum in his shoulder in the Broncos Week 2 loss to the Steelers, and even though Lock is looking likely to avoid an injured reserve stint, it is being reported that he will likely miss the next two weeks. With that said, the next opportunity it seems that Lock will have at making a return will be in Week 5.