2023 NFL Injury Report Week 17: Trevor Lawrence & Jaylen Waddle Injury Updates
The hope is that you had it through your semifinals with ease, and now, it is time to bring home the title. There is a lot to deal with this week, so, let us jump into our NFL injury update for Week 17. It features Brock Purdy, Isiah Pacheco, and Jaylen Waddle among others. As news breaks, be sure to update your Week 17 fantasy football rankings and NFL projections either way. This information can also help to focus on important Week 16 start/sit lineup decisions and fantasy football advice surrounding some injured players. The first step though is the NFL injury report as you set Week 17 fantasy football lineups.
Week 17 NFL Injury Report for Quarterbacks
Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers (Stinger)
It was not a good week for Brock Purdy, and that is an understatement. Amidst talk of Purdy being a legitimate contender for MVP, the San Francisco quarterback instead threw four interceptions while failing to throw a touchdown. The fact that Purdy left in the fourth quarter with a stinger doesn’t give me too much concern initially and he should be back with a much better matchup against Washington in Week 17.
Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars (Shoulder)
At this point, it feels like we have a different injury each week for the Jacksonville quarterback. This week, it was an injury to Trevor Lawrence’s right shoulder that forced him out of action. At this point, it is considered a sprain, but we should keep an eye on how much he throws in practice this week and how he looks. Should Lawrence be unable to take the field, C.J. Beathard would get the start.
Week 17 NFL Injury Report for Running Backs
Isiah Pacheco, Kansas City Chiefs (Concussion)
Isiah Pacheco’s return from a shoulder injury didn’t last too long as he left with a concussion. Now that he is protocol, we will have to monitor his progress through the protocol. Should Pacheco failed to be cleared, Clyde Edwards-Helaire will have the Kansas City backfield to himself now that Jerick McKinnon has been placed on Injured Reserve.
Chris Rodriguez, Washington Commanders (Foot)
After picking up a combined 65 yards and scoring two touchdowns, there is concern about Chris Rodriguez’s status for Week 17 after he was seen in a walking boot. The other issue for Rodriguez is the potential return of Brian Robinson. That gives those who have been streaming Rodriguez two things to be concerned about.
Miles Sanders, Carolina Panthers (Toe)
Following the struggles of Miles Sanders and the emergence of Chuba Hubbard (even if by default), the former’s fantasy relevance has all but disappeared. For anyone still relying on Sanders, he did exit last week’s game with a toe injury, so his already tenuous hold on volume could be in jeopardy.
Week 17 NFL Injury Report for Wide Receivers
Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins (Ankle)
The words high ankle sprain is never a good thing, and that is what Jaylen Waddle is dealing with after last week’s game. After clinching a playoff berth, the Dolphins figure to be careful with Waddle, but depending on how he looks this week, they might not have a choice. If that is the case, Cedrick Wilson is someone to watch.
Jordan Addison, Minnesota Vikings (Ankle)
Another tough ankle in Week 16 occurred in Minnesota as Jordan Addison is now considered week-to-week. The rookie had previously had a few strong weeks and now Brandon Powell is thrust into the spotlight after having a strong game last week once Addison went down.
Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos (Concussion)
A concussion sent Courtland Sutton out of the game after just nine plays last week. Marvin Mims received the volume bump and he is someone to keep in mind should Sutton be unable to clear the concussion protocol to take the field this week.
Dontayvion Wicks, Green Bay Packers (Chest)
An already thin Green Bay wide receiving group took another hit on Sunday. After catching a touchdown pass, Dontayvion Wicks was forced out of action with a chest injury. Wicks was unable to return as he wasn’t cleared by the medical staff. We will be keeping an eye on this, along with the status of Christian Watson, heading into Week 17.
Week 17 NFL Injury Report for Tight Ends
T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings (Knee)
This was not the news anyone needed. While we don’t have any real confirmation just yet, I would have a contingency plan ready for T.J. Hockenson in Week 17 after he exited last week’s game with a knee injury.
Cole Kmet, Chicago Bears (Knee)
After he caught four passes for 107 yards to begin the game, Cole Kmet was forced out of action with a knee injury. As we deal with an already compromised and thin tight end position, this is another situation to monitor for Week 17.
Player News
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports the Steelers “have no intention of trading star pass rusher T.J. Watt.”
According to Pelissero, the team’s focus remains on extending Watt’s deal, which is set to expire at the end of this season. The veteran pass rusher has been working toward a new deal all offseason, and skipped mandatory minicamp while awaiting a new deal. Watt’s situation recently came back into the light when it was announced the Steelers would be giving Jalen Ramsey a $1.5 million raise in 2025 after acquiring him from the Dolphins, but it sounds like the hope is Watt and the Steelers will eventually figure things out. With training camp just weeks away, this issue only stands to worsen if a new deal isn’t worked out, which may result in Watt holding out until things are settled. Given the Steelers’ focus on improving it’s roster ahead of this season, it would only make sense that they satisfy their star player before camp opens up in mid-July.
Steelers beat writer Mark Kaboly said “What I have been told is the Steelers view Jonnu Smith as a TE, a slot WR, and a fullback.”
As expected, it appears the Steelers have already confirmed their intention to use Smith in a versatile way. During his 2023 breakout with the Falcons in Arthur Smith’s offense, Smith lined up 29 times in the backfield, 274 times as an inline tight end, and 268 times in the slot, per PFF. We would expect to see similar usage with the Steelers in 2025, which could relegate Pat Freiermuth to more of a traditional inline tight end role after he posted a career high 268 slot snaps last season. Before last season, Freiermuth had never lined up more than 180 times in the slot. The lack of receiving upside on Pittsburgh’s roster could keep both tight ends somewhat fantasy relevant this season, but Smith undoubtedly has the higher upside heading into training camp.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports the Dolphins “are now in conversations with multiple teams” about a trade for a TE.
With Jonnu Smith now in Pittsburgh, the Dolphins suddenly find themselves very thin at tight end. If the season started today, the starting job would likely come down to either Julian Hill or Pharaoh Brown, which is far from ideal. We would expect the Dolphins to find a new tight end in the near future, but where that comes from is anybody’s guess. An interesting veteran option could be Mark Andrews, who is entering the final year of his deal with the Ravens, and looked like a potential cap casualty earlier this offseason; while a younger option could be the Raiders’ Michael Mayer, who was selected No. 35 overall in 2023 only to lose his role to Brock Bowers the following season. This is all speculation for the time being, but we would expect some names to emerge as rumors of a potential trade ramp up.
Steelers acquired TE Jonnu Smith, CB Jalen Ramsey, and a 2027 seventh-round pick in exchange for S Minkah Fitzpatrick and a 2027 fifth-round pick.
Smith will also sign a one-year, $12 million extension with the Steelers, per Schefter, which puts him under contract through the 2026 season. Smith broke out for 88-884-8 in his first and only season with the Dolphins, which came a year after he went for 50-582-3 with the Falcons under current Steelers OC Arthur Smith. There was mutual interest between the two sides to reunite in Pittsburgh once it became apparent that the Dolphins were unlikely to offer Smith the new extension he wanted following his breakout. His arrival to the Steel City makes for an interesting one from a fantasy perspective. For now, Pat Freiermuth remains on the roster and is only a year from signing a four-year, $48.4 million extension. The lack of talent in the Steelers’ passing game could create an environment where both tight ends co-exist, but it’s hard to ignore the fact that the Steelers now have two tight ends who ranked top-12 in slot snaps last season. The departure from Miami likely means Smith’s fantasy stock will take a hit in Pittsburgh’s run-heavy offense, although his ability to lineup all over the formation should work to his advantage. It’s safe to assume Freiermuth’s stock takes a hit as well, but we would expect to see plenty of 12 personnel from the Steelers this season.
Dolphins acquired S Minkah Fitzpatrick from the Steelers in exchange for CB Jalen Ramsey.
Steelers acquired CB Jalen Ramsey from the Dolphins in exchange for S Minkah Fitzpatrick.
The Dolphins trading Ramsey was always a matter of when, not if. Now, the 30-year-old corner has a new home in Pittsburgh, where he will join veteran corner Darius Slay and the recently signed Aaron Rodgers. It was reported last week by Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer that the relationship between Ramsey and the Dolphins was “past the point of no return,” which now stands to benefit the Steelers, whose pass defense ranked 22nd in PFF coverage grading (58.0) and ranked 25th in passing yards allowed per game. Ramsey appeared in all 17 games for the Dolphins last season and earned a PFF coverage grade of 71.9 while forcing two interceptions and breaking up 11 passes. While he may have lost a bit of a step as he enters his 10th season, Ramsey remains a solid presence on the outside and should pair nicely with Joey Porter Jr.