Friday, December 27, 2024

NFL Week 6 injuries: Chargers get back Austin Ekeler, Giants’ Daniel Jones, Browns’ Deshaun Watson ruled out

NFL Week 6 injuries: Chargers get back Austin Ekeler, Giants’ Daniel Jones, Browns’ Deshaun Watson ruled out

Injuries have unfortunately been one of the NFL’s main storylines this season. Just this week alone, Vikings star wideout Justin Jefferson and emerging Dolphins rookie running back De’Von Achane were recently placed on injured reserve. Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is still dealing with a bruising around his rotator cuff and Giants running back Saqoun Barkley and quarterback Daniel Jones continue to work through injuries. On the good news front, Chargers RB Austin Ekeler will be back for the first time since Week 1 when L.A. takes on the Cowboys on Monday night.  

Fortunately for you, we’ve rounded up every NFL team’s latest injury updates and have included them in our Week 6 injury rundown. Here’s a look at each team’s injury situation entering Week 6, starting with the two teams that faced off on Thursday night. 

Ravens at Titans (London)

Ravens: LB Odafe Oweh (ankle) OUT; RB Keaton Mitchell (shoulder) QUESTIONABLE 

Titans: WR Treylon Burks (knee), LB Luke Gifford (hamstring), DB Elijah Molden (hamstring) OUT; DL Teair Tart (toe), C Aaron Brewer (neck) QUESTIONABLE 

The Ravens are relatively healthy entering Sunday’s London showdown with Tennessee. Odell Beckham Jr. will play after he was limited earlier in the week with a hamstring issue. Tackle Morgan Moses will also suit up after he was inactive during Baltimore’s Week 5 loss in Pittsburgh. 

Commanders at Falcons 

Falcons: None

Commanders: CB Christian Holmes (hamstring) OUT

All four Atlanta Falcons players listed on their injury report in Week 6 — defensive end Calais Campbell (rest), outside linebacker Bud Dupree (wrist), offensive tackle Kaleb McGary and tight end Jonnu Smith (ankle) — do not have a game status, meaning they will all play against the Washington Commanders on Sunday. Dupree practiced in full on Thursday and Friday after being limited on Wednesday. Ditto for Smith. McGary was limited on Wednesday and Thursday before being a full go on Friday.

The Commanders are different story. Defensive end Efe Obada, who has yet to play a game in 2023 after being on injured reserve all year, will make his season debut. He practiced fully each day during the week. Cornerback Christian Holmes is out after a hamstring injury prevented him from practicing this week. Wide receiver Curtis Samuel and left tackle Charles Leno Jr., who both practiced fully this week, will play on Sunday. Tight end Curtis Hodges was a full practice participant on Thursday and Friday after sitting out on Wednesday. He will suit on Sunday as well. 

Vikings at Bears 

Vikings: RB Kene Nwangwu (back) QUESTIONABLE

Bears:  RB Khalil Herbert (ankle), RB Travis Homer (hamstring), RB Roschon Johnson (concussion), DB Terell Smith (ankle/illness), WR Equanimeous St. Brown (hamstring) OUT; S Eddie Jackson (foot), OL Lucas Patrick (concussion) QUESTIONABLE

Everyone on the Vikings’ injury report, with the exception of running back and returner Kene Nwangwu, will play on Sunday as they weren’t given a game status. Nwangwu began the season on injured reserve after suffering a back injury in training camp. 

On the other side, the Bears have already ruled out five players, including three running backs: Khalil Herbert (ankle, placed on injured reserve), Roschon Johnson (concussion), Travis Homer (hamstring), defensive back Terell Smith (ankle/illness) and wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown (hamstring). These rash of injuries to their running back room means offseason free agent signee D’Onta Foreman (five carries for 16 yards) will likely have most of the workload on Sunday. 

Seahawks at Bengals 

Seahawks: CB Coby Bryant (toe), CB Artie Burns (hamstring) OUT; G Damien Lewis (ankle) DOUBTFUL; QB Drew Lock (ankle), G Phil Haynes (calf) QUESTIONABLE 

Bengals: LB Akeem Davis-Gaither (knee) OUT; CB Chidobe Awuzie (back), LB Devin Harper (hamstring), WR Tee Higgins (ribs), DT Josh Tupou (toe) QUESTIONABLE 

Seahawks wideout DK Metcalf (ribs) will play after being a full participant on Friday. Safety Jamal Adams (concussion) will also suit up after being limited on Wednesday and Friday. 

Higgins, who missed Cincinnati’s Week 5 win over Arizona, was a full participant during Friday’s practice after being limited Wednesday and Thursday. Awuzie, who was also inactive in Arizona, was limited the past two days after not practicing Wednesday. Cam Taylor-Britt will fill in as the Bengals’ top cornerback if Awuzie can’t go, with rookie DJ Turner II moving into the starting lineup. 

49ers at Browns 

49ers: LB Dre Greenlaw (hamstring), RB Elijah Mitchell (knee) QUESTIONABLE

Browns: QB Deshaun Watson (right shoulder), G Joel Bitonio (knee), WR Cedric Tillman (HIP) OUT; TE David Njoku (face, hand), C Ethan Pocic (chest, knee, foot) QUESTIONABLE

The 49ers only have two players questionable entering Sunday against the Browns and their third-ranked scoring defense (15.0 points per game allowed): linebacker Dre Greenlaw (hand) and running back Elijah Mitchell (knee). Greenlaw practiced for the first time this week on Friday in a limited capacity. Mitchell was a limited participant on Thursday and Friday this week. Should Mitchell be ruled out again in Week 6, second-year running back Jordan Mason will once again assume backup duties behind Christian McCaffrey

Cleveland starting quarterback Deshaun Watson was ruled out on Friday with a right shoulder injury after not practicing all week. It will be P.J. Walker that gets the start for the Browns under center. Starting left guard Joel Bitonio (knee) and rookie wide receiver Cedric Tillman (hip) were also ruled out after not practicing all week. Defensive end Myles Garrett and running back Jerome Ford both didn’t have a game status, meaning they will suit up on Sunday. 

Two players are listed as questionable for the Browns in starting center Ethan Pocic (chest, knee, foot), who practiced in limited form on Thursday and Friday, and starting tight end David Njoku (face, hand), who only practiced Friday in a limited fashion. He is still recovering from a horrific burn accident that left has his face currently charred. 

Panthers at Dolphins 

Panthers: Miles Sanders (shoulder), FS Xavier Woods (hamstring), G Chandler Zavala (neck), G Austin Corbett (knee), TE Giovanni Ricci (shoulder), S Vonn Bell (quadriceps) OUT; TE Stephen Sullivan (hip), LB Brian Burns (ankle), DT Derrick Brown (knee/ankle), TE Ian Thomas (calf) QUESTIONABLE 

Dolphins: OL Connor Williams (groin), RB Jeff Wilson (ribs/finger) OUT; DB Nik Needham (Achilles), DOUBTFUL; FB Alec Ingold (knee), G Robert Jones (knee), Jaelan Phillips (oblique) QUESTIONABLE 

With Sanders out, expect Chuba Hubbard to get a considerable workload against Miami. Burns was a full participant Friday, while Brown was limited after missing practice on Wednesday and Thursday. 

Miami has taken a hit at running back with Wilson out and De’Von Achane on injured reserve. Look for Salvon Ahmed to get more work behind starting running back Raheem Mostert. A former undrafted rookie, Ahmed has four career touchdown runs and is averaging 4.0 yards per carry this season. 

Colts at Jaguars

Colts: T Braden Smith (foot/wrist/hip) OUT; C Ryan Kelly (ankle/foot) QUESTIONABLE 

Jaguars: WR Zay Jones (knee), CB Christian Braswell (hamstring), DT Davon Hamilton (back), OL Walker Little (knee) OUT; LB Devin Lloyd (thumb) QUESTIONABLE 

Kelly did not practice Friday after not appearing on the injury report the previous two days. Colts coach Shane Steichen said that he expects Kelly to play. 

Jones and Little didn’t practice all week, while Braswell didn’t practice Friday after being limited the previous two days. 

Saints at Texans 

Saints: TE Juwan Johnson (calf), CB Lonnie Johnson (hamstring), FB Adam Prentice (knee), DB J.T. Gray (hamstring), OT Landon Young (hip) OUT; G Andrus Peat (concussion/groin) QUESTIONABLE 

Texans: WR Tank Dell (concussion), WR Robert Woods (ribs), LB Christian Harris (concussion) QUESTIONABLE 

Peat did not practice Friday after not showing up on the injury report the previous two days. For the Texans, Dell was limited Friday after not practicing Wednesday and Thursday. Woods and Harris were full participants during Friday’s practice. 

Patriots at Raiders 

Patriots: DB Cody Davis (knee), WR Demario Douglas (concussion), LB Matt Judon (elbow), OL Riley Reiff (knee), WR JuJu Smith-Schuster (concussion), G Cole Strange (knee), OL Tyrone Wheatley Jr. (knee) OUT; DL Christian Barmore (knee), OT Trent Brown (chest), S Kyle Dugger (foot), DL Trey Flowers (foot), DL Davon Godchaux (ankle), CB Jonathan Jones (ankle), OL Mike Onwenu (ankle), WR Tyquan Thornton (shoulder), LB Josh Uche (knee), CB Shaun Wade (shoulder) QUESTIONABLE

Raiders: CB Nate Hobbs (ankle), T Justin Herron (concussion) OUT; CB Jakorian Bennett (shoulder) QUESTIONABLE 

As you can see, the Patriots are a wounded team walking. The offense specifically takes a hit this week with two wideouts and two offensive linemen out. 

For the Raiders, Bennett practiced all week in a limited capacity. 

Cardinals at Rams 

Cardinals: S Jalen Thompson (hamstring) OUT; WR Marquise Brown (illness), OL Dennis Daley (ankle), TE Elijah Higgins (illness), DL Jonathan Ledbetter (finger), LB Jesse Luketa (shoulder), LB Myjai Sanders (thumb), CB Garrett Williams (knee), LB Josh Woods (ankle) QUESTIONABLE 

Rams: OL Joe Noteboom (groin), DT Larrell Murchison (knee), LB Ernest Jones (knee) QUESTIONABLE 

For the Cardinals, Ledbetter has reportedly looked good during practice while being a limited participant throughout. Brown was limited the last two days after not practicing Wednesday. 

Rams coach Sean McVay said on Friday that he expects Jones to play. Murchison and Noteboom were both limited during Friday’s practice after neither player practiced earlier in the week. 

Eagles at Jets 

Eagles: DT Jalen Carter (ankle), S Justin Evans (knee), CB Darius Slay (knee), WR Quez Watkins (hamstring) OUT; S Sydney Brown (hamstring), DT Marlon Tuipulotu (triceps) QUESTIONABLE 

Jets: CB Brandin Echols (hamstring), CB Justin Hardee (hamstring), DJ Reed (concussion) OUT; FB Nick Bawden (calf), DL Michael Clemons (ankle), Sauce Gardner (illness), Xavier Gipson (ankle) QUESTIONABLE 

The Eagles will be without several notable players, including Carter and Slay. Philadelphia will have defensive tackle Fletcher Cox (back), linebacker Nakobe Dean (foot) and running back Rashaad Penny (illness) for Sunday after each player appeared on the team’s injury report earlier in the week. 

Gipson’s injury is new as he didn’t appear on the injury report the previous two days. As you can see, the Jets are dealing with several injuries at cornerback, which is something Eagles QB Jalen Hurts will surely look to take advantage of. 

Lions at Buccaneers 

Lions: Brian Branch (ankle), Jahmyr Gibbs (hamstring), Jonah Jackson (ankle), Zonovan Knight (shoulder), James Mitchell (hamstring), Emmanuel Moseley (knee), Josh Paschal (knee) OUT; Khalil Dorsey (illness), Sam LaPorta (calf) QUESTIONABLE 

Buccaneers: Shaquil Barrett (illness) QUESTIONABLE 

Detroit will be somewhat undermanned for Sunday’s game between two first-place teams. Specifically, the Lions won’t have either of their of their top-two draft picks in Branch and Gibbs. With Gibbs still out, expect David Montgomery to continue to shoulder the workload on the ground. 

Tampa will be getting back Mike Evans (hamstring) rookie first-round pick Calijah Kancey (calf). Barrett’s status will be determined by how he feels Saturday and leading up to kickoff. 

Giants at Bills 

Giants: QB Daniel Jones (neck), DE Azeez Ojulari (ankle), OT Matt Peart (shoulder), C John Michael Schmitz (shoulder), OT Andrew Thomas (hamstring) OUT; LB Micah McFadden (ankle), TE Darren Waller (groin), RB Saquon Barkley (ankle), RB Gary Brightwell (ankle), G Shane Lemieux (groin), DT DJ Davidson (knee), OT Evan Neal (ankle) QUESTIONABLE 

Bills: CB Dane Jackson (foot), TE Dalton Kincaid (concussion), TE Dawson Knox (wrist) QUESTIONABLE 

Jones did not practice on Wednesday and while the quarterback said his plan was to play, head coach Brian Daboll announced Friday that would not be the case. Jones is officially ruled out with a neck injury that occurred when he got sacked against the Dolphins. Tyrod Taylor gets the start for New York.

Kincaid and Knox were both limited all week, while Jackson was limited Friday after not practicing the previous two days. 

Cowboys at Chargers (Monday night) 

Chargers: OLB Joey Bosa (toe), TE Donald Parham (wrist), DL Nick Williams (back) QUESTIONABLE; DB Deane Leonard (hamstring), S Alohi Gilman (heel) DOUBTFUL

Cowboys: OT Chuma Edoga (illness) QUESTIONABLE; S Juanyeh Thomas (hamstring) DOUBTFUL; CB C.J. Goodwin (pectoral), LB Leighton Vander Esch (neck/concussion) OUT 

Chargers RB Austin Ekeler is off the injury report and will suit up for the first time since Week 1. Bosa’s status remains undetermined as the Chargers come off their bye week.

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