It may be Week 1, but there are a host of injuries fans will want to monitor in the days leading up to kickoff. Fortunately for you, we’re tracking every notable injury and will include it in our weekly injury rundown.
Below, you can see each Week 1 matchup and the notable injuries that every team is currently dealing with. Teams officially started practicing on Wednesday, which means we’ve got a bunch of injury reports to sort through. One piece of news that came in early was the practice status of Bengals star wideout Ja’Marr Chase, who was limited at practice despite his ongoing contract situation. This is obviously a good sign regarding Chase’s status for Sunday’s season opener against the Patriots.
Here’s a game-by-game rundown of each team’s current injury situation.
Chiefs: WR Marquise Brown (shoulder) OUT
Ravens: OLB Adisa Isaac (hamstring) OUT; RB Rasheen Ali (neck) DOUBTFUL
The Chiefs’ pursuit of a third straight title will begin without Brown, who did not practice this week as he continues to deal with his shoulder injury. Brown sustained the injury during Kansas City’s preseason opener against Jacksonville. With Brown out, expect more targets for Rashee Rice, the Chiefs’ second-year wideout who led all Kansas City receivers in receiving yards in 2023.
If Ali (who was limited throughout this week’s practices) can’t go, the Ravens will likely promote one of their practice squad running backs (either John Kelly or Chris Collier) to the active roster. Either way, Baltimore’s rushing attack will be spearheaded by former 2,000-yard rusher Derrick Henry and quarterback Lamar Jackson.
Packers at Eagles (Friday night in Brazil)
Wideout Romeo Doubs (hand) and tight end Tucker Kraft (back) were among the six Packers players who were described as limited on Wednesday (Green Bay did not practice, so designations were estimates). Doubs was also limited on Tuesday, while Kraft had no injury designation prior to Wednesday.
For the Eagles, veteran linebacker Devin White has been ruled out as he is dealing with an ankle injury. White’s absence clears the way for three-year veteran Nakobe Dean to make his fifth career start.
It’s no surprise that the Steelers’ injury-plagued offensive line had a notable presence on the team’s first injury report. Veteran Isaac Seumalo (pectoral) didn’t practice and is not expected to play on Sunday. Rookie Troy Fautanu (knee) was limited, which is a positive sign regarding his possible Week 1 status. Fellow rookie Roman Wilson (ankle) and running back Jaylen Warren (hamstring) were limited.
Tight end Kyle Pitts (hamstring) and linebacker Nate Landman (quadriceps) — the only two Falcons on the injury report — were limited practice participants. Pitts’ status for Sunday is currently up in the air.
Arizona’s only absence Wednesday was wideout Xavier Weaver, who is dealing with an oblique injury. Tight end Tip Reiman (ankle) was limited.
Defensive end Javon Solomon (oblique) was the only Bills player who did not practice. Backup quarterback Mitchell Trubisky (knee) was limited.
Safety Jamal Adams (hip) didn’t practice, while veteran wideout DeAndre Hopkins (knee) was limited. Hopkins missed most of training camp with the injury, so his return Wednesday was a step in the right direction.
Wideout Keenan Allen (heel) and defensive lineman Montez Sweat (toe) were among Chicago’s six players who were limited on Wednesday. Allen returned to practice earlier this week after sustaining the injury late last month. Bears GM Ryan Poles has said he doesn’t expect the injury to impact Allen’s Week 1 status. Chicago is also optimistic regarding Sweat’s status for Sunday.
Safety M.J. Stewart (knee) was the only Texans player on Wednesday’s injury report. Stewart — who did not have an injury designation at the start of training camp after suffering a season-ending shoulder injury last November — did not practice
Colts wideout Josh Downs (ankle) and kicker Matt Gay (hernia) did not practice on Wednesday. The Colts recently re-signed Spencer Shrader to the practice squad in the event that Gay is not ready to go by Sunday.
Every Jaguars player practiced, with safety Daniel Thomas (who was limited with an Achilles injury) being the only player with an injury designation.
Miami had a whopping 12 players who were either limited or held out of Wednesday’s practice, albeit a half-dozen of those players were given rest days. Linebacker Jaelan Phillips (Achilles/rest) and cornerback Jalen Ramsey (hamstring) were among Miami’s four players who did not practice. A positive for the Dolphins was that star wideouts Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle had no injury designation after dealing with injuries this summer.
Patriots at Bengals
Cornerback Jonathan Jones (hamstring), offensive tackle Vederian Lowe (abdomen), and linebackers Josh Uche (foot) and Oshane Ximines (ankle) were limited for the Patriots. Guard Sidy Sow (ankle) did not practice. Patriots fans have been monitoring Sow’s status since he left the team’s preseason finale after getting injured.
The Bengals officially labeled Chase as limited in his first practice this week. At this point, all signs are pointing toward Chase playing unless he decides to miss Sunday’s matchup if he and the Bengals have not come to terms on a contract extension. In other Bengals news, Joe Burrow (wrist) was a full participant, while rookie offensive tackle Amarius Mims (pectoral) was limited.
Carolina has a tight end problem, as tight ends Ian Thomas (calf) and Tommy Tremble (back/hamstring) did not practice. Running back Miles Sanders (finger) was limited. The Panthers signed undrafted rookie Messiah Swinson off the Packers practice squad on Wednesday if they need a tight end for Sunday.
New Orleans is currently dealing with some injuries at linebacker. Willie Gay Jr. (back) and Pete Werner (shoulder) were limited on Wednesday, while fellow linebacker D’Marco Jackson (calf) was limited. Starting defensive back Marshon Lattimore (hip) was limited, while starting defensive tackle Khalen Saunders (calf) did not practice.
For the Vikings, wideouts Jordan Addison (ankle) and Jalen Nailor (ankle) were both limited on Wednesday. Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said that Addison moved around “quite well” on Wednesday and that they anticipate increasing his workload as the week progresses. O’Connell said that Nailor is a little behind Addison but is also “progressing really well.”
Everyone practiced for New York on Wednesday with four players being limited: backup quarterback Drew Lock (abdomen), linebacker Micah McFadden (groin), safety Dane Belton (back) and wide receiver Gunner Olszewski (groin).
First-round rookie tight end Brock Bowers was a limited participant in Wednesday’s session as he nurses a foot injury. Linebacker Tommy Eichenberg (knee) and cornerback Decamerion Richardson (hamstring) were also limited.
The Chargers were missing wideout DJ Chark Jr. from Wednesday’s practice due to a hip injury. Meanwhile, cornerback Tarheeb Still was limited with a hip injury.
It was a clean injury report for the Broncos, who made news on Wednesday when they announced that Bo NIx is the team’s first rookie captain since Hall of Fame running back Floyd Little had said honor back in 1967.
Seattle listed tight end Pharaoh Brown (foot) and linebacker Uchenna Nwosu (knee) as nonparticipants on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the team limited tight end Noah Fant (toe), wide receiver Tyler Lockett (thigh), safety Rayshawn Jenkins (calf), and linebacker Dre’Mont Jones (hamstring).
Tight end John Stephens Jr. (hamstring) was the only Cowboys player who did not practice on Wednesday.
It was a different story in Cleveland, as eight players were limited, including offensive linemen Jack Conklin (knee), Jedrick Wills (knee) and defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson (knee). Willis’ limited status was a positive given that he has been sidelined since undergoing surgery last December.
Defensive tackle Daron Payne (back), quarterback Marcus Mariota (chest) and defensive tackles Jer’Zhan Newton (foot) and Trent Scott (knee) were limited for the Commanders. Newton will be evaluated on Friday before a determination is made regarding his status for Sunday.
For Tampa Bay, defensive lineman Logan Hall (foot) and kicker Chase McLaughlin (abdomen/illness) were the only players who did not practice. The Buccaneers must feel good about McLaughlin’s status as they currently do not have a kicker on their practice squad.
Offensive lineman Rob Havenstein (ankle) was limited for the Rams to begin the week, while corners Darious Williams and Cobie Durant were limited due to hamstring injuries.
Starting Lions defensive tackle DJ Reader (quad) was limited Wednesday. Lions coach Dan Campbell said there is still a chance that Reader — a former Bengal who spent the summer recovering from last year’s season-ending quad injury — plays Sunday.
Jets at 49ers (Monday night)
TBA
