Injury Wrap: Waiting on Matthew Stafford, Zach Ertz
Although it’s been a terrible year for NFL injuries overall, the Week 14 injury report looks reasonable. Let’s get to our usual audit.
• Matthew Stafford (hand) has a history of playing through injuries, so you’d suspect he’ll start at Tampa Bay. He had a limited week of work. Double-check before committing Sunday. Ameer Abdullah (neck) has a chance to play after a partial week of practice.
• Zach Ertz (post-concussion) isn’t cleared yet, and might be a game-time decision Sunday at the Rams. Trey Burton would be an interesting pivot if Ertz can’t go.
• Joe Mixon (concussion) won’t play against Chicago, setting up DFS nation to use Giovani Bernard.
• Adrian Peterson (neck) won’t play Sunday against Tennessee, which means Kerwynn Williams is likely to start. John Brown (toe) is out again.
• Delanie Walker (ankle) was taken off the injury report, so he’ll go at Arizona. Rishard Matthews (hamstring) was also taken off the report.
• Although Peyton Barber was effective last week, the Bucs are expected to start Doug Martin (post-concussion) against Detroit. Lovely season Tampa Bay is having.
• The Texans are missing all sorts of key personnel, but at least Will Fuller (ribs) is ready to return. Bruce Ellington and C.J. Fiedorowicz are both out for the year, and Braxton Miller (concussion) won’t play against San Francisco.
• Tyrod Taylor (knee) was limited all week, clearing the way for Nathan Peterman to start against the Colts. Peterman took all the first-team reps. Receiver Kelvin Benjamin (knee) had a strong week of practice and was taken off the injury report.
• Greg Olsen (foot) practiced all week, not that he’s an easy play after missing most of the year. Devin Funchess (shoulder) is also expected to go, challenged by Minnesota’s excellent defense.
• Amari Cooper (ankle) got through the concussion protocol but is still listed as questionable. Call him a game-time decision for the showdown at Kansas City. I am not ranking Cooper optimistically. Cordarrelle Patterson (hip) is questionable.
• Orleans Darkwa (illness) worked Friday and while he’s listed as questionable, he should play against Dallas. Sterling Shepard (hamstring) did some work Thursday and Friday and figures to play. Eli Manning is back in the starting chair for the Giants.
• The Rams are listing Robert Woods (shoulder) as questionable, though he would be a risky fantasy play before a show-me week. Week 15 seems more reasonable.
• The Jaguars won’t have Allen Hurns (ankle), but Marqise Lee (knee) was removed from the injury report.
• Dion Lewis (illness) didn’t practice Friday but returned to action Saturday. Double-check before Monday night, but it sounds like he’ll play at Miami. Context clues point to Chris Hogan (shoulder) returning as well, but you’ll need a caddy (a fallback option in the same game) just to be sure.
• Damien Williams (shoulder) is out for another week, pushing Kenyan Drake into the captain’s chair.
• Emmanuel Sanders (ankle) isn’t 100 percent but is expected to play against the Jets. On the other side, Robby Anderson (hamstring) had a full Friday session and should be fine for New York, but Matt Forte (knee) missed the final practice and could be a game-day call.
• Not that anyone believed Pete Carroll when he talked up Chris Carson’s return prospects, but Carson (leg) has hit a setback and is unlikely to play in the regular season.
• Donte Moncrief (ankle) won’t play at Buffalo. Chester Rogers will pick up some extra snaps.
• Antonio Brown (toe) is off the injury report, so dial him up against Baltimore.
• Jeremy Maclin (back) is listed as questionable, not that you want to tie yourself to Baltimore’s putrid passing game.
