Stefon Diggs WR, Vikings: ribs injury
Diggs finally returned to practice on Friday after missing the entire week with a ribs injury. He appeared to have suffered the injury late in Sunday’s loss, but the Vikings waited to announce the nature of the injury until the injury report was released on Wednesday. Diggs claims that he will “absolutely” play in Week 9, but his performance will likely be affected by his injury. While it’s definitely possible to play through ribs injuries, it’s extremely painful. Diggs could need to wear extra padding to protect the area, which would affect his range of motion.
Melvin Gordon RB, Chargers: hamstring strain
After a mid-week hamstring injury, Gordon missed Week 7 and rested up during the Week 8 bye. He has now hit his two week Optimal Recovery Time and should be good to go on Sunday. His Injury Risk does remain Elevated – we all know how tricky hamstring strains can be – but he should be able to play after two weeks of rest. A full week of limited practice sessions puts him on track to return Week 9.
Tyreek Hill WR, Chiefs: groin injury
Hill’s practice status has been all over the place this week as he deals with a groin injury. He started the week a full participant, then dropped to limited, then returned to full on Friday. The good news is that he ended the week on a high note. If Hill is active (he likely will be) he has to be in starting lineups, but groin injuries are very difficult to play through. His Injury Risk is very high after his Week 8 injury. According to the Inside Injuries algorithm he needs 2 full weeks before he’s healthy.
Royce Freeman RB, Broncos: high ankle sprain
Freeman missed Week 8 with a high ankle sprain and is trying to make his return on Sunday. This is a bad idea. He’s still 2 weeks away from his 4 week Optimal Recovery Time, and his Injury Risk remains a concern. He has yet to get in a limited practice session, so even if Freeman does happen to be active his role could be very limited. Don’t plug him into any lineups this weekend.
Dalvin Cook RB, Vikings: hamstring strain
Dalvin Cook is reportedly going to return for Week 9 against the Lions, and he’s expected to see limited snaps. This comes as somewhat of a surprise considering he was originally supposed to be out until after the Vikings’ week 10 bye. Cook has already aggravated this hamstring strain once before, so returning before he is ready is bad news. He hasn’t even made it through a practice as a full participant yet. Cook’s Elevated Injury Risk means it wouldn’t take much to aggravate the hamstring again.
Rob Gronkowski TE, Patriots: back and ankle injuries
Gronk is nowhere near 100% and was clearly limited by his back (and possibly his ankle too) last week. He was downgraded to a DNP on Thursday, and mid-week downgrades are always a big red flag. Given how quiet the Patriots are about injuries, it’s not clear exactly what Gronk is dealing with, but he’s obviously being affected by his injuries. But that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s not worth the start. Gronk at 50% is still better than many TEs out there. Just know that his Injury Risk is pretty high going forward, so have a backup plan.
Alex Collins RB, Ravens: foot injury
Collins popped up on the injury report this week with a foot injury, and a mid-week downgrade has us concerned. The good news is that he returned to practice on Friday, but that doesn’t mean he’s out of the woods just yet. Collins is an Elevated Injury Risk going into Week 9, and his Below Average Health Performance Factor suggests he’s not going to be at his best. He’ll be a touchdown or bust option at best against the Steelers this weekend.
Geronimo Allison WR, Packers: groin and hamstring injuries
A hamstring strain limited Allison in Week 8, but now it’s a groin injury that could keep him out of Week 9. He reportedly picked up the new injury in practice on Thursday, and his Week 9 availability is up in the air. Allison’s injury risk will be a major concern if he plays Sunday, especially now that he’s dealing with two lower body injuries.
Chris Carson RB, Seahawks: hip injury
Carson was a late add to the injury report on Thursday with a hip injury. This is especially concerning because Carson missed Week 4 with a hip injury, suggesting this is an aggravation. Hip injuries are tricky and can easily become lingering problems if they aren’t addressed properly. Our metrics are showing a 2 week Optimal Recovery Time, meaning Carson won’t be healthy if he plays this weekend. His Elevated Injury Risk is something to keep an eye on, and his Below Average Health Performance means this hip injury will keep him from performing well this weekend.
Sony Michel RB, Patriots: left knee injury
Sony Michel returned to practice this week, though on a limited basis. There seems to be speculation coming out of the Patriots camp that suggests Michel could return after missing only 1 week of action. That would be a big mistake. Inside Injuries is calculating a minimum 4 week Optimal Recovery Time for Michel, so he’s still at least two weeks away from a healthy return. Given his history with this left knee, it’s not worth the risk.
Cooper Kupp WR, Rams: MCL sprain
Kupp is expected to return on Sunday following a two week absence. He suffered a grade 2 (moderate) MCL sprain in Week 6 but somehow avoided a season-ending injury. He’s improved to an Elevated Injury Risk, but his Below Average Health Performance Factor means his on the wrong side of high risk/high reward. His Healthy to Return Date is Week 10, so he’s still a week away from a medically safe return. Kupp should see significant improvement by next week if he can avoid a setback this weekend.
Theo Riddick RB, Lions: knee injury
Riddick hasn’t played since Week 5 when he suffered a knee injury. We knew this was more than just a tweak when he didn’t practice following the Week 6 bye. The nature of Riddick’s injury isn’t clear, but we suspect a grade 2 (moderate) knee sprain. That injury comes with a 4 week Optimal Recovery Time, which Riddick will reach by this weekend. He’s been limited at practice all week and the Lions fully expect him to play. Riddick remains an Elevated Injury Risk, but he should be okay for a Week 9 matchup with the Vikings.
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