Biggest injury questions for all 32 teams: Intel on Mosley, Mixon, Mahomes and more
Stephania Bell contends the Bengals are optimistic about Joe Mixon’s ankle injury, but advises fantasy managers to be cautious with him. (1:06)
Many NFL teams emerged from Week 1 relatively unscathed from an injury standpoint. Others have already seen key starters knocked out for significant time, such as Jaguars quarterback Nick Foles, Chiefs wideout Tyreek Hill and Chargers tight end Hunter Henry.
But while catastrophe was largely averted, every team has at least one player in some question for the Week 2 lineup. NFL Nation reporters provide the latest intel from inside every locker room as we look ahead to the second week of the 2019 season:
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ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN
CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND
JAX | KC | LAC | LAR | MIA | MIN | NE
NO | NYG | NYJ | OAK | PHI | PIT | SF
SEA | TB | TEN | WSH
What is the Bills’ backup plan for Andre Roberts and Taron Johnson? Roberts sat out most of last week with a quad injury before missing Week 1 against the Jets. The fact that he missed Wednesday’s practice is not a positive sign for his chances of playing against the Giants in Week 2, meaning the Bills will likely roll with Micah Hyde and Isaiah McKenzie at punt and kick returner, respectively. Johnson, the team’s starting nickel corner, left last week’s game with a hamstring injury, but said his MRI went better than expected. However, he is likely at least a week or two away from being cleared to play, making Siran Neal the de facto starter in his stead. — Marcel Louis-Jacques
Wide receiver Albert Wilson reinjured his calf Sunday and played only six snaps in the Dolphins’ 59-10 loss. He didn’t practice Wednesday and it appears Miami is preparing as if it will be without him Sunday vs. New England. Expect Preston Williams and Jakeem Grant to get an uptick in snaps if Wilson sits out. — Cameron Wolfe
Starting right tackle Marcus Cannon left Sunday’s season-opening win over the Steelers with a shoulder injury, and while a source said it is not a season-ending/longer-term type of situation, it could sideline him from some action. The Patriots built some depth by signing veteran OT Marshall Newhouse on Wednesday. When it comes to the Patriots, there aren’t many things more important than protecting Tom Brady, and the line has dealt with several moving parts this year, going back to spring practices. — Mike Reiss
The Jets are hopeful middle linebacker C.J. Mosley (groin) and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams (ankle) will play Monday night against the Browns. Mosley is vital to the defense because he’s the signal caller and a really good player. In nine series with him on the field in Week 1, the defense allowed only three points. In three series without him, it surrendered 14 points. Both players will miss practice time, but coach Adam Gase sounds encouraged about their prospects. — Rich Cimini
Marlon Humphrey, the Ravens’ top cornerback, didn’t practice because of a back injury. Humphrey spoke in the locker room earlier Wednesday and talked like he was playing, which is a big relief for Baltimore. The Ravens are going against a Cardinals offense that uses four wide receivers more than anyone else in the NFL. With Tavon Young (neck) out for the season and Jimmy Smith (knee) sidelined this week, Baltimore can’t afford to lose another cornerback. — Jamison Hensley
Field Yates and Mike Clay detail what we can expect from Giovani Bernard with Joe Mixon be listed day-to-day with a sprained ankle.
Bengals running back Joe Mixon suffered a sprained ankle that knocked him out of the season opener against Seattle. However, Cincinnati coach Zac Taylor said the team was fortunate it wasn’t any worse. Mixon is officially day-to-day with the ankle injury. He didn’t practice on Wednesday as the team manages his workload to get him ready for Sunday’s home game against the 49ers. “We’ll just see day by day how he feels,” Taylor said. “The most important thing is that he’s healthy on Sunday, so we’re going to do our best to get him to that point.” — Ben Baby
Despite leaving the stadium Sunday with a wrap on his throwing hand, Baker Mayfield was back to practicing and passing without any apparent trouble this week. The injury was termed a “bruise” and Mayfield himself has said he’ll be fine. — Jake Trotter
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Safety Sean Davis‘ recovery from an ankle injury is crucial coming off a dreadful 33-3 loss to the Patriots, but the latest development involves the offense — that wide receiver Donte Moncrief is still dealing with a dislocated finger he suffered during training camp. Moncrief had several drops in New England and managed three catches for 7 yards on 10 targets. The injury helps explain his “worst game ever,” as Moncrief described it, and the Steelers desperately need him to elevate his game as the No. 2 receiver. “You’ve just got to not think about it and just go,” Moncrief said. “You have to make plays at the end of the day. [Ben Roethlisberger]’s depending on me to make plays for him.” — Jeremy Fowler
Wide receiver Keke Coutee (ankle) and guard Tytus Howard (finger) were inactive for the season opener against the Saints, but head coach Bill O’Brien said both players were “very close” to playing in that game. O’Brien said “there’s a chance” they could both play in Week 2 against the Jaguars, but Howard seems like he has a better chance than Coutee. — Sarah Barshop
For the second straight week, the Colts don’t have a roster full of injury concerns. Defensive end Jabaal Sheard (knee) and running back Jonathan Williams (rib) continue to be out. Backup defensive end Kemoko Turay didn’t practice Wednesday due to a neck injury, after the second-year player out of Rutgers had a sack in a backup role against the Chargers. He also had a strip sack that was taken away due to Justin Houston being called offsides. If Turay’s Week 1 performance was any indication, his role as a third-down rush specialist will continue as long as he’s active. — Mike Wells
Defensive end Yannick Ngakoue is dealing with a hamstring injury, and his status for Sunday is uncertain. If he’s unable to play, that would mean more reps for first-round pick Josh Allen, who had a solid debut against Kansas City; though he had only two tackles, he also had a pair of hits on Patrick Mahomes. Getting Ngakoue on the field would be huge against a Texans offensive line that has struggled to protect Deshaun Watson the past two seasons. — Mike DiRocco
Right guard Kevin Pamphile didn’t practice on Wednesday. Pamphile was supposed to be the starting right guard in Week 1 against the Browns, but missed the final two days of practice last week. Reserve offensive lineman Jamil Douglas started in Pamphile’s place and held his own. The Titans signed guard Aaron Stinnie from their practice squad on Saturday before the season opener for depth, and added center Hroniss Grasu on Tuesday for some additional interior line depth. — Turron Davenport
Cornerback Bryce Callahan did not play in the preseason, did not play in the regular-season opener Monday night and did not practice Wednesday for the Broncos because of a foot injury. Callahan fractured his foot late last season when he was with the Bears, and the Broncos had monitored his work throughout the preseason. He is not expected to play Sunday against the Bears unless there is a significant improvement. The Broncos didn’t believe when they signed him in free agency the foot was going to be as much of an issue, but he had a screw inserted to repair it when he suffered the injury, and some with the team have said that is the issue now. The injury to Callahan put Isaac Yiadom in the starting lineup Monday night in Oakland, and while coach Vic Fangio believes the second-year cornerback’s future is bright, Raiders quarterback Derek Carr repeatedly targeted Yiadom for several completions in key moments; it’s easy to expect the Bears to do the same. — Jeff Legwold
Mike Clay makes a case for why WR Mecole Hardman should be on fantasy rosters for Week 2.
Patrick Mahomes said he’s still feeling the effects of the sprained left ankle he suffered in last week’s game. He will play on Sunday against the Raiders, but may not be as mobile as he would like to be. He took many hits against the Jaguars in part because he couldn’t scramble as he normally does. “I was more in the pocket,” he said. “There might’ve been a time or two I might’ve scrambled out instead of getting tackled or dumping it to the flat.” — Adam Teicher
The Chargers received bad news this week, with tight end Hunter Henry likely out four to six weeks after suffering a tibial plateau fracture to his left knee during Sunday’s game against the Colts. However, just as concerning for the Bolts is the status of receiver Mike Williams, who missed practice on Wednesday with a sore knee. The Chargers brought in reinforcements if Williams can’t go, adding receiver Anthony Johnson to the team’s practice squad. “We signed a wide receiver just in case,” Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn said, when asked about Williams’ potential availability. “We just don’t know.” — Eric D. Williams
After being strapped to a gurney and carted off the field following an accidental kick to the top of the helmet by teammate Johnathan Abram, starting cornerback Gareon Conley was back at practice on Wednesday and walking around the Raiders locker room unimpeded. “We were really happy to have him back on the practice field today,” Raiders coach Jon Gruden. “He did just about everything, and that’s really great news for us.” If Conley is unable to play or is even limited against Kansas City, expect rookie Trayvon Mullen to again step in for a beat-up Raiders secondary, which also lost Abram to injured reserve with a shoulder injury. — Paul Gutierrez
Wide receiver Tavon Austin did not practice because of concussion symptoms that lingered after the opener. If Austin can’t play Sunday at Washington, it won’t necessarily affect the offense too much, but he does provide insurance at receiver and can be effective in jet sweeps. His absence would affect the punt return duties, with Randall Cobb having to do more. It also impacts the Cowboys’ plans to fill their last spot on the 53-man roster. Linebacker Chris Covington was expected to be called up, but if Austin can’t go, then the Cowboys could look to add Cedrick Wilson from the practice squad to give them five healthy receivers on game day. Defensive end Tyrone Crawford did not practice because of hip soreness. It’s a little concerning, because he spent almost all of the offseason and summer rehabbing an injury that cropped up late in the 2018 season. — Todd Archer
Wide receiver Sterling Shepard is dealing with a concussion and is in the protocol. But there is optimism that, barring a setback, Shepard could be ready by Sunday to face the Bills. That’s a good thing, because the Giants are already short-handed at wide receiver with Golden Tate serving a suspension. Shepard was out at practice dancing and in good spirits on Wednesday. He was doing some light running on the side with a trainer as part of the protocol. “We’ll see what the week brings,” said coach Pat Shurmur, who noted that Shepard is the veteran of the group at this point. — Jordan Raanan
Defensive tackle Fletcher Cox was limited at practice to start the week with a toe injury. He should play against the Falcons, but being limited early in the week is not a welcome development for a player who spent the offseason recovering from foot surgery. The Eagles need Cox to be at his best, especially with fellow DT Malik Jackson going on injured reserve with a foot injury of his own this week. — Tim McManus
Matthew Berry details how the Redskins lost control vs. the Eagles and in turn didn’t allow Derrius Guice the opportunity to run the ball, reducing his fantasy impact.
The signs point to tight end Jordan Reed playing vs. Dallas Sunday. He increased his work in practice Wednesday, participating in full-team drills for the first time since suffering his concussion in the third preseason game. Coach Jay Gruden was more optimistic about his chances earlier this week and made another key move: The team cut tight end J.P. Holtz, who was promoted from the practice squad Saturday to take Reed’s spot in the opener. Reed has suffered seven concussions since his freshman year of college. “We would never put Jordan at risk anytime, anyplace, if we thought there would be a future problem,” Gruden said. “But once he gets cleared and he feels good enough to go, he’ll go.” Meanwhile, defensive end Jonathan Allen (knee) was seeking another opinion, and the Redskins still haven’t officially ruled him out for Sunday. Running back Derrius Guice (knee) was still undergoing tests and they haven’t ruled him out yet either. — John Keim
The Bears will list tight end Trey Burton as a game-time decision for Sunday’s game at Denver, but Chicago plans to have Burton test out his injured groin throughout the week at practice. “I cannot be any more honest or forthcoming on Trey Burton,” Bears coach Matt Nagy said. “I mean it. I’m telling you. Everything I’ve got, I’m telling you. We’re going to see how he does. If he does good, let’s see how he does the next day. And then if we get to it and we feel like he’s good to go, we all collaborate on it, let’s go. If we don’t, then we’re not.” — Jeff Dickerson
The Lions got out of the season opener fairly healthy, and the main thing to watch is the health of cornerback Rashaan Melvin. Melvin (knee) had a strong debut with eight tackles and three passes defended. If he can’t go — and he’s the only Lions player who wasn’t spotted doing anything during the period of practice open to the media Wednesday — the Lions will once again have to figure out how to replace him, with Mike Ford and Jamal Agnew being options to deal with a Chargers receiving corps led by Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. Jarrad Davis (ankle) doing work in individual drills Wednesday is a good sign for the linebacker’s potential availability, although he is still listed as limited on the practice report. — Michael Rothstein
The Packers had only two players who didn’t practice at all on Wednesday because of injury — wide receiver Darrius Shepherd (hamstring) and inside linebacker Oren Burks (pectoral) — and neither played in the opener. But there were a few players added to the injury report to watch as the week goes on: left tackle David Bakhtiari (back), cornerback Kevin King (hamstring/chest), center Corey Linsley (elbow), linebacker Blake Martinez (shoulder) and receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling (shoulder). — Rob Demovsky
The Vikings came out of the season opener somewhat healthy, aside from injuries to cornerback Mackensie Alexander (elbow) and left guard Pat Elflein (knee). While Mike Zimmer would not specify the amount of time, if any, Alexander is going to miss, Minnesota can turn to safety Jayron Kearse in its big nickel package and potentially Mike Hughes, who Zimmer said has a “chance” to return in Week 2. As for the offensive line, it’s possible that Dakota Dozier, who made the roster for his role as a swing tackle, could fill in for Elflein if needed given the reps he took with the first-team offense on Wednesday. — Courtney Cronin
Offensive lineman Wes Schweitzer popped up on the injury report as limited with a shoulder injury. Although Schweitzer is a reserve, his absence could be a bigger issue than usual in Week 2. Schweitzer is the backup center to Alex Mack, and Schweitzer also stepped in at right guard when rookie starter Chris Lindstrom broke his right foot in the season-opening loss to the Vikings. The Falcons plan on starting Jamon Brown this week in place of Lindstrom, but Schweitzer’s versatility will be missed if he can’t go and anyone else on the interior of the line gets banged up. — Vaughn McClure
Outside linebacker Bruce Irvin (hamstring) already has been ruled out, so the biggest question for the Panthers is tight end Greg Olsen. He missed practice on Monday with a back injury, but said on Tuesday he expects to be ready for the Thursday night game against Tampa Bay. He’s listed as questionable, but he was a full participant in practice on Wednesday so that’s a good sign. — David Newton
The Saints are in good shape despite the short week. Wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. (illness) was the only player to miss practice Wednesday. The Saints could still be limited at defensive tackle while Sheldon Rankins continues to recover from a torn Achilles tendon and Mario Edwards Jr. is just coming back from a hamstring injury. But they did get valuable veteran David Onyemata back from a one-game suspension, which is much needed after they were gashed for 180 rushing yards in Week 1. — Mike Triplett
Rookie linebacker Devin White played in Week 1 despite battling tonsillitis. He said he lost about 10 pounds because he struggled to eat and drink enough fluids leading up to the game. The good news, as he told ESPN, is he feels “100 [percent] now … I can eat, talk … I can sleep.” The Bucs will need their first-rounder at full strength to help limit Christian McCaffrey Thursday night. Meanwhile, Pro Bowl wide receiver Mike Evans has also recovered from, as head coach Bruce Arians described it, being “way under the weather.” It limited his ability to make much of an impact last week, but he’s not on the injury report this week. — Jenna Laine
Defensive lineman Jonathan Bullard did not practice Wednesday with a hamstring injury. His absence Sunday in Baltimore would mean even more depth issues for the Cardinals’ defensive line, which started the season on the thin side. — Josh Weinfuss
Rams safety Eric Weddle was placed into concussion protocol following a season-opening victory over the Panthers, but Rams coach Sean McVay says he is “on track” to play Sunday against the Saints. “He’s feeling good,” McVay said Wednesday. “I think he was asymptomatic.” Of note, Weddle also suffered a head laceration that required stitches from the collision. — Lindsey Thiry
Can free safety Jimmie Ward play through a broken finger with a large wrap on his right hand? Ward suffered the injury last week and missed Week 1, but he was on the field for practice this week, albeit with a blue no-contact jersey on. Tarvarius Moore started in Ward’s place last week but the Niners could use the additional depth Ward provides, especially considering his ability to play any position in the secondary. Ward has had a tough run of injury luck, but the Niners have maintained belief in him. The sooner he gets back, the sooner he can reward that faith. — Nick Wagoner
It was looking like defensive end Ziggy Ansah was on track to play in Week 1, but he was inactive after experiencing some soreness in his surgically repaired shoulder. Pete Carroll sounded confident early this week that Ansah will be available Sunday at Pittsburgh, and said Wednesday that he would practice later in the day. The Seahawks could get another defensive end back this week in rookie first-round pick L.J. Collier. Carroll said there’s a chance he could make his NFL debut against the Steelers after missing all preseason and Week 1 with a sprained ankle. — Brady Henderson