Week 7 Injury Report: Island Boys

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Ah yes. Week 7. It’s so easy to look over this slate of games and think: “huh. This seems like a boring week”. This might be partially influenced by watching superstars Teddy Bridgewater and Case Keenum face off in an extremely boring game in Cleveland. And listen, you’re probably right. The favorites might just sweep the board and we may experience the most lopsided and dull day in NFL history. But how many times have you really seen that EVER happen? That’s right, it’s always any given Sunday, baby. 

Some major byes this week, see you next week Buffalo, Dallas, Jacksonville, Chargers, Minnesota, and Pittsburgh!

In Baltimore, the Ravens will be facing a somewhat surprising contender in the Bengals who have gotten off to a strong start to the season going 4-2. Baltimore is going to be a major test for ol’ Zac Taylor and crew. If they can even keep this thing competitive against a Baltimore team that’s stood up to major competition, they might just be a legit and not just an early-season mirage. 

For Baltimore, the Ravens will be without Sammy Watkins and Latavius Murray, limiting their offensive output and maybe giving some opportunity to Devonta Freeman, or the battle of the apostrophes between Ty’son Williams, and Le’Veon Bell, to step up in the running game. It’s still up in the air who is the real primary back besides Lamar Jackson and I’m still leaning towards all those guys really being touchdown-dependent. In the passing game, other than Mark Andrews and Marquise Brown, maybe we see some Devin Duvernay or Rashod Bateman stepping up? A man can dream.

For the Washington Football Team visiting Green Bay, they got off lucky with Terry McLaurin avoiding a major hamstring injury last week. The bad news is they’re once again without Curtis Samuel and Cam Sims and in a bit of limbo with Antonio Gibson’s shin injury popping into existence in major moments. In the wake of Logan Thomas hitting the IR, I’m still riding with Ricky Seals-Jones in the passing game and he should continue to do decently depending on which version of Green Bay’s secondary chooses to show up Sunday. If Gibson is out or even if he remains limited J.D. McKissic remains a high-value play who’s all but guaranteed to go off on your bench if you don’t play him.

In what could be the worst game of the year, the Falcons will be playing the Dolphins in Miami. Hooray. Tua Tagovailoa is healthy and looks serviceable. 5th overall serviceable? Not really. Luckily for the fish though, they will likely have DeVante Parker and Preston Williams returning to fill out a really hurting receiving core. 

The Patriots will be home at Foxboro facing the New York Jets and man is their defense banged up. At least according to the injury report but we all know Belichick loves stacking the report and having everyone play but I’ll touch on that below. It’s looking like Damien Harris is going to play after being taken off the injury report and avoiding a gameday status and should be an RB2, leaving Rhamondre Stevenson and Brandon Bolden in the dust.

The Carolina Panthers started the year strong but they’ve been in a full-scale skid ever since Island Boy Christian McCaffrey went down leading to a fractured offense and a tired defense. Luckily for them, they’re playing the Giants! LOL! 

On the other hand, the Giants also looked absolutely TERRIBLE on offense last week against the Rams but hey they’re only going to be without Saquon Barkley, Kenny Golladay, Kadarius Toney, and possibly without Evan Engram, John Ross, Sterling Shepard, and Darius Slayton. Wow, that’s like their whole team. What was I saying again? Oh right, I’m praying for you Giants fans. May you not be tempted by sin after seeing this team’s performance. Poor things, I might be out there catching balls for these guys. 

The Chiefs visiting Tennessee look to have their star TE Travis Kelce back after some uncertainty with a neck injury he suffered last week. It’s quite welcome since Tyreek Hill is on the injury report with a quad injury which is possibly a big deal for a guy who’s that explosive. And we know that the Chiefs’ offensive success is predicated on both of those guys being stars in the passing game and Patrick Mahomes making guys like Mecole Hardman and Byron Pringle look like competent receivers. Especially when their defense has stunk this far into the season and forced the offense into positions where they can only succeed if they hit the highest level of offensive efficiency. And good luck if you have injuries to your two main guys. So I guess Derrick Henry might just torch these guys for like 500 yards, right?

Speaking of which, it looks like A.J. Brown is back in action after putting up a solid game against a strong Bills defense but unfortunately it looks like Julio Jones is still really banged up and is really showing his age. He’s been disappointing, to say the least, but he still could play this weekend and who knows. Maybe he’ll show out and make me look stupid like most guys do when I say they stink. Players should pay me to insult them because clearly when I do, they almost always ball out. DMs open! 

It’s the Detroit Lions section so as per usual I’m gonna tell you D’Andre Swift and T.J. Hockenson are both questionable and trending to play. It’s just the way it goes, I don’t think I’ll see an injury report from the Lions this year without these guys on it. I guess that’s the way it is when you’re carrying the offense. This’ll be a revenge game for Jared Goff who will look to get the Lions and Dan Campbell their first win against the Rams! HELL YEAH BABY!

The Rams have a clean bill of health minus Sony Michel having a shoulder injury that has him as questionable. This should be the Darrell Henderson show this week.

The Cardinals will be playing Houston at home and uhh. I think they’re gonna do well. Chase Edmonds is off the injury report and will be an RB2 as they look to demolish the spirit of the poor souls in Houston.

The Raiders had a whole bunch of guys on the injury report to start the week but everyone on the offensive side is good to go including Henry Ruggs and Darren Waller who were listed with knee injuries. Rich Bisaccia has that Italian potion in the facility flowing keeping these boys in top shape.  

For the Bears up against stiff competition in Tampa, Jakeem Grant and Allen Robinson have both been limited in practice this week opening up some opportunity for Darnell Mooney who has a clean bill of health. Luckily for him, he’s up against a decimated Tampa secondary but he’s got a QB with a yards-per-attempt lower than Zach Wilson, Davis Mills, and Matt Ryan throwing him the rock. Sorry  Justin Fields truthers, he has stunk so far and I’m waiting to be impressed. 

My heart is broken again in Tampa Bay with Rob Gronkowski ruled out again with his rib injury along with lunatic savant Antonio Brown who’s down with an ankle injury. Good thing they’ve got a bunch of other decent targets to throw to in Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and a bunch of decent depth guys like Cameron Brate, Scotty Miller, and O.J. Howard. 

The Colts have a major matchup against San Francisco, Colts at 2-4 and 49ers at 2-3. One of these teams is gonna lose and will be even further buried in the standings. Island Boy Carson Wentz is likely still going to be without T.Y. Hilton who Frank Reich has all but ruled out with a quad injury. This is complicated by the fact the receiving room is already thinned with Parris Campbell undergoing foot surgery, possibly knocking him out for the year. Sheesh. Can Michael Pittman Jr. finally do SOMETHING with this opportunity?

The 49ers are getting back Jimmy Garoppolo but will be losing Trey Lance to a knee injury. Maybe the return of Jimmy Garoppolo can breathe some life in this team and will them past a frantic and injured Colts team. It wouldn’t be the first time he’s shown up in a big game but he’s still fighting for his job. 

Other Notables Injuries:

The Dolphins struggled defensively last week against the Jaguars without CB Xavien Howard who is again questionable to play against the Falcons. With CB Noah Igbinoghene and CB Byron Jones also on the injury report, this might be another week for Kyle Pitts to win some matchups against backups even with Calvin Ridley back in action. Also wasn’t it nice to see Kyle Pitts finally get a tudder? That warmed my cold, cold heart. 

The Patriots will be without DB Jonathan Jones and CB Shaun Wade and have a bunch of guys as questionable including DT Davon Godchaux, LB Dont’a Hightower, DL Deatrich Wise Jr., DT Christian Barmore, LB Ja’Whaun Bentley, DB Kyle Dugger, LB Brandon King, CB Jalen Mills, DB Adrian Phillips, LB Josh Uche, and LB Kyle Van Noy. It will have to be seen how many of these guys actually don’t play but man this is looking good for Zach Wilson who might finally catch a break, especially against this defense who’s looked on and off even at full health. Slowing the game down like Belichick likes to do might even be a plus for Wilson, who’s been forced to try to win games outright for the Jets with his arm. 

For the Chiefs, it’s looking like DT Chris Jones will return to this brutalized defense, hopefully providing a spark against a blistering Tennessee run game. 

For Tennesse, LT Taylor Lewan who’s had a really mixed year so far is out with a concussion, maybe giving the Chiefs defense an opportunity for some stoppages.