NFL Injuries

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is in the NFL's concussion protocol, coach Sean McVay said Wednesday.

It's unclear how and when Stafford was injured. McVay said Stafford did not enter protocols until Wednesday. He played the entire game in Sunday's 16-13 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Elbow issues have plagued Stafford throughout his time in Los Angeles, but he's been able to consistently stay on the field. He played in all 21 games (regular season and playoffs) last season and has been in the lineup each of the team's first eight games in 2022.

Stafford has not been as effective as he was a year ago. Struggling to find the rhythm that made him an MVP candidate in 2021, Stafford has thrown for 1,928 yards and eight touchdowns against eight picks as the Rams have gotten off to a 3-5 start.

John Wolford would start if Stafford is not cleared ahead of Sunday's home game against the Arizona Cardinals.

New York Giants defensive back Xavier McKinney announced Monday on social media that he injured his hand in a crash on an all-terrain vehicle during the team's bye week and will be sidelined for several weeks.

https://twitter.com/mckinney15__/status/1589650510269001729

McKinney was later placed on the reserve/non-football injury list by the Giants.

The 23-year-old is in his third season with the Giants and has started all eight games this season, registering 38 tackles (two for loss), one sack and a forced fumble.

Losing McKinney is a major blow for the Giants defense. According to Art Stapleton of NorthJersey.com, the safety has been "a leader and signal-caller on the defense, a respected teammate and emotional spark plug on game days, not to mention one of the best players on a surprising playoff contender."

The Giants, coming off their bye week, are 6-2, two games behind the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles and deadlocked with the Dallas Cowboys in a surprisingly deep NFC East.

The defense, which gives up just 19.6 points per game (ninth in the NFL), has played a big part in the team's resurgence.

With McKinney out, rookie Dane Belton could be in line for a bigger role alongside starting safety Julian Love. The team also has veteran Landon Collins on the practice squad, while special teams contributor Jason Pinnock is available for depth but has only played one snap at safety this season.

One of McKinney's best traits was his durability and reliability. Per Dan Duggan of The Athletic, he hasn't missed a defensive snap since Week 3 of the 2021 season.

While injuries are never ideal, the Giants have a relatively easy schedule the next two weeks with the Houston Texans (1-6-1) and Detroit Lions (2-6) on deck and both at home.

But things tighten up from there with four straight NFC East clashes against the Cowboys, Washington Commanders (twice) and Eagles before a trip to face the Minnesota Vikings on Christmas Eve.

That five-game stretch will likely determine whether the Giants find themselves back in the postseason. The team will hope McKinney can return during that stretch.

Fantasy football in Week 9 of the 2022 NFL season was already going to be difficult to navigate with six teams on bye weeks.

Sunday's slate just got tougher to manage with the news that Jonathan Taylor will be out for the Indianapolis Colts against the New England Patriots.

The news is not great for Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews, who missed his second straight day of practice Friday.

The good news, if there is any, for fantasy football players is that there are direct replacements on their rosters who can be added off the waiver wire ahead of Sunday's games. That has not been the case all season with injured stars.

Below is a look at the entire list of notable injury statuses going into Week 9.

• Jonathan Taylor, RB, IND: out (ankle)
• Keenan Allen, WR, LAC: out (hamstring), per ESPN's Adam Schefter
• Mike Williams, WR, LAC: out (ankle), per NFL.com.
• Austin Ekeler, RB, LAC: practiced Friday (abdomen), per The Athletic's Daniel Popper.
• Chuba Hubbard, RB, CAR: out (ankle), per NFL.com.
• Ja'Marr Chase, WR, CIN: out (hip), per NFL.com.
• Darren Waller, TE, LV: questionable (hamstring), per NFL.com.
• Allen Lazard, WR, GB: game-time decision (shoulder), per NFL.com.
• D'Andre Swift, RB, DET: "trending in the right way" (back), per ESPN's Eric Woodyard.
• Corey Davis, WR, NYJ: out (knee), per NFL.com.
• James Conner, RB, ARI: game-time decision (ribs), per NFL.com.
• Cooper Kupp, WR, LAR: will play Sunday, per The Athletic's Jourdan Rodrigue.
• Ryan Tannehill, QB, TEN: questionable (ankle), per ESPN's Turron Davenport.

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Jonathan Taylor Out Sunday

Taylor was ruled out for Sunday's game between the Colts and Patriots early on Friday, as ESPN's Adam Schefter noted:

Colts now have ruled out RB Jonathan Taylor for Sunday’s game vs. Patriots.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 4, 2022

Taylor was trending in a negative direction for most of the week because of a few missed practices, so Friday's news should not have come as a massive shock to fantasy football players.

There is precedent for Indianapolis' backup running back situation, which makes replacing Taylor a bit more palatable than it was back in Week 6.

Deon Jackson had 42 rushing yards and 79 receiving yards in the Week 6 matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He is expected to shoulder most of the running back responsibilities for the Colts on Sunday.

The newly acquired Zack Moss could be a deep sleeper option if you need a replacement for Taylor or any of the other running backs out with a bye, like Christian McCaffrey, Saquon Barkley, Nick Chubb and Ezekiel Elliott.

Moss may be involved in some red-zone packages, but Jackson should be trusted by the Colts coaching staff to take on more of the running back load because he just did it three weeks ago.

Kenyan Drake, Brian Robinson and D'Onta Foreman are the best options available on the waiver wire if you can't land Jackson in time. The rest of the running back waiver-wire market is bleak because so many fantasy players are in need of backs in Week 9.

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Mark Andrews Misses Practice Again

Andrews was not present at Baltimore Ravens' practice for the second straight day on Friday, per ESPN's Jamison Hensley.

For second straight day, TE Mark Andrews (shoulder, knee) and RB Gus Edwards (hamstring) did not practice.

CB Marcus Peters was absent Friday, but it's likely a rest day. OT Ronnie Stanley returned after missing Thursday.

Ravens play at New Orleans on Monday night.

— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) November 4, 2022

Even though the Ravens have an extra day to prepare, Andrews' prospects of playing do not look positive because of the missed practices.

Andrews was questionable for Week 8's Thursday night game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a knee injury. He picked up a shoulder injury in Tampa that cost him most of the game.

Just like Indianapolis with Taylor, Baltimore has a direct replacement for Andrews in Isaiah Likely, who can fill the role nicely and also be an impact player in fantasy football.

Likely filled in for Andrews last week with six catches on seven targets for 77 yards and a touchdown.

The rookie out of Coastal Carolina should be added off the waiver wire in case Andrews gets ruled out.

New York Jets tight end Tyler Conklin and Juwan Johnson of the New Orleans Saints are among some of the other waiver-wire targets who can be considered in place of Andrews if Likely is not available in your leagues.

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman has decided to undergo season-ending Lisfranc surgery, according to head coach John Harbaugh on Thursday.

Coach Harbaugh announces Rashod Bateman will have surgery: pic.twitter.com/JixEi8Sib5

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) November 3, 2022

"Rashod Bateman has decided to go ahead and get a surgery for his foot," Harbaugh said.

"He's gonna get the Lisfranc surgery. It was one of those ones where it was up to him. He and his agent and his family talked it over, and they decided it would be his best interest to do that, so we support him on that and understand what he's doing."

Per a Cleveland Clinic description of the injury: "A Lisfranc fracture is a type of broken foot. The Lisfranc joint is the spot on top of your foot where the metatarsal bones (the bridges to your toes) connect to the rest of your foot."

As noted by OrthoVirginia, "Lisfranc surgery is to repair broken or dislocated bones in the midfoot, or the middle part of the foot."

The 22-year-old Bateman is in his second NFL campaign after the Ravens selected him with the No. 27 overall pick in the 2021 draft. The ex-Minnesota star had 15 catches for 285 yards and two touchdowns in six games this year after posting a 46/515/1 stat line during his rookie season.

Bateman suffered the injury during his team's 27-22 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last Thursday. Initially it appeared that Bateman wouldn't be out for the entire season, with Harbaugh making these comments to reporters Monday.

"Bateman's a little bit more disappointing in the sense that after the game, they thought it was kind of a tweak, but there was a little more there from a strain standpoint.

"… (From) conversations that we had, it looks like it's going to be a few weeks for him. We'll have more to report on that later in the week."

Unfortunately, Bateman is now out for the season as the promising talent looks toward a 2023 return.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase will be sidelined for approximately four to six weeks with a hip injury, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Head coach Zac Taylor told reporters Saturday his star wideout won't be placed on injured reserve. A move to IR would have kept Chase out for a minimum of four weeks.

The 22-year-old suffered the injury in an Oct. 16 win over the New Orleans Saints and reaggravated it in last weekend's victory over the Atlanta Falcons, per Schefter.

The fifth pick in the 2021 draft, Chase put together a monster sophomore season at LSU with 84 catches for 1,780 yards and 20 touchdowns in 14 games before opting to sit out the 2020 campaign. He tallied 1,455 yards and 13 scores in an impressive season that earned him Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.

He's added 47 receptions for 605 yards and six TDs in seven games in 2022.

The Louisiana native didn't miss any time with the Tigers because of injury. His last notable setback came in 2017 during his time at Archbishop Rummel High School when he suffered a knee injury late in his senior season.

Cincinnati's receiver depth will be challenged with Chase out, which would create an opening in three-wide sets alongside Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins. Mike Thomas will likely get the first shot to fill the void, but Trent Taylor could also see more snaps.

The Los Angeles Chargers expect to be without receiver Mike Williams for a "minimum of four weeks," according to Daniel Popper of The Athletic.

Williams suffered a high-ankle sprain in Sunday's game against the Seattle Seahawks, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. He had 86 yards and a touchdown before he was helped off the field.

The Chargers have a bye in Week 8, but the latest timeline will cost the receiver at least three games, including the important Week 11 battle against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Williams has been a go-to option in the Chargers' passing attack this year, leading the team with 495 receiving yards to tie for 10th in the NFL. He topped 100 yards in three of his first five games of the season.

The 2017 first-round pick was building off his breakout 2022 season where he set a career high with 76 catches for 1,146 yards, adding nine touchdowns. It earned him a three-year, $60 million contract extension last offseason.

The latest injury means the Chargers will need more from Keenan Allen, who has played just two games this year while dealing with hamstring issues. The five-time Pro Bowler has only six catches so far after tallying at least 100 receptions in each of the last three years.

Josh Palmer and DeAndre Carter will also see bigger roles, although Palmer missed Week 7 because of a concussion.

It puts pressure on quarterback Justin Herbert to carry the team after an up-and-down 4-3 start to 2022.

The Chargers simply can't catch a break, however, with key players like Joey Bosa, Rashawn Slater and J.C. Jackson also missing significant time due to injury.

Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott's status for Sunday's game against the Chicago Bears is in doubt because of a knee injury, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero on Wednesday.

Elliott told reporters Wednesday he was unsure if he would suit up Sunday, saying his knee feels "stiff." Earlier Wednesday, head coach Mike McCarthy told reporters Elliott wouldn't practice Wednesday because of a sprained knee.

Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott said he’s unsure whether he’ll play vs. Bears. Feels it is “soft” to take off week just because not 100%. Knee feels “stiff.” On resting Sunday with bye to follow: “I think it’s a consideration, but it all depends on how I feel at the end of the week.” https://t.co/i4qIPbiDOY pic.twitter.com/cZz4Smirm0

— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) October 26, 2022

Elliott was limited to 31 offensive snaps in the Cowboys' 24-6 victory over the Detroit Lions in Week 7. He told reporters after the game he suffered a potential contusion on his knee late in the first half.

This is another setback for the 27-year-old, who played through a partially torn PCL during the 2021 campaign.

While Elliott appeared in all 17 games last year, fighting through the injury seemed to slow him for stretches. He averaged just 4.2 yards per carry on his way to 1,002 rushing yards and didn't have the same burst as when he led the NFL with 1,434 rushing yards in 2018 and 1,631 rushing yards in 2016.

The Ohio State product averaged 4.7 yards per carry and 5.1 yards per carry, respectively, during those two seasons.

Elliott's resume includes three Pro Bowl nods, an All-Pro selection and four seasons with more than 1,000 rushing yards. He has also proved to be durable and played 15 or more games in five of his first six seasons.

He has 475 yards from scrimmage and four total touchdowns on 115 touches through seven games in 2022.

If Elliott is unable to play or is limited this week, Tony Pollard will see an increased workload. The 25-year-old has been a more efficient runner than Elliott, with 5.6 yards per attempt on 67 carries.

The Los Angeles Chargers had their worst fears confirmed on Monday after head coach Brandon Staley announced that cornerback JC Jackson has been ruled out for the remainder of the season.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Jackson suffered a ruptured patellar tendon in Sunday's loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

Jackson suffered the injury late in the second quarter while trying to defend a touchdown pass caught by Seahawks rookie receiver Marquise Goodwin. His right leg was placed into an air cast before he was carted off the field.

The Chargers signed Jackson to a five-year, $82.5 million contract this offseason after spending the first four years of his career with the New England Patriots. He was considered to be one of the prized free-agent acquisitions of 2022 after he led the league with 23 passes defended last season.

However, the 26-year-old got off to a slow start with Los Angeles after he missed two games earlier this year following ankle surgery in August. He finishes the season with 15 total tackles and two passes defended.

The injury to Jackson is the latest addition to a crushing season for the Chargers. In Week 3, star defensive end Joey Bosa suffered a groin injury and Pro Bowl left tackle Rashawn Slater tore his biceps, and both are on injured reserve. All-Pro center Corey Linsley missed time with a knee injury and an illness. Kicker Dustin Hopkins is sidelined with a hamstring injury.

Star receiver Keenan Allen hasn't played since Week 1 after injuring his hamstring. Wideout Mike Williams exited prematurely against the Seahawks with an ankle injury. Quarterback Justin Herbert has been playing through fractured rib cartilage for the past five weeks.

The Chargers are 4-3 heading into their Week 8 bye, so they're getting a much-needed break before trying to turn things around in the second half of the season.

Breece Hall's rookie season has come to a premature end after he suffered a torn ACL in the New York Jets' 16-9 victory over the Denver Broncos on Sunday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Schefter reported the running back has a minor meniscus injury as well.

Hall made an immediate impact on the Jets offense. Through the team's first seven games, he ran for 463 yards and four touchdowns and caught 19 passes for 218 yards and one score.

The 2022 second-round pick scored New York's only touchdown against Denver, getting loose for a 62-yard run in the second quarter.

Breece Hall does it again! 😱 @BreeceH

📺: #NYJvsDEN on CBS
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/FWWyCS9aA1 pic.twitter.com/YyTvuJVl87

— NFL (@NFL) October 23, 2022

Now, the Jets are left to hope the Iowa State product can pick right up from where he left off in 2023.

In the short term, his injury might force the front office to act since the team is on track to earn a wild-card bid at 5-2.

Michael Carter is poised to take over as the primary ball-carrier now. He hasn't gone above and beyond in his second season with 228 rushing yards and 3.5 yards per carry.

That the Jets selected Hall one year after using a fourth-round pick on Carter seemed to send a message about where the organization stood on the North Carolina product.

The NFL trade deadline will pass at 4 p.m. ET on Nov. 1. Until then, there's still time for general manager Joe Douglas to pursue all of his options to fortify the backfield.

Rich Cimini of ESPN speculated the Cleveland Browns' Kareem Hunt might be a target. It's no secret the Los Angeles Rams are looking to offload Cam Akers, too.

With New York in a good position early on to make the playoffs for the first time since 2010, it feels inevitable that Douglas will do something.

Jonathan Taylor will return to the Indianapolis Colts offense for Week 7.

The top selection in most fantasy football drafts was close to playing last weekend, but his ankle injury prevented him from doing so.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Friday that Taylor has no injury designation from the Indianapolis Colts.

Taylor's return is not only a welcome sight for the Colts, but also for fantasy football players trying to navigate other injuries and the Week 7 byes.

Russell Wilson has not been kind to fantasy football players this season, but he may be used out of necessity in Week 7 with Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts, Matthew Stafford and Kirk Cousins all on bye weeks.

Wilson was limited in practice Thursday and Friday, and he was confirmed as a game-time decision for Sunday by head coach Nathaniel Hackett.

Below is a look at all of the other injuries that could affect fantasy football rosters for Week 7's games.

• Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, DET: full participant in practice (ankle), per NFL.com.
• D'Andre Swift, RB, DET: questionable (ankle/shoulder)
• Mark Andrews, TE, BAL: questionable (knee), per ESPN's Adam Schefter.
• J.K. Dobbins, RB, BAL: out (knee), per Schefter. 
• Julio Jones, WR, TB: out (knee), per NFL.com.
• Baker Mayfield, QB, CAR: doubtful (ankle), per NFL.com.
• Saquon Barkley, RB, NYG: full participant in practice (shoulder), per The Record's Art Stapleton.
• Kenny Golladay, WR, NYG: out (knee), per NFL.com.
• Randall Cobb, WR, GB: out (ankle), per NFL.com.
• Christian Watson, WR, GB: out (hamstring), per NFL.com.
• Jahan Dotson, WR, WAS: questionable (hamstring), per NFL.com.
• Darren Waller, TE, LV: did not practice Friday (hamstring), per The Athletic's Tashan Reed.

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Jonathan Taylor Set to Return

Taylor's injury status is much more promising than it was last week.

The running back was listed as questionable with his ankle injury ahead of the Week 6 clash with the Jacksonville Jaguars, but he was ruled out 24 hours before the game.

Taylor is in better shape to be on the field for Week 7, as is Nyheim Hines, who suffered a concussion in Week 5.

Indianapolis was able to get by without either in Week 6 thanks to the contributions of Deon Jackson.

Jackson was a one-week streaming option for fantasy players and will likely not make a significant impact as long as Taylor is healthy.

As for Taylor, the extra week of rest may allow him to feel more comfortable with his cuts and acceleration.

Taylor has never had more than 70 rushing yards in four career games against the Tennessee Titans. He had over 10 carries in three of his last four meetings and was limited to 42 yards on 20 carries in Week 4.

Tennessee held its last three opponents under 100 rushing yards, but even with that matchup in play, Taylor will be a starting running back across all fantasy formats.

The last thing you want is for one of the top running backs in the NFL to go off for a ton of points on your bench, especially in a week where so many fantasy stars have bye weeks.

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Russell Wilson Is a Game-Time Decision

Wilson's injury designation may turn you away from him as a bye-week replacement. You will have to wait until the middle of the 1 p.m. ET games to find out if he will be active.

The nine-time Pro Bowler has been one of the most disappointing offensive players in the NFL this season. He is coming off an 188-yard passing performance in Week 6.

The former Seattle Seahawks quarterback has one 250-yard passing outing in the last five weeks and just five touchdown passes with his new team.

If Wilson was healthy, he may have been considered by some fantasy football players to replace one of the bye-week QBs.

Instead, a banged-up Wilson going up against a tough New York Jets defense seems like one of the worst matchups on the board.

Marcus Mariota, Jimmy Garoppolo and Jared Goff are among the better bye-week replacements who are guaranteed to play Sunday.

The selection of waiver-wire quarterbacks is far from great, but you can get by with one of those players other than Wilson.