Friday Injury Report: Chiefs Resting, WRs Ailing, Kenneth Walker Playing

The headline this week is that at least five teams will rest some key players, with the Ravens, 49ers, Chiefs, Browns and Rams having announced Wednesday that their starting QBs won't play. That also means the seven inactive slots for those teams won't necessarily cover everyone being held out, i.e., guys who end up "active" after being listed as questionable/doubtful won't necessarily play any snaps.

I'll do as much as I can to help guide you here, but there's bound to be far more stuff than usual that we simply won't know until after games kick off. For example, the Ravens have three defensive backs listed as questionable but already have seven guys ruled out/doubtful, which means the 'questionable' players will be active even if they aren't healthy enough to play (or are being held out for caution).

There are also some guys that will play but not handle their usual workloads, and sometimes that even happens with non-playoff teams if they want to evaluate younger players, protect veterans for contract/FA reasons and (potentially) improve their draft position. That part is usually hard to guess ahead of time, whereas stuff like Rams WR Puka Nacua only playing a partial game seems obvious (see below). 

Below you'll find four different categories, with our lists including key offensive linemen and defensive players whose presences/absences might impact fantasy decisions. The bottom section — truly questionable — is sorted by kickoff times and can be used as a checklist/cheatsheet for Sunday morning and afternoon when inactives come out. First, let's see who's definitely in and who's definitely out...

Good to Go 💯

• RB Elijah Mitchell (illness)
• RB Kenneth Walker (shoulder)
• RB Kareem Hunt (groin)
• WR DJ Moore (ankle)
• WR Tyreek Hill (ankle) 
• WRs Courtland Sutton (head) & Marvin Mims (hamstring)
• WR Joshua Palmer (concussion) 
• TE Travis Kelce (neck)
• TE Sam LaPorta (calf) 
• TE David Njoku (knee)

Mitchell figures to be active Sunday, but he's not guaranteed to lead the backfield, with the Niners potentially looking lower down the depth chart now that Christian McCaffrey (calf) is injured and not being rested. With Brock Purdy being held out, guys like Deebo Samuel, George Kittle and Brandon Aiyuk don't figure to play much, if at all.

The Browns may also limit/rest a couple guys listed above - Hunt and Njoku - given that they're locked into the No. 2 seed and not starting Joe Flacco.

The Chiefs are resting a lot of starters but might let Kelce get the 16 yards he needs for an eighth consecutive 1,000-yard season. Then there's Lions TE Sam LaPorta, who needs one more catch to break the rookie record for his position (currently tied at 31). Both LaPorta and Kelce are in danger of being pulled early even if they play... though there's also some chance of LaPorta getting a normal workload given that Detroit technically can move up from the No. 3 seed to No. 2. No word yet on what Dan Campbell is doing there, as of Friday night.

Ruled Out/Doubtful 🚑 

• QB Lamar Jackson (rest)
• QB Brock Purdy (rest)
• QB Patrick Mahomes (rest)
• QB Matthew Stafford (rest)
• QB Joe Flacco (rest)
• QB Will Levis (Q - ankle - won't start)
• QB Zach Wilson (concussion)
• RB Kyren Williams (rest)
• RB Josh Jacobs (quad)
• RB Christian McCaffrey (calf)
• RB AJ Dillon (neck)
• WR Cooper Kupp (rest)
• WRs Rashee Rice (hamstring/rest) & Kadarius Toney (hip)
• WR Keenan Allen (heel)
• WR DeVonta Smith (ankle)
• WR Amari Cooper (heel)
• WR Tee Higgins (D - hamstring)
• WRs Zay Flowers (calf) & Odell Beckham (rest)
• WR Noah Brown (back)
• WR Jameson Williams (ankle) + TE Brock Wright (hip)
• WR Darnell Mooney (concussion)
• [LOGO[ WR Jamal Agnew (fractured leg)
• TE Tyler Higbee (shoulder/rest)
• TE Hunter Henry (knee)
• TE Michael Mayer (toe)
• TE Jeremy Ruckert (concussion)

Key Defensive Players + Offensive Linemen

• CB Marlon Humphrey (calf) / G Kevin Zeitler (knee)
• DE Jonathan Greenard (ankle)
• DL TK McLendon (shoulder)
• CB Byron Murphy (knee) + CB Mekhi Blackmon (shoulder) + S Theo Jackson (toe)
• RT Brian O'Neill (ankle) + DT Jaquelin Roy (ankle)
• C Drew Dalman (ankle)
• DT Khalen Saunders (concussion) / DT Payton Turner (toe)
• LT Trent Brown (illness)
• K Eddy Pineiro (D - hamstring) / G Cade Mays (D - finger) / OLB Marquis Haynes (concussion)
• DE Myles Garrett (shoulder) / K Dustin Hopkins (hamstring)
• CB Greg Newsome (knee) / S Juan Thornhill (calf) / CB Mike Ford (calf)
• CB Jaylon Johnson (D - shoulder)
• LB Isaiah McDuffie (D - concussion) / S Rudy Ford (hamstring)
• CB Kendall Fuller (knee) / CB Christian Holmes (concussion) / CB Tariq Castro-FIelds (shoulder)
• DT Jonathan Allen (ankle)
• RT Mike McGlinchey (ribs)
• CB Darius Slay (knee)
• S Jason Pinnock (toe) / CB Deonte Banks (D - shoulder)
• LT Abraham Lucas (knee)
• CB Garrett Williams (ankle)
• DT Aaron Donald (rest) / G Joe Noteboom (foot) / LB Ernest Jones (rest)
• DT Arik Armstead (foot) / S J'Ayir Brown (knee) / S Tashaun Gipson / CB Ambry Thomas
• G Zion Johnson (D - neck) / LB Kenneth Murray (D - shoulder) / DT Nick Williams (shoulder)
• LT Donovan Smith (rest) / CB L'Jarius Sneed (rest)
• OLB Bradley Chubb (ACL) / CB Xavien Howard (foot)

Listed as Questionable - Should Play 👍

• QB Baker Mayfield (ribs) + WR Trey Palmer (hip)
• RB Zack Moss (forearm)
• TE Cole Kmet (knee) 
• WR Dontayvion Wicks (chest)
• TE Juwan Johnson (chest) + WR A.T. Perry (illness) - 
• CB Kenny Moore (back) / C Ryan Kelly (ankle) / RT Braden Smith (knee) / LG Quenton Nelson (ankle)
• CB Jaycee Horn (toe)

Coach Todd Bowles confirmed Friday that Mayfield will start. The QB upgraded to full practice participation Friday, so he appears in no danger of missing Tampa's crucial Week 18 game.

For the Colts, Moss was a full practice participant Wednesday and Thursday, setting up his return for the regular-season finale, though Jonathan Taylor probably won't come off the field too often anyway. RT Braden Smith and CB Kenny Moore also logged consecutive full practices this week, and C Ryan Kelly was able to rejoin last week's game after suffering the ankle injury that has him listed on the injury report now. 

Even G Quenton Nelson seems to be on the 'probable' end of questionable, following 98 percent snap share Week 17 and back-to-back limited practices Wednesday/Thursday. The only Colt listed as questionable who seems less likely to play is backup DB Chris Lammons, who filled in for Moore last week after strictly playing special teams in his three previous appearances this year.

Bears TE Cole Kmet (knee) and Packers WR Dontayvion Wicks (chest) both are on track to play after full practices Friday, and Saints TE Juwan Johnson (chest) should be able to do the same after limited practices Thursday/Friday. Johnson returned to last week's game after getting injured and continued for his best performance of the season (with most of his yardage coming post-injury).

Truly Questionable / Game-Time Decisions 🤔

Saturday Games

• WR Robert Woods (hip) - 8:15 ET

Woods was unable to finish the last game and didn't practice at all this week. It doesn't look great for him, which means John Metchie and Xavier Hutchinson could take a bunch of WR snaps in Saturday's win-to-get-in AFC South battle.

Early Games

• QB Trevor Lawrence (shoulder) + WR Zay Jones (hammy) + WR Christian Kirk (core)
• QB Taylor Heinicke (ankle)
• RBs Alvin Kamara (ankle) & Kendre Miller (ankle)
• WRs DeVante Parker (ribs) & Tyquan Thornton (ankle)
• WR Rakim Jarrett (IR - quad)
• WR Trey Palmer (hip)
• WRs Elijah Moore (concussion) & Marquise Goodwin (knee)

The Jaguars need to activate Kirk from injured reserve by 4:00 p.m. ET on Saturday if he's going to play Sunday. Lawrence and Jones, on the other hand, may come down to game-time decisions. All three were listed as limited practice participants Wednesday through Friday.

Kamara, on the other hand, didn't practice at all this week. Coach Dennis Allen didn't sound optimistic Friday, so it looks like Jamaal Williams could get a turn of work with the Saints' season on the line.

For Cleveland, it's possible Moore is held out even if he clears concussion protocol before Sunday. The Browns are locked into the No. 5 seed and resting Joe Flacco, so it's a safe bet they rest/limit other starters, including some not listed on the final injury report (e.g. David Njoku)

Late-Afternoon Games

• RB Isiah Pacheco (quad) - 4:25 ET
• RB Khalil Herbert (back/personal) - 4:25 ET  
• WRs Jayden Reed (chest) & Christian Watson (hamstring) - 4:25 ET
• RB D'Andre Swift (illness) - 4:25 ET 
• TE Luke Musgrave (IR - kidney) - 4:25 ET
• WR Jauan Jennings (concussion) - 4:25 ET

Pacheco may not play much (or at all) even if he's healthy enough. The Chiefs have sent signals that they'll rest a lot of key players, and I'm guessing he'll be among them even if he's not on the inactive list.

Herbert was added to the injury report Thursday, listed as limited with a back injury, and then missed practice Friday with the addition of 'personal' next to his name. D'Onta Foreman could return to splitting snaps with Roschon Johnson if Herbert doesn't play.

Watson and Reed both managed limited practice participation throughout the week, apart from Watson being rested Friday (which coach Matt LaFleur downplayed). Both look truly questionable, with Reed more likely to play and Watson more of a 50/50 or slight underdog.

Swift was added Friday but still managed limited participation. I don't feel super confident about his Week 18 workload, but he'll probably be healthy enough to play by Sunday.

Sunday Night

• RB Raheem Mostert (knee) 
• WR Jaylen Waddle (ankle)

Mostert and Waddle both returned to practice Friday as limited participants and now could end end up being game-day decisions. 

Key Defensive Players + O-Linemen

• CBs Ronald Darby (illness), Brandon Stephens (ankle) & Arthur Maulet (hip)
• S Minkah Fitzpatrick (knee) / LB Elandon Roberts (pec)
• DE Will Anderson (ankle) / DT Maliek Collins (hip) / DT Sheldon Rankins (ankle)
• LT Laremy Tunsil (groin) / FB Andrew Beck (calf)
• LT Jaelyn Duncan (neck) / G Daniel Brunskill (ankle) / LB Caleb Murphy (shoulder)
• CB Mike Hughes (concussion)
• RT Landon Young (knee)
• S Jabrill Peppers (hamstring)
• CB Carlton Davis (concussion)
• CB Chidobe Awuzie (shoulder)
• CB Kyler Gordon (calf) / C Lucas Patrick (biceps)
• OLB Preston Smith (ankle) / LG Elgton Jenkins (knee)
• S Malik Hooker (ankle) / DT Johnathan Hankins (ankle) / DE Dorance Armstrong (ankle)
• G Tyler Smith (foot) / C Tyler Biadasz (illness)
• S Kamren Curl (quad) / RT Andrew Wylie (elbow)
• LB Jordyn Brooks (ankle) / DT Jarran Reed (knee)
• OLB Dennis Gardeck (knee) / LB VIctor DImukeje (foot) / G Elijah Wilkinson (illness)
• CB Deane Leonard (heel) 
• LB Nick Bolton (wrist/rest) / CB Trent McDuffie (shoulder/rest)
• DE Mike Danna (rest) / DE George Karlaftis (rest)
• C Mitch Morse (illness)