We’re finally starting to get some good news on the injury front in Week 6 with several key players set to return like Julio Jones, Chris Godwin and Davante Adams.
There was less positive news for Dalvin Cook, while the likes of Odell Beckham Jr., Jarvis Landry and Darius Slayton will enter the weekend with their statuses unknown.
As always, we’ll be updating this page throughout the week with all the latest injury news and practice reports.
NFL Week 6 Injury Tracker
Sunday Updates
Browns QB Baker Mayfield (chest): Mayfield was upgraded to full participation in Friday’s practice after getting in limited sessions on Wednesday and Thursday. He’s expected to start under center today against the Steelers.
Browns WRs Odell Beckham (illness) and Jarvis Landry (hip/ribs): A non-COVID illness held Beckham out of practice on Thursday and Friday this week. After Beckham tested negative for COVID-19 in two consecutive tests, he's cleared to play this weekend. Landry was able to practice in a limited fashion on Friday after missing Wednesday and Thursday, and he, too, will be available to play this afternoon.
Buccaneers RB Leonard Fournette (ankle): Last week, Fournette was held out of practice throughout the week, and he wound up playing only a single snap against Chicago on Thursday night. This week, Fournette had a limited practice and should have a chance to be a little more involved in the offense today against Green Bay, though he is still not 100 percent. UPDATE (2:59pm ET): Fournette is officially inactive against Green Bay.
Jaguars WR D.J. Chark (ankle): Officially listed as questionable, Chark remains a game-time decision in Week 6, though he is likely to play, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. After sitting out practice on Wednesday and Thursday, Chark was able to get in a limited session on Friday.
Broncos RB Melvin Gordon (illness): Gordon did not travel with the Broncos to New England yesterday, and he’ll miss today’s game. Although Gordon was arrested on DUI charges in Denver earlier this week, it's a case of strep throat that will keep him off the field in Week 6.
Broncos TE Noah Fant (ankle): The Broncos will also hold Fant out of Week 6 with an ankle injury he sustained against the Jets in Week 4. Fant was limited in practice throughout the week and should have a good chance to return in Week 7.
Friday Updates
Vikings RB Dalvin Cook (groin): After missing practice throughout the week, Cook was officially ruled out for Week 6 on Friday. When asked whether Cook’s injury may cause him to miss time beyond the Vikings’ Week 7 bye, head coach Mike Zimmer said, “How would I know? I’m just trying to do today and this week.” Alexander Mattison will lead the backfield in Week 6 with Mike Boone mixing in.
Broncos QB Drew Lock (shoulder): Despite being listed as “questionable” on the Broncos' game status report, it would be a surprise if Lock is unable to play against the Patriots after practicing in full each day this week. Head coach Vic Fangio noted that Lock would have been listed as “probable” had the NFL not removed that status as an option.
Browns WRs Odell Beckham Jr. (illness): Beckham has now missed two consecutive practices on Thursday and Friday due to an illness. While he reportedly feels well enough to play, Beckham will need to test negative for COVID-19 twice before being allowed on the field. He already received one negative result from a test that was performed on Thursday, so his Week 6 availability will be decided by the results of Friday's test.
Browns WR Jarvis Landry (hips/ribs): Landry was back on the practice field as a limited participant Friday after missing the two previous days with hip and rib injuries. Head coach Kevin Stefanski sounded like he expects Landry to play, saying, “I think he’s also progressing. He’s a very, very tough dude, spent a lot of time in the training room getting his body right. Making push to Sunday like he always does.”
Falcons WR Julio Jones (hamstring): Surprisingly, Jones does not carry an injury designation heading into the weekend after missing Week 5 and then sitting out practices this week on Wednesday and Thursday. Jones did practice in a limited fashion on Friday, though, paving the way for him to play against the Vikings on Sunday.
Buccaneers WR Chris Godwin (hamstring): Now 19 days removed from a hamstring injury that he sustained in Week 3, Godwin does not carry a game status designation heading into Week 6. That means he is expected to return this weekend against the Packers. Godwin was upgraded to full participation in Friday’s practice after getting in limited sessions on Wednesday and Thursday.
Packers WR Davante Adams (hamstring): Adams will be back on the field this weekend in Tampa Bay after a week of full practice. He likely could have played in Week 4 before the Packers’ Week 5 bye, but the team elected to take a cautious approach with its No. 1 receiver. Adams’ injury was originally reported as a “minor hamstring strain” in Week 2. Now, nearly a month removed from sustaining the injury, Adams should be close to 100%.
Giants WR Darius Slayton (calf): Despite being listed as questionable to play after being limited in practice throughout the week, Slayton is expected to play this weekend. Head coach Joe Judge said of Slayton on Friday afternoon, “We pulled him back a little bit on some of his stuff, but we’ll see how he is today. I’m expecting Darius to play. If the trainers tell me otherwise, they tell me otherwise.”
Thursday Updates
Packers WR Davante Adams (hamstring): Ahead of the Packers’ Week 5 bye, it seemed like Adams had a good chance to play in Week 4 until the team ruled him out hours before kickoff, prompting Adams to voice his displeasure on Twitter. Coming off the bye, Adams started out the week with a full practice session on Wednesday and he appears poised to return to the field Sunday against the Bucs.
Buccaneers WR Mike Evans (ankle): Despite being listed as a DNP (did not participate) throughout the week leading up to last Thursday’s game, Evans was active against the Bears, turning in a 5-41-1 receiving line on nine targets. He again starts off Week 6 as a DNP, but does not appear to be in danger of missing Sunday’s game. Evans said Wednesday that, although his ankle is still sore, it’s “nothing I can’t play through, and definitely will play through.”
Falcons WR Julio Jones (hamstring): Jones has now missed five practices in a row with a hamstring injury that caused him to be inactive for the Falcons’ Week 5 loss. Until we see Jones back at practice, it’s hard to be optimistic about his Week 6 outlook.
Wednesday Updates
Browns QB Baker Mayfield (abdomen): Mayfield gutted his way through the fourth quarter in Week 5 after taking a big hit from Colts DE Justin Houston late in the game. X-rays after the game were negative and Mayfield has insisted he will play in Week 6.
On Monday, when asked whether he intends to play in Week 6, Mayfield said, “Oh yeah. Mama didn’t raise no wuss.”
Broncos QB Drew Lock (shoulder): Lock was likely to miss the Broncos' Week 5 matchup with the Patriots had that game not been pushed back to Week 6, but with the game now being played this weekend, it sounds like Lock has a real chance to play.
Lock said today, “I’m really excited to be back. It feels good to be doing what I love. Great to be back with the guys, gets pretty lonely back there with the headset.” Lock was a full participant in Wednesday's practice.
Jets QB Sam Darnold (shoulder): Joe Flacco filled in for Darnold in Week 5 after the former No. 3 overall pick was forced from New York’s loss to Denver on Oct. 1 with a shoulder injury. The injury is affecting Darnold’s throwing shoulder and the team will take a cautious approach with his recovery.
That means it will be Flacco under center once again for New York this weekend against Miami.
Vikings RB Dalvin Cook (groin): After exiting the Vikings’ Week 5 loss to the Seahawks, Cook described his current status as “day-to-day” during his media availability Wednesday. Head coach Mike Zimmer added, “I talked to him today and he said he’s feeling really good. So we’ll see how it goes.”
Because the Vikings have a Week 7 bye, it would make some sense for the team to rest Cook this week, giving him an additional week of recovery, but Zimmer said he hadn’t entertained that idea.
Cook seems to have a chance to play in Week 6, but he’s probably closer to “doubtful” than “probable” at the moment.
Jaguars WRs D.J. Chark (ankle) and Laviska Shenault (hamstring): The Jaguars were without their top two receivers in today’s practice, as both Chark and Shenault were listed ‘DNP’ (did not participate) on the team’s practice report. Chark sustained a fourth quarter ankle injury in Week 5, causing him to play a season-low 67% of snaps while Shenault’s 69% Week 5 snap share was actually a season-high.
At this point, Shenault seems more likely to play in Week 6 than Chark, but both should be considered questionable for now.
Broncos RB Phillip Lindsay (toe): Lindsay has now logged five consecutive full practice sessions for Denver as he recovers from a turf toe injury suffered in Week 1.
At this point, it would be a surprise if Lindsay is unable to go in Week 6. Lindsay’s potential return comes just in the nick of time with Melvin Gordon’s Week 6 status looking unclear after he was charged with a DUI last night in Denver.
