Quarterbacks
NFL Injury Report, Week 6: Julio Jones, Joseph Addai Likely Out
As Week 6 of the NFL season approaches, SBNation Medical Expert Dr. Ali Mohamadi discusses some of the most significant injuries impacting this weekend’s games and how they might affect your fantasy rosters:
Matt Schaub, Houston Texans (knee, shoulder - probable)
HOU (3-2) @ BAL (3-1), 4:05pm
Schaub carries a laundry list of ailments heading into tomorrow's tilt with the Ravens, most notably a sore knee and shoulder. The Texans' QB injured the knee on a hit by Raiders' DE Richard Seymour in last week's loss to Oakland, and he missed practice on Wednesday to rest his ailing right (throwing) shoulder. Schaub is listed as probable on the Texans' injury report after practicing Thursday and Friday, and there is no reason to doubt he will play against Baltimore.
Running Backs
Joseph Addai, Indianapolis Colts (hamstring -- questionable)
IND @ CIN, 1pm
Addai left in the first quarter of the Colts' 28-24 loss to Kansas City with a right hamstring injury and didn't return to action. Although he is officially listed as questionable on the Colts' injury list, Addai has missed the entire week's practices thus far and as a result it would seem unlikely he will take the field against the Bengals. Muscle strains can take anywhere from days to weeks for a full recovery and are prone to aggravation if not rehabbed appropriately. RB Delone Carter took over following Addai's injury and he is likely to split carries with Donald Brown on Sunday.
LeGarrette Blount, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (knee - doubtful)
TB (3-2) vs. NO (4-1), 4:15pm
Reports out of Tampa Bay indicate that Blount sustained a Grade 2 MCL tear during last week’s romp over San Francisco. The Bucs’ featured back has not practiced this week and is listed as doubtful for tomorrow’s game against New Orleans. The MCL spans the distance from the end of the femur (thigh bone) to the top of the tibia (shin bone) and is on the inside of the knee joint. Its function is to resist forces applied from the outer surface of the knee, thereby preventing the medial (inner) portion of the joint from widening under stress. A Grade 2 injury, in which there is incomplete tearing of the ligament, could require 2 weeks’ rest, if not more. RB Earnest Graham will take Blount’s workload, assuming he is unable to go on Sunday.
BenJarvus Green-Ellis, New England Patriots (toe - questionable)
NE (4-1) vs. DAL (2-2), 4:15pm
The Patriots' RB put a scare in the New England fanbase Thursday when he was held out of practice due to a toe injury, but he has been listed as questionable following his return to practice on Friday. Patriots camp has, not surprisingly, kept details of the injury under wraps, so it is unclear to what degree they may limit Green-Ellis's action on Sunday, one week after a career day against the New York Jets. If he is unable to go, Stevan Ridley will take the bulk of the carries for New England.
Rashard Mendenhall, Pittsburgh Steelers (hamstring -- probable)
PIT (3-2) vs. JAC (1-4), 1pm
Mendenhall pulled his right hamstring in the third quarter of Pittsburgh's Week 4 loss Houston and missed last week's game as a result. The Steelers feature back has shown enough improvement over the past week, however, to be named the starter tomorrow against the Jaguars. Isaac Redman, who handled the bulk of the carries in Week 5, is waiting in the wings in case Mendenhall aggravates the injury.
Wide Receivers
Miles Austin, Dallas Cowboys (hamstring - probable)
DAL (2-2) @ NE (4-1), 4:15pm
After putting up monster numbers in the first two weeks of the season, Austin has missed the Cowboys’ past two games with a severe hamstring strain. However, he is listed as probable for Sunday’s game against the Patriots, and the hamstring has held up well in practice this week. Austin has proclaimed himself back to “100 percent,” and although this bodes well for Dallas, given the tendency for this type of injury to flare up over time, Cowboys fans will be holding their colletive breaths that their top receiving playmaker is able to go full-tilt the rest of the season.
Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons (hamstring - doubtful)
ATL (2-3) vs. CAR (1-4), 1pm
The hamstring bug hit the Falcons’ rookie WR during last week’s loss to Green Bay, as he came up lame running a long sideline route and did not return to action. Jones is listed on the Falcons’ injury report as doubtful, but he has not practiced this week and it would appear Atlanta will be going without him Sunday. Harry Douglas is likely to get extra looks from Matt Ryan for the Falcons in Jones’s absence.
Offensive Linemen
Chris Snee, New York Giants (concussion - OUT)
NYG (3-2) vs. BUF (4-1), 1pm
Snee sustained concussion in last week's loss to Seattle and was taken to a local hospital after the game for overnight observation and has been ruled out for tomorrow's game with Buffalo after neurological evaluation by the Giants' medical staff. Kevin Baas, himself questionable with a neck stinger, will move over to right guard to replace Snee, and the center position in turn will be manned by Kevin Boothe.
Linebackers
Jerod Mayo, New England Patriots (knee - questionable)
NE (4-1) vs. DAL (2-2), 4:15pm
Mayo, who suffered an MCL sprain in Week 4 against Oakland and appeared sure to miss at least 4-6 weeks, returned to practice for the Patriots Friday and is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Cowboys. Reports out of New England indicated that it is possible Mayo is just getting in some light work and is unlikely to play until after the team’s Week 7 bye. Either way, Mayo’s quicker-than-expected return to the practice field is a good sign that, whenever he returns, he will be able to produce at his usual high level this season.
Defensive Ends
Julius Peppers, Chicago Bears (knee -- doubtful)
CHI (2-3) vs. MIN (1-4), 8:20pm
Head Coach Lovie Smith is already sounding like his Bears will be without their best pass rusher tomorrow against the Vikings, after Peppers suffered a sprained left knee last Monday against Detroit. Peppers gutted out the injury and only missed a handful of plays, but was seen limping after the game and, depending on the grade of the injury, could miss more than just this week's contest while recovering.
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