The playoffs are closing in and most of the AFC East are still fighting for either the division or a wild card spot in what should be an exciting final month to the season! The Miami Dolphins take on the Washington Commanders, the New York Jets host the Atlanta Falcons, and the New England Patriots host the Los Angeles Chargers while the Buffalo Bills are on bye.
Read below for all the latest injury news for the AFC East and how it may impact the playoff races!
Miami Dolphins | New England Patriots | New York Jets | Buffalo Bills
Miami Dolphins
QUESTIONABLE
OL Lester Cotton (Illness)
Cotton was limited due to an illness Thursday and Friday, officially questionable for the game.
OT Terron Armstead (Left Knee/Quad)
Armstead continues to work through his left knee sprain suffered in Week 4 against the Buffalo Bills that sent him to IR in the middle of the season. He added a quad strain to his issues this week but this may not be much more than a contusion or minor strain that he will try to play through.
S Jevon Holland (Knees)
By Holland’s own words, he overstretched on a play that somehow injured both knees, leaving him questionable for the game Sunday. I’m not quite sure how he suffered the injury, but without more context, it’s difficult to determine how significant the injuries are. Considering both knees are injured, and he was able to get a limited practice in on Friday, I would not expect him to play.
OT Kendall Lamm (Back)
Lamm was questionable due to a back injury first reported on the day of the game. He ultimately did play but only appeared in 11 percent of offensive snaps, a significant decrease from several weeks ago when he saw more playing time on the offensive line.
OL Robert Jones (Knee)
Jones is still working through his knee injury originally suffered in Week 9 against the Kansas City Chiefs in Germany. He has missed the last two games but as he was limited all week gives him a shot to play Sunday.
ACTIVE
WR Tyreek Hill (Ankle)
Hill was limited on Thursday and Friday with an ankle designation after not practicing on Wednesday. This came after he suffered an ankle injury early in the win over the Jets last Friday.
RB Raheem Mostert (Ankle/Knee)
Mostert continues to play through his ankle/knee injuries that have kept him on the injury report since Week 7 and Week 9, respectively.
RB De’Von Achane (Right Knee)
In his first game back following his activation from injured reserve, Achane re-injured his knee in Week 11, keeping him out of Week 12. He has no designation for this game indicating that he will play.
DB Elijah Campbell (Shoulder)
Campbell was a limited participant early in the week before getting a full practice Friday. No additional details are available at this time.
LB Bradley Chubb (Knee)
Chubb was limited Wednesday and Thursday with a knee injury before practicing in full on Friday, suggesting more of a maintenance issue.
CB Kader Kohou (Hamstring)
Kohou was a late addition to the injury report Friday with a hamstring designation but has no status going into the game.
WR Chase Claypool (Knee)
Claypool continues to recover from minor knee surgery completed during the bye. He has missed the last two weeks but appeared on track to play this week.
LS Blake Ferguson (Ankle)
Ferguson is a rare addition to the injury report with an ankle designation, limited all week. Considering the team didn’t bring in any long snappers for tryouts, this should not be an injury that will affect his snapping but maybe open-field pursuit for tackling.
OL Robert Hunt (Hamstring)
Hunt returned to play last week after missing two games plus the bye due to a hamstring strain suffered in Week 8.
FB Alec Ingold (Ankle/Foot)
Ingold has been on the injury report since Week 5 due to his foot injury and added in an ankle injury following Week 11. He has not missed any games.
TE Durham Smythe (Ankle)
Smythe has been battling an ankle injury that kept him out in Week 10 but has been present since Week 8.
C Connor Williams (Illness)
Williams was limited Wednesday with an illness before returning in full for the rest of the week.
QB Tua Tagovailoa (Right Arm Laceration)
Tagovailoa was on the injury report this week for his right upper arm laceration which is pictured below. He required several sutures but was able to practice in full. Other than maybe needing a bandage on the area, there are no performance concerns.
New England Patriots
OUT
WR Demario Douglas (Concussion)
After some initial confusion about whether Douglas was in the concussion protocol, he was officially placed in the concussion protocol on Wednesday. He already suffered a concussion in Week 5 that forced him to miss the following week. Considering this is his second concussion, his timeline to return is far murkier than if this was his first. He will miss this week and could easily miss the next several weeks before he is ready to return.
WR Kayshon Boutte (Shoulder/Illness)
Boutte is officially out after working through a shoulder injury Wednesday then not practicing Thursday and Friday due to the injury plus additional illness. He only saw 11 offensive snaps and secured one catch for eight yards on two targets.
QUESTIONABLE
LB Chris Board (Back)
Board has limited practices all week leaving him questionable for Sunday’s game with no additional information for the specific injury.
OT Trent Brown (Right Ankle/Chest)
Brown continues to work through his right high-ankle sprain suffered against the Buffalo Bills in Week 7. Brown missed the following two games and the bye to get the ankle healthy enough to play. Unfortunately, he added in a chest injury this week which possibly be an aggravation of a chest injury he dealt with through October earlier this year.
RB Ezekiel Elliott (Thigh)
Elliott was limited all week due to a thigh injury suffered in Sunday’s loss to the Giants in which he played only 15 offensive snaps.
G Sidy Sow (Ankle)
Sow was limited all week due to an ankle injury.
DL Deatrich Wise (Shoulder)
Wise has been on the injury report due to a shoulder injury originally suffered in Week 7, not missing any games.
ACTIVE
LB Ja’Whaun Bentley (Hamstring)
Bentley has been working through a hamstring injury originally suffered in Week 8 and missed Week 10. He was able to play in 98 percent of defensive snaps last week and should play again.
C David Andrews (Foot)
Andrews was limited on Wednesday and Thursday with a foot designation before practicing in full on Friday. Considering he has not missed a game and played through far worse injuries, I do not expect him to miss this game.
WR Matthew Slater (Ankle)
Slater continues to work through an ankle injury suffered the Friday just before Week 10, not missing any games.
RB Ty Montgomery (Illness)
Montgomery missed Wednesday’s practice with an illness and returned to practice for the remainder of the week.
New York Jets
QUESTIONABLE
RB Israel Abanikanda (Illness)
Abanikanda missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday due to illness but was able to get a limited workout in on Friday. Most players who are questionable with an illness do play, but it may come down to how his symptoms are come Sunday.
RB Dalvin Cook (Shoulder)
Cook was limited on Friday due to a shoulder injury and is officially questionable heading into Sunday. According to Cook, he will be fine for Sunday.
RB Breece Hall (Hamstring)
Hall has been working through a hamstring injury that he picked up in Week 12, limited all week. It’s not clear when or how he suffered the injury but it may be best to sit this week out to prevent the injury from worsening.
ACTIVE
OT Mekhi Becton (Left Knee/Right Ankle)
Becton missed last week’s game versus the Miami Dolphins after suffering a right high-ankle sprain against the Buffalo Bills in Week 11. He was limited all week as he continued to recover from the injury but has no designation heading into the game.
DB Michael Carter (Hamstring)
Carter missed last week’s game against the Dolphins as he continues to rehab from a hamstring injury suffered in practice prior to Week 11. He was doubtful heading into Week 12 and not surprisingly did not suit up.
DB Justin Hardee (Hamstring)
Hardee has been on injured reserve since suffering a hamstring injury against the Denver Broncos in Week 5. His practice window opened on Wednesday, logging a limited practice before getting full practices the rest of the week.
DE Will McDonald (Shoulder)
No additional information is available on McDonald’s injury other than that he was limited on Wednesday.
OL Billy Turner (Finger)
Turner was able to return to play last week after missing the last two games due to surgery needed to fix a finger fracture originally suffered in Week 9.
LB Sam Eguavoen (Hip)
Eguavoen has missed the last two games due to a hip injury suffered in the waning moments against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 10. He was able to practice in full and return to play this week.
LB Quincy Williams (Knee)
Williams is back on the injury report due to a knee injury that has kept him on the injury report since Week 9.
INJURED RESERVE
QB Aaron Rodgers (Left Achilles)
Rodgers returned to practice this week, 11 weeks following his left Achilles tear suffered in Week 1. While that is somewhat remarkable that he was able to return to a controlled practice setting, he is still a far way off from actually participating in an NFL game.
According to recent reports, he’s not even running with full weight bearing on the AlterG treadmill, limited to 70 percent. To expect that he can return to participate in an NFL game within the next month is highly unlikely. He has a crazy high chance to re-tear the tendon and while he has time to get it repaired again, it’s not wise to rush back to just undo all the work that was done over the last three months.
To read more about his injury, check out the article below.
TE Kenny Yeboah (Hamstring)
Yeboah continued to practice in full all week as his 21-day practice window began to close following his preseason hamstring injury. He will need to be activated or go to injured reserve, ending his season.
OL Wes Schweitzer (Calf)
Schweitzer returned to practice after spending four weeks on injured reserve due to a calf strain suffered against the New York Giants in Week 8. Despite being questionable, he will need to be activated to the roster in order to return to playing.
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are on bye this week.
Top Photo Credit: Phinsider.com
