NFL Week 14 injuries: Keenan Allen, D’Andre Swift out, Alvin Kamara to play, Tony Pollard questionable
Written by Luck Wilson on December 10, 2021
Week 14 in the NFL got underway with the Steelers and Vikings going head to head on Thursday. A key piece to Minnesota’s win was the return of Dalvin Cook, who exploded for 222 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns after he missed a game due to a shoulder injury. While the Vikings were fortunate to have their star running back return earlier than expected from his injury, teams across the league will in all likelihood not be so lucky.
As we await the rest of the Week 14 slate to kick off, teams are filing in their final injury reports of the week on Friday and revealing the game statuses for each of their players. Below, you’ll find every injury report leading into the weekend and analysis of what injuries could impact this upcoming week the most.
All odds come courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook.
Cowboys (-4.5) at Washington
- Cowboys: RB Tony Pollard (foot) QUESTIONABLE
- Washington: LB Jordan Kunaszyk (hamstring), G Wes Schweitzer (ankle) OUT; RB J.D. McKissic (concussion), WR Curtis Samuel (groin), LB Jamin Davis (concussion), S Landon Collins (foot) QUESTIONABLE
Pollard didn’t practice all week due to a foot injury, but the team is still holding out hope that he’ll be able to play in some capacity on Sunday as they’ve listed him as questionable. Receiver Noah Brown was the only other player listed on the Cowboys’ injury report, but he is heading to injured reserve.
McKissic has a chance to play on Sunday as he continues to look for clearance after a concussion. He returned to practice on Thursday and was limited throughout the remainder of the week. Samuel was limited throughout the week as well, giving him a shot to play Sunday despite a groin injury.
Jaguars at Titans (-8.5)
- Jaguars: OL Brandon Linder (back)
- Titans: LB Zach Cunningham (not injury related), OL Teair Tart (ankle), LB David Long (hamstring), CB Jackrabbit Jenkins (ankle), TE Tommy Hudson (ankle) OUT
Jacksonville is extremely healthy heading into this matchup as Linder is the lone player listed on the final injury report. Myles Jack, Josh Allen and James Robinson were all full participants on Friday and carry no designation coming into the weekend.
After being claimed earlier this week, Cunningham will have to wait a week to make his Titans debut. Meanwhile, there are no true surprises on this list for Tennessee as every other player that has been ruled out for Sunday missed the entire week of practice.
Seahawks (-8.5) at Texans
- Seahawks: C/G Kyle Fuller (calf), T Brandon Shell (shoulder), SS Jamal Adams (shoulder), RB Travis Homer (calf/hamstring) OUT; FS Quandre Diggs (calf) QUESTIONABLE
- Texans: DB Terrence Brooks (hamstring), QB Deshaun Watson (non-injury related) OUT; WR Brandin Cooks (back), DL Jonathan Greenard (foot), DB A.J. Moore Jr. (hip), DB Jimmy Moreland (foot), LB Kevin Pierre-Louis (hamstring/wrist) QUESTIONABLE
One player the Seahawks will have for Sunday’s game is receiver DK Metcalf, who missed practice time with week with a foot injury as well as an illness. Running back Alex Collins will also play despite missing practice time with an abdomen injury.
Cook was limited on Friday after not appearing on the team’s injury reports on Wednesday and Thursday. Moore was limited on Friday after not practicing on Wednesday and Thursday.
Raiders at Chiefs (-9.5)
- Raiders: DE Carl Nassib (knee), LB Patrick Onwuasor (hamstring), TE Darren Waller (knee/back) OUT; LB Denzel Perryman (ankle) DOUBTFUL
- Chiefs: CB Chris Lammons (ankle) OUT; CB Rashad Fenton (knee), OL Lucas Niang QUESTIONABLE
With Waller out, look for tight end Foster Moreau to get more targets from quarterback Derek Carr on Sunday. Perryman’s status for Sunday looks bleak after the Raiders linebacker missed practice all week.
Kansas City is largely pretty healthy coming into Week 14. Lammons didn’t practice all week, so it was expected that he’d be ruled out. Meanwhile, both Fenton and Niang seem to have a shot to play as they were on the practice field throughout the week on a limited basis, including Friday’s session.
Saints (-5.5) at Jets
- Saints: T Ryan Ramczyk (knee), LB Pete Werner (elbow), LB Kaden Elliss (hamstring) OUT; Lil’Jordan Humphrey (hamstring) QUESTIONABLE
- Jets: CB Michael Carter II (concussion), RB Tevin Coleman (concussion), TE Trevon Wesco (ankle), OUT; OL Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (ankle), DL John Franklin-Myers (hip), TE Ryan Griffin (knee/ankle), WR Elijah Moore (quad), LB CJ Mosley (back), DL Sheldon Rankins (knee), LB Hamsah Nasirildeen (knee) QUESTIONABLE
While the Saints will be without Ramczyk (knee) once again, they are getting healthier. Running back Alvin Kamara (knee) and left tackle Terron Armstead (knee) do not carry any injury designation heading into the weekend, signaling that both will play on Sunday in New York.
Moore did not practice all week, which is not a good sign as it relates to his chances of playing on Sunday. The Jets will already be without Corey Davis, who is slated to undergo season-ending core-muscle surgery.
Falcons at Panthers (-2.5)
- Falcons: OLB Ade Ogundeji (ankle), S Richie Grant (ankle) QUESTIONABLE
- Panthers: G John Miller (ankle), G Michael Jordan (hamstring) OUT
Ogundeji and Grant were both limited during Friday’s practice. Both payers were limited on Thursday after not practicing on Wednesday.
With both of the Panthers’ starting guards out, reserves Sam Tecklenburg and Deonte Brown are slated to fill Miller and Jordan’s spots on Sunday. Tecklenburg played in 97% of the team’s snaps during the Panthers’ Week 9 loss to the Patriots. A rookie sixth-round pick, Brown has appeared in just one of the Panthers’ first 12 games.
Ravens at Browns (-2.5)
- Ravens: OL Patrick Mekari (hand) OUT; WR Miles Boykin (finger) DOUBTFUL; DB Brandon Stephens (shoulder); CB Anthony Averett (knee); DB/LB Anthony Levine Sr. (knee); CB Chris Westry (thigh); TE Nick Boyle (illness/knee); FB Patrick Ricard (back) QUESTIONABLE
- Browns: TE Harrison Bryant (ankle), WR Anthony Schwartz (concussion), CB Greg Newsome III (concussion) OUT; S Ronnie Harrison (ankle), DT Malik Jackson (knee), DT Jordan Elliott (knee) QUESTIONABLE
After Mekari suffered a hand injury against the Steelers, head coach John Harbaugh said he was going to be out a while, so it’s not surprising to see him listed as such, especially after missing the entire week of practice. Boykin is listed as doubtful, but was able to practice on a limited basis throughout the week.
Despite their Week 13 bye, the Browns still have several players dealing with nagging injuries. Harrison was limited all week, while Jackson was limited on Friday after not practicing Wednesday and Thursday. Elliott was limited on Thursday and Friday after not appearing on Wednesday’s injury report.
Giants at Chargers (-10)
- Giants: DB Adoree’ Jackson (quad), WR Kadarius Toney (oblique), QB Daniel Jones (neck) OUT; QB Mike Glennon (concussion), WR Kenny Golladay (rib), WR Sterling Shepard (quad), DL Danny Shelton (calf) QUESTIONABLE
- Chargers: OLB Kyler Fackrell (knee), S Alohi Gilman (quad), CB Asante Samuel Jr. (concussion) OUT; DK Justin Jones QUESTIONABLE
Glennon was cleared from concussion protocols on Friday and is expected to start. Jake Fromm, a second-year quarterback who has yet to play in a regular-season game, will serve as his backup. During his three active seasons at Georgia, Fromm threw 78 touchdowns against 18 interceptions while completing 63.2% of his passes.
Jones did not practice early in the week before being a limited participant later in the week. The Chargers officially ruled Keenan Allen out of Sunday’s game after the Pro Bowl receiver was placed on the team’s reserve/COVID-19 list on Monday.
Lions at Broncos (-10)
- Lions: OLB Julian Okwara (ankle), LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin (shoulder), RB D’Andre Swift (shoulder) OUT; TE T.J. Hockenson (hand) DOUBTFUL; DE Michael Brockers (knee/illness), OLB Austin Bryant (shoulder), OLB Charles Harris (illness), G Jonah Jackson (illness), NT Alim McNeill (illness), T Matt Nelson) ankle), DE Levi Onwuzurike (illness), K Riley Patterson (illness), NT John Penisini (illness), T Penei Sewell (shoulder/illness), G Halapoulivaati Vaitai (illness), DE Nick Williams (illness) QUESTIONABLE
- Broncos: OLB Bradley Chubb (shoulder/ankle), DE Shelby Harris (ankle), RB Melvin Gordon III (ankle) QUESTIONABLE
The Lions have 10 players who are questionable with an illness. Along with those players, the Lions may be without two of their top playmakers in Swift and Hockenson. Detroit will also be without running back Jamaal Williams and safety Tracy Walker, who have been placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
Chubb and Harris were limited on Thursday and Friday after not practicing on Wednesday. Gordon was limited all week. The Broncos will be without safety PJ Locke and running back Mike Boone as both players are on the team’s reserve/COVID-19 list.
49ers (-1.5) at Bengals
- 49ers: RB Trenton Cannon (concussion), LB Dre Greenlaw (concussion), DL Maurice Hurst (calf), RB Elijah Mitchell (concussion, knee), CB Emmanuel Moseley (ankle) OUT; WR Deebo Samuel (groin), CB Dontae Johnson (non-injury related)
- Bengals: HB Chris Evans (ankle), LB Logan Wilson (shoulder) OUT; DT Tyler Shelvin (illness), LB Markus Bailey (neck) DOUBTFUL; CB Chidobe Awuzie (foot), WR Tee Higgins (ankle), RB Joe Mixon (illness) QUESTIONABLE
The 49ers received good news on Friday when Samuel was able to practice in a limited role. Samuel did not practice earlier in the week.
The Bengals would be without two of their key offensive players if Higgins and Mixon are sidelined. Higgins was limited on Thursday and Friday after not practicing Wednesday. Mixon did not practice throughout the week.
Bills at Buccaneers (-3.5)
- Bills: DT Star Lotulelei (toe), TE Tommy Sweeney (hip) OUT; FB Reggie Gilliam (ankle), DE Efe Obada (hip) QUESTIONABLE
- Buccaneers: S Jordan Whitehead (calf) OUT; C Ryan Jensen (ankle), DL William Gholston (wrist, knee), CB Jamel Dean (concussion), WR Jaelon Darden (concussion) QUESTIONABLE
Sweeney and Lotulelei were both trending in the wrong direction after missing practice on both Thursday and Friday. Meanwhile, the Bills were without wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders during Friday’s practice, but the team did not indicate that his absence was injury related and he carries no designation heading into the weekend, so he should be good to go.
Whitehead was unable to get on the practice field all week, so the Buccaneers officially ruling him out seemed more of a formality than anything else. As for Jensen, he returned to practice on a limited basis on Friday after missing the rest of the week, which gives him a chance of suiting up.
Bears at Packers (-12.5)
- Bears: LB Cassius Marsh (knee) OUT; WR Marquise Goodwin (foot), QB Andy Dalton (left hand) DOUBTFUL; DT Akiem Hicks (ankle), DE Mario Edwards Jr. (ribs) QUESTIONABLE
- Packers: WR Randall Cobb (core), OT David Bakhtiari (knee) OUT; LB De’Vondre Campbell (illness) QUESTIONABLE
The good new for Chicago is that both David Montgomery (shoulder, glute, groin) and Allen Robinson (hamstring) were full participants in practice on Friday and carry no injury designation heading into Sunday’s matchup. Quarterback Justin Fields — who has missed time due to a rib injury — also practiced in full throughout the week and will start.
Cobb could miss the remainder of the season after undergoing core muscle surgery, so him being ruled out here is merely a formality before he’s placed on IR. Green Bay will be without Bakhtiari as he did not practice all week due to his knee injury. Campbell popped up on the injury report on Friday due to an illness and is questionable, so his status is worth monitoring as well.
Rams at Cardinals (-2.5), Monday
- Rams:
- Cardinals:
Analysis to come.