The following will be a quick-hitting recall of last week’s previous injuries with any tidbits of news or assessment that can be gleaned during the early stages of the week. This article exists to cover only new injuries as most weeks some player injuries end up slipping through the cracks or are just relevant enough to crop up in a meaningful way down the road. Later this week the Injury Report will be published that will include all player injuries new and old.
Baker Mayfield - Ribs
Baker had negative x-rays on his ribs but that doesn’t mean he won’t be playing through pain next week. A pain tolerance issue for players always jacks their volatility through the roof. Look for him to ease into practice this week.
Drew Lock - Shoulder
Apparently, Lock was taking first-team reps again last week meaning he was close. He’ll likely be out there in Week Six. Depending on the amount of pain he’s playing through, his volatility is moderate.
Jimmy Garoppolo - Ankle
He didn’t look good on Sunday and apparently the ankle is still bothering him. Volatility is moderate but even if he was fully healthy, would you trust him this week?
Kyle Allen- Arm
I’m not entirely sure what this injury is to be quite frank but apparently he’ll be ready to roll next week. Gross.
Dalvin Cook - Groin
Cook apparently injured his groin on Sunday and could miss zero weeks…or up to 5 weeks depending on the severity and how the Vikings manage this injury. Muscular strains can be vicious and if they bring him back too soon, he could re-aggravate the issue. I’m not going to pretend like this is the type of injury woes I predicted for Cook in the preseason, but nevertheless, here they are. He’s still a highly volatile player moving forward in 2020. The problem is he’s so damn good.
Update: Per multiple sources, it looks like Cook will miss Week 6.
A.J. Green - Hamstring
Green is out with a hamstring strain and these are all too familiar for the 32-year-old receiver. It’s never fun to watch this kind of breakdown but Zac Taylor already said there’s “no timetable” for Green’s return. To me, as an injury analyst, Green is droppable.
DJ Chark - Ankle
Last year, Chark suffered an ankle sprain that knocked him out of a game but didn’t cost him time. He also has apparently missed quite a bit of time in the past for ankle ailments. This is, uh, not ideal if you roster Chark (including me).
Sammy Watkins - Hamstring
Watkins has a history of hamstring strains and the struggle now continues with Schefty reporting he could miss a couple of weeks. I concur.
Keenan Allen - Back
Allen has a back injury. The reality is most players come back from back injuries within a week so I’m not too concerned quite yet but he’ll be mentioned in the Week 6 Injury Previous so keep an eye out.
Diontae Johnson - Back
The same goes for Johnson as Tomlin has already said he’s expected to play. The exact quote is “I think he may be available next week.” In Tomlin land, he may as well have said the injury never happened but keep an eye on the reports.
Players to watch as the week progresses:
