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UNDERSTANDING THE NFL'S INJURY REPORT

The injury report released by the NFL is two reports. The first is the Practice Participation report, which lists which injured players were able to practice and how much. It also includes players who rested or missed practice for non-injury related reasons. The second is the Game Status Report, which gives the probability a player will play, i.e. Questionable, Doubtful, Out. The Practice Participation Report is released every day of the week (Monday through Saturday). The Game Status Report is released with the Friday participation report (Wednesday for Thursday games, Saturday for Monday games).

In this feature, I'll include the Game Status Listing, my expectation of their likelihood to play, and the player's practice participation throughout the week.

Key:

PLAYER | INJURY | GAME STATUS LISTING | FOOTBALLGUYS EXPECTATION

Practice Participation Listing by Day

* = playing on Monday night

I'll also include a table at the bottom of the article for easy reference.

Here's the latest on every relevant injured player on the practice participation and game status report this week:

Fast Track News and Notes

Scroll down for full details, extensive updates, and the complete table of projected availability. Here are the most important notes for this week's games:

***Tyreek Hill's status remains unclear. Overnight reports suggest Hill is dealing with soreness and may need to prove himself ready in pre-game warmups.

***George Kittle is trending toward playing through a late-week groin strain. Reports overnight indicate he's likely to be limited.

***Alvin Kamara is likely to play but may not be fit enough to see a full workload.

***Christian McCaffrey will see his usual 90+% workload unless game script allows the Panthers to rest him.

***Hunter Henry is trending toward the active roster but will play in limited personnel packages and situations.

***David Johnson may play but will see fewer touches if active.

QUARTERBACK

Patrick Mahomes II | Ankle | Not Listed | Expected to Play

Practice Participation: Wed - Full | Thurs - Full | Fri - Full

Mahomes has battled a high ankle sprain for weeks. The injury is relatively mild but high ankle sprains are difficult to brace and support and aggravations occur frequently. Last Sunday night, Mahomes was stepped on, often forced to work through linemen around his feet, and repeatedly chased from the pocket. The ankle affected his mobility during the second half.

Mahomes told reporters his health is "not perfect" but he practiced all week and believes he can run and cut as needed.

Unfortunately, the same issues face the Chiefs and Mahomes this week. The offensive line will be without multiple starters. Tackle Eric Fisher (groin) and guard Andrew Wylie (ankle) are likely out. The offense may still be without Tyreek Hill -- more on that below. And the Texans have J.J. Watt, Whitney Mercilus, and D.J. Reader bringing pressure from all angles.

Mahomes is healthy enough to play and his ceiling expectation remains in play. But the ingredients for another week of struggle are also still here.

Others of note: Aaron Rodgers (knee), Matthew Stafford (hip), Gardner Minshew (groin), and Case Keenum (foot) have practiced, are not listed on the game status report, and are expected to play. Drew Brees (thumb), Cam Newton (foot), and Mason Rudolph (concussion) are doubtful or have been declared out and will not play. Return to play expectations on all inactive and injured players will be updated in Monday's column.

RUNNING BACK

Christian McCaffrey | Back | Not Listed | Expected to Play

Practice Participation: Wed - DNP | Thurs - Full | Fri - Full

McCaffrey's acrobatic touchdown last week resulted in some back soreness early this week. The Panthers, planning to continue to play McCaffrey every down, have begun to limit his practice reps. The Wednesday DNP was briefly worrisome but there is no indication McCaffrey was held out with a longer-term, limiting injury.

McCaffrey is expected to see his usual heavy workload this week.

Alvin Kamara | Ankle | Questionable | Likely to Play

Practice Participation: Wed - Not Listed | Thurs - Limited | Fri - DNP

Kamara was added to the New Orleans injury report on Thursday as limited with an ankle injury. There weren't any follow up reports of a serious injury but Friday's missed practice escalated concern.

On Friday, Tom Pelissero reported Kamara's injury is "not major" and his Friday absence was "precautionary...but one to watch." While that's optimistic and implies Kamara is likely to play, I'm not fully reassured. The Saints also held Latavius Murray out of Friday's practice -- for non-injury related reasons. It's hard not to see that decision as anything other than concern over Kamara's status and the team adding an extra layer of protection for the running back depth chart.

For now, I expect Kamara to be active and play. I'm not confident Kamara will see his usual 80-20 share of the workload, however, and I'll be reading the overnight news updates carefully for additional context.

Sunday Update: Ian Rapoport tweeted Kamara's Thursday injury was a "tweak" and he is expected to play after participating in Saturday's walk-through. Adam Schefter also confirms Kamara is "expected to play."

David Johnson | Back | Questionable | Likely to Play

Practice Participation: Wed - DNP | Thurs - DNP | Fri - Limited

Johnson continues to deal with back soreness and managed only a limited Friday practice this week.

General manager Steve Keim said the team was "encouraged" by Johnson's rehab and there were reports throughout the week Johnson had made progress. Keim ultimately said he wasn't 100% certain about Johnson's status. Kliff Kingsbury would only say Johnson was considered a game-time decision in his Friday press conference.

Johnson told reporters he was "good to go" but his availability will depend on how he feels Sunday. Regardless, the evidence points to a limited workload if he's active.

Sunday Update: Adam Schefter reports Johnson is expected to play today.

Todd Gurley | Quadricep | Doubtful | Inactive

Practice Participation: Wed - DNP | Thurs - DNP | Fri - DNP

Two weeks ago, Gurley played a season-high 74 snaps. Last week, Gurley played 93% of the Rams' offensive snaps. After an offseason in which the team suggested they'd limit Gurley's workload and expressed confidence in Malcolm Brown and Darrell Henderson, the tide had clearly turned.

On Wednesday, Gurley couldn't practice with what's been described as a thigh contusion. The Rams seemed surprised, with Sean McVay telling reporters Gurley caught the team "off-guard" and implying the team had likely planned to continue Gurley's high usage before Wednesday's evaluation.

As extensively chronicled this offseason, Gurley has arthritis in his surgically-repaired knee. Flare-ups and compensatory injuries are common and while this injury is reportedly a bruise, it's possible there's more here than reported given the team's surprise at Gurley's condition. It's also possible Gurley's bruise didn't heal as quickly as the team expected after they broke for the weekend after their Week 4 Thursday night game.

Either way, the chronic knee condition is a factor here. Any change in Gurley's gait raises the likelihood of a joint flare and the team wasn't even comfortable allowing Gurley to participate in individual drills this week. The Rams list Gurley doubtful but he won't play this week.

Sunday update: The Rams ruled Gurley out, per multiple local and national media reports, on Saturday.

Others of note: Chris Carson (shoulder), LeSean McCoy (ankle), Jamaal Williams (concussion), and Carlos Hyde (shoulder/thigh) have practiced, are not listed on the game status report, and are expected to play. Jaylen Samuels (knee), Darren Sproles (quad), Corey Clement (shoulder), and Justin Jackson (calf) are doubtful or have been declared out and will not play. Return to play expectations on all inactive and injured players will be updated in Monday's column.

WIDE RECEIVER

Tyreek Hill | Shoulder | Questionable | Game-time Decision

Practice Participation: Wed - Limited | Thurs - Limited | Fri - Limited

Hill suffered a sternoclavicular dislocation in Week 1. While the injury is rare, most players have returned within 4-6 weeks and Hill's rehab has reportedly gone smoothly. He was cleared to run and improve his fitness and conditioning within ten days of the injury, has been running routes and catching passes for three weeks, and participated in scout team drills this week.

But he's not yet been cleared for contact. The Chiefs have given little indication of how close Hill is to clearing that final hurdle.

Kansas City plays at home in the early afternoon time slot. But we'll know whether Hill can play by Saturday night. Expect the national media to compete hard to break the story on Hill's availability.

I believe there's two likely outcomes here. Either Hill is inactive or he'll be available for a full workload. The probability of a limited workload seems remote.

While Hill's injury could have been significantly more serious, there were no injuries to the vessels and structures behind the joint. Assuming Hill's SC joint is stable enough for contact, the chances of a subsequent injury to these structures should not be high.

Should Hill be cleared to play, the arguments for an immediate return to a full workload include:

• The risk of re-injury is not higher on Snap #46 than Snap #1. Clearance for contact implies the joint is stable.
• Hill may not be fully reconditioned for contact but he's been performing all football-related activities for weeks.
• Hill's role in the Kansas City offense is a known commodity and doesn't require advance game plan notice.
• There are no other receivers capable of approximating what Hill offers the Chiefs' offense.

Unless there's a clear report to the contrary, expect Hill to see a significant number of snaps and targets if he's active.

Sunday update: Per Adam Schefter, the Chiefs plan to test Hill pregame before making a final decision on his availability. While Hill is said to have a "serious chance" to play, the Chiefs may choose to be cautious with a Thursday game to follow. There are some optimistic tones in this report but I still believe this is an "if he's ready, he's ready" decision.

Sunday update: Ian Rapoport reports Hill is trending toward playing and tweets the team's caution is due to soreness he felt during the week.

This morning's reports suggest the Chiefs are comfortable with the stability of Hill's joint. If that's accurate, the decision is now Hill's to make and the Thursday game could be a meaningful data point. It also increases the possibility of a limited snap count. Expect more updates as the morning progresses.

Sunday update: Hill's playing status is a very tough call this morning. Throughout the week, I felt this was a zero-sum decision and saw relatively little chance of Hill playing a limited role.

The overnight reports suggest the Chiefs are comfortable with Hill playing but he's reporting soreness. This likely means Hill is no longer having joint instability but there may be a football re-conditioning issue limiting his movement. If that's the case, you'd think he'd not play, especially with a Thursday game upcoming. However, the Chiefs could use him to stretch the field. I wouldn't say he's a decoy -- he can still run and Mahomes will throw him the ball if open -- but the muddier possibility of limited snaps and targets now carries a higher probability than I felt earlier this week.

I'll continue to update with more context from local writers during warmups.

Sunday update: Adam Schefter, Ian Rapoport, and Chris Mortensen are all reporting Hill felt good during pregame warmups. I believe this means Hill feels comfortable handling everything asked of him as a wide receiver. I expect the Chiefs to allow Hill to assume close to his pre-injury workload.

Marquise Brown | Ankle | Questionable | Likely Inactive

Practice Participation: Wed - DNP | Thurs - DNP | Fri - DNP

On Monday, John Harbaugh told reporters Brown's injury was "nothing serious" and wasn't expected to be a long-term injury. The Ravens have frequently limited the practice time of starters early in the week and Wednesday DNP didn't prompt concern from local writers. But the Thursday DNP raised flags and the Friday DNP is even more worrisome.

Harbaugh said Brown would be a game-time decision but had hoped Brown would practice Friday. That's a stark contrast to Harbaugh's more optimistic statements when Brown didn't practice earlier this year, then played.

Expect Brown to be inactive.

Sunday update: Adam Schefter reports the Ravens are "uncertain" about Brown this morning. I still believe he is likely inactive today.

Christian Kirk | Ankle | Questionable | Likely Inactive

Practice Participation: Wed - Limited | Thurs - Limited | Fri - Limited

Kirk continues to make progress after a Week 4 high ankle sprain and had a full week of limited practice. The Cardinals have vowed to be careful with Kirk's recovery and his questionable listing gives him a chance to play. I think it's more likely Arizona waits to see Kirk capable of a full practice than choosing to allow him a limited workload at less than full strength. I have Kirk as a game-time decision but see him as more doubtful than questionable.

Sunday update: Kirk is likely inactive today.

Kenny Stills | Hamstring | Questionable | Game-time Decision

Practice Participation: Wed - Limited | Thurs - Limited | Fri - Limited

Bill O'Brien told reporters Stills is a game-time decision. Stills says he's ready to play and told reporters on Friday he felt "awesome" and believes he's ready to play if "coach wants me out there."

Sunday update: Stills is unlikely to play today per local and national writers.

Others of note: Julio Jones (hip), Adam Thielen (illness), Odell Beckham (hip), Amari Cooper (ankle), Michael Gallup (knee), Chris Godwin (hip), Courtland Sutton (leg), Emmanuel Sanders (quadricep), Brandin Cooks (concussion), Robby Anderson (back), Marquez Valdes-Scantling (hamstring/calf) and have practiced, are not listed on the game status report, and are expected to play without limitation. Davante Adams (toe), Sammy Watkins (hamstring), A.J. Green (ankle), DeSean Jackson (abdomen), and are doubtful or have been declared out and will not play. Return to play expectations on all inactive and injured players will be updated in Monday's column.

TIGHT END

George Kittle | Groin | Questionable | Awaiting Information

Practice Participation: Wed - Not Listed | Thurs - Not Listed | Fri - Limited

Kittle strained a groin muscle during Friday's practice and left for more evaluation. Kyle Shanahan said he thought Kittle was likely to play but didn't have much to share with reporters in his post-practice press conference.

For now, I think "no news is good news" applies to Kittle's Sunday status. Shanahan told reporters he'd yet to follow up with the team's medical staff and his questionable-but-likely comment was more guesswork than expectation. But if Kittle's injury was immediately known to be serious or the team was anxious about a possible Friday MRI finding, it's not been reportedly locally or by the major media outlets.

I'm tentatively optimistic on Kittle. But late-week soft tissue injuries are worrisome. Even low grade injuries are tough to rehab within 48 hours and carry a high risk of aggravation.

I'll have more on Kittle overnight and Sunday morning.

Sunday update: Adam Schefter reports Kittle is expected to play but "there is some concern about whether he will be able to finish the game."

Mark Andrews | Shoulder | Questionable | Expected to Play

Practice Participation: Wed - DNP | Thurs - Limited | Fri - Full

The Ravens use the questionable tag on players with a high likelihood of playing and on players who are doubtful to play. Andrews is again in the former category after a full Friday practice.

This week, it's a shoulder condition limiting Andrews' early-week practice. Two weeks ago, Andrews told reporters he'd nearly recovered from his foot injury and it's good to see that no longer listed on the practice report. Andrews continues to see about 50% of the team's offensive snaps and has seen between 7-9 targets every week. That's unlikely to change in Week 6.

Hunter Henry | Knee | Questionable | Likely to Play

Practice Participation: Wed - Limited | Thurs - Limited | Fri - Full

Henry suffered a tibial plateau fracture in Week 1 and was expected to be out for at least four weeks. There are many variations of these fractures and recovery depends on location and severity. Some injuries do not require prolonged immobilization and rehab. Henry was back sprinting within four weeks, has been participating in individual drills for two weeks, and was cleared for a full practice on Friday.

Anthony Lynn told reporters the team wanted to see how Henry responded to the full week of practice before activating him on Sunday. Lynn also implied Henry would not see a full workload, saying he'd "put [Henry] out there for a few plays." Those few plays are likely to be high leverage and end zone snaps.

Henry looks to be strongly trending toward playing in Week 6 but it may be another week or two before he's reconditioned enough to see a full workload.

Sunday update: Henry is likely to be active today.

*T.J. Hockenson | Concussion | Questionable | Likely to Play

Practice Participation: Thurs - Limited | Fri - Full | Sat - Full

Hockenson's Week 4 injury was scary. But it's important to remember that every concussion is different and that the most visible symptoms -- loss of consciousness, stumbling gait, emotional behavior -- should not be taken as a harbinger of a more severe injury. Other symptoms -- especially amnesia of events before and after injury -- are more predictive of prolonged recovery. Also, concussions are not be graded as "mild" or "severe" and it's the improvement or progression in symptoms that inform the recovery process.

It's also important for players to start exercise as soon as their symptoms allow. Total brain rest is no longer thought to be necessary and multiple studies suggest total rest may slow recovery.

If Hockenson's physical and neurologic exam was reassuring, his cognitive and balance testing are approaching baseline, and he isn't reporting ongoing or recurrent symptoms, it's appropriate to gradually increase his exercise level and practice participation. That's what the return-to-play protocol is about.

But it doesn't mean the Lions will clear him to play this week.

The full practice suggests the Detroit medical staff feels Hockenson is safe for exposure to contact. It also likely means they've decided to advance Hockenson to assess whether he's safe to send to the independent neurologist for final clearance to play. Assuming Hockenson responds well to Friday's workout, we'll likely see the Lions allow another full Saturday practice before sending Hockenson for his final evaluation.

Saturday update: Hockenson fully practiced on Saturday and was likely sent for formal clearance by the independent neurologist. Expect him to be active Sunday night. I'll update with any overnight news.

Others of note: Delanie Walker (knee) and Vance McDonald (shoulder) have practiced, are not listed on the game status report, and are expected to play without limitation. Jordan Reed (concussion) and Vernon Davis (concussion) are listed doubtful or have been declared out and will not play. Return to play expectations on all inactive and injured players will be updated in Monday's column.

Practice Participation, Game Status Report, and Playing Expectations

*Note: Monday night players with asterisk practice Thursday/Friday/Saturday.