Analysis: Injury report is game within the game - USATODAY.com Analysis: Injury report is game within the game Updated What's this? By Scott Boeck and Skip Wood, USA TODAY The New England Patriots say star quarterback Tom Brady has had a sore right shoulder — for more than 2½ seasons. Asked recently about his ailing joint, Brady all but smirked. "It's feeling good," he said, but "I'm sure it will show up on the injury report." Just as it has every week since the start of the 2005 season, giving the two-time Super Bowl Most Valuable Player another distinction: He's the only NFL player who has been on the league's official injury report before every game during that time, a USA TODAY analysis shows. INSIDE THE NUMBERS: Injury report analysis by week, by team The remarks by Brady — who has started 104 consecutive regular-season games, dating from Sept. 30, 2001 — reflect a not-so-hidden fact about the inner workings of the NFL.

The injury list, designed 60 years ago in part to prevent gambling interests from getting inside information on players' health, has become the focus of so much gamesmanship that coaches and teams put little stock in it. Media outlets (including USA TODAY) make the NFL's injury list a staple of their coverage, but many teams aim to meet the league's reporting requirements while offering as little meaningful information as possible to their foes. Some teams (the Patriots and the defending Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts, for example) have done so by reporting every little nick to a player, making it difficult to tell who's really hurt. "If you want to be real technical about it," former Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins coach Jimmy Johnson says of the injury report, "you could list the majority of your team," because in a sport as violent as pro football, nearly all players "have something that's not 100%." Meanwhile, other teams — in recent years, the Cowboys under former coach Bill Parcells, for example — hardly list anyone as injured unless they are totally unable to play. Then there are teams that have used sleight of hand in reporting injuries.

Former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher, who resigned last January after 15 seasons with the team, acknowledges telling a fib or two to try to protect his players. "Sometimes when a guy had an ankle (injury), I might list it as a knee, just because I didn't want people knowing where to take shots at my players," Cowher says. On the Patriots' injury list, Brady has been listed as "probable" every week except one, late in the 2005 season, when he was listed as questionable. Under NFL guidelines, that means having a better than 50% chance of playing. Players listed as "questionable" are 50-50, "doubtful" means a 75% chance of not playing and "out" means just that. That's the idea, anyway. Teams can be fined for providing false information on their injury report, but such fines are rare. During the past 10 years, the NFL has fined 13 teams for such violations. The most recent fine was last year, says league spokesman Greg Aiello, who declined to identify the team, its actions or the amount it was fined.

Aiello does say that fines for injury reporting violations have ranged from $5,000 to $25,000. He says the last team to be fined $25,000 was the Denver Broncos, who were penalized in 1999 for failing to make a "timely and full disclosure" of a hip injury that quarterback Bubby Brister suffered in practice two days before a game. Besides Brady's injury-list streak, USA TODAY's analysis of nearly 9,400 entries to the NFL's injury list since the start of the 2005 season through the 11th week of this season reveals that: •Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre , who has started a league-record 248 consecutive games (dating from Sept. 27, 1992), has appeared on the injury report just seven times during the 2½-year span. •Only 10 times since the start of the 2005 season has a team reported no injuries heading into a game — three times in 2005, six times in 2006 and once in 2007.

Former Cowboys coach Parcells, who retired after last season, listed no injuries in Weeks 12, 13, 14 and 15 of last season. Overall, the Cowboys, by far, had the lowest number of total injury listings during the period analyzed: 103. The second-lowest total belonged to the Buffalo Bills: 190. The Cowboys averaged 2.2 injury listings per week in 2005 and 1.2 in 2006. This season, their first with Wade Phillips as head coach, the Cowboys appear to have been more revealing about injuries, averaging 4.9 listings per week. MOST USE OF INJURY REPORT: Team-by-team analysis •In contrast to the Cowboys, the Indianapolis Colts, who had the greatest number of total injury listings during the period studied (527), averaged 12.4 injury listings per week in 2005 and 16.9 in 2006 — or nearly one-third of the team's 53-man roster of active players. The Colts were averaging 5.9 listings per week this season.

•The Tennessee Titans never listed a player as doubtful in 2006 or in 2005, but nearly 90% of the players they put on the injury list during that span were designated as questionable. That suggests the Titans did not want their opponents to think that various players' injuries were particularly serious, even if they might have been. No other team had fewer than four players listed as doubtful over those two years, and half the teams had at least 15. When the Titans listed players as questionable during those two years, they wound up playing in the next game 69%% of the time. 'There should be disclosure' The NFL injury report dates from 1947, when it was mandated by then-commissioner Bert Bell because of an incident the previous season. It "had to do with a player who was injured and (unexpectedly) didn't play in the game," Aiello says. "There were questions about that, and (Bell) realized that wasn't good for the integrity of the league, so there should be disclosure about the condition of players." These days, billions of dollars are wagered on NFL games by 40 million people each week, says USA TODAY oddsmaker Danny Sheridan.

While acknowledging that opaquely, the league says the injury report also aims to provide transparency to the public about players' health status for games. In recent years the injury list has gained a new generation of followers: those in fantasy football leagues that award points based on real NFL players' statistics. Fantasy team owners check the injury list each week while deciding which players to use on their squads. In general, the injury list is supposed to "eliminate so-called 'inside information' that could be improperly exploited," Aiello says, and "to serve public interest and (provide the) status of players for upcoming games, players who have an injury of some type that may not be available." In 2004, the NFL's competition committee began requiring teams to file reports on their practice sessions. Teams are required to list who did not participate, fully participate or had limited participation in practice. Teams playing Sunday games must submit practice reports every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The injury list must be submitted Friday and updated as needed Saturday. USA TODAY based its analysis on the Friday report. Although teams and sports bookmakers more or less roll their eyes about injury reports, some coaches remain cagey about them.

The NFL is investigating a recent situation regarding the Houston Texans and how they listed running back Ahman Green , Aiello says. During the week before their Oct. 28 game against the San Diego Chargers, Green — who had aggravated a knee injury the previous game — was listed as a limited participant in practice Wednesday and Thursday, a full participant Friday and then listed as "probable" for the game. Green wound up not playing. The discrepancy theoretically could have given the Texans an advantage over the Chargers, who, based on the injury reports, had to prepare for the game as if Green would play. The NFL is examining the details of Green's week of practice and Texans coach Gary Kubiak's role in determining Green's status on the injury report. "We are reviewing the practice tapes and medical reports," Aiello says. Whether or how teams decide to list players is mostly up to the teams. That's one reason you won't find Favre on the Packers' practice reports. "With Brett, typically we err on the side of caution," Packers spokesman Jeff Blumb says.

"If there's something, we'll list it, but we know and most of the country knows he's going to play, so we don't see any benefit from trying to play games." Colts general manager Bill Polian, a member of the league's competition committee, says his team lists more players than others because "we err on the side of full disclosure. It's really that simple." Or is it? Titans coach Jeff Fisher, who along with Atlanta Falcons general manager Rich McKay is co-chairman of the NFL's competition committee, notes that different coaches and general managers with the same teams sometimes have differing philosophies about whom to put on the injury list. Fisher adds he doesn't get involved with compiling the Titans' reports and so he's unable to speak about why Tennessee had no players listed as "doubtful" the past two seasons. That has not been the case this season, the first under new GM Mike Reinfeldt, who took over for Floyd Reese. Reese says that "in my mind, it just made more sense to list a guy as 50-50. It just seemed more realistic.

I know what the language is, 50 this or 25 that, but what if you're 35%? I do think now, though, the ability to practice and how that's listed is much more valuable." Fisher agrees. "I think the injury report is as healthy as it's ever been, especially with the listing of practice participation," says Fisher, speaking as co-chairman of the committee. "The league monitors it closely and we all have a responsibility to be truthful, but I don't think it's ever going to be an absolute perfect system." Other than the relatively nominal fine, which can be assessed only after the fact, there is little deterrent to teams who decide to make an injury report that suits their interest, rather than, as the NFL's Aiello puts it, the "public interest." Take, for example, Parcells' sparse injury lists.

Parcells did not respond to attempts to contact him, but Cowboys spokesman Rich Dalrymple says: "Bill just always had a philosophy that (the injury report) was more of a message to his own team — that he wanted them to be tough and didn't want a lot of players in the training room." But "if a player was hurt, he acknowledged that." An 'iffy' impact on planning Former Cowboys coach Johnson says scanning injury reports "rarely had an effect on our preparation, unless it's a key player like a quarterback, and even then, it's iffy." In Las Vegas, bookmakers look at the injury list as a sketch of information. "We do pay attention to it, but even with coaches playing their little games, it's still pretty straightforward," says Kenny White, the chief operating officer of Las Vegas Sports Consultants. "The rule of thumb is, if a guy's listed as questionable, he plays 90% of the time." Yet the injury list's imprecise distinctions leave fertile ground for skullduggery in a league in which cheating has been a hot topic since September, when the Patriots were caught violating NFL rules by taping opponents' defensive signals during games.

Coach Bill Belichick was fined $500,000 and the team was penalized $250,000 and possibly a first-round draft choice next year. Brady, when discussing the Patriots' injury reports, says Belichick doesn't "give away a lot of information and talk about injuries and everything that everyone probably wants to know, but … that's for the players. He protects us because he wants us to have the best advantage every single week." Patriots spokesman Stacey James says the team does not know how or when Brady's injury occurred, only that the shoulder is "sore." Cowher's take on Brady's condition? He chuckles. "Well, yeah, I mean, come on," he says. Belichick is "never going to be very revealing, so as (an opposing) coach, you know that. I just hope Tom gets better soon." Contributing: Jarrett Bell and Tom Pedulla Share this story: NFL Fantasy Help: Injury Report and Inactives Help Injury Report and Inactives Stay up to date on the latest injuries that affect your fantasy matchup with your league's customized Injury Report.

Select "Players" from the Fantasy Navigation and click "Injury Report" for a convenient glance at the latest injury updates. Get the full scoop on a player's injury with date, injury, practice status, and game status updates direct from NFL teams to you. NFL.com relays the official injury report information for every player so that Fantasy owners can make the best decisions on which players to start each week. Final injury designations are made on game days, where players are listed as either Active (eligible to play) or Inactive (will not play) for the game. On game day, visit the Inactives tab within the Injury Report to double check your lineup decisions. Injury Designations NFL coaching staffs are required to provide an injury report that is updated throughout the week.

On these reports, players are listed as: Inactive (IA) - Players are officially inactive for the current game and will not play Out (O) � Not scheduled to play Doubtful (D) � Players have approximately a 25% chance of playing Questionable (Q) � Players have approximately a 50% chance of playing Probable (P) � Players are very likely to start in the upcoming week Preseason Injury News NFL.com keeps you up to date in the live draft client with the latest injury and rehab news on players across the league. While drafting, keep your eyes out for a red "INJ" designation which notes that a player is either injured or recovering from an offseason injury. Simply scroll over the alert to get full analysis from NFL.com on how it should impact your draft.

Information NFL Injury Report - CBSSports.com CBSSports.com Updated: Fri Jan 20 08:38:12 EST 2017 Injury Categories PUP - Physically Unable to Perform IR - Injured Reserve OUT - Definitely will not play Doubtful - 75 percent chance will not play Questionable - 50/50 chance of playing NFL Fantasy Help: Players Help Players In fantasy football, you are the Owner, General Manager and Coach of your team. Due to this, you need to know how the game affects the players on your roster and how to maximize their performance. The subjects below explain how the players on your roster are impacted by the rules of fantasy football. Fantasy Scoring Fantasy points are generated from the action on the field. When a player on your team catches a touchdown, kicks a field goal or records a sack, your fantasy team earns points for the week (dependent on league scoring settings). The sum of your team�s starting players� points combine to compete against the total for your opponent's team for the week. Position Eligibility Positions are initially set for all players in advance of the season based on training camp rosters and official positions as designated by each individual NFL team.

If a player is listed on NFL.com as a Quarterback, he is eligible to be started on your fantasy team as a quarterback. The same is true for all other positions on your fantasy roster with the only exception being the Flex positions (dependent on league settings). In the Flex positions, you may start a player that is either a wide receiver or a running back (WR/RB) or a wide receiver or tight end (WR/TE). You may not start a player at a position for which he is not eligible (i.e. you may not start a quarterback as a wide receiver). In the case where a player's primary NFL position has changed and through working with the player's NFL team and the official statistician of the league, Elias Sports Bureau, it is determined that the player's fantasy position should be updated, this may be done at NFL.com's sole discretion. NFL coaching staffs are required to provide an injury report that is updated throughout the week.

On these reports, players are listed as: Out � Not scheduled to play Doubtful � Players have approximately a 25% chance of playing Questionable � Players have approximately a 50% chance of playing Probable � Players are very likely to start in the upcoming week Each week, NFL.com relays the official injury report information for every player in the NFL. With this information, Fantasy owners can make the best decisions on which players to start each week. Final injury designations are made on game days, where players are listed as either Active (eligible to play) or Inactive (will not play) for the game. You can navigate to the latest injury report from the "Players" tab at the top of the screen. Once on that page, you will see the injured player, the team owner of that player, when they were injured, what type of injury, their latest practice status and upcoming game status. Undroppable Players In order to establish a competitive and balanced NFL.com Fantasy experience, the experts at NFL.com maintain a regularly updated list of players who cannot be dropped from your roster once they have been acquired. Players on this list are still eligible to be benched or traded, but not dropped or placed on waivers.

This feature promotes a fair game for all fantasy users by preventing actions that could compromise the integrity of the game. You can navigate to the undroppable players list from the "Players" tab at the top of the page. This feature can be disabled in the Custom League settings by the League Manager. Key injury updates for fantasy football Week 14 - NFL - Stephania Bell Blog- ESPN Key injury updates for fantasy football Week 14 Key injury updates for fantasy football Week 14 play Schefter thinks Gronk playing vs. Texans will be challenge (0:35) ESPN's Adam Schefter reacts to Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski returning to practice and shares his thoughts on whether he'll be able to suit up against the Texans. (0:35) Certified orthopedic clinical specialist and strength and conditioning specialist Clinician, author and teacher comment Injury concerns regarding players heading into the Sunday and Monday games can be critical. Each week, this Saturday blog entry will be dedicated to those who appear on the official Friday NFL injury report and how their statuses might impact fantasy teams. For those who might be new to this blog, injury reports provide some insight to a player's status.

The NFL requires teams to submit their injury reports several times a week, identifying the body part that is involved in the injury. Early in the week, these reports will indicate whether a player is not practicing, is limited in practice or is a full participant in practice. On Fridays, all players on the injury report are assigned one of the following designations by their teams: probable, questionable, doubtful or out. The designations in this blog reflect the injury reports filed with the league office on Friday evening. Teams playing Monday night do not have to issue their designations until Saturday. The explanation for each designation is as follows: Out: This is the easy one; the guy's not playing Sunday. Probable (P): This designation indicates a player is expected to play, barring a setback between the final injury report and kickoff. Questionable (Q): This is the most dreaded player designation, yet it manages to be the one most frequently utilized by teams (sometimes to keep everyone guessing). It means a player's status is on the fence; there is technically a 50-50 chance that he will be on the field come game time, although some teams utilize the questionable designation far more broadly.

Whether a player ends up active or inactive often comes down to a game-time decision based on how he feels on game-day morning or how he performs during warm-ups. Final inactives are due 90 minutes before kickoff. Doubtful (D): The doubtful designation means a player has theoretically less than a 25 percent chance of playing that week. Rarely does a player labeled as doubtful end up playing, unless he experiences a major turnaround before game time. Each week in the Saturday blog, we run down a list of key fantasy players, by position, who appear in the Friday injury report, along with the injured body part as listed on the report, player status and any relevant developments or insight. The primary fantasy positions are covered (quarterback, running back, wide receiver and tight end). At the end, key fantasy players listed Friday as "out" for that week's games will appear as a group. The Cardinals and Vikings had their matchup Thursday night, and with no remaining byes, there are 15 more contests ahead this weekend. Good luck in Week 14, everyone!

Quarterbacks Sam Bradford , Philadelphia Eagles , left shoulder, (P): Bradford returned to action last Sunday following a two-week absence to recover from both a concussion and a left shoulder injury. There were no reported setbacks, but his shoulder keeps him on the injury report. He is expected to make his usual start this weekend as the Eagles host the Bills. Ryan Fitzpatrick , New York Jets , left thumb, (P): Fitzpatrick remains on the injury report but there is no question about his status. He will start against the Titans Sunday. Philip Rivers , San Diego Chargers , foot, (P): Rivers was on the report last week and he’s here again, but we all know he is going to play. He did have one limited day of practice Wednesday but resumed full reps Thursday and Friday, so there is no doubt as to his status for the upcoming matchup against the Chiefs. Matt Hasselbeck , Indianapolis Colts , neck/back, (P): Hasselbeck absorbed substantial physical abuse last week along with a loss to the Steelers. Originally reported as having suffered a rib injury, it’s safe to say Hasselbeck experienced some pretty significant discomfort through his entire upper half. It’s impressive that he was able to still gut out full practices each day.

Coach Chuck Pagano said early in the week that he expected Hasselbeck would be ready to go by Sunday. Perhaps given his prior optimism (which ultimately proved false) when Andrew Luck’s shoulder health was in question, it made us all skeptics, but it appears Hasselbeck will indeed prove Pagano right when he takes the field in Jacksonville. Matt Schaub , Baltimore Ravens , chest, (Q): It seemed a foregone conclusion earlier in the week that Jimmy Clausen would be making the start for the Ravens against the Seahawks Sunday, but now that appears to be in question. Schaub began doing some throwing late in the week, and despite Clausen taking all the first-team reps in practice (Schaub never officially practiced), coach John Harbaugh had not made an official decision as of Friday. On Saturday, the Ravens promoted quarterback Bryn Renner from the practice squad , however, suggesting Schaub is unlikely to play. It appears it will be Clausen under center for the Ravens. Case Keenum , St. Louis Rams , concussion, (P): Keenum returned to practice on a limited basis last week but wasn’t quite ready to return.

This week Keenum practiced in full each day in advance of his return to action but he faces a potentially tough matchup against the Lions' defense. Running backs Ryan Mathews , Philadelphia Eagles, concussion/groin, (P): Mathews returned to the practice field Tuesday after passing his neurocognitive tests Monday. His inability to do so prior to that time had been the barrier to him resuming practice. Originally injured in Week 10, Mathews is looking to return to game play for the first time in a month. He was able to increase to full practice by Thursday and thus far has had no reported setbacks. Presuming he continues along that path, expect Mathews to play Sunday against the Bills. T.J. Yeldon , Jacksonville Jaguars , groin, (P): Yeldon was added to the injury report Friday but was still listed as a full participant in practice. He was also designated as probable by the team, all of which serves as an indicator to fantasy owners not to be overly concerned about his status. In fact, ESPN.com’s Mike DiRocco reports coach Gus Bradley confirmed Yeldon will indeed play Sunday against the Colts. C.J.

Anderson , ankle and Ronnie Hillman , foot, Denver Broncos , (Q): Although both running backs are listed as questionable, it is Anderson’s status that seems to be murkier. After all, coach Gary Kubiak has already announced that Hillman is the planned starter . As long as there is no setback for him in advance of Sunday’s game against the Raiders, it appears he is on track to play. That said, there have been weeks where the starter has not garnered the most work. If that were to be the case this week, it would likely be because Juwan Thompson , next in line behind Hillman and Anderson, stepped up to the plate. Thompson “has had a good week” according to Kubiak, and given the fact that Anderson has not practiced at all because of soreness in his ankle, it seems unlikely he would play much of a role, even if active. According to ESPN.com’s Jeff Legwold, there is a possibility Anderson could be in uniform as an emergency option, as Kubiak likes to have three backs available. It still remains to be seen how the workload shakes out, but there is little doubt that Thompson is the healthiest of the three heading into Sunday.

Alfred Blue , Houston Texans , back, (P): Blue played despite the back ailment last week and is expected to do so again. He was a full participant in practice each day and has had no reported setbacks. He didn’t see much action last week as Chris Polk played the largest role, but that could change against the Patriots Sunday night. Wide receivers Jordan Matthews , Philadelphia Eagles, back, (Q): Late-week additions to the injury report are never encouraging; they’re even worse when they come on Saturday in the form of “back” and “questionable.” No details have emerged just yet regarding what caused Matthews to be added with a back injury, but his status is clearly in question for Sunday’s game. Thankfully, it is a 1:00 p.m. ET start against the Bills, so fantasy owners should be sure to check the inactives. Julio Jones , Atlanta Falcons , knee, (P): No one wants to see Jones on the injury report at this time of year, not the Falcons and certainly not fantasy owners. The good news is that despite his presence there with a knee ailment, it is all but certain that Jones will be on the field Sunday.

Earlier in the week he indicated his knee was feeling “great” and he upgraded to a full practice after being limited Wednesday and Thursday. Count on him Sunday when the Falcons visit the Panthers. Calvin Johnson , Detroit Lions , ankle, (Q): Johnson has been in health management mode for multiple weeks now, appearing regularly on the injury report as he misses portions of practice to avoid overdoing it in advance of games. This week his questionable status coupled with his non-practice Friday could cause concern, but ESPN.com’s Michael Rothstein provides reassurance , noting “every indication is Johnson will play for Detroit.” Eric Decker , knee and Brandon Marshall , ribs/ankle, New York Jets, (P): The only adjustment to the listing of these two on the injury report is that Marshall now has a rib injury to add to the mix. They continued to practice throughout the week and remain listed as probable, meaning fantasy owners can expect them both to be out there Sunday to face the Titans. Danny Amendola , New England Patriots , knee, (Q): Amendola returned to action last week, so his status appears less in question for this Sunday, despite the questionable tag.

He practiced on a limited basis each day and the expectation is that he will take the field Sunday night against the Texans. Jarvis Landry , Miami Dolphins , knee, (P): Landry played through his knee injury last week but didn’t get the production everyone was hoping for, given the absence of Rishard Matthews due to broken ribs. This week Matthews is out again and Landry is again expected to play after turning in limited practices Friday and Saturday. Fantasy owners have to be hoping for some improved action. It doesn’t hurt that he’ll have a Monday night stage across from his college teammate, Odell Beckham Jr . Emmanuel Sanders , Denver Broncos, ankle/finger, (P): Sanders didn’t have his most productive game in Week 13, but at least he emerged no worse for the wear. He remains on the injury report this week but has been a full participant in practice daily and is set to take the field against the Raiders. Torrey Smith , back/toe, (Q) and Anquan Boldin , hamstring, (P), San Francisco 49ers : Boldin has been playing since Week 11 with the hamstring issue and has become a favored target of Blaine Gabbert .

Expect that trend to continue as Boldin takes the field for the 49ers against the Browns. Smith did not practice Thursday, reportedly as a precautionary measure, but did return Friday and was listed as a full participant. Although Smith is expected to play Sunday , the questionable tag reminds fantasy owners to verify his status prior to kickoff. Thankfully, this is an early kickoff (1 p.m. ET). Brandin Cooks , concussion and Willie Snead , calf, New Orleans Saints , (P): The word "concussion" next to Cooks’ name was a source of confusion this week, starting Thursday when his name first surfaced on the injury report. Due to the concussion label, it initially appeared as if Cooks, who had been a regular practice participant Thursday, must have suffered a concussion at some point late in practice. As it turns out, Cooks reported symptoms which could be suggestive of concussion (such as dizziness, headache) after practice and the medical staff decided to put him through testing, similar to when a player reports such symptoms within a game. Cooks passed all the tests and was thus determined NOT to have suffered a concussion.

Hence, he was permitted to rejoin practice Friday on a limited basis while he was monitored to ensure no symptoms recurred. Apparently there was no recurrence and Cooks is now listed as probable for Sunday’s game. He should be commended for reporting his symptoms, as should the medical staff for putting him through all appropriate testing. It should also be noted that concussions are not the only thing that can cause dizziness or nausea, and Cooks was undoubtedly being evaluated for any other illness that might have contributed to the symptoms. The bottom line is that the expectation now is that Cooks will play Sunday, barring any type of setback. Snead is also expected to play after missing last week with a calf injury. He was able to practice on a limited basis throughout the week and, given the probable tag, has improved significantly since last week. Allen Hurns , Jacksonville Jaguars, ankle/thigh, (P): Hurns missed last week’s game as he recovered from a concussion sustained during a scary hit that saw him leaving the field on a stretcher in Week 12. The good news was that he was released from the hospital shortly after his arrival and he progressed rapidly through the concussion protocol.

Prior to that injury he was navigating some soft tissue ailments and he remains on the injury report with those. The probable tag indicates they are not a threat to his status this coming Sunday and Hurns is expected to be among the Jaguars receivers who will face the Colts. Eddie Royal , Chicago Bears , knee, (Q): Royal returned to practice this week, marking a change in his status for the first time since he was injured in Week 8. His involvement remained limited, however, and the questionable tag (which he held last week and did not play) reflects the uncertainty about his status. It appears there is some hope Royal can go, but fantasy owners need to confirm the inactives prior to kickoff (1 p.m. ET). Travis Benjamin , Cleveland Browns , shoulder, (Q): Benjamin was forced to leave last week’s game early with a shoulder injury but was never expected to miss any time. He was held out of Wednesday’s practice but returned Thursday and Friday for limited sessions. Despite the questionable tag, the expectation is that he will take the field but fantasy owners are advised to confirm before the 1 p.m. ET start.

Amari Cooper , Oakland Raiders , foot, (P): Cooper was added to Thursday’s injury report after being a limited practice participant because of a foot injury, but he returned on Friday. Listed as limited in what was a walk-through session for the Raiders on Friday, Cooper is probable for Sunday’s matchup against the Broncos. Expect Cooper to take the field Sunday with just 80 yards between him and a 1,000-yard receiving season. Vincent Jackson , Tampa Bay Buccaneers , knee, (P): After missing three weeks in a row with a knee injury, Jackson has now played in three consecutive games since returning, accumulating more yardage each week. Although he continues to be listed on the injury report, Jackson will make his fourth consecutive appearance this Sunday. Will he accumulate still more yardage this week, or better yet, do so while finding the end zone? It’s certainly a possibility given each of Jackson’s receptions was for more than 20 yards last week and this week the Bucs will host a struggling Saints team, which should allow for plenty of opportunity.

Dez Bryant , Dallas Cowboys , foot/knee, (P): On Monday night we heard about how Bryant had finally returned to full health, managing full practices each day throughout the week. Despite his increased presence on the field, Bryant didn’t catch a pass until the fourth quarter and ended the night with just three receptions for 62 yards. He remains on the injury report this week but has maintained his full practice participation daily. There is no doubt that Bryant will be on the field this week against the Packers; the question is whether his production will bump up at the time when fantasy owners need him the most. Cecil Shorts III and DeAndre Hopkins , Houston Texans, hamstring, (P): Hopkins appeared on this list last week because of a hamstring issue but played anyway. It’s not uncommon to see Shorts listed on the injury report because of a hamstring concern, but the probable designation for both is comforting, especially given this is a night game. Expect Shorts and Hopkins to take the field against the Patriots.

Tight ends Rob Gronkowski , knee and Scott Chandler , knee, New England Patriots, (Q): Chandler played last week despite appearing on the injury report with a knee issue, so it would stand to reason, given no reported setbacks, that he would be available Sunday. The relevance of his status however depends on the status of his counterpart who missed last week’s game with a knee injury of his own. The severity of Gronkowski’s knee sprain was far less than it initially appeared, but it was a scary moment for all who witnessed it and, undoubtedly, for him as well. Given the risk-reward considerations, it was logical he would sit out as long as necessary to ensure his availability going forward. At the start of the week it seemed unlikely he would make a return so soon after his big scare, especially given that bone bruises can be slow to resolve. But, as the week has progressed, so has Gronkowski’s activity. After not practicing at all Wednesday, he turned in two consecutive practices Thursday and Friday, a good indicator that his bone bruise was healing well. Now it appears Gronkowski has a legitimate chance to take the field Sunday night.

The Patriots list him as questionable, a common designation for players who will potentially play and, more importantly, Gronkowski made the trip with the team to Houston. It would be unlikely he would travel with the team unless he had a realistic opportunity to play. While the official decision could come down to game time, perhaps with the team wanting to see how he fares after air travel followed by next-day warm-ups, all signs are now pointing to a Gronkowski return. Tyler Eifert , Cincinnati Bengals , neck, (P): Fantasy owners much prefer to see a “P” next to Eifert’s name as opposed to the “D” that was listed there last week. Eifert did not play in Week 13 after suffering a stinger in Week 12, but he’ll be back in action Sunday against the Steelers. There were indicators late last week that Eifert was making good progress, including a pregame workout last Sunday. There was further optimism this week when Eifert was able to practice each day, including full practices both Thursday and Friday. He is expected to play without limitation.

Gary Barnidge , Cleveland Browns, ankle, (Q): Despite turning his ankle in the game last Sunday, Barnidge has been at practice daily, albeit on a limited basis. Early in the week, coach Mike Pettine expressed optimism that Barnidge would play against the 49ers Sunday. Perhaps that is why the questionable tag is a bit surprising. It should be a happy Barnidge taking the field after signing a three-year contract extension Thursday. Fantasy owners will want to verify his status before kickoff (1 p.m. ET) but the expectation is that he will be on the field, this week with Johnny Manziel as his quarterback. Zach Miller , Chicago Bears, ribs, (Q): Miller’s status becomes that much more relevant with the Bears losing fellow tight end Martellus Bennett to injured reserve this week with a rib injury. Miller did play through his own rib injury last week but had only one catch for six yards. He does have another week of relative recovery under his belt and was a limited participant throughout the week. Fantasy owners will want to confirm before game time given the questionable tag, but signs point to Miller plugging in again this week, although how effective he will be is unknown.

Travis Kelce , Kansas City Chiefs , groin, (P): Kelce’s groin injury keeps him on the injury report. He plays every week and this week is no different. Heath Miller , Pittsburgh Steelers , rib, (P): Miller did not play last Sunday night after sustaining a rib injury in Week 12. Although he remains on the injury report this week, Miller was able to practice Thursday and Friday and the probable tag indicates the Steelers expect to have him back to face the Bengals. Jacob Tamme , Atlanta Falcons, shoulder, (P): Tamme has become a decent fantasy option for those needing to fill the roster spot due to injury, but he appeared on the injury report himself this week. Thankfully, his shoulder issue appears relatively minor, and after a full practice Friday, Tamme, at probable, is expected to play. Zach Ertz , Philadelphia Eagles, hip, (P): Ertz returned in Week 13 after missing one game due to a concussion but is listed on the injury report this week due to a hip ailment. He was still listed as a full practice participant daily and, at probable, is expected to play.

Charles Clay , Buffalo Bills , knee, (P): The knee injury that has Clay on the injury report isn’t serious enough to cause him to miss this week’s game. At probable, he is expected to play. Crockett Gillmore , Baltimore Ravens, back, (D): Gillmore was not able to practice at all this week because of his back. The doubtful tag further cements the likelihood he sits this week out. Vernon Davis , concussion, (Q) and Owen Daniels , knee, (P), Denver Broncos: Daniels is a mainstay on the injury report with the knee issue but plays routinely and is expected to do so again this week. Davis had two receptions in Week 13 prior to leaving the game with a concussion. He returned to practice on a limited basis Thursday and repeated the effort on Friday, leading to his questionable listing, but he appears to be on track to play, presuming he is medically cleared for the game. This is a late game Sunday, so fantasy owners will want to be sure to verify his status. Out This space is intended for a list of key players, not including those who have been moved to injured reserve status, who are officially listed as "Out" for the upcoming game.

Peyton Manning , QB, Denver Broncos, foot: Manning remains out of practice as he works to recover from a torn plantar fascia. Brock Osweiler again takes the helm as the Broncos host the Raiders. Andrew Luck , QB, Indianapolis Colts, abdomen/kidney: Luck has returned to limited activity such as sideline throwing but is not yet back to formal practice. Matt Hasselbeck will start in his place. Tony Romo , QB, Dallas Cowboys, left shoulder: Romo remains out of game action with a re-injury of his left clavicle, but interestingly, he has not been placed on injured reserve, as the team leaves the door open for a potential playoff appearance. Rishard Matthews, WR, Miami Dolphins, ribs: Matthews will miss another week with broken ribs. Marshawn Lynch , RB, Seattle Seahawks , abdomen: Lynch is out for multiple weeks following surgery to repair a core muscle injury. Kendall Wright , WR, Tennessee Titans , ribs: Wright has been ruled out for Week 14 because of a rib injury after not practicing all week.

Julian Edelman , WR, New England Patriots, foot: Edelman has been out since injuring his foot in Week 10 and undergoing subsequent surgery. He did return to limited practice late this week, setting the stage for a tease as to his availability from here forward. At least this week his status is already known. Karlos Williams , RB, Buffalo Bills, shoulder: Williams injured his left shoulder in Week 12 and sat out Week 13, but coach Rex Ryan was somewhat optimistic earlier this week that Williams would be able to play Sunday. He never did make it back to practice, however, and will now miss another week with the injury. Stevie Johnson , WR, San Diego Chargers, groin: Johnson is the latest Chargers receiver to sustain an injury and will sit out this week. Carlos Hyde , RB, San Francisco 49ers, foot: Finally. On Saturday, the 49ers placed Carlos Hyde on injured reserve due to a stress fracture in his left foot, officially ending his season at Week 14 although he hadn’t suited up since Week 7. Vance McDonald , TE, San Francisco 49ers, concussion: McDonald suffered a concussion in Week 13.

He hasn’t practiced all week and will miss this Sunday’s game. Be sure to check out Fantasy Football Now on ESPN2 at 11:00 a.m. ET for last-minute inactives, rankings, injury impact and more! Knee injuries worry NFL players more than concussions Knee injuries worry NFL players more than concussions Players more concerned by having career cut short than long-term threats. Post to Facebook Knee injuries worry NFL players more than concussions Players more concerned by having career cut short than long-term threats. Check out this story on USATODAY.com: CancelSend A link has been sent to your friend's email address. Posted! A link has been posted to your Facebook feed. 21 To find out more about Facebook commenting please read the Conversation Guidelines and FAQs Knee injuries worry NFL players more than concussions Peter Barzilai and Erik Brady, USA TODAY Sports Published 5:59 a.m. ET Jan. 27, 2014 | Updated 11:16 a.m. ET Jan. 27, 2014 CLOSE x Share A survey of NFL players finds some are more worried about knee injuries than they are head injuries.

New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) is taken off the field in the second half of a game against the Cleveland Browns at Gillette Stadium. (Photo: David Butler II, USA TODAY Sports) Story Highlights In a USA TODAY Sports survey, more NFL players were concerned with leg injuries than head injuries Of the 293 players surveyed, 46% said they feared knee injuries the most, while 24% said head injuries Multiple players said having their career ended by a knee injury outweighed long-term head concerns NEW YORK — NFL players worry about head injuries and their potential long-term consequences but not nearly as much as they worry about injuries to their legs, particularly their knees, that can end careers. USA TODAY Sports surveyed 293 players on 20 NFL teams and asked what body part they were most concerned about injuring in a game: 46% said knees or other parts of their legs, 24% said head and neck and 26% said none. The poll of players on active rosters was conducted from mid-December to early January and has a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percentage points.

If requested, players were granted anonymity because they were concerned about fallout to their vote going public. The results seem surprising given all of the emphasis the NFL and the culture at large have given to the life-altering dangers of concussions in recent years. "Anytime you can avoid hits to the head it's great," Chicago Bears running back Michael Bush said, "but if you get hit in your knees, that's your career." BRONCOS: Manning mum on retirement New York Jets defensive tackle Leger Douzable is another example of the here-and-now thinking of many players. He is more aware of head injuries but more fearful of a serious leg injury. "For me, it's the knee," he said. "That's the one that gets me, not the head or anything. A head injury? Don't get me wrong, that's bad. No one wants a concussion. But, here and now, a knee injury can be career-ending." The USA TODAY Sports survey also asked players whether NFL rule changes on hits to the head had made the game safer. Thirty-nine percent said they had, but a majority — 53% — said safety was about the same and 8% said the game was less safe.

"You can't make a vicious game safe at the end of the day," said Seattle Seahawks cornerback Walter Thurmond, whose team will meet the Denver Broncos on Sunday in the Super Bowl. "The nature of the game is violence, and it's been about that since its creation." To many players, they are in a no-win situation — more rules to avoid hits to the head are causing more hits to the knees. Several players pointed to the December play on which New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski took a knee-to-helmet hit when Cleveland Browns safety T.J. Ward came in low. Gronkowski tore his right anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in the violent collision. "You saw what happened to Gronkowski," Browns guard Shawn Lauvao said. "That's because of a rule change. The way it was before, he would have just got hit in the head. He would have been there for the next play. It's a Catch-22. I know they're trying to make it safer, but some rules changes just take away" from the game. PHOTOS: NFL's 25 most impactful injuries of 2013 Posted! A link has been posted to your Facebook feed.

Plenty of NFL stars were injured over the course of the 2013 season. Some, such as Buccaneers RB Doug Martin (shoulder), were certainly major blows to their teams but may not have necessarily affected the season at large (the Bucs were 0-5 when Martin was hurt). Conversely, the NFC champion Seahawks couldn't have been much better even if WR Percy Harvin (pictured) had been available all season. USA TODAY Sports' Nate Davis ranks the 25 injuries that have most defined the season. Joe Nicholson, USA TODAY Sports Fullscreen 25. Broncos CB Champ Bailey is 35 and struggled in the 2012 season's playoff loss to the Ravens. But he's also a heady, physical player who was a Pro Bowler in 12 of the 13 previous years. Denver's pass defense struggled partially because opponents are forced to throw while chasing the scoreboard. But Bailey's prolonged absence with a foot injury can't be factored out. He's back now, and the AFC champs are again relying on him after losing Bailey's replacement, CB Chris Harris, to a torn ACL in the divisional round of postseason.

Chris Humphreys, USA TODAY Sports Fullscreen 24. Mark Sanchez was the apparent winner for the Jets' starting quarterback job before injuring his shoulder in preseason. Losing him gave New York an extended look at rookie Geno Smith, whose spotty play could have GM John Idzik considering passers again in the offseason. Julio Cortez, AP Fullscreen 23. Harrison Smith has quickly become one of the NFL's best young safeties. A playoff team in 2012, Minnesota was 1-3 when Smith went down with a turf toe injury. The Vikings quickly fell further out of contention after losing Smith, partly because they allowed a league-high 37 TD passes. Ann Heisenfelt, AP Fullscreen 22. Giants DE Jason Pierre-Paul struggled with a back injury suffered in the offseason all year. It limited explosive plays like this 24-yard INT for a TD against the Packers. JPP finished with two sacks in 11 games before being shut down. Brad Penner, USA TODAY Sports Fullscreen 21. Chargers WR Malcom Floyd injured his neck Sept. 15 in Philadelphia, and his career is now in jeopardy.

With Floyd and Danario Alexander (torn ACL in training camp) both removed from the starting lineup, Keenan Allen emerged as San Diego's top wideout and a rookie of the year candidate. Michael Perez, AP Fullscreen 20. LT Ryan Clady (78) is among the Broncos' very best players if not the most heralded. Denver survived his season-ending Lisfranc injury quite well, though Peyton Manning has been exposed to more hits and strip sacks. Will Clady's void be felt more acutely in the Super Bowl against Seattle's wave of pass rushers? Steven Senne, AP Fullscreen 19. The Texans lost LB Brian Cushing, their defensive leader, prematurely to a leg injury for the second straight year. Houston didn't win again after Cushing broke his left leg Oct. 20, two weeks before RB Arian Foster's season-ending back injury. Jamie Squire, Getty Images 18. The Cincinnati defense did a nice job adjusting to life without Geno Atkins, widely regarded as the league's best D-tackle. That doesn't mean the Bengals didn't miss his pocket-crushing presence. Gary Landers, The Cincinnati Enquirer 17.

Finally armed with coaching continuity, Rams QB Sam Bradford was in the midst of his best season before blowing out his knee Oct. 20. St. Louis was forced to become a run-heavy team afterward. Bob Donnan, USA TODAY Sports Fullscreen 16. New Dolphins TE Dustin Keller suffered a horrific and controversial knee injury in preseason. Sadly, his career is now in doubt. But Charles Clay was a revelation in Keller's absence, and his numbers (69 rec., 759 yards, team-high 7 TDs) more than supplanted what Keller provided in a typical season. Scott Halleran, Getty Images 15. Titans QB Jake Locker was maturing into a dangerous player in his third year, and the team won four of his seven starts. Unfortunately, Tennessee spiraled once Locker went on IR with a Lisfranc injury in November. Don McPeak, USA TODAY Sports 14. 49ers ILB NaVorro Bowman produced another all-pro season but suffered a gruesome knee injury in the NFC Championship Game at Seattle that has cast some doubt on his 2014 season. Steven Bisig, USA TODAY Sports Fullscreen 13.

The loss of DT Vince Wilfork (Achilles) was felt on the stat sheet, where the Patriots rush defense crumbled without the defensive captain. But the leadership, versatility and athleticism of Wilfork, one of the league's truly dominant forces, couldn't be understated, either. His absence was the most noteworthy for a New England unit that also lost LB Jerod Mayo, DT Tommy Kelly and others. David Goldman, AP Fullscreen 12. Ravens QB Joe Flacco thrived in the 2012 season's playoffs with a big assist from TE Dennis Pitta, who doubles as the Super Bowl XLVII MVP's best buddy. But Flacco and the offense were inconsistent this season after jettisoning WR Anquan Boldin and losing Pitta to a training camp hip injury. The tight end returned late in the season but couldn't salvage it for Baltimore. Mitch Stringer, USA TODAY Sports Fullscreen 11. Broncos OLB Von Miller missed the first six games of 2013 due to a suspension, then played nine games before tearing his right ACL Dec. 22.

Bulked up to 270 pounds, Miller only had five sacks and was not quite the same explosive player he had been in past seasons. Thomas Campbell, USA TODAY Sports 10. The 49ers rolled to the NFC Championship Game following WR Michael Crabtree's return from May Achilles surgery but struggled to pass the ball without him for most of the season. Kyle Terada, USA TODAY Sports Fullscreen 9. Falcons WR Julio Jones was on his way to an all-pro campaign before a foot injury sidelined him in October. To no one's surprise, the Atlanta passing game (and season outlook) tapered off without Jones, whose 116 yards per game led NFC receivers. Daniel Shirey, USA TODAY Sports 8. Steelers C Maurkice Pouncey tore two knee ligaments on opening day. The team never truly rebounded, struggling to run the ball and protect QB Ben Roethlisberger for most of the season and especially during a 2-6 start. Charles LeClaire, USA TODAY Sports Fullscreen 7. The Chicago offense actually thrived without QB Jay Cutler. But the defense broke down without CB Charles Tillman, DT Henry Melton and retired LB Brian Urlacher.

But the biggest issue seemed to be the injury to fast-flowing LB Lance Briggs, who fractured a shoulder Oct. 20. Before he was hurt, Chicago allowed 102 rushing yards per game. Afterward? Essentially double that as the unit fell to the bottom of the NFL rankings. Jonathan Daniel, Getty Images 6. The Patriots offense with and without TE Rob Gronkowski is a stark study in contrasts. New England averaged 32 points with Gronk in the lineup but roughly two TDs fewer without him. Winslow Townson, USA TODAY Sports Fullscreen 5. Technically healthy for the 2013 season, Robert Griffin III was not the same dynamic player who won 2012 offensive rookie of the year honors after shredding his knee in January, 2013. He ended the season as a "healthy" scratch for a team in turmoil. Geoff Burke, USA TODAY Sports Fullscreen 4. With WR Reggie Wayne in uniform, the Colts were 5-2 heavyweights who'd knocked off the league's best clubs (Broncos, Seahawks, 49ers) and looked capable of winning the Super Bowl.

But after Wayne tore his ACL, Indy often played like welterweights before a strong finish to the season. Brian Spurlock, USA TODAY Sports Fullscreen 3. Michael Vick was playing reasonably well in Chip Kelly's offense before being hurt. But things really snowballed for the Eagles in a positive way once Vick's bum hamstring opened the door for Nick Foles, the league's top-rated passer and the primary reason Philly won the NFC East. Rich Schultz, Getty Images Fullscreen 2. The NFL's MVP in 2011, it's easy to argue Aaron Rodgers remains the league's best player. The talented Packers, who averaged 30.3 points to start the season, looked poised to run away with the NFC North when Rodgers broke his collarbone Nov. 4. The team went 3-5-1 without him, and the offense went into the tank for long stretches. But Rodgers returned for the regular-season finale and led Green Bay to the division crown. Still, the Pack's chances for a playoff bye and protracted postseason run were clearly affected. Jeffrey Phelps, AP Fullscreen 1.

Cowboys QB Tony Romo had another up-and-down season but did lead a game-winning drive against the Redskins in Week 16 despite injuring his back. Unfortunately for Dallas, that was Romo's final appearance. Without him, the Cowboys lost a do-or-die game for the NFC East crown the following week vs. the Eagles. Alex Brandon, AP Like this topic? You may also like these photo galleries: Replay How NFL Injury Reports Can Help And Hurt Handicappers - Sports Betting Library How NFL Injury Reports Can Help And Hurt Handicappers Sports Betting Library > NFL Handicapping Articles > How NFL Injury Reports Can Help And Hurt Handicappers In theory, the NFL Injury Reports should be one of the most helpful football handicapping tools there is. Every team in the league is mandated by the NFL to report all of their injuries to the league and the media. The reports are due on Friday for Sunday games, and are updated on Saturday. In 2004 they were further improved to include participation in practice, with those reports being filed Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.

The injury reports have been in existence since 1947 when Commissioner Bert Bell implemented them to eliminate an opportunity for inside information after a football game fixing scandal the previous season. Teams are watched closely and fined if they don’t file proper reports. Sounds great, doesn’t it? These reports should be useful for sports handicappers in a number of ways. For example: – To let you know if a key contributor – a starting left tackle, or a defensive end that sets the tone for the defense – is going to be out or is going to be at less than full strength. Handicappers can have a better sense than the public about the impact of non-marquee positions, and could therefore gain an edge in these situations. – If a big name QB, running back, or wide receiver is listed on the report then the public is likely to go crazy. If you perceive that the injury isn’t as significant as it could be then you could sense that the public has overcompensated for the injury, and you could find value by betting on the football team as if the player wasn’t impacted.

– Second string players that are injured and out of action won’t catch the eye of the public, but if you know that a team tends to use their bench regularly during the game then you’ll know that this is more important than it seems, and than the public realizes. The sports betting public won’t often realize, for example, that teams with a stud running back often still rely heavily on the backup to contribute to the offense. That all sounds great, but there is just one problem with it – the reports aren’t worth the paper that they are printed on. You just can’t trust them. Among the reasons: – They are ridiculously subjective. There are four levels of injuries that can be reported. Probable means that the player has a better than 50 percent chance of playing. Questionable means that the player has a 50-50 chance of playing. Doubtful means that the chance is about 75 percent that the player will be out. Out just means that they won’t be playing. The problem is that those definitions are open to interpretation by the teams. What’s probable for one team will be doubtful for another.

Under Floyd Reese, for example, the Titans virtually never listed a player as doubtful – even though every other NFL team did. Reese is old school, and he didn’t want his opponents to think the players were more injured than they were. Subjectivity robs the reports of meaning. – Inconsistent reporting. Some teams go crazy and include too many players. In order to obscure injuries they will list every bum and bruise. The Patriots are the worst for this – Tom Brady will be listed as Probable virtually every week, but he just keeps playing. It’s not uncommon for the Pats to list 30 players on the report. On the other hand, some teams just hate using the report and won’t list anyone they don’t have to. Bill Parcells famously loathes the report, and it was far more common to see his teams with no listed injuries than for any other coach. Obviously it’s not a case that Parcells is dramatically better at keeping his team healthy than Bill Belichick, so the integrity of the report must be questioned. – Teams know that they are questionable.

Only rarely will a football team alter their preparations because of what their opponents’ injury report says – and then only if the report has been corroborated by additional media coverage. If they aren’t significantly changing the actions of teams then it would be dangerous for handicappers to let them significantly alter their approach to the games. – The punishment for violations often isn’t timely. When Brett Favre was with the Jets he was struggling with an ankle injury, and it seemed like he may miss a game. It was probably the closest his streak had come to ending. Despite that he didn’t show up on the injury report – not even as probable. The league took exception to that, fining the team $75,000 and the head coach and GM $25,000 each. The problem, though, was that the fines didn’t happen until well after the NFL season was over. Coach Eric Mangini had been fired and hired by the Browns already. It was a toothless punishment that did nothing to ensure future compliance, and didn’t change the fact that according to the official report Favre wasn’t nearly as hurt as he actually was. – Teams will look to use them to their advantage. Bill Cowher is a perfect example here.

After he left the Steelers he admitted that though he always put players on the report, he didn’t always accurately report their injuries. If they had an ankle injury, for example, he might report that it was a knee problem so that the opponents couldn’t target the injured part. It’s hard to properly compensate for what the injury report says if you can’t trust that the injury listed is accurate. So, in the face of all of these problems, how do you deal with in Injury Report. These three things will help: – Use it as a guide. There are a couple of things NFL bettors can learn from the report. For example, about 90 percent of payers listed as probable end up playing, so you rarely need to worry if that’s where a player winds up. On the other hand, only about three percent of players listed as doubtful play, so if you see a player there you can probably safely plan to be without them. – Rely more on the practice reports. It can be more significant if a football player misses two or three days of practice than if they are on the injury report. You have to be careful here, though, because veterans are very capable of missing practice and still playing at a high level in games.

– Don’t panic. Injuries often aren’t as significant as they seem, and they will almost always be overcompensated for by the betting public. There are few players that can’t be replaced reasonably well by a team – at least in the short term. If inaccuracies in the injury report are causing you a lot of headaches in your NFL handicapping and causing you to second guess solid football picks then you are probably giving injures far too much credit.

More sports handicapping articles : Chicago Bears | Injury Report Chicago Bears DNP = Did not participate in practice LP = Limited Participation in Practice - Less than 100% of a player's normal repetitions FP = Full Participation - 100% of a player's normal repetitions (-) = Not Listed = No practice status available Game Status Out = Player will not play Doubtful = Player is unlikely to play Questionable = Player is not certain to play (-) = Not Listed - No game status available Washington Redskins DNP = Did not participate in practice LP = Limited Participation in Practice - Less than 100% of a player's normal repetitions FP = Full Participation - 100% of a player's normal repetitions (-) = Not Listed = No practice status available Game Status Out = Definitely will not play Doubtful = Unlikely to play Questionable = Uncertain if player will play (-) = Not Listed - No game status available NFL Injury Report Rules | eHow NFL Injury Report Rules radio image by fotografiche.eu from <a href=' The NFL introduced its weekly injury report in 1947, after the league suspended two members of the New York Giants suspected of associating with gamblers trying to "fix" the 1

946 NFL Championship Game.

The purpose of the report is to make available information on injuries public so gamblers have no reason to get close to players to obtain secret, inside information. In other words, the injury report, widely viewed--and often derided--as a tool to aid gambling, began as an attempt to insulate the sport from involving its members in gambling. Identifying Players Teams are required to list on the injury report any player who might not play in the next game because of health reasons. They also are to list the area of the injury--such as "shoulder" or "leg"--but they need not specify the nature or severity of the injury. In practice, however, teams are incredibly circumspect. As noted by USA Today in a 2007 analysis, teams coached by Bill Parcells rarely listed a player unless he was totally unable to play. At the other extreme, the New England Patriots put quarterback Tom Brady on the list every week for more than two years--and he started every one of those game.

Former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher admitted he would sometimes misidentify the location of an injury--putting down "knee" instead of "ankle," for example--to prevent opposing teams from targeting that player&#039;s injury if he played. Classifying Players The report must classify every player on the list as "out," "doubtful," "questionable" or "probable." According to league guidelines, when a player is listed as "probable," he&#039;s more likely to play than not play. "Questionable" players are those with a 50-50 chance of playing. If there&#039;s a 75 percent chance a player will not play, he is "doubtful." And a player who&#039;s "out" will definitely not play. Deadline Each team must submit its injury list to league headquarters the Friday before each game and update the list on the weekend as needed. Sanctions The league office can fine teams for filing inaccurate injury reports.

For example, the NFL fined the New York Jets, their general manager and their former coach $125,000 for hiding that quarterback Brett Favre played with a torn tendon late in the 2008 season--an injury that came to light only after Favre told reporters about it. Still, injury-report fines are rare. USA Today&#039;s analysis turned up just 13 in a 10-year period.

Question: What official NFL injury report term means that a player has a 50% chance of playing?
Answer: Questionable