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Rejoice, football fans! The first Sunday of the NFL regular season is here. The 2021 season got off to a great start thanks to the exciting game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The other 30 teams are making the final adjustments to their roster before week 1, which means managing their injury report. Some teams have received positive news about key players battling injuries. Indianapolis Colts coach Frank Reich said quarterback Carson Wentz would start after undergoing foot surgery just over a month ago, and that New York Giants runner-up Saquon Barkley appears to be on his way to play. Sunday after losing most of last season with an ACL injury. However, other squads are not so lucky. The Baltimore Ravens have already had to endure many injuries, specifically to their back.
On the occasion of Week 1, our team’s journalists break down the news about injuries on well-known players that could affect their team’s chances of winning. Here’s what we know about his state in the opening week of the NFL:
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Injury: Foot
After being limited to practice all week, Sanders is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers with a persistent foot injury. Sanders, however, will likely play his first game for the Bills this weekend. The oldest player on the list quickly developed chemistry with quarterback Josh Allen and should play a major role in the offense this year. – Alaina Getzenberg
Trae Waynes, CB, Cincinnati Bengals
Injury: Hamstrings
Waynes, who missed all of 2020 with a pectoral injury, will not make his Cincinnati debut against his former club, the Minnesota Vikings. Waynes suffered a hamstring injury at the end of training camp and did not practice all week before Sunday’s game. Look for cornerback Eli Apple to start against Chidobe Awuzie. Apple and Awuzie will have to fight with WR Vikings Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson. – Baby
Injury: Dit
Decker suffered a finger injury earlier in the week and will miss Week 1. “We’ll adjust from here and move on,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said. Decker began training on Wednesday, but the injury occurred in passing protection. On Friday afternoon he met with a doctor where his condition was determined. Campbell believes he “probably leans that way” to requiring surgery. Rookie Penei Sewell will likely play his role as they try to protect QB Jared Goff in his debut. – Eric Woodyard
Injury: back
Smith has practiced exactly three times this season – once halfway through the training camp just to close it the next day and then twice this week just to celebrate on Friday. What would the Packers lack without him? It’s hard to know why he hasn’t lost a game since signing with them in 2019, but know this: he’s one of three players with more than 12 sacks in each of the last two seasons (Aaron Donald and TJ Watt are the others). It will be a decision as far as the game is concerned, but considering coach Matt LaFleur said Friday that Smith is still “feeling some things,” he doesn’t look good. – Rob Demovsky
Injury: Calf
Seattle Seahawks receivers DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett would take part in a big game against the Colts as they won’t have their maximum outside corner. Rock Ya-Sin is the leader in starting with Kenny Moore to try to stop Seattle’s passing game. Both Metcalf and Lockett had more than 1,000 receiving yards last season. – Mike Wells
Injury: COVID-19 list
Mathieu remained on the Covid-19 list on Friday after testing positive last week. He hasn’t practiced all week, and while the Chiefs could activate him in time for Sunday’s game if he approves NFL protocols, it’s unlikely. “We guys will die, we’ll do what we have to do, we’ll try to do most of the things we do with Tyrann, but certainly some of those things will change and some of the calls could be disrupted by that,” the defensive coordinator said. Steve Va dir Spagnuolo. – Adam Teicher
Injury: Hamstrings
He did not practice Wednesday or Thursday, but his agent says he was “precautionary.” We’ll see if it’s a persistent problem, but coach Brandon Staley is very careful when one of his guys has a problem. Ekeler had a problem with his hamstrings last season, where he was so painful he had to walk backwards. – Shelley Smith
Injury: Knee
The Vikings ’optimism around Barr’s availability quickly dissipated after he did not practice Thursday and Friday. Some days the persistent knee problem feels good, others don’t, according to coach Mike Zimmer. This could be a chronic problem on a weekly basis. Replacing Barr will be Nick Vigil, who will wear the green dot dots after calling the defense throughout the training camp in Barr’s absence. Cincinnati usually uses three or four receivers at a time, so Vigil is likely to play a role every Sunday if the Vikings stay on their defense against nickel. – Courtney Cronin
Injury: Ankle
Agholor did not practice on Thursday and was limited on Friday, with his official designation as questionable. WR teammate Jakobi Meyers said Thursday that he didn’t even realize Agholor was wrong, so that was a good game or a reflection that Agholor will be available on Sunday. – Mike Reiss
Injury: Knee
Barkley has done everything the Giants asked for this summer, without any setbacks. He is positioned to play in the opening after breaking his ACL in his right knee in the second week of last season. Barkley will play on Sunday, albeit with a limited role, except for a setback. Coach Joe Judge has been steadfast in taking a long-range approach with his star back and that could mean between 20 and 30 snapshots and 10-15 touches in his first game back.– Jordan Ranaan
Injury: COVID-19 list
Its top slot receiver has not erased COVID-19 protocols, so the Jets could use rookie Elijah Moore in the slot or resort to Braxton Berrios. WR Keelan Cole (knee) is questionable, which could mean a role for Denzel Mims or Vyncint Smith (training squad). – Rich Cimini
Injury: Hamstrings
Smith was expected to return from his irritating hamstring injury this week. But he ended up on the injured reserve on Friday after returning to practice just one day before the week. That means preseason run Marquez Callaway is the Saints ’No. 1 goal, no doubt, as Michael Thomas is also out of the game for at least five weeks with an ankle injury. Unfortunately, the Packers have a WR1 eraser on CB Jaire Alexander, so the Saints will need their secondary receivers and tight ends to increase big, with sophomore Juwan Johnson the biggest contender for sleep for fantastic daily purposes. – Mike Triplett
Injury: Hamstrings
Crawley landed on the injured reserve Friday after losing practice all week. If healthy, Crawley was one of the top contenders to start as No. 2 in New Orleans in the first week, as newly acquired veteran Bradley Roby will not be eligible to play until week 2. Now, the Saints they will likely feature the rookie third-round draft. choose Paulson Adebo or another newly signed veteran, Desmond Trufant. Either way, expect this site to be tested non-stop by the Packers and Vice President Aaron Rodgers. – Mike Triplett
Injury: Knee
McLeod has recently been removed from the list of people physically unable to perform, but is not fully prepared for the game’s action after booting his ACL in December. He has been ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons. Second-year player K’Von Wallace is expected to start in absentia against Anthony Harris. Wallace started three games last year and finished the season with 21 attacks. – Tim McManus
Injury: Knee
Moseley enters this year as a starter in one of San Francisco’s thinnest positions, meaning his potential absence from the opening raises a big question mark for San Francisco’s defense against the Lions. Moseley is officially listed as doubtful for Sunday, meaning the Niners ’options to replace him are rookies Deommodore Lenoir and Ambry Thomas, veteran Josh Norman just signed this week, and veteran Dontae Johnson. – Nick Wagoner
Injury: English
Samuel was put on the injured reserve with the intention of bringing him back after three weeks. He suffered a setback in his recovery last week in practice and with two games in the first five days, Washington knew he would not be available. The key will be how you feel in three weeks and whether your groin responds better. Initially, it hurt him during spring workouts and he has practiced once all summer. – John Keim