The return of regular-season NFL action, unfortunately, also brings the return of injuries. Plenty of players got banged up in Week 8, while others suffered injuries that could knock them out for several weeks or more.
Let’s round up the most notable injury updates from this past week.
Jordan Love, QB, Green Bay Packers
Jordan Love was limping throughout the first half of Week 8, then went down after being bumped by a Jaguars defender on the Green Bay Packers’ first third-quarter drive. When the Packers began their next series, QB2 Malik Willis was under center — and he remained there for the rest of Sunday’s win.
Green Bay listed Love as questionable to return to Week 8 with a groin injury. However, he never re-entered the game. Packers head coach Matt LaFleur told FOX’s broadcast at halftime that Love “can’t really move” and noted that Green Bay would need to adjust his play-calling for the second half.
After Green Bay’s win, LaFleur admitted the Packers are worried about Love’s groin issue.
Jordan Love played about two quarters with an injured groin. Here’s is what happened on his final play. pic.twitter.com/b5qymt9HGh
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) October 27, 2024
“Obviously high level of concern,” LaFleur said, per ESPN’s Rob Demovsky. ” ….I think everybody could see him struggling to move around, and I just got to a point where we didn’t, he didn’t feel like he could protect himself.”
According to NFL Network, an MRI revealed that Love has a strained groin. While Love’s injury isn’t considered major, insider Ian Rapoport suggested it could prevent him from playing against the Detroit Lions in a Week 9 matchup that will determine control of the NFC North. The Packers have a bye in Week 10.
Willis, who won two games as Love’s replacement in Weeks 2 and 3, connected on four of five attempts for 56 yards and a touchdown on Sunday, helping Green Bay move to 6-2.
Drake Maye, QB, New England Patriots
New England Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye got off to a fast start against the New England Jets on Sunday before going down with a concussion in the second quarter. Maye completed three of six passes for 23 yards while adding 46 rushing yards and a touchdown before exiting.
“I walked in at halftime and saw him,” Pats head coach Jerod Mayo said. “The competitor that he is, obviously he wanted to go back out there and play. But there’s a protocol that he has to go through. Again, can’t wait to get him back.”
Veteran Jacoby Brissett, who began the season as New England’s starting quarterback, completed 15 of 24 attempts for 132 yards in a 25-22 upset over Gang Green on Sunday. Maye will likely miss one game with his concussion, leaving Brissett as the Patriots’ probable starter against the Titans in Week 9.
Rico Dowdle, RB, Dallas Cowboys
Rico Dowdle battled an illness in Week 8 and was forced to sit out of the Dallas Cowboys’ Sunday night loss to the San Francisco 49ers. He was initially considered questionable to play against San Fran but was ruled out before last night’s kickoff.
Dowdle told SportsDay DFW that he woke up with a 100.8-degree fever on Sunday. By the time he arrived at Levi’s Stadium, his temperature was up to 102.4.
With Dowdle sidelined, Ezekiel Elliott took 10 carries for 34 yards, while practice-squad elevation Dalvin Cook gained 12 yards on six attempts.
Jordan Mason, RB, San Francisco 49ers
On Sunday night, Jordan Mason appeared to aggravate the shoulder injury he initially suffered in Week 6. The San Francisco 49ers running back initially went down on the club’s second drive but then reappeared for the next series, running the ball three times before the Niners were stopped on downs.
Rookie RB Isaac Guerendo handled San Francisco’s backfield work on the club’s fourth and final drive of the first half. While the 49ers announced Mason was questionable to return with a shoulder injury, he never re-entered the contest.
Fortunately, Mason’s shoulder injury does not appear to be serious. Head coach Kyle Shanahan suggested that Mason “maybe” could’ve returned to Week 8 if needed.
Christian McCaffrey (Achilles tendinitis) is expected to return in Week 10, leaving Mason as a handcuff — albeit one of the most valuable handcuffs in fantasy football.
Gabe Davis, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
Gabe Davis went down with a shoulder injury in the first half of the Jaguars’ loss to the Packers and never returned. Head coach Doug Pederson didn’t have an update on Davis’ status in his Week 8 postgame press conference.
Davis was listed with a shoulder issue on Jacksonville’s injury report in Week 4 but had more recently been dealing with a knee problem. He’s been listed on the Jags’ practice report as limited for almost every session since Week 5.
Davis didn’t receive a target before departing on Sunday. He entered Week 8 with 19 catches for 217 yards and two scores. If he can play in Week 9, Davis could be Jacksonville’s most productive healthy wideout.
Stefon Diggs, WR, Houston Texans
Stefon Diggs exited Sunday’s game after suffering a non-contact knee injury during the third quarter. While the veteran Houston Texans wideout was able to leave the field under his own power, Diggs’ injury is clearly concerning.
He’s expected to undergo an MRI on Monday to assess the damage to his knee. Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans called Diggs’ injury “unfortunate” but didn’t offer any other specifics after Houston’s Week 8 win.
Here is the non-contact knee injury suffered by Stefon Diggs pic.twitter.com/GSTvg1BqPd
— Ben Brown 🌻 (@BenBrownPL) October 27, 2024
Diggs, whom the Texans acquired from the Bills in March, posted five catches for 81 yards on Sunday and has a 47-496-3 line in his first Houston campaign.
Fellow Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (hamstring) is on injured reserve but will be eligible to play in Week 9.
Christian Kirk, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
Christian Kirk may have played his final down with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The veteran wide receiver broke his collarbone against the Packers on Sunday and will miss the rest of the season.
Kirk was poised to be among the most attractive wide receivers remaining on the block after Davante Adams, Amari Cooper, and DeAndre Hopkins changed teams. Now that he’s out for the year, the Jaguars won’t have the option to exchange him for draft capital before the trade deadline.
Kirk posted 84 catches for 1,108 yards and eight touchdowns for Jacksonville in 2022 and was on a similar pace in 2023 before suffering a season-ending groin injury in Week 13. He entered Sunday’s game with 25 catches on 45 targets for 320 yards and one touchdown.
The 27-year-old inked a four-year, $72 million free agent deal with the Jaguars in 2022 after spending four seasons with the Arizona Cardinals. He’s due a $15.5 million, non-guaranteed base salary in 2025. Jacksonville could release Kirk next offseason while clearing $10.7 million in salary cap space.
Deebo Samuel, WR, San Francisco 49ers
Deebo Samuel, already banged up coming into Week 8, suffered a rib injury late on Sunday Night Football. While the 49ers labeled him questionable to return, Samuel never re-entered last night’s game. He finished with eight touches for 86 scoreless yards. Samuel appeared to score a long second-quarter touchdown, but it was called back due to offensive holding.
Samuel was active for Week 7 but played just four snaps while battling a wrist injury and pneumonia. Fellow 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk tore his ACL in that game, leaving Deebo as Brock Purdy’s clear WR1 for the remainder of the season.
San Francisco has a bye in Week 9, allowing Samuel to recover from his various maladies.
Brian Thomas Jr., WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
Trevor Lawrence is officially running out of wide receivers. Kirk is out for the year. Davis is dealing with a shoulder injury.
And first-round rookie Brian Thomas Jr. could miss two-to-four weeks after suffering a chest/rib injury in Week 8, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Thomas will undergo more scans on Monday and get a second opinion, but it sounds as though he’s expected to miss time.
Thomas may have been injured on his third-quarter touchdown catch, when he hit the turf hard after hauling in a score. After that play, he remained on Jacksonville’s sideline but did not re-enter the game.
Pending Monday Night Football, Thomas ranks first among rookie receivers in yards (573) and yards per route run (2.60); he’s second to Malik Nabers in receptions (30) and touchdowns (four).