After being a late scratch for their Week 14 win over the Cleveland Browns, George Pickens will be out for the Pittsburgh Steelers again.
While head coach Mike Tomlin said there was an “outside chance” Pickens could play against the Philadelphia Eagles, the hamstring injury the wide receiver is dealing with is a “little bit more significant” than the team initially believed.
“We’re just in the mindset now of just getting him healthy as quickly as we possibly can,” Tomlin said earlier this week. “There’s a potential for this week, but it’s an outside chance. If you press me, I’d probably say he’s out or could be characterized as doubtful as we sit here, but again, like we always do, we’ll go through the normal procedure, we’ll let participation be our guide in terms of availability and then obviously the quality of that participation.”
Pickens has recorded a team-high 850 receiving yards on 55 catches with three touchdowns.
Jets RB Breece Hall questionable with knee injury
The 3-10 New York Jets have little to play for, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Breece Hall miss a second straight game on Sunday when they visit the Jacksonville Jaguars.
But on Friday, interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich said the running back might be well enough to play.
“He looks good right now, so it’s promising,” Ulbrich said. “It says questionable, but we’re hopeful and we’ll see how it goes.”
The second-year running back sat out last week’s loss to the Miami Dolphins with a knee injury. Hall suffered an ACL injury to the same knee in 2022.
Should Hall, who has 692 rushing yards and four touchdowns, along with 401 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns, not be able to go, Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis will step in to work again. The rookie running backs have produced with Allen rushing for 43 yards while also catching four balls last week and Davis picking up 40 rushing yards and a touchdown along with three receptions for 27 yards.
QB Jake Haener to start for Saints
New Orleans Saints quarterback Jake Haener will make his first NFL start on Sunday against the Washington Commanders, interim head coach Darren Rizzi announced on Friday.
“I’m going to be confident, I’m going to let it rip,” Haener said. “I feel like I’ve worked too hard to go in their with that mentality, ‘Oh, don’t screw up.’ I’ve been preparing for this, I’m going to do everything I can.
“I might never get an opportunity to start a game again, I’m going to show everybody what I’m capable of doing and let the guys know that I’m confident in doing that. You go and you win this game, things can change. So I think it’s just a 1-0 mentality. Beat the Commanders and show everybody what Jake Haener can do on Sunday.”
Derek Carr remains in concussion protocol and is also dealing with a fracture in his non-throwing hand suffered during their Week 14 win over the New York Giants. He was not ruled out and could serve as the team’s emergency third quarterback behind Spencer Rattler.
Jaguars TE Evan Engram needs surgery on torn labrum
Evan Engram suffered the injury in Week 14 against the Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said on Wednesday he expected the veteran tight end to play this week, but things changed over the last 48 hours.
“Unfortunately we’re going to lose Evan for the year,” Pederson said Friday. “After more MRI results, testing and all that, he’ll have a labrum to get fixed. So, he’ll have surgery and fix the shoulder and miss the rest of the year.”
Engram played nine games this season, recording 365 receiving yards on 47 receptions and one touchdown. He’s the fourth key offensive player to be ruled out for the season, joining wide receivers Christian Kirk and Gabe Davis and quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
RB Kenneth Walker III doubtful vs. Packers
After missing last week’s win over the Arizona Cardinals, running back Kenneth Walker III is listed as doubtful for Sunday night’s contest against the Green Bay Packers. An ankle injury has been bothering him and he has not practiced since last Wednesday.
The injury, according to head coach Mike Macdonald, is not a long-term concern.
“Anything can happen between now and the game,” Macdonald said, “but I’d say doubtful right now.”
Zach Charbonnet filled in for Walker last week and ran for 134 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries.
Here’s the the rest of the Week 15 injury report: (Players will be added after teams release their reports.)
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
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WR Hollywood Brown (shoulder): out
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T D.J. Humphries (hamstring): doubtful
-
K Harrison Butker (left knee): questionable
CLEVELAND BROWNS
-
WR Cedric Tillman (concussion): out
-
TE David Njoku (hamstring): questionable
-
G Joel Bitonio (back): questionable
-
DT Mike Hall (knee): questionable
-
LB Khaleke Hudson (abdomen): questionable
-
CB Myles Harden (tibia): questionable
CINCINNATI BENGALS
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LT Orlando Brown (fibula): out
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LB Joe Bachie (groin): out
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DT Sheldon Rankins (illness): out
-
WR Charlie Jones (groin): questionable
TENNESSEE TITANS
-
T Jaelyn Duncan (hamstring): questionable
-
CB Roger McCreary (shoulder): questionable
-
RB Tony Pollard (ankle): questionable
-
LB Otis Reese (ankle): questionable
WASHINGTON COMMANDERS
-
WR Noah Brown (kidney): out
-
WR Jamison Crowder (calf): questionable
-
K Zane Gonzalez (left foot): questionable
-
DT Daron Payne (back): questionable
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
-
LB D’Marco Jackson (ankle): out
-
WR Bub Means (ankle): out
-
QB Derek Carr (left hand, concussion): doubtful
-
DE Tanoh Kpassagnon (Achilles): questionable
BALTIMORE RAVENS
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OLB Adisa Isaac (hamstring): questionable
-
S Sanoussi Kane (hamstring: questionable
-
NT Michael Pierce (calf): questionable
-
CB T.J. Tampa (ankle): questionable
NEW YORK GIANTS
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S Tyler Nubin (ankle): out
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LG Jon Runyan (ankle): out
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DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches (neck, shoulder): out
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LB Bobby Okereke (back): out
-
CB Andru Phillips (shoulder): out
-
QB Drew Lock (heel, left elbow): doubtful
-
CB Cordale Flott (quadricep): doubtful
-
CB Deonte Banks (rib): questionable
-
T Chris Hubbard (knee): questionable
-
LB Dyontae Johnson (ankle): questionable
-
C Austin Schlottmann (fibula): questionable
DALLAS COWBOYS
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C Cooper Beebe (concussion): out
-
LB DeMarvion Overshown (knee): out
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S Juanyeh Thomas (knee): out
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CB Trevon Diggs (knee): questionable
-
CB C.J. Goodwin (hamstring): questionable
-
LB Buddy Johnson (illness): questionable
-
LB Eric Kendricks (personal): questionable
-
CB Jourdan Lewis (hamstring): questionable
CAROLINA PANTHERS
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LB Trevin Wallace (shoulder): out
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RB Raheem Blackshear (chest): questionable
-
OLB Jadeveon Clowney (knee): questionable
-
LB Josey Jewell (hamstring): questionable
-
CB Jaycee Horn (groin): questionable
-
S Nick Scott (hamstring): questionable
NEW YORK JETS
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RB Kene Nwangwu (hand): out
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CB Brandin Echols (shoulder): out
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CB D.J. Reed (groin): doubtful
-
G Xavier Newman-Johnson (groin): doubtful
-
RB Breece Hall (knee): questionable
-
T Morgan Moses (wrist): questionable
-
G Alijah Vera-Tucker (ankle): questionable
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
MIAMI DOLPHINS
-
WR Dee Eskridge (knee): out
-
T Terron Armstead (knee): doubtful
-
LB Bradley Chubb (knee): questionable
-
WR Grant DuBose (shoulder): questionable
-
LS Blake Ferguson (non-football illness): questionable
-
LB Cameron Goode (knee): questionable
-
T Kendall Lamm (back): questionable
HOUSTON TEXANS
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S Jalen Pitre (shoulder): out
-
C Juice Scruggs (foot): out
-
G Kenyon Green (shoulder): questionable
-
G Nick Broeker (questionable
-
LB Christian Harris (calf): questionable
-
LB Jamal Hill (knee): questionable
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
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WR Ashton Dulin (ankle): out
-
T Braden Smith (persona): out
-
LB Jaylon Carlies (fibula, shoulder): questionable
-
WR Josh Downs (shoulder): questionable
-
C Ryan Kelly (knee): questionable
-
TE Mo Alie-Cox (hip): questionable
DENVER BRONCOS
BUFFALO BILLS
-
CB Rasul Douglas (knee): out
-
TE Dalton Kincaid (knee): questionable
-
TE Quintin Morris (shoulder, groin): questionable
-
S Taylor Rapp (neck, shoulder): questionable
-
S Damar Hamlin (back, ribs): questionable
-
OT Tylan Grable (groin): questionable
-
DE Dawuane Smoot (wrist): questionable
-
DE Casey Toohill (ribs): questionable
-
LB Baylon Spector (calf): questionable
DETROIT LIONS
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
-
WR George Pickens (hamstring): out
-
S DeShon Elliott (hamstring): out
-
DT Larry Ogunjobi (groin): out
-
DT Montravius Adams (knee): questionable
-
OL Calvin Anderson (groin): questionable
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
-
WR Javon Baker (concussion): out
-
DT Jaquelin Roy (foot): out
-
T Caedan Wallace (ankle): out
-
DT Christian Barmore (personal): questionable
-
S Kyle Dugger (ankle): questionable
-
CB Christian Gonzalez (shoulder): questionable
-
T Vederian Lowe (shoulder): questionable
-
G Cole Strange(knee): questionable
ARIZONA CARDINALS
-
RB Emari Demercado (back): out
-
P Blake Gillikin (right foot): out
-
CB Elijah Jones (ankle): out
-
DT Naquan Jones (shoulder): questionable
-
DT Roy Lopez (ankle): questionable
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
-
S Mike Edwards (hamstring): out
-
S Antoine Winfield Jr. (knee): out
-
LB K.J. Britt (ankle): out
-
WR Kameron Johnson (ankle): out
-
LB Markees Watts (knee): out
-
RB Bucky Irving (back, hip): questionable
-
S Christian Izien (groin): questionable
-
CB Josh Hayes (hamstring): questionable
-
LB J.J. Russell (hamstring): questionable
-
WR Sterling Shepard (foot): questionable
-
LB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka (ankle): questionable
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
-
WR Jalen Reagor (finger): out
-
TE Will Dissly (shoulder): out
-
WR Ladd McConkey (knee, shoulder): questionable
-
LB Denzel Perryman (groin): questionable
GREEN BAY PACKERS
-
CB Jaire Alexander (knee): out
-
S Javon Bullard (ankle): out
-
TE Luke Musgrave (ankle): out
-
CB Corey Ballentine (knee): questionable
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
-
CB Tre Brown (hamstring): out
-
S K’Von Wallace (ankle): out
-
S Jerrick Reed II (quadricep): out
-
TE Brady Russell (foot): out
-
CB Artie Burns (toe): doubtful
-
T Stone Forsythe (hand): doubtful
-
RB Kenneth Walker III (calf): doubtful
