6 NFL injuries that matter the most for Week 5 and what to know

Week 5 of the NFL season got off to a roaring start on Thursday Night Football as the San Francisco 49ers outlasted the Los Angeles Rams in overtime, improving to 4-1 on the season. They're dealing with a myriad of injuries, but were able to beat a potent Rams team, getting a clutch fourth-down stop to boot.

Following up that classic game won't be easy, but this week's slate has the potential to be one of the season's best. The Minnesota Vikings will face off against the Cleveland Browns in London, England, on Sunday morning. The 3-1 Tampa Bay Buccaneers will travel across the country to face the 3-1 Seattle Seahawks. Jayden Daniels is expected to make his return from injury as the Washington Commanders prepare to face the Los Angeles Chargers.

The 49ers were able to find a way to win despite their injuries, but there's a good chance other teams won't be quite as lucky. With that in mind, here's a look at the injuries that matter most in Week 5 and what to know.

QB Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens: Hamstring, out

No NFL team has been more disappointing thus far than the Baltimore Ravens. Sure, they've had a tough schedule, but this was a team many thought would finally get over the hump and at least get to, if not win, the Super Bowl. Well, now, the Ravens enter their Week 5 matchup against the Houston Texans with a 1-3 record and with Lamar Jackson on the sidelines with a hamstring injury.

Baltimore might be 1-3, but Jackson had gotten off to his typical MVP-caliber start before suffering his hamstring injury in Week 4. He's going to miss at least one game as a result, and he's without a clear timetable to return. Hamstring injuries can be tough to come back from quickly, particularly for a mobile quarterback.

The last thing the Ravens can afford is to fall to 1-4, but without their MVP and with how poorly their defense has played, it remains to be seen if they can find a way to win. Cooper Rush is going to have to play one of the best games of his career to put enough points on the board against a stout Texans defense.

LB Roquan Smith, Baltimore Ravens: Hamstring, out

Baltimore's task of defeating the Texans will be that much tougher with Roquan Smith, one of the team's best defensive players, also sidelined with a hamstring injury suffered in Week 4. Smith had gotten off to a shaky start this season, and now the Ravens will be without their star linebacker entirely.

Smith is expected to miss at least a couple of weeks, and his absence should lead to more playing time for Trenton Simpson and Jake Hummel. Scoring points will presumably be tough enough for Baltimore with Lamar Jackson out, and now with Smith on the sidelines, how exactly will this Ravens defense, which has allowed a league-worst 33.3 points per game with Smith, play well enough to win?

The Texans have had trouble scoring, so perhaps the Ravens can get it done, but the job is undoubtedly tougher without Smith patrolling the middle of the field, as lackluster as this season as been for him.

TE Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders: Knee, questionable

I wouldn't say that the Las Vegas Raiders have been quite as disappointing as the Ravens, but I will say that their 1-3 start has been frustrating. Geno Smith has not played well, and it's shown. Raiders fans want to see that change in Week 5, but there's a good chance that'll be tougher with Brock Bowers dealing with a knee injury.

Bowers' questionable designation opens the door for him to play, but it isn't looking good based on what NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported on Saturday. If he were to be out, not only would this be the first game missed by Bowers this season, but it'd be the first game he'd miss in his NFL career.

Bowers had one of the best rookie seasons a tight end has ever had in 2024, and has followed that up with a pretty strong start to 2025. Losing him would make the task of beating the 3-1 Indianapolis Colts that much tougher.

OL Tyler Smith, Dallas Cowboys: Knee, questionable

The Dallas Cowboys are yet another team that's gotten off to a slow start this season, going 1-2-1 in four games while rostering one of the league's worst defenses after trading Micah Parsons. The defense is mostly to blame for their slow start, but the offense hasn't exactly been flawless. Injuries have played a role in that reality.

CeeDee Lamb is set to miss his second straight game, and Dallas' offensive line is in complete shambles. Cooper Beebe, Tyler Booker and Tyler Guyton have already been ruled out for Sunday's game against the New York Jets, and now Tyler Smith, yet another offensive lineman, is listed as questionable with a knee injury. He didn't practice in any capacity at all this week, putting his status for Sunday's game in doubt.

The Jets are one of the NFL's worst teams, but the Cowboys might end up deploying four backup offensive linemen. Generating enough offense with Terrence Steele and a bunch of backups is a tall ask, yet it's one Dallas might be making on Sunday.

RB Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Foot, out

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers play the Seattle Seahawks in what should be one of this week's most exciting games, but their odds of improving to 4-1 took a serious hit when Bucky Irving was ruled out with a foot injury. The Buccaneers have been finding ways to win, but doing so without their RB1 will be tougher.

Irving hasn't had the best start to his sophomore season, but he had a good game against the Philadelphia Eagles last week and was going to try and do damage against a strong Seahawks run defense. With Rachaad White set to take his place, the Seahawks have to like their chances for Sunday.

OL Joe Alt, Los Angeles Rams: Ankle, out

The Los Angeles Chargers got off to a roaring 3-0 start but took a frustrating loss to the New York Giants in Week 4, and are now going to be without standout offensive tackle Joe Alt for their Week 5 game against the Commanders with an ankle injury. This was predictable after he left Sunday's game after just 10 snaps, and it remains to be seen just how long he'll be out for.

What's particularly frustrating with this injury is that the Chargers are also without Rashawn Slater, another star offensive tackle, for the season. Winning without one star offensive tackle, but doing so without both of them, particularly against a good Commanders team, is easier said than done.

The Chargers want to establish themselves as Super Bowl contenders, but they'll need Alt in order to do that. Given that, hopefully this injury doesn't keep him out too long beyond Week 5.