9 NFL injuries that matter the most for Week 7 and what to know

We’re at a tricky part of the NFL schedule. Yeah, teams are getting decimated by injuries, but we’re also a few weeks away from the trade deadline, which means some ‘less-than-real’ injuries are starting to pop up on practice reports. 

The real injury guys and the fake injury guys aren’t going to play, so it’s the same result, but it still seems important to suss everything out. On the other side of that coin, some teams are starting to get players back from their early-season injuries. 

It’s a warzone out there

There are a lot of big games this weekend, and one of the bigger ones is the Eagles trying to get back on track after losing two straight games. Unfortunately (maybe fortunately?), they have an all too familiar quarterback standing in front of them.

Carson Wentz/J.J. McCarthy, Vikings

On Friday afternoon, the Vikings announced that Carson Wentz is going to be their starting quarterback against the Eagles because J.J. McCarthy is still dealing with his ankle thing (but actually probably because he’s not ready to be a starting quarterback).

If you don’t like the Eagles or their fans, this is your dream scenario. If the Eagles do beat the Vikings, you get to say ‘Who cares? They beat Carson Wentz.’ If the Eagles lose to the Vikings… buddy…

Listen, losing to the Giants was awful, but it came with the caveat that it was a Thursday game, and Jalen Carter, Quinyon Mitchell, and Landon Dickerson were out. 

Losing to Carson Wentz, even with a banged-up team, would be rock bottom. 

Puka Nacua, Rams

It stinks to see a guy in the running for Offensive Player of the Year get hurt, but here we are. 

Near the beginning of the second quarter last week, Nacua got a little tangled up with the Ravens’ cornerback Marlon Humphrey, and it did something to his ankle.

He ended up coming back and playing decently well in the run game, so it seemed like maybe he dodged a bullet.

Nope. He’s out for the Week 7 game against the Jaguars, and now the Rams have to find another receiver to get Nacua’s targets. If they’re smart (and they are), 90% of those are going to go to Devante Adams, and the other 10% will go to Tutu Atwell.

Dre’Mont Jones/Arden Key, Titans

This is a blanket statement that goes for a whole lot of players on the Titans’ roster: these might be fake injuries that are being used to keep these guys healthy as trade pieces. 

The Titans’ season is over. Now their main focus is checking Tankathon every day, losing games while trying to develop Cam Ward, and hoarding future draft capital. The way they do the last part is making sure guys who can trade stay healthy, and you do that by (ironically) lying about them being hurt.

A “supply-and-demand issue” with pass rushers means that more teams are looking for players than there are players. If that’s the case, then the Titans would be able to make out like bandits if they’re able to move Dre’Mont Jones or Arden Key.

Garrett Wilson, Jets

Garrett Wilson won’t play in the Jets’ Week 7 game against the Panthers because of his knee, so there’s not really an injury to watch here… But after bringing up fake injuries for players that should be traded, it feels right to bring up the fake injury thing for Wilson as well.

A good organization would not trade Garrett Wilson. He’s a really, really good wide receiver, he’d be an awesome piece for a future rookie/young quarterback to grow with, and also, they just exercised his fifth-year option and signed a four-year extension.

So financially, a trade would be firable, and team building-wise, it would be suicide… but ethically, it would be Nobel Prize worthy.

No one wants to see wide receivers’ careers rot away, especially when teams that would trade for a wide receiver like Wilson at the trade deadline are typically in a decent spot and would (ideally) make a player like him a big part of their offense. If you love someone, set them free.

Another aspect that you have to take into account here is that the Jets are not a good organization; they do boneheaded stuff all the time, and they do it seemingly only to let their fan base know that it’s cursed. Trading away Wilson would be a cursed-franchise move. 

My very convoluted point is: This seems like it’s a real injury. 

Charvarius Ward, Colts

One thing that was kind of lost in the hubbub of Week 6 is that Charvarius Ward got concussed in pregame warm-ups when he and a tight end bashed into each other. 

That meant John Edwards got more of a workload… and he was thoroughly picked on. Jacoby Brissett threw five balls his way. Four of them were caught for 98 yards, and three of them were deep crossers for 68 yards. It was pretty ugly. 

Luckily, Shane Steichen has said that Kenny Moore is ready to play after hurting his Achilles in Week 3. Hopefully, he can hold up because the Justin Herbert-led Chargers' passing game is a whole lot better than a Jacoby Brissett-led Cardinals’ passing game. 

Regardless, it stinks that Ward’s dealing with his second concussion of the season. That’s mega-tough. 

Joe Alt, Chargers

Speaking of the Chargers, their mortally wounded offensive line might be getting a big piece back. Their stud left tackle, Joe Alt, sprained his ankle in Week 4 and has missed the last two games. 

He started this week on the practice report as a DNP, but on Thursday and Friday, he was limited. That’s a good sign, but unfortunately, he’s officially doubtful for Sunday. Yeah, that sucks, but it’s definitely better than out… Which is what you would kind of expect for a guy who got carted off the field less than a month ago. 

Maybe, just maybe, they’ll shoot him up with a rhino’s dose of Toradol and horse tranquilizers and let him play. I’m not sure how often you want the Chargers’ training staff sticking needles into the players, but it might be worth it with Alt.

Whatever the case, at least you know that offensive line help is on the way for Justin Herbert and the gang.

The 49ers in general

Woof. Just, woof. The 49ers have had some of the absolute worst injury luck this season. 

Luckily, they’re getting George Kittle back this week… So… That’ll be nice, but he’s a tight end and not a linebacker, cornerback, or edge rusher, even though I’m sure he’d be down to play one of those positions if someone asked.

They draw the Falcons on Sunday night. That’s the same Falcons team that dropped 443 yards on the Bills’ injured defense… And somehow, the 49ers are 2.5-point favorites. Do with that information what you will. 

Mike Evans, Buccaneers

Apparently, Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers don’t need elite wide receivers to have an elite offense. They went out in Week 6 with a ragtag group of yahoos and still put up 30 points on the 49ers' (very hurt) defense. 

Well, they’re getting some guys back anyway, and this week, it’ll be Mike Evans who has been out since Week 3 with a hamstring injury.

If there’s one thing that Tampa Bay has cared about over the past 11 years, it’s getting Evans to 1,000 receiving yards. This season, he’s only at 140, so they have some ground to make up, and doing it against a very hurt (and suspended) Lions’ secondary would be the perfect time to get that train back on the tracks.