Is Mark Andrews playing this week? Latest Ravens vs. Texans injury update

Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews has been nursing a quadriceps injury for the last two weeks, one that's largely been kept under wraps by the team.

Andrews missed six consecutive practices last week but was able to practice in a limited capacity from this past Wednesday to Friday. He appears to be making strides toward a full recovery, but will he be back in time for Week 1's matchup against the Texans?

As far as his injury history goes, the three-time Pro Bowler missed two-and-a-half games in 2022 due to knee and shoulder issues.

Here's the latest update on Mark Andrew's status for Week 1.

Ravens injury update: Mark Andrews is questionable for Week 1

According to the Ravens' Week 1 injury report, Andrew is questionable for the 2023 season opener against the Houston Texans due to his quad injury.

Injury timeline: Andrews' quad injury is one Ravens injury that feels like it came out of the blue given how little has been revealed about the issue. The veteran tight end's health status has been clouded in the two weeks leading up to Week 1 despite Andrews appearing healthy for the majority of training camp and preseason. He may have suffered the injury during a team practice sometime in late August.

Expected return: Andrews said he felt good on Thursday and that "God willing, he'll be out there" for Week 1's 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff. If he continues to trend upward, Andrews could take the field on Sunday, or the Ravens may sit him for one game for precautionary reasons (as the Chiefs did with Travis Kelce).

Potential replacements: 2022 fourth-rounders Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar will be the next men up in the Ravens' tight end room. Likely, who finished with 373 yards and three touchdowns in 16 games in his rookie season, may benefit the most from Andrews' potential absence.

Coach's quote: In classic John Harbaugh fashion, the Ravens head coach gave a generic statement on Andrews' Week 1 status. "Every week is different in terms of what's at stake. Guys want to play, and if they're capable of playing, they'll be out there playing."

It may be worth noting that in late August, Harbaugh had a much more optimistic take on Andrews. Harbaugh said, "Tell the fans it’s going to be OK. I expect [Andrews] to play in [Week 1's] game, and he should be fine."