The NFL injury report is always filled with some of the game’s best stars, leaving fans and fantasy football managers scrambling to find out who will play. Closing up Week 6 of the 2022 NFL season, that’s more apparent than ever.
Bookmark this page for daily injury updates and news on NFL stars from across the league, whether they will play in Week 6 and how their injuries impact fantasy football.
Here is the latest injury news for some of the NFL’s biggest stars and the impact it will have on Week 6 in Sportsnaut’s NFL injury report.
Related: NFL Week 6 power rankings
Tua Tagovailoa, quarterback, Miami Dolphins
Update: Tagovailoa is out for Week 6’s battle against Minnesota. Seventh-round rookie Skylar Thompson will start.
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa left Week 4’s game with a head injury after his head slammed into the ground, causing a fencing reaction. He was taken off the field on a stretcher and hospitalized, undergoing a series of tests during the night.
Tagovailoa, who seemed to first suffer a head injury against Buffalo, missed last week’s outing against the New York Jets. At this point, it seems that Tua will also have to sit out Week 6’s outing against the Minnesota Vikings. Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel all but confirmed that on Monday.
“He’s not ready to take the step to do some football stuff yet,” McDaniel on the status of Tua Tagovailoa.
Dolphins backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is also in the concussion protocol after being pulled from Miami’s blowout loss to the Jets this past Sunday. But after not being able to practice in full, rookie Skylar Thompson is in line to start. With that said, Tua’s likely absence will have an impact on star wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, as it did in Week 5. With Thompson under center, that will be magnified even further.
Tyreek Hill, wide receiver, Miami Dolphins
- Update: Hill practiced in full and will start.
Hill left the end of Sunday’s blowout loss against the New York Jets with a foot injury after he was stepped on. While the All-Pro wide receiver was seen in a walking boot following the game, this doesn’t seem to be too serious.
“He looked pretty good today, but we’ll take that day by day. I know he won’t – if and when he plays next, he won’t play in a boot. I know that much.”
Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel on Tyreek Hill
Hill entered Week 5 leading the NFL in receiving yards. He put up a dud of a performance in catching passes from Bridgewater and Thompson. If Bridgewater is able to go, Hill is an obvious DFS play. Of course, that’s reliant on Cheetah being able to suit up this week against the 4-1 Minnesota Vikings.
Jonathan Taylor, running back, Indianapolis Colts
- Update: Taylor has been ruled out for Sunday.
The Colts were “hopeful” that Taylor would be able to take to the field for last Thursday night’s game against the Denver Broncos. He suffered an ankle injury in last week’s loss to the Tennessee Titans. Having to play on a short week, Indianapolis sat him out.
It remains to be seen if Taylor will suit up against the Jacksonville Jaguars. We’ll have updates on his status on this NFL injury report when they become available. For now, the Colts are confident he can play. If he’s unable to go, second-year player Deon Jackson would likely get a bulk of the carries with Nyheim Hines injured. Jackson gained 62 yards on 13 attempts against the Broncos.
Russell Wilson, quarterback, Denver Broncos
- Update: Wilson returned to full practice on Friday and will start Monday
Following a brutal performance in last week’s loss to the Indianapolis Colts, reports surfaced that Russell Wilson was dealing with a right shoulder injury. After the loss, Wilson flew to Los Angeles to receive a platelet-rich plasma injection. He had apparently been dealing with a strained lat muscle throughout the season.
Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett told reporters on Tuesday that Wilson should be good to go against the Los Angeles Chargers Monday night. From a fantasy perspective, the struggling future Hall of Fame quarterback remains a questionable play. Through five games with his new team, Wilson has accounted for four passing touchdowns against three interceptions. With that said, his status deserves mentioning in our updated NFL injury report.
Rashaad Penny, running back, Seattle Seahawks
In another bit of brutal news for this former first-round pick, Penny suffered a fractured tibia in last week’s loss against the New Orleans Saints. He’s now out for the remainder of the season. With their RB1 sidelined, the Seahawks will rely on rookie second-round pick and reigning Heisman finalist Kenneth Walker III to do his thing in the backfield with Geno Smith.
Walker III broke loose on a 69-yard touchdown run against the Saints and provides a ton of fantasy upside with Seattle still committed to the run despite Smith’s brilliant start to the season. The Seahawks will take on an Arizona Cardinals defense this week that has allowed the sixth-fewest rushing yards to running backs on the season.
Related: Sportsnaut’s Week 6 NFL defensive rankings
Mac Jones, quarterback, New England Patriots
- Update: Jones is inactive Sunday. Zappe will start again.
Mac Jones — who is dealing with a high ankle sprain — missed the past two weeks due to the injury. He was initially replaced by veteran Brian Hoyer in Week 4 against the Green Bay Packers, but Hoyer suffered a head injury of his own.
Enter into the equation rookie fourth-round pick Bailey Zappe who performed extremely well in last Sunday’s shutout win over the Detroit Lions. Zappe completed 17-of-21 passes for 188 yards with a touchdown and an interception. It’s not yet known whether Jones will be able to go Week 6 against the Cleveland Browns. If not, Zappe could actually be a solid under-the-radar DFS play.
Jameis Winston, quarterback, New Orleans Saints
- Update: Winston will not start this week. Andy Dalton will be back in the starting lineup.
Dealing with multiple fractures in his back, Jameis Winston still suited up for Week 3’s contest against the Carolina Panthers, but he didn’t have much success. He then sat out the past two weeks. In his stead, Andy Dalton has performed at an extremely high level.
- Andy Dalton stats (2022): 69% completion, 423 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
Even if Winston is able to return at some point soon, it’s not a foregone conclusion that he’ll take over as QB1. Either way, Michael Thomas (if healthy) and Alvin Kamara remain obvious fantasy plays.
Related: Sportsnaut’s NFL Week 6 power rankings
Michael Thomas, wide receiver, New Orleans Saints
- Update: Three weeks after the injury occurred, Thomas still hasn’t returned to practice. He’s out on Sunday.
Just when Michael Thomas finally returned to the field and was looking healthy, the All-Pro wideout suffers a toe injury. He had to leave the Week 3 loss to Carolina, though Ian Rapoport has suggested the injury “isn’t believed to be serious.” Serious or not, the Saints’ top target has now missed two consecutive games and could miss another in Week 6 against Cincinnati.
Kyle Pitts, tight end, Atlanta Falcons
- Update: Pitts is playing against the 49ers.
Marcus Mariota did not have one of his top targets in Week 5, as tight end Kyle Pitts is battling a hamstring injury. While the setback is not expected to force Pitts out of the lineup for long, he’s questionable in Week 6 against a league-best San Francisco 49ers team. Even if Pitts is able to return, no one on the Falcons’ offense is relevant from a fantasy perspective. San Francisco is yielding a league-low 12.2 points per game. Opposing tight ends have tallied 111 yards in five games against its defense.
Damien Harris, running back, New England Patriots
- Update: Damien Harris is inactive. The Pats have elevated Kevin Harris from the practice squad, a clear indication that Damien may not be able to go.
New England’s RB1 is expected to be out for several weeks with a hamstring injury after he suffered it last week against the Detroit Lions. A third-year player out of Alabama, Harris has put up 257 rushing yards and three touchdowns in five games this season. In his stead, Rhamondre Stevenson becomes an obvious fantasy option. The second-year back out of Oklahoma leads New England with 372 rushing yards. He’s also coming off a career-best 161-yard performance against the Lions in Week 5.
Keenan Allen, wide receiver, Los Angeles Chargers
- Update: Keenan Allen has been ruled out for Monday night
Allen suffered a hamstring injury in the opener against the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders in Week 1. The star wide receiver has missed the four games since with Los Angeles dropping two of the affairs.
Obviously, this isn’t the news Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert wanted to hear. He’s lacked consistent weapons in the passing game with Allen sidelined. The bad news? Allen has been ruled out for Monday night against Denver.
Related: Ranking NFL offenses heading into Week 6
Cordarrelle Patterson, running back, Atlanta Falcons
Patterson has been placed on injured reserve with a knee issue. The earliest this star running back can return is Week 9. Rookie fifth-round pick Tyler Allgeier was one of the biggest standouts this past weekend, going for 104 total yards on 11 touches. He should split time with Caleb Huntley until Patterson is able to return.
Rashod Bateman, wide receiver, Baltimore Ravens
Update: Bateman will be inactive on Sunday.
Taking over for Marquise Brown as the Ravens’ top wide receiver, Bateman exited last week’s game against the Buffalo Bills with a foot injury. Ravens head coach John Harbaugh indicated that he was day-to-day. But Bateman missed last week’s outing against the Bengals.
Baltimore is slated to take on the surprising New York Giants in Week 6. Harbaugh noted that Bateman has a chance to go. It will depend on heavily on if he gets in practice time during the week.
Related: Young fantasy football stars to target in 2022
Dak Prescott, quarterback, Dallas Cowboys
- Update: While Prescott has not been ruled out for Sunday, Cooper Rush is expected to start again.
Dak Prescott has missed each of the past three games after undergoing surgery on his throwing hand. It looks like he is still at least a week away from returning, according to Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. In his stead, Cooper Rush has played at a high level.
- Cooper Rush stats (2022): 61% completion, 737 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT, 95.9 QB rating
With Prescott now likely out for Week 6 against the Philadelphia Eagles, Rush becomes an underrated QB1 option in DFS leagues. We also like how CeeDee Lamb has looked with Rush tossing him the rock over the past four weeks.
Bookmark this page for further updates on our Week 6 NFL injury report.