Here are Week 16’s biggest impact injuries through Sunday’s games:
1. Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars QB
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence has started every possible game during his NFL career. But Lawrence was ruled out of a game for the second time this month, suffering a shoulder injury in the Jaguars’ fourth consecutive defeat, a 30-12 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The third-year pro, who said after the game that the shoulder was bothering him, is scheduled to undergo tests on Monday.
Lawrence was making his 49th consecutive start, tied for second most with Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes among active quarterbacks behind Buffalo’s Josh Allen. But Lawrence hurt his right shoulder while diving for a first down near the sidelines on a fourth-and-1 play late in the third quarter.
Lawrence stayed in the game for five more plays and threw an 18-yard TD pass to Calvin Ridley for the Jaguars’ first score of the game. Yet he was declared out shortly thereafter, and backup C.J. Beathard replaced Lawrence on the next possession.
This is Lawrence’s third injury in the past four weeks. He initially suffered an ankle injury and needed to come out of Jacksonville’s Week 13 loss to Cincinnati.
He then went into concussion protocol after the Jaguars’ 23-7 loss to Baltimore last week, and he was questionable most of the week.
And now he has a shoulder injury with two weeks left, with games at home against Carolina and at Tennessee remaining.
2. Jordan Addison, Vikings WR
A pair of Vikings are among the impact injuries in Week 16, and Addison, who’s had a standout rookie season, was injured as Chicago Bears safety Kerby Joseph was returning an interception in the second quarter.
Addison left the game and never returned after catching only one pass, and there was no word about his condition after the game.
Addison, a first-round pick out of USC, has caught 63 passes for 826 yards and nine touchdowns, and was a primary target while the Vikings’ best receiver, Justin Jefferson, missed significant time with injuries.
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3. T.J. Hockenson, Vikings TE
Joining Addison among the impact injuries for the Vikings (7-8) was Hockenson, who suffered a knee injury when Joseph, the same player whom Addison was chasing when he got hurt, came in low to tackle him.
Like with Addison, there was no report on Hockenson’s injury status after the game.
Hockenson, who caught four passes against his former team before exiting the game, has been the Vikings’ leading receiver with 95 catches for 960 yards and five touchdowns, and his receptions lead all NFL tight ends.
4. Jordyn Brooks, Seahawks LB
According to Seattle head coach Pete Carroll, Brooks suffered a re-injury of a sprained ankle in the first quarter the Seahawks’ 20-17 victory over Tennessee and didn’t return.
Brooks, a fourth-year pro, has been dealing with the same injury since Week 13, but has yet to miss any games. With the Seahawks playing their way back into playoff contention, they can ill afford to any impact injuries on their defense.
Brooks, the team’s second-leading tackler, is tied for the team lead in tackles for loss with eight and has 4.5 sacks in addition to three passes defended, an interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
5. Jaylen Waddle, Dolphins WR
You’re automatically included on the list of impact injuries when you surpass the 1,000-yard mark, which Waddle did for the third season Sunday with his 50-yard reception in the first quarter of the Miami Dolphins’ 22-20 playoff-clinching win over Dallas.
But he later left the game on two occasions for two separate injuries, one to his eye and then another to his leg.
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Waddle (72 receptions, 1,014 receiving yards, five TDs) returned to the game after the eye injury, but not after hurting his leg, which will be evaluated Monday.
He went to the locker room for further evaluation and never returned. He’s only listed at No. 5 on this list of impact injuries because he walked off on his own power and it didn’t appear to be severe, even though he didn’t return to the game.
The Dolphins (11-4), who clinched a playoff spot for the second straight season, are hopeful of Waddle’s availability over the next two weeks, when they play at Baltimore and then Buffalo at home.