Week 4 Injury Report: The Cost of Coming Back Too Soon

Week after week, NFL stars are continuing to land on the injury report at unprecedented rates. We are using up-to-date research along with my clinical insight as a doctor of physical therapy to understand what the Week 4 injuries actually mean.

To keep up to date with current injury content throughout the week, be sure to follow my YouTube channel.

Jaylin Lane

Injury: Ankle

Projected Return: TBD

Jaylin Lane was injured on a kick return; it looked to be a left ankle fracture and dislocation. If that’s the case, it will likely be a season-ending injury and require surgery. We’ll have to wait to find out the exact structures he injured, as it can vary with this type of injury.

Marcus Mariota

Injury: Knee

Projected Return: TBD

Marcus Mariota was landed on, putting his knee in a valgus position, the mechanism for an MCL injury. He was later confirmed to have aggravated his MCL injury that he suffered in August. He will undergo an MRI to determine the extent of the injury. This can vary from a low-grade sprain to a full rupture requiring season-ending surgery. If it is grade 1-2, he may be out for anywhere from 2-4 weeks. It is not out of the realm of possibility that he suffered ACL damage as well. While Mariota’s injury severity is being determined, the Washington Commanders are hoping Jayden Daniels can return from his elbow dislocation injury in Week 5.

Saquon Barkley

Injury: Hamstring

Projected Return: Week 6-8

Saquon Barkley pulled up after a first-down run, unable to put a lot of weight into his right leg. It was confirmed to be a hamstring strain. We have seen so many muscle strains in the past few weeks, and if there is one thing that we have learned, it’s to not rush back. We have seen Travis Etienne and Devonta Smith come back too early, both re-aggravating their muscle strains and now facing multiple-week absences with even higher risks of re-injury. I like to see these players sit out at least a couple of weeks with muscle strains, though research suggests four weeks is typically the best to prevent re-injury, even from low-grade strains.

Ja'Marr Chase

Injury: Concussion

Projected Return: Week 5-6

Ja'Marr Chase hit his head hard on the turf, ultimately ruled out with a concussion early in the game Sunday. He will have to clear concussion protocol before returning, which varies between each individual athlete. The average return for NFL athletes is about 15 days.

Lamar Jackson

Injury: Ankle

Projected Return: Week 5-8

Lamar Jackson was ruled out of Sunday’s game with an ankle injury, and he was seen leaving the stadium in a protective boot. The mechanism of injury suggests a high ankle sprain. The average time for NFL athletes is around 3-4 weeks following a high ankle sprain, though we have seen athletes such as Patrick Mahomes return in under two weeks. It’s also possible he suffered an isolated medial ankle sprain. This would cut the timeline down to one to two weeks, depending on severity.

Tee Higgins

Injury: Adductor

Projected Return: Week 6-8

Another muscle strain has claimed an NFL star. Tee Higgins suffered an adductor injury after putting up a monster performance. He tried to return to the game but was ultimately unable to continue. Again, these strains are notorious for re-injury, so the Bengals should tread lightly with his return.

D.J. Moore

Injury: AC Joint

Projected Return: Week 6-8

D.J. Moore re-aggravated his AC joint sprain from a couple of weeks ago on Sunday. Reports say it is not a long-term issue, suggesting it is again a lower-grade sprain. The average time out for grade one AC joint sprains is ten days, but I would not be surprised if they keep him out for a couple of weeks to be safe. The Bills have a Week 7 Bye, which means he may return in Week 8.

Rashee Rice

Injury: Hamstring

Projected Return: Week 6-8

After making a catch, Rashee Rice pulled up with an apparent hamstring strain. Similar to Saquon Barkley, he will likely miss at least a couple of weeks, and a return too soon may see elevated re-injury risk.

Dak Prescott

Injury: Hand

Projected Return: Week 5

Dak Prescott was seen in the post-game press conference with a bandage around his throwing hand, reportedly suffering a cut after being stepped on. This seems to be a minor injury, and the bandage on his hand was said to help with swelling. It’s unlikely he misses any time.

Ladd McConkey

Injury: Foot

Projected Return: TBD

After dealing with a foot injury mid-week, Ladd McConkey was able to suit up Sunday. However, he seemed to aggravate this injury today. The exact injury is unknown, but the fact that it was re-aggravated suggests he will miss some time. He’s likely dealing with a midfoot sprain or a plantar fascia injury, but we'll wait before speculating further.

Tyquan Thornton

Injury: Ankle

Projected Return: TBD

After celebrating a catch and attempting to stand up, Tyquan Thornton realized he suffered a gruesome ankle dislocation injury, ultimately collapsing to the ground. Similar to Jaylin Lane, this will likely be a season-ending injury and require surgery.

Kyle Monangai

Injury: Thumb

Projected Return: TBD

Kyle Monangai was incredibly busy today, carrying the ball 30 times. Unfortunately, late in the fourth quarter, he suffered a thumb injury. He reports he was unsure when exactly he suffered the injury. The severity is unknown, so we’ll have to wait for further evaluation and tests this week.

Pat Bryant

Injury: Ankle

Projected Return: Week 7-9

Pat Bryant was carted off after an ankle injury, which appeared to be the mechanism of a high ankle sprain. If it is a stable high ankle sprain, research on NFL athletes suggests he will likely miss at least three to four weeks.