We're already coming up on the quarter pole of the NFL regular season for many teams and will enter the bye week portion of the NFL schedule this week. Some teams and players will get healthier with an upcoming bye week. Teams with later byes will need to manage injuries and practice reps more carefully than ever.
Many teams in the league are managing those practice reps with the help of radio frequency tags and GPS monitors hidden under their player's shoulder pads. The technology is giving medical personnel reams of information -- heart rate, distance traveled in practice, top speed, acceleration and deceleration rates, among many other data points.
Chip Kelly, who has drawn praise for his willingness to embrace sports science, is a strong example of how teams use this data. Should the Eagles' training staff note a player isn't reaching the same top speed as he was earlier in the season or isn't moving to one direction as well as he once was, they're backing that player off in certain practice situations. Kelly's players told reporters they were fresher late last season than at any other point in their careers.
NFL teams are still learning how to best make use of the GPS data, but they're absolutely looking for something more scientific than weight loss and players self-reporting how they're feeling from week to week.
teddy bridgewater | ankle | questionable
Vikings fans were not happy with me after I tweeted my skepticism on Bridgewater on Monday morning.
Consider Teddy Bridgewater doubtful for Thursday night. Likely has high ankle sprain. Will be hard to prep to play with needed treatment.
— Jene Bramel (@JeneBramel) September 29, 2014
My skepticism had nothing to do with Bridgewater's toughness. That's not up for debate by the way -- Bridgewater played through serious injury in college and was more effective than he should have been. But Monday-Wednesday is the window for extensive treatment to ready players for a Sunday game.
Even a low grade high ankle sprain -- remember I've argued all season to not slap an automatic 3-4 week recovery timetable on those -- takes some time to heal. More swelling and pain and stiffness occurs in the 24-48 hours after the injury than in the immediate aftermath. The training staff of an NFL team works around the clock to limit the swelling and associated symptoms, but it often takes until Wednesday to determine whether a player has a chance to practice, much less play.
Bridgewater was tasked with getting intensive treatment and preparing to play in just four days. No matter how tough and smart a player is, that's a tough ask with a high ankle sprain. It's even tougher against a tough division foe on the road in your second game as a starter.
Yes, Bridgewater took mental reps all week. He didn't take a single physical rep. The Vikings have no idea how his ankle will respond to on-field stress. Bridgewater may be able to take snaps, hand the ball off and manuever a bit in the pocket. But he won't be ready to do more than that and he'll be at high risk of an aggravation.
I'll be very impressed if Bridgewater plays Thursday night. If he does, it may have as much to do with what the Vikings think of Matt Cassel than how close Bridgewater's ankle is to 100%.
Fantasy expectation: If he's active, Bridgewater is not a viable fantasy option. If he's active, hope he doesn't suffer any aggravations and is ready for Week 6.
I'm getting more questions this week on three players who aren't listed on the injury report than those who are.
And with good reason.
All of the running backs fantasy prognosticators had in their elite tier this preseason have struggled, albeit for different reasons. Setting the Adrian Peterson issue aside, the frighteningly disappointing start by LeSean McCoy has easily caused the most angst. McCoy was battling a turf toe injury late in the preseason, prompting questions about whether his health might be too blame. McCoy has bristled at the suggestion and I don't see an obvious loss in explosiveness. What I mostly see are teams stacking the box, smartly recognizing three things. McCoy is best with open running lanes and in space. Nick Foles is struggling terribly with his downfield reads. And the Eagles' offensive line is in shambles.
In Week 3, CBS sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson said Demaryius Thomas had been battling soreness in his foot for two weeks. While Thomas has been seen limping after plays and has missed a handful of reps, I'm told this concern is unrelated to the foot injury that plagued him as a rookie. It's something I'll monitor as Thomas comes out of the bye this week, but until he's worried enough to get treatment from the medical staff during the week -- obligating the Broncos to put him on the injury report -- it would not appear to be a major concern.
Finally, Cam Newton told reporters Wednesday that he felt misled by his surgeon and disappointed he continues to have pain in his ankle. I like Cam Newton, but this is the second time in two months he's openly grumbled about his ankle. Last month, he told reporters he felt like an old man. That was dismissed by many as Newton being playfully sarcastic with reporters. Now, Newton is suggesting the surgeon that every player seeks out to perform any major surgery around the foot and ankle -- Dr. Robert Anderson -- didn't inform him that an ankle surgery with an open incision would take 3-4 months to heal and may need more time to feel fully right. I may be reading this wrong, but I think Newton's ankle isn't right and he's carefully using the media to soften his struggles. If the ankle isn't right in Week 4, playing on it isn't going to make it any better. I think we'll see continued inconsistent play from Newton.We'll see.
Onto this week's injury concerns...
arian foster | hamstring | dnp
The DNP for Foster on Wednesday isn't unexpected. I wrote Monday about my concerns on Foster's second half appearance and usage. But it should be seen as a setback. Foster had been able to practice, albeit limited, on all three practice days in each of the past two weeks. Though this isn't a clear sign of an aggravation, it's clear that Foster returned before he was 100% and is the latest instance in a long line of slow healing muscle strains. At minimum, Foster will be a game-time decision again and would likely see a drop in his base offensive snaps if he's active.
calvin johnson | ankle | dnp
Johnson admitted he was a decoy and only barely able to play last week. He didn't do enough during the game to cause any setbacks, so there's hope that another week of healing and intensive treatment will get him ready to see his usual number of targets. But we're looking at another week of watching his late week practice prep, deciphering his media interviews and guessing about his health for Sunday.
brandon marshall | ankle | full
This was a pleasant surprise. After legitimate concerns about the true severity of Marshall's ankle issue -- three weeks without practice and two games with fewer than usual targets -- seeing Marshall back to a full Wednesday practice is a very good sign. It'll be even better if he's able to practice fully again on Thursday.
julio jones | ankle | limited
I don't think there's anything of concern here, but after the way in which the Johnson and Marshall ankle injuries develop, keep an eye on Jones' practice participation through the end of the week.
andre ellington | foot | limited
I was hoping to see Ellington off the injury report coming out of the bye week, indicating his foot had healed well enough to allow a full early week practice. Though the limited practice isn't of high concern, it's clear Ellington's foot isn't fully healed. It's too soon to say the strained tendon will linger all season long, but it's also not an injury that was likely to fully heal without an extended period of rest. Given the number of specialist visits Ellington took, it's possible the injury is something which won't be right until he has surgery in the offseason. For now, expect Ellington's practice reps to be limited during the season and for him to be a little less than 100% during games. With luck, he'll not have any midseason aggravations.
carson palmer | arm | dnp
It was always optimistic to hope a brachial plexus injury would fully heal within four weeks. Palmer was apparently throwing 30-40 yard passes late last week -- just two and a half weeks after his injury -- ramping up his rehab significantly from what was a reported short session of 10-yard passes earlier in the week. After experiencing swelling in the shoulder and further irritation of the nerve, Palmer saw specialists and has likely been shut down from throwing.
There's two possibilities here. First, Palmer just irritated tissues around the nerve and hasn't had a setback with the nerve itself. If that's the case, we could see Palmer begin throwing again in 10-14 days. If the nerve healing process was disrupted, however, you can start the clock at 3-4 weeks again and Palmer's timetable may rightfully be considered indefinite.
Either way, don't expect to see Palmer for another extended period.
jordan reed | hamstring | limited
Reed saw his first practice time since straining his hamstring in Week 1. There's a chance Reed can suit up and go this week, but most players with mid-grade hamstring strains take a week of limited practice and condition before increasing their practice the following week and playing. If Reed follows that line, it'll be Week 6 before he returns.
niles paul | concussion | dnp
Paul is in the return to play protocol. A limited practice tomorrow would be a good sign for his Week 5 availability, but don't expect to know much about his status -- unless Washington declares him out sooner -- until Friday.
vernon davis | back | dnp
Davis is still struggling with soreness in his back. There's still time for the soreness and spasms to resolve, but Davis will need to practice on Thursday to avoid any risk of being labeled a game-time decision again.
ben tate | knee | limited
All signs point to Tate returning this week. The coaching staff has been positive and seems to expect him to play. Running backs coach Wilbur Montgomery has said Tate will return to his starting role. I expect we'll see Tate give some snaps and series up to Terrance West and Isaiah Crowell until he's fully in condition.
marvin jones | ankle | dnp
An ankle injury isn't a common cascade event after returning from a foot fracture. And there's been no indication Jones is dealing with any problems with the foot itself. But Jones will need to practice this week to have any chance of a meaningful contribution. The Bengals are very unlikely to put him on the gameday active roster if he's unable to do much prep.
joique bell | concussion | dnp
Bell is in the return to play protocol. Daily upgrades in practice participation will be key. Watch for a positive Friday practice report and any indication he's been sent to the independent neurologist for clearance.
Follow on Twitter @JeneBramel for breaking injury news, updates and analysis. Check back Sunday morning for my expectations on all of this week's game-time injury decisions.