The 2025 NFL Week 4 Injury Report contains several key players who could significantly impact each team and the betting market.
Our guy Juan Carlos Blanco analyzes the biggest names that will play a key cog in determining Week 4 outcomes.
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NFL Week 4 Injury Report: Key Players
In this article each week, we’ll highlight some noteworthy players who have opened the practice week with an injury designation of some sort and offer some quick hits on the expected impact of their absences, if those come to fruition.
It’s quite the Week 4 on the injury front, as there are notable names among the walking wounded across all the skill positions.
In this article each week, we’ll highlight some noteworthy players who have opened the practice week with an injury designation of some sort and offer some quick hits on the expected impact of their absences, if those come to fruition.
Quarterbacks
Baker Mayfield, Buccaneers, QUESTIONABLE (biceps):
Mayfield put in a third consecutive limited practice Friday ahead of Sunday’s game against the Eagles. However, as per Friday practice reports, he did some throwing for the first time this week, albeit in the form of soft tosses, while continuing to nurse the biceps injury to his throwing arm that he suffered in Week 3 against the Jets.
Mayfield appears to be trending toward active status for the Week 4 showdown against the defending champions. However, were he to suffer a setback, veteran backup Teddy Bridgewater would step in to lead a Buccaneers offense that will operate without Mike Evans (hamstring) but that appears likely to see Chris Godwin (ankle) make his season debut.
Jayden Daniels, Commanders, OUT (knee):
Daniels has been officially ruled out for a second straight game, as he’ll miss Sunday’s Week 4 matchup against the Falcons despite returning to practice in a limited fashion this week after missing all of Week 3 prep. Daniels’ confirmed absence will afford Marcus Mariota a second consecutive start against one of his former teams.
In Week 3 against the Raiders, Mariota leveraged the luxury of a large lead for significant portions of the game to carry over his momentum in Kliff Kingsbury’s offense from a pair of successful extended appearances last season. Mariota completed 15 of 21 passes for 207 yards and a touchdown while adding a 6-40-1 rushing line versus Las Vegas.
However, he’ll be facing Chicago without No. 1 receiver Terry McLaurin, who’s been ruled out due to a quadriceps injury. He’ll also operate sans No. 3 receiver Noah Brown, who also sat out Week 3 with the same groin injury that will sideline him Sunday.
Brock Purdy, 49ers, QUESTIONABLE (toe):
Purdy was able to jump back into practice during Week 3 prep by logging a trio of limited sessions, but he was ultimately ruled out against the Cardinals. As a Week 4 matchup against the Jaguars approaches, Purdy has repeated the same practice participation pattern both Wednesday and Thursday.
Seemingly another week removed from his Week 1 turf toe injury, Purdy would seem to have a good chance of suiting up against Jacksonville. However, if he were to sit out another contest, Mac Jones would be the next man up for the third straight game, although he’d have to overcome his own questionable status due to the PCL injury he emerged from the win over Arizona with.
In the unlikely event the 49ers were down both quarterbacks, they would presumably turn to practice-squad signal-caller Adrian Martinez, who’s been active as Jones’ backup the last two games. Martinez has never seen NFL regular-season action, but he threw for 1,784 yards with a 15:3 TD:INT and added an outstanding 54-528-3 rushing line over 10 games (seven starts) with the UFL’s Birmingham Stallions in 2024.
Other notable short-term QB injuries to monitor: J.J. McCarthy, Vikings, QUESTIONABLE (ankle); Justin Fields, Jets, QUESTIONABLE (concussion); Mac Jones, 49ers, QUESTIONABLE (knee)
Running Backs
Josh Jacobs, Packers, QUESTIONABLE (ankle):
The highly durable Jacobs has practiced in limited fashion the first two days of the week due to a lingering ankle issue he played through in Week 3 against the Browns without carrying an injury designation into the game.
The same expectation holds true for Sunday night’s game against the Cowboys, but in the unlikely event he were to be sidelined, Green Bay would turn to the duo of Chris Brooks and Emanuel Wilson to helm its ground attack.
Chuba Hubbard, Panthers, QUESTIONABLE (calf):
Hubbard practiced in full Wednesday before being added to the injury report and listed as a limited participant Thursday. He carried the same designation during Friday’s session, perhaps setting him up to be a game-time call for a Week 4 road tilt against the Patriots.
Carolina does have a starting-caliber No. 2 option in offseason addition Rico Dowdle, who accrued 1,079 rushing yards and two touchdowns across 16 regular-season games for the Cowboys in 2024 and also scored his first touchdown as a Panther in the Week 3 rout of the Falcons.
D’Andre Swift, Bears, QUESTIONABLE (hip):
As was the case in leading into the Week 3 win against the Cowboys, Swift has put in back-to-back limited practices as the Bears prepare to face the Raiders this Sunday. Swift showed no ill effects against Dallas after going into last weekend carrying a questionable tag, turning 16 touches into 78 total yards.
If Swift were unable to conquer the injury bug this week, the Bears would be calling upon rookie seventh-round pick Kyle Monangai and Roschon Johnson to handle the ground attack versus a Las Vegas defense allowing 114.0 rushing yards per game through the first three weeks of the season.
Other notable RB injuries to monitor: Jaylen Warren, Steelers, QUESTIONABLE (knee); Tyrone Tracy Jr., Giants, DOUBTFUL (shoulder); Bhayshul Tuten, Jaguars, QUESTIONABLE (shoulder); Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Commanders, QUESTIONABLE (knee)
Wide Receivers
Mike Evans, Buccaneers, OUT (hamstring)
The hamstring injury Evans suffered in the second half of the Week 3 win over the Jets was subsequently diagnosed as a mild-to-moderate strain through an MRI, and the veteran wideout is reportedly looking at an absence of up to four weeks.
Evans had already amassed 28 targets through less than three full games, so his absence will open up opportunity for everyone from a potentially debuting Chris Godwin to rookie Emeka Egbuka, No. 3 receiver Sterling Shepard, tight end Cade Otton and even RBs Bucky Irving and Rachaad White.
CeeDee Lamb, Cowboys, DOUBTFUL (ankle)
Lamb suffered his ankle injury on a rush attempt in the first quarter of the Week 3 loss to the Bears, and although he expressed confidence postgame that he wouldn’t miss any games moving forward, he’s sat out practice all week and is all but ruled out for Sunday night’s showdown with Micah Parsons and the Packers.
George Pickens, who’s served as a No. 1 receiver before in Pittsburgh and has posted a solid 13-166-2 line on 22 targets through his first three games as a Cowboy, will serve as Dak Prescott’s top wideout. However, tight end Jake Ferguson and running backs Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders could also help make up for the shortfall created by Lamb’s absence, alongside the likes of receivers Jalen Tolbert and KaVontae Turpin.
Terry McLaurin, Commanders, OUT (quadriceps):
McLaurin suffered his quadriceps injury in the Week 3 thumping of the Raiders on a play where he lunged for the goal line following a 56-yard catch. After missing practice all week, the veteran wideout has been ruled out for Sunday’s Week 4 matchup against the Falcons.
McLaurin has a solid but somewhat muted 17 targets through three games, although extenuating circumstances such as Daniels’ Week 3 absence and game scripts have affected his volume. Nevertheless, his absence is expected to create plenty of opportunity for Deebo Samuel, Luke McCaffrey and veteran journeyman Chris Moore against an Atlanta defense that will be missing top cornerback A.J. Terrell (hamstring) for the second straight week.
Other notable short-term WR injuries to monitor: Malik Nabers, Giants, QUESTIONABLE (shoulder); Davante Adams, Rams, QUESTIONABLE (hamstring); Tetairoa McMillan, Panthers, QUESTIONABLE (calf); Jauan Jennings, 49ers, QUESTIONABLE (ankle); Ricky Pearsall, 49ers, QUESTIONABLE (knee); Chris Godwin, Buccaneers, QUESTIONABLE (ankle); Jaylen Waddle, Dolphins, QUESTIONABLE (shoulder); Josh Reynolds, Jets, QUESTIONABLE (hamstring); Alec Pierce, Colts, OUT (concussion); Darius Slayton, Giants, QUESTIONABLE (calf); Cedric Tillman, Browns, QUESTIONABLE (hand); Noah Brown, Commanders, OUT (groin); Dyami Brown, Jaguars, QUESTIONABLE (shoulder)
Tight Ends
Isaiah Likely, Ravens, QUESTIONABLE (foot):
Likely’s long-awaited 2025 debut could finally come in Sunday’s road showdown against the Chiefs, a team he eviscerated for a 9-111-1 line in Week 1 of last season. The fourth-year pro logged limited practices both Wednesday and Thursday, and if he suits up versus Kansas City, he’ll presumably slot into a timeshare with veteran teammate Mark Andrews, who did enjoy his first breakout game of the season Monday night against the Lions in the form of a six-catch, 91-yard, two-touchdown effort.
Jonnu Smith, Steelers, QUESTIONABLE (hip):
Smith finished the practice week in Dublin, Ireland ahead of Sunday’s International Series game against the Vikings with a pair of limited practices. The veteran trade acquistion has been busy over his first three games with the Steelers, recording 12 receptions for 65 yards on 13 targets.
Smith is essentially a co-No. 1 tight end with Pat Freiermuth, so if the former ultimately sits out, the latter would have full control of a role he’s filled with success frequently since arriving in Pittsburgh in 2021.
Tucker Kraft, Packers, QUESTIONABLE (knee/elbow):
Kraft was able to play through his knee issue in Week 3 against the Browns, playing a robust allotment of 57 snaps and emerging with a 3-29-0 line on four targets. He’s now dealing with elbow issue as well and practiced in limited fashion both Wednesday and Thursday while reportedly donning a sleeve over the affected leg.
If Kraft were unable to power through for a second straight week, Luke Musgrave would be called on to step in as the Packers’ top pass-catching tight-end option versus a struggling Cowboys defense.
Other notable short-term TE injuries to monitor: Will Dissly, Chargers, QUESTIONABLE (knee); Noah Fant, Bengals, QUESTIONABLE (concussion); Tyler Higbee, Rams, QUESTIONABLE (hip); Theo Johnson, Giants, QUESTIONABLE (toe); Colston Loveland, Bears, QUESTIONABLE (hip); Darren Waller, Dolphins, QUESTIONABLE (hip); Michael Mayer, Raiders, QUESTIONABLE (concussion); Ja’Tavion Sanders, Panthers, OUT (ankle)
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