NFL Week 5 saw two more starting NFL quarterbacks injured, a New York Giants offense completely destroyed, and real trouble brewing in Kansas City. Let’s take a look at the latest injury updates as we come out of Week 5 and begin to look ahead to next week.
NFL Week 5 injury updates | Giants and Chiefs hit hard
Every team is affected by injuries, but the Giants and Chiefs are facing dire circumstances with the health of their roster.
QB Daniel Jones, RB Saquon Barkley, WR Kenny Golladay | New York Giants
What a brutal day for the Giants. Their franchise quarterback, highly-drafted running back, and big-money receiver all left New York’s loss to the Cowboys with injuries.
Jones suffered a concussion late in the first half that left him stumbling off the field. Mike Glennon replaced him and threw 2 interceptions.
Barkley got his left foot stepped on, resulting in what NFL Network classifies as a low ankle sprain that will keep him out of at least Sunday’s game against the Rams.
And Golladay said he hyperextended his knee when he collided with Cowboys corner Trevon Diggs Sunday. As a result, he went without a catch and was targeted 3 times on just 24 snaps. The Giants finished the game with just three Week 1 starters.
WR Tyreek Hill, G Joe Thuney, RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire, TE Travis Kelce | Kansas City Chiefs
The two-time defending AFC champs are in serious trouble. Their defense cannot stop anyone, and their offense might be down three of its best players.
Hill, Thuney, and Edwards-Helaire all left Sunday night’s loss to the Bills and did not return.
Thuney fractured his hand. Edwards-Helaire needed to be carried off the field with a left knee injury and was quickly ruled out. Hill “also hurt his knee a little bit,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said postgame. However, he was still able to log 73 of a possible 86 snaps. And Kelce is dealing with a stinger.
Edwards-Helaire, Kelce, and Hill have accounted for 61% of Kansas City’s yards and 10 of the Chiefs’ 25 offensive touchdowns.
UPDATE: NFL Network reported that Edwards-Helaire is out for a couple of weeks with an MCL sprain. ESPN reports that Hill’s injury is minor and should be able to play this weekend.
NFL Week 5 injury updates
How is the injury bug affecting other teams?
JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
A frustrating year appears to have come to an early end for Smith-Schuster, who suffered a significant shoulder injury in Pittsburgh’s Week 5 win over the Denver Broncos.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported Monday morning that the Steelers are expected to place Smith-Schuster on injured reserve and there is fear his season is over.
Smith-Schuster has caught 15 passes for 129 yards this year.
UPDATE: NFL Network reports that Smith-Schuster needs surgery and is out for the season.
Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
This was a strange one. Burrow played all 67 snaps and was excellent Sunday against the Green Bay Packers. But he did so despite getting poked in the throat, suffering a contusion that was painful enough that he went to the hospital for observation after the game.
The Bengals did not have any additional updates Sunday. Burrow finished the game 26-of-38 for 281 yards and 2 touchdowns.
UPDATE: Burrow was discharged from the hospital Sunday night and Bengals coach Zac Taylor said he expects Burrow to play Sunday against the Lions.
Damien Harris, RB, New England Patriots
The Patriots’ leading rusher had a rough afternoon. After fumbling in the red zone for the second time in five weeks, Harris suffered a rib injury in the fourth quarter that kept him out of the remainder of the game.
He finished the afternoon with 58 yards on 14 carries before giving way to Rhamondre Stevenson. Harris has accounted for 57.8% of New England’s rushing attempts and 57.5% of their rushing yards in 2021. Bill Belichick had no update on Harris’ status in his Monday morning news conference.
UPDATE: Harris seems to avoided major injury. He is day-to-day with rib and chest issues, NFL Network reports.
Jack Conklin, RT, Cleveland Browns
The two-time All-Pro will undergo an MRI Monday after leaving Sunday’s Browns-Chargers game with a knee injury. Conklin had been dealing with a knee injury that had limited his participation in practice all week and left him a question mark to even play Sunday.
His injury left the Browns without each of their starting tackles against Los Angeles. Jedrick Wills was a scratch due to an ankle injury. But backups Blake Hance and James Hudson did an admirable job in a pinch.
The Browns are also waiting on imaging results for defensive backs Denzel Ward (neck) and Greedy Williams (shoulder).
Laremy Tunsil, LT, Houston Texans
A hand injury kept Tunsil out of the majority of Houston’s offensive snaps Sunday against New England. The two-time Pro Bowler will undergo an MRI and an X-ray Monday, Texans coach David Culley said postgame.
“It was so bad that he couldn’t really punch [on blocks],” Culley told reporters.
Fourth-year pro Geron Christian took Tunsil’s place in the lineup following the injury.
UPDATE: NFL Network reports that Tunsil suffered a torn thumb ligament and will eventually need surgery, but will try to play through it.
