This article is part of our Injury Analysis series.
The 2024 NFL regular season is entering its final week with a single playoff spot up for grabs in each conference. Seeding also remains in flux, meaning certain teams will be forced to play out the schedule while others will rest players in anticipation of the postseason. Let's take one last look at the injuries for the week ahead as well as a few ailments that could, or could not, impact 2025.
The Dolphins need a win and some help to squeak into the postseason but may not have their starting quarterback against the Jets. Tagovailoa did not play in Week 17's win over the Browns due to an undisclosed hip injury. The involved hip is the same hip he injured during his final season at Alabama. In a November game against Mississippi State, Tagovailoa suffered a right hip dislocation and posterior wall fracture.
The hip is a ball-and-socket joint with the head of the femur serving as the ball, and the acetabulum of the pelvis playing the role of the socket. When the injury occurred, the ball was forced out of the socket, breaking a piece of the socket (acetabulum) on the way out. The injury was seen as a medical red flag entering the draft, but the Dolphins took a shot and drafted him fifth overall.
Five years later the hip is once again an issue. The exact injury has not been revealed, but coach Mike McDaniel told reporters that injury made his quarterback "super susceptible
The 2024 NFL regular season is entering its final week with a single playoff spot up for grabs in each conference. Seeding also remains in flux, meaning certain teams will be forced to play out the schedule while others will rest players in anticipation of the postseason. Let's take one last look at the injuries for the week ahead as well as a few ailments that could, or could not, impact 2025.
The Dolphins need a win and some help to squeak into the postseason but may not have their starting quarterback against the Jets. Tagovailoa did not play in Week 17's win over the Browns due to an undisclosed hip injury. The involved hip is the same hip he injured during his final season at Alabama. In a November game against Mississippi State, Tagovailoa suffered a right hip dislocation and posterior wall fracture.
The hip is a ball-and-socket joint with the head of the femur serving as the ball, and the acetabulum of the pelvis playing the role of the socket. When the injury occurred, the ball was forced out of the socket, breaking a piece of the socket (acetabulum) on the way out. The injury was seen as a medical red flag entering the draft, but the Dolphins took a shot and drafted him fifth overall.
Five years later the hip is once again an issue. The exact injury has not been revealed, but coach Mike McDaniel told reporters that injury made his quarterback "super susceptible to a much more significant injury." It's hard to imagine that improving significantly with just one week off, and McDaniel went on to say backup Tyler Huntley will see most the team's practice reps in the week ahead. While Tagovailoa hasn't been ruled out yet, all signs point to him sitting out the regular-season finale. Even if he does manage to suit up, Tagovailoa will carry an even higher degree of injury risk than he normally does at baseline.
Turf Burns
Chase Brown: The Bengals are optimistic Brown will play in Week 18 despite him spraining his ankle against the Broncos. Look for Brown to receive treatment throughout the week ahead as the team prepares for a must-win contest against the Steelers. Khalil Herbert will see an increase in carries if Brown is limited in any capacity.
Jalen Hurts: Hurts was unable to complete the league's mandated return to play protocol in time after suffering a concussion in Week 16. He appears to have progressed to the final stages of the protocol but was unable to complete a full practice in time to play against the Cowboys. If Hurts remains symptom free, he should have ample time to finish out the necessary requirements to qualify to play in Week 18. However, with the team locked into the No. 2 seed, it remains unclear how Philadelphia will approach their game against the Giants. Hurts could get a chance to establish some sort of rhythm before the playoffs, but an early exit seems plausible. Backup Kenny Pickett is also limited due to broken ribs, and it wouldn't be surprising if Tanner McKee saw real action in Week 18. As a result, it may be best for fantasy managers to avoid the Eagles quarterbacks all together in the week ahead.
Aaron Jones: The Vikings running back is not expected to miss time with a quadriceps contusion suffered against the Packers. The issue forced him out of the game in the second half, but it sounds like the decision was more of a precautionary measure than anything else. Quad contusions can be painful but can resolve quickly if the damage is minimal. Look for Jones to play against the Lions.
James Conner: After entering the week with some uncertainty, Conner started against the Rams in Week 17. However, he appeared to aggravate his hyperextended knee in the second quarter and did not return for the remainder of the contest. He finished with four rushing yards on four attempts to go along with two receptions for four yards. The Cardinals have been eliminated from the playoffs and seem poised to hold Conner out of the "meaningless" contest against the 49ers. Backup Trey Benson continues to battle an ankle sprain, opening the door for Michael Carter and DeeJay Dallas to see action in Week 18.
CeeDee Lamb: The Cowboys have opted to shut down Lamb to protect his ailing shoulder. Lamb has been nursing an acromioclavicular (AC) sprain in his shoulder for multiple weeks now but continued to play through the pain. However, Dallas decided to protect him from any further possible damage and allow him to recuperate without surgical intervention. Lamb finished the year with 101 receptions for 1,194 yards and six touchdowns and should be back in the mix by training camp. Brandin Cooks, Jalen Tolbert, and KaVontae Turpin will be the primary Dallas receivers to finish out the year. Cooks received the most targets in Dallas' first outing without Lamb, but Tolbert may be worth consideration for Week 18 as he has scored a touchdown in three straight outings.
Christian Watson: A bruised left knee forced Watson to the sidelines in Week 17 and is threatening to keep him out for Week 18 as well. The knee is structurally okay, but a bruise to the area can be more limiting than it sounds. A knee contusion, especially a bone contusion of the kneecap, can be very slow to heal due to the biomechanics of the joint. Symptoms like pain or swelling can also be functionally limiting. Although the Packers have a slim chance at moving from the No. 6 seed to the No. 7 seed, don't be surprised if Watson sits again. His level of participation in this week's practices will provide more clarity on his potential availability.
Kenneth Walker: The Seahawks lost their starting running back and then lost out on the division and a possible playoff berth. Walker was placed on the IR late last week with an ankle injury after hurting himself in his return from a calf strain. Walker will finish the year with six games missed due to injury. While the third year back has avoided significant injuries since being drafted, he has shown a propensity for picking up nagging ailments. His growing list of injuries now includes this season's oblique and calf strains, as well as a hernia and an undisclosed shoulder injury in prior seasons. Zach Charbonnet will finish out the season as Seattle's feature back and could move ahead of Walker on the depth chart entering the offseason.
