Analyzing the final Saints injury report for Week 8 vs. Colts
We’re taking a deeper dive into the Week 8 injury report for Sunday’s game between the New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts, with the Saints listing nine different players as questionable to make the trip — including veteran defenders like Demario Davis and Tyrann Mathieu.
Here’s what you need to know from each side:
Saints OL James Hurst (ankle)
Hurst was unable to practice this week and was preemptively ruled out for Sunday’s game.
Saints TE Juwan Johnson (calf)
Johnson is expected to make his return after missing the last four games with a sudden calf injury. He was limited earlier in the week but upgraded to full practice reps on Friday.
Saints S J.T. Gray (hamstring)
Gray is questionable for Sunday’s game. He was limited at Wednesday’s practice but had to sit out on Thursday, only to work on a limited basis again Friday. We’ll have to wait and see whether he can make a go of it.
Saints OT Landon Young (hip)
Young has missed a few games with this hip issue, but he’s trending up and is expected to play. He upgraded to full reps on Friday after being limited in practice earlier in the week.
Saints LB Demario Davis (knee)
Davis was limited in practice throughout the week and is officially questionable to play, but it would be a surprise if he’s inactive. He played through similar circumstances last week.
Saints S Tyrann Mathieu (foot)
Mathieu is also questionable for Sunday’s game, but he was upgraded to full practice reps on Friday after being limited Wednesday and Thursday, and his arrow appears to be trending in the right direction.
Saints S Marcus Maye (hamstring/illness)
Maye was limited at practice on Wednesday and Thursday with a hamstring issue, but an illness kept him out on Friday. A bug has been going around the team this week with multiple players and some coaches slowed down by it. He’s questionable to play.
Saints QB Taysom Hill (chest)
Hill normally runs through practice drills with the tight ends, but this week he wore a red non-contact jersey and worked with the quarterbacks due to a chest injury. He was limited each day and is questionable for Week 8’s game.
Saints CB Alontae Taylor (hip)
Taylor practiced fully on Wednesday, but he was limited Thursday and Friday with a hip injury. He’s also questionable to play Sunday.
Saints RT Ryan Ramczyk (concussion)
Ramczyk missed the Saints’ last game while in concussion protocol, and he was limited to start the week this time with the same brain injury. However, he was upgraded to full reps in practice on Thursday and worked fully again Friday, and he’s expected to play against the Colts.
Saints OG Max Garcia (illness)
Garcia was one of several players limited by an illness this week; he practiced fully in the first session on Wednesday but was limited later on Thursday and Friday. He’s questionable like the others.
Saints TE Jimmy Graham (illness)
Same drill for Graham: he worked on a limited basis Thursday and Friday after practicing fully earlier in the week. We’ll see if he and the other personnel listed as questionable while dealing with this illness can make the trip.
Saints G/T Andrus Peat (ankle)
This is concerning. Peat was limited by a new ankle injury on Friday after practicing fully in the previous sessions, so this could be a last-minute wrench in the Saints’ plans. He’s been filling in at left tackle with Hurst on the bend and Trevor Penning coming off the bench. If he can’t play, the Saints would be starting Garcia at left guard and Young at that tackle spot.
Colts CB JuJu Brents (quadricep)
Brents was ruled out with an injury that kept him from practicing all week.
TE Kylen Granson (concussion)
Granson was able to practice on a limited basis Friday but he won’t clear concussion protocol in time to play Sunday, so the Colts have preemptively ruled him out.
RT Braden Smith (hip/wrist)
Smith, the Colts’ starting right tackle, wasn’t able to practice this week while managing a couple of different injuries and was also ruled out. Cameron Jordan took advantage of a mismatch in a similar situation when he sacked Gardner Minshew three times in a game last season while working against a backup right tackle.
DT Eric Johnson II (ankle)
Johnson rested his injured ankle on Wednesday and Thursday but was able to practice fully on Friday. He’s questionable to play against the Saints.
RB Zack Moss (elbow/heel)
Moss has played well in tandem with Jonathan Taylor at running back, but he’s questionable this week. His arrow is trending down after he was held out Wednesday, practiced on a limited basis Thursday, and then he wasn’t able to participate on Friday. He may not be able to play Sunday.
CB Tony Brown (ribs)
Brown is questionable to play with a rib injury, but he practiced fully on Wednesday and Thursday and was rested on Friday along with some other veteran players. It feels like a safe bet that he would play but we’ll see.
OC Ryan Kelly (rest)
Kelly was given a rest day on Friday after practicing fully throughout the week, and he’s full-go for Sunday.
DT DeForest Buckner (rest)
Buckner was also given a rest day on Friday and is expected to be full-go this week.
