Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, Josh Allen dealing with injuries after another brutal NFL week
More star players went down during another wicked week for NFL injuries, with Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel and Justin Fields among the big names who left their games Sunday and did not return.
The severity of their ailments should become clearer over the coming days, but those prominent players are the latest to deal with injury concerns through six weeks of the season.
Aaron Rodgers, Daniel Jones, Saquon Barkley, Sauce Gardner, Austin Ekeler, Justin Jefferson, Cooper Kupp, Nick Chubb, Travis Kelce, Jalen Ramsey, Joey Bosa, Amon-Ra St. Brown and De’Von Achane have each missed time.
Here is the latest on the players who got hurt Sunday.
MCCAFFREY, 49ERS
San Francisco’s do-it-all running back hurt his oblique in the second half of the 49ers’ loss to Cleveland, and afterward coach Kyle Shanahan said McCaffrey was dealing with a rib injury as well.
McCaffrey, who was September’s NFC Offensive Player of the Month, returned for one carry in the third quarter, then left the field again before going into the locker room.
Following the game, Shanahan said he didn’t know the extent of the injuries to the All-Pro back, who leads the NFL with 553 rushing yards and has scored a touchdown in 15 consecutive games.
SAMUEL, 49ERS
Before McCaffrey’s early exit, San Francisco’s other rushing/receiving weapon had already been ruled out with a shoulder injury.
It’s unclear on which play Samuel suffered the injury, but he left in the first quarter and did not return.
X-rays were negative for Samuel, who was expected to undergo further testing Monday, according to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport.
FIELDS, BEARS
Fresh off back-to-back big games, Fields suffered an injury to his throwing hand on a sack early in the second half of Chicago’s loss to the Vikings.
Fields sustained a dislocated thumb, according to NFL Media, and was scheduled to undergo an MRI on Monday.
X-rays were negative for the former first-round pick, Bears coach Matt Eberflus said after the game. Tyson Bagent, an undrafted rookie, is the Bears’ backup quarterback.
DAMIEN HARRIS, BILLS
Buffalo received good news following a scary neck injury to running back Damien Harris, who was taken off the field in an ambulance and hospitalized Sunday night.
Harris was believed to have full movement in his extremities after being tackled by the Giants’ Bobby Okereke in the second quarter of the Bills’ 14-9 win, according to Buffalo coach Sean McDermott.
“Things are heading in a good direction right now for Damien,” McDermott said afterward.
JOSH ALLEN, BILLS
The Bills’ superstar quarterback visited the X-ray room after sustaining a shoulder injury on a second-quarter hit by Okereke.
McDermott said everything “looks normal so far” for Allen, who briefly left Sunday’s game but led two second-half touchdown drives after the injury.
JIMMY GAROPPOLO, RAIDERS
Jimmy G was hospitalized Sunday with a back injury, but the Raiders failed to release more specific details after their win over the Patriots.
Brian Hoyer – who, like Garappolo, served as backup to Tom Brady in New England – played the entire second half for Las Vegas.
Garappolo could miss time but may have avoided a serious injury, according to Rapoport.
RYAN TANNEHILL, TITANS
Another quarterback who didn’t make it through his game Sunday was Tennessee’s Tannehill, whose ankle got rolled up on during the Titans’ loss in London to the Baltimore Ravens.
Tannehill addressed the media on crutches after the game.
“I tried to gut it out and I couldn’t put any force into the throws,” Tannehill said.
Malik Willis replaced Tannehill and figures to be the next in line again should testing reveal the starting quarterback will miss time after the Titans’ Week 7 bye.
