Saquon Barkley’s availability for the New York Giants’ Week 5 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London remains uncertain as he deals with a hamstring injury sustained in Week 4. Barkley left Sunday’s game early, and while the injury is not considered serious, the Giants have yet to confirm whether he will suit up for their upcoming international matchup.
Barkley’s situation adds to a growing list of notable injuries across the NFL this week. The Giants could lean on Tank Bigsby to handle the majority of early-down carries if Barkley is sidelined. Bigsby, a waiver wire option, is expected to see increased work in the backfield, with Will Shipley contributing on passing downs if the Giants need to adjust their approach.
The injury troubles extend beyond Barkley. Philadelphia Eagles teammate DeVonta Smith is also questionable for Week 5 due to his own hamstring issue. The Eagles’ tight end Dallas Goedert has been ruled out for the season with a knee injury and is on injured reserve. This compounds Philadelphia’s offensive difficulties ahead of their next games.
Elsewhere, the quarterback position is facing uncertainty in Baltimore and Washington. Lamar Jackson left early in Week 4 with an ankle injury and is considered day-to-day. Baltimore hopes he will be ready for their Sunday Night Football game against the Atlanta Falcons, but Tyler Huntley stepped in to finish the last half, finishing with limited passing and rushing yards. Washington’s quarterback situation is more precarious, with Marcus Mariota diagnosed with an MCL sprain and Jayden Daniels also listed as questionable. Mariota is expected to miss Week 5 against the New York Giants, potentially opening the door for rookie Athan Kaliakmanis to start if Daniels is unavailable. This would impact Washington’s offense, especially wide receivers Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs.
McLaurin himself is listed as questionable due to a hamstring injury, potentially missing his second consecutive game. His presence on the field is in doubt after missing Week 4, which raises concerns for Washington’s passing attack.
The wide receiver group around the league is also dealing with a slew of injuries. Cincinnati Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins both exited Week 4 early—Chase with a concussion and Higgins with a groin injury—and their Week 5 status is uncertain ahead of a marquee matchup against the Miami Dolphins. Chase must clear concussion protocol to play, while Higgins’s groin injury could sideline him longer. If they are out, Dohnte Meyers is expected to take on WR1 duties, with Mitchell Tinsley seeing more snaps. Colbie Young, who missed Week 4 with a knee injury, could also return, providing depth.
The Kansas City Chiefs have suffered a double blow at wide receiver, losing Rashee Rice to a hamstring injury and Tyquan Thornton to a dislocated ankle sustained during a 55-yard catch-and-run. Thornton’s injury is indefinite, and the Chiefs may look to bring in reinforcements as their wideout corps is now limited to Xavier Worthy, Jalen Royals, and Cyrus Allen. This situation could increase targets for tight end Travis Kelce and running back Kenneth Walker.
Other notable wide receiver injuries include Los Angeles Chargers’ Ladd McConkey, who left Week 4 with a foot issue and is already dealing with a rib injury, and Buffalo Bills’ DJ Moore, who suffered a shoulder injury and left the game early. Moore’s absence could elevate Keon Coleman and Khalil Shakir as flex options, while tight end Dalton Kincaid might see increased involvement.
Running backs beyond Barkley are also affected. Chicago Bears’ Kyle Monangai, who had a breakout Week 4 with 146 rushing yards and two touchdowns, picked up a thumb injury late in the game. His status for Week 5 is pending, but if he misses the game against the Packers, D’Andre Swift would likely resume lead back duties. Green Bay’s Chris Brooks left Week 4 early with an ankle injury, and Pittsburgh’s Rico Dowdle has a toe injury but is expected to return in Week 5.
The injury report keeps expanding, with players across positions sidelined or questionable. This week’s developments will affect lineups and strategies, especially in the lead-up to high-profile games like the Giants-Jaguars London clash and the Bengals-Dolphins showdown. For now, Saquon Barkley’s hamstring remains a key question mark for New York.
According to Yahoo Sports.
