The New Orleans Saints and New York Giants have released their final injury reports. Each team has ruled out at least a pair of players while a number of big names remain questionable.
Here is the injury information, including game designations, from Friday’s injury report:
New Orleans Saints
Out
- EDGE Anfernee Jennings (knee)
- LB Kaden Elliss (calf)
Questionable
- WR Chris Olave (illness)
- S Lorenzo Styles Jr. (knee)
- RB Alvin Kamara (back)
- LS Zach Wood (calf)
- DL Vernon Broughton (illness)
- DL Davon Godchaux (NIR-rest)
- DL Nathan Shepherd (illness)
No Designation (Good to Go)
- QB Tyler Shough (left hand)
- DL Colby Wooden (toe)
- OL Jeremiah Wright (concussion)
- EDGE Tyree Wilson (ankle)
The Saints didn’t have Olave at practice either Wednesday or Thursday, but he did return for Friday’s workout. The team has been dealing with an illness that ended up sidelining a pair of interior defensive linemen, but a source with the team tells LouisianaSports.Net that the bug has impacted the running back, wide receiver and offensive line rooms. It does appear, however, that those impacted are on the back end of the illness. That’s assuming no one else pops up impacted by its spread in the next couple of days.
Without a couple of practices, many players would not be expected to participate in Sunday’s game, but that isn’t the case with Olave. While it’s, of course, possible he can’t go by then, it seems highly unlikely that will be the case.
The Saints defense will not be at full strength for the third consecutive week. Elliss and Jennings have both been ruled out. Elliss played all 51 possible games with the Atlanta Falcons over the previous three years, but his calf injury has now sidelined him for 50% of possible games so far this season. Getting him back sooner rather than later will be important for New Orleans.
Head Coach Kellen Moore provided a bit more context to the team captain’s injury during his Friday media availability.
“He had a calf coming out of the Vegas game,” Moore said. “Just kind of after the game, kind of became something more. And then sometimes these things just take a little bit of time. You just got to navigate it week-to-week.”
Otherwise, if every questionable player ends up being available, the team should be relatively healthy going into the game against the Giants, who have some notable names to watch themselves.
New York Giants
Out
CB Colton Hood (concussion)
TE Theo Johnson (neck)
S Tyler Nubin (neck)
Questionable
EDGE Abdul Carter (calf)
OL Jermaine Eluemunor (calf)
OT Andrew Thomas (groin)
No Designation (Good to Go)
S Elijah Campbell (thumb)
RB Najee Harris (ribs)
LB Malik Harrison (groin)
WR Charlie Jones (Achilles)
TE Isaiah Likely (foot)
WR Darnell Mooney (neck)
CB Greg Newsome (groin)
S Jason Pinnock (concussion)
Escaping a matchup that includes both Likely and Johnson at tight end is a big win for New Orleans. Matching up with Likely will still be a challenge, but were both available, things would have been tough for the New Orleans defense. The Saints have struggled a bit against tight ends this season, facing some of the most versatile in the league to open the year.
The key names to watch will be Carter, Eluemunor and Thomas. If any of the three can’t go on Sunday, the Saints will, all of a sudden, see a massive shift in some key matchups on either side of the ball.
