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Week 15 of the NFL season is underway, and there are some key players dealing with injuries.
Commanders star quarterback Jayden Daniels will return to the bench after re-aggravating a previous injury, while the Jets and the Raiders will roll out backup signal-callers.
Elsewhere, two star wide receivers face concerns stemming from concussions, with Cowboys wideout CeeDee Lamb poised to play and Bengals receiver Tee Higgins set to miss his second game in the past three weeks.
See who’s in and who’s out for Week 15:
QB Jayden Daniels (Commanders)
Practice schedule: Limited-Limited-Limited
Injury: Elbow
Daniels will miss the Commanders’ Week 15 game against the Giants. He returned from a four-game absence last week but re-aggravated his left elbow injury and will return to the bench. It’s his seventh absence of an injury-riddled season. With Washington (3-10) not having much to play for, it’ll opt for caution with its franchise quarterback. That said, veteran Marcus Mariota will make his seventh start of the season.
QB Tyrod Taylor (Jets)
Practice schedule: DNP-DNP-DNP
Injury: Groin
Taylor will miss the Jets’ Week 15 game against the Jaguars with a groin injury. In four games as a starter this season, he has led the Jets to a 1-3 record. With Taylor out, undrafted rookie Brady Cook will make his first NFL start.
QB Geno Smith (Raiders)
Practice schedule: DNP-DNP-DNP
Injury: Shoulder/Back
Smith will miss his first game of the season when the Raiders face the Eagles in Week 15. In 13 starts this season, Smith has thrown for 2,648 yards, 16 touchdowns and a league-high 14 interceptions. Las Vegas (2-11) is currently tied for the worst record in the league. Backup Kenny Pickett will start in Smith’s place.
WR Tee Higgins (Bengals)
Practice schedule: Limited-Limited-DNP
Injury: Concussion
Higgins will miss the Bengals’ Week 15 game against the Ravens. He sustained a concussion in Week 14 after returning from that same injury the week prior. Surprisingly, Higgins returned to practice in a limited fashion on Wednesday and Thursday, leaving hope that he could return later this season. Sunday will mark Higgins’ second absence of the season — both against Baltimore. In 12 games, he has 46 catches for 667 yards and nine touchdowns.
WR Rome Odunze (Bears)
Practice schedule: Limited-Limited-Limited
Injury: Foot
Odunze will carry a questionable tag into the Bears’ Week 15 game against the Browns. He has been dealing with a stress fracture in his foot for the past few weeks, and it kept him out of a game for the first time this season last week. After a week of rest, however, he could return to the field to help Chicago in its fight for the NFC North after losing the division lead to the Packers last week. After a hot start to the season, Odunze has struggled since getting injured, hauling in just 13 catches for 188 yards and one touchdown over the past five weeks.
TE David Njoku (Browns)
Practice schedule: DNP-DNP-DNP
Injury: Knee
Njoku will miss the Browns’ Week 15 game against the Bears. He sustained a knee injury catching a touchdown — his only catch of the game — from quarterback Shedeur Sanders in Week 14. Njoku has 33 catches for 293 yards and four touchdowns under his belt so far this season. With Njoku out of the lineup, rookie Harold Fannin Jr. will have the tight end snaps all to himself and will look to continue to build on an impressive season.
RB Josh Jacobs (Packers)
Practice schedule: DNP-DNP-Limited
Injury: Knee
Jacobs will carry a questionable tag into the Packers’ Week 16 game against the Broncos. He has played through lower body injuries throughout this season and might try to do the same against this week. Despite the minor injuries stacking up, Jacobs has totaled 817 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns in 12 games this season.
RB Christian McCaffrey (49ers)
Practice schedule: DNP-Limited-Full
Injury: Illness/Back
McCaffrey will carry a questionable tag into the 49ers’ Week 15 game against the Titans. He missed Wednesday’s practice with an illness before returning Thursday. He was upgraded to a full participant on Friday. However, on Saturday, he was added to the injury report with a back issue, so his status for the game is once again up in the air.
WR CeeDee Lamb (Cowboys)
Practice schedule: Limited-Full-Full
Injury: Concussion
Lamb will be active for the Cowboys’ Week 15 game against the Vikings on Sunday night. He sustained a concussion that forced him out of the team’s bout with the Lions in Week 14, but 10 days off helped him not miss time. It’s crucial that the Cowboys have their top pass-catcher this weekend, as they’re fighting for a playoff spot. In 10 games this season, Lamb has 57 catches for 865 receiving yards and three touchdowns.
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