NFL Week 7 Injury Report 2026: Davante Adams, Lamar Jackson and Baker Mayfield
Davante Adams is the clearest Week 7 absence. Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay said Adams ruptured the semitendinosus muscle in his hamstring and will miss six to ten weeks. Washington coach Dan Quinn said Terry McLaurin suffered a torn patellar tendon and will miss the rest of the 2026 season. Mike Evans aggravated Achilles soreness, but San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan said no additional testing was required and expressed hope that Evans could play this week.
Those cases require distinct labels. Adams has a team confirmed diagnosis and a reported recovery range. McLaurin has a team confirmed diagnosis and is out for the season, while no 2027 return date should be invented. Evans has a confirmed aggravation and a hopeful coaching outlook, but no official Week 7 game status. Treating those categories as interchangeable would create bad lineup advice.
The other major Tuesday decisions are driven by checkpoints rather than final answers. Lamar Jackson is day to day and could potentially return to practice Wednesday. Tampa Bay will evaluate Baker Mayfield at Wednesday practice after the quarterback missed three games with a dislocated right thumb. Houston coach DeMeco Ryans said Tank Dell will play Sunday, which is a confirmed availability statement even though his exact snap count has not been announced.
This report has a factual cutoff of October 20, 2026 at 5:02 AM Central. Most teams have not issued their first Week 7 practice report. Chicago and New England are the exception because they play Thursday, and their Monday report was based on walkthrough estimates. An estimated full participant is encouraging, but it is not the same evidence as a player completing a normal practice.
Fantasy recommendations use half point per reception scoring and four points per passing touchdown. Diagnosis, prognosis, practice participation, game designation and active status are separate facts. The final inactive list remains the strongest evidence that a player will dress, while an active designation still does not guarantee a normal workload.
Image license and source: Lamar Jackson photograph by Maryland GovPics on Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0.
Week 7 quick reference
Davante Adams, Rams wide receiver: Ruptured semitendinosus in the hamstring. McVay said six to ten weeks. Puka Nacua becomes the passing game centerpiece. Konata Mumpfield, Jordan Whittington, Tutu Atwell, C.J. Daniels and Alex Bachman compete for the remaining receiver work. The next checkpoint is the procedure and roster transaction.
Terry McLaurin, Commanders wide receiver: Coach Dan Quinn said McLaurin suffered a torn patellar tendon and will miss the rest of the 2026 season. Surgery is planned. Washington has not supplied a 2027 return date.
Mike Evans, 49ers wide receiver: Aggravated Achilles soreness and left Monday's game. Shanahan said no further testing was needed and hoped Evans could play. The first Week 7 practice report is the next useful evidence.
Lamar Jackson, Ravens quarterback: Day to day with the ankle injury and could potentially practice Wednesday. Tyler Huntley remains the direct contingency until Jackson completes practice and receives an official designation.
Baker Mayfield, Buccaneers quarterback: Tampa Bay will evaluate him Wednesday after three missed games with a dislocated right thumb. Jalon Daniels remains the practical starter if Mayfield is not cleared.
Tank Dell, Texans wide receiver: Ryans said Dell will play Sunday, his first appearance since the severe 2024 knee injury. Houston has confirmed availability, but not a specific snap or target total.
Drake Maye and A.J. Brown, Patriots: Maye was estimated full with a right shoulder issue. Brown was estimated limited with an ankle issue. New England plays Thursday, so Tuesday and Wednesday reports matter.
Kyle Monangai, Bears running back: Estimated as a nonparticipant with thumb and toe injuries. Thursday timing makes Tuesday participation and Wednesday status decisive.
Josh Jacobs, Packers running back: Scheduled for a full week of practice, according to Matt LaFleur, but the coach said Sunday availability remains to be determined.
Travis Kelce, Chiefs tight end: Sustained an ankle injury early Sunday but finished without missing time. The first Kansas City practice report will show whether Week 7 work is affected.
Sauce Gardner, Colts cornerback: Reported week to week with a mild calf strain. Indianapolis has not issued a Week 7 game status.
Poona Ford, Kobie Turner and Blake Grupe, Rams: Ford and Grupe are out for the season. Turner is expected to miss several weeks. Los Angeles must replace several specialized roles at once.
Quarterbacks: Jackson and Mayfield reach the Wednesday test
Jackson is the most important quarterback decision because Baltimore has already played two games without him. Coach Jesse Minter said the ankle has improved, called Jackson day to day and left open the possibility of a Wednesday return to practice. That is a meaningful improvement from an automatic absence, but it is not an official Week 7 participation label and it does not prove that Jackson can handle his normal rushing workload.
Huntley remains the replacement until Baltimore demonstrates otherwise. He can preserve movement and option concepts, but fantasy managers should not project Jackson's rushing ceiling or passing efficiency onto the backup. Mark Andrews and Baltimore's running backs retain viable roles because the offense can lean on the middle of the field and the ground game. Marginal receivers remain more volatile with Huntley.
Keep Jackson on the roster but protect the lineup with a healthy alternative. If he practices fully and exits the week without a game designation, normal starting consideration returns. If he is limited and listed questionable, managers need a healthy quarterback from the same or a later window. If he does not practice Wednesday, the threshold for trusting him should rise sharply.
Mayfield has a cleaner scheduled checkpoint. Tampa Bay will evaluate him Wednesday after the original minimum three week absence from the dislocated thumb on his throwing hand. The club has not promised that a return to practice equals a start. Grip strength, ball placement and response after practice matter because this is the throwing hand.
Daniels remains the contingency and should be rostered in superflex formats until Tampa Bay names the starter. Mayfield's return would raise the efficiency ceiling for the Buccaneers' receivers. Daniels offers movement but creates more variance. The useful decision is to preserve the roster spot and act after Wednesday's session.
Maye is on a different timeline because New England plays Chicago on Thursday. The Patriots listed his right shoulder but estimated him as a full participant in Monday's walkthrough. That does not support benching him by itself. Tuesday practice evidence and Wednesday's final designation are more important. If Maye remains full, managers can treat the shoulder as monitored rather than restrictive.
Jalen Hurts remains a long horizon case. NFL Network and ESPN reported that he is expected to miss the rest of the season while receiving treatment for blood clots. Tanner McKee is Philadelphia's quarterback replacement. This is not a weekly questionable situation, and fantasy rosters without injured reserve space may need a format specific decision.
Running backs: the short week creates the first deadline
Monangai is the first back managers must solve because Chicago plays Thursday. The Bears estimated him as a nonparticipant Monday because of thumb and toe injuries. An estimate from a walkthrough does not establish whether he could have practiced fully, but it identifies two issues that require confirmation. Chicago has not assigned a game status.
Prepare the healthy Bears alternatives without assuming a direct workload transfer. Thumb injuries can affect ball security and receiving work, while toe injuries can affect acceleration and cutting, but Football Nation will not infer severity from the body part alone. Tuesday participation and Wednesday's final designation determine whether Monangai belongs in lineups.
TreVeyon Henderson was estimated full with an ankle issue for New England. That gives him a more favorable short week trend than Monangai. The Patriots can still distribute work with Rhamondre Stevenson and other active backs, so full participation answers health better than it answers touch volume.
Jacobs is returning to the field, and LaFleur said the Packers expect him to receive a full week of practice. The coach also said his status for Sunday's game at Detroit remains to be determined. Practice activation is a step in the return process, not a promise that he will be active or handle his normal share.
Hold Jacobs and preserve a Sunday pivot. If he progresses to full participation with no designation, he can be restored. If he remains limited or questionable, the Packers' other active backs gain contingency value. Avoid locking a replacement into Thursday unless the roster leaves no Sunday option.
Minnesota designated Jordan Mason to return from injured reserve after a thumb injury. Designation opens a practice window. It does not place him on the active game roster. Managers in deep leagues can monitor the transaction wire, but should not start him unless Minnesota activates him and clarifies his role.
Receivers and tight ends: Adams changes the Rams and Dell returns
Adams' injury is the most consequential confirmed change of the week. McVay identified the injured muscle and supplied the six to ten week range. The Rams also expect a procedure to address the hamstring tendon. That is substantially more information than an out designation, and it removes Adams from Week 7 consideration.
Nacua is the clear first receiver in the offense, but the remaining opportunity does not have to consolidate in one player. Mumpfield, Whittington, Atwell, Daniels and Bachman are the current options named in reporting around the injury. The Rams can also lean on tight ends and backs. Prioritize route participation and targets after Adams rather than assume the nominal second receiver inherits every high value look.
McLaurin's diagnosis is now confirmed. Dan Quinn said the receiver suffered a torn patellar tendon and will miss the rest of the season, with surgery planned. Washington must replace its leading outside target by committee. The strongest counterargument to a simple one player promotion is that route participation, health and role fit can distribute McLaurin's work among several receivers, tight ends and backs.
Evans aggravated Achilles soreness on Monday night. Shanahan said Evans did not need further testing and hoped he could play in Week 7. That is encouraging, yet San Francisco's receiver room already has Christian Kirk dealing with a calf injury and Deebo Samuel unavailable in Week 6. The offense may need to spread targets if Evans cannot practice normally.
Do not make a Tuesday waiver claim solely on the word hopeful. Watch the first 49ers practice report, then the progression across the week. A full practice would improve confidence. Repeated nonparticipation would make the active receiver group and tight ends more important.
Dell offers the clearest positive headline. Ryans said he will play against the Giants, marking his first game since the complex 2024 knee injury. The football impact is added speed and route versatility for Houston. The fantasy impact is more cautious. Availability is confirmed, but a long rehabilitation can lead to managed integration. Dell is a high upside bench or flex option whose first game range is wider than that of an established full workload starter.
New England placed Romeo Doubs on injured reserve after his shoulder injury. That removes him from Thursday and shifts routes toward the remaining Patriots receivers. Brown's estimated limited participation with an ankle issue therefore matters more. Wait for Wednesday's final designation and do not assume Brown absorbs every vacated target.
Kelce played through his ankle issue and did not miss time, according to the Chiefs' official recap. That is evidence he could function Sunday, but it is not a Week 7 participation report. Keep him in projected lineups while monitoring practice. Cincinnati placed Tanner Hudson on injured reserve with a pectoral injury, a confirmed roster move rather than a one week designation.
Offensive line: Thursday availability can change the game plan
New England's Monday estimate listed Ben Brown out with a knee issue, Alijah Vera Tucker out with a hamstring injury and Morgan Moses limited with a foot injury. Will Campbell was estimated full with a knee issue. Because the Patriots held a walkthrough, these labels are estimates, not observed full speed participation.
New England signed Andrew Rupcich and Jacob Rizy to the practice squad, but a transaction does not guarantee either will start. The staff can rearrange active linemen. The football consequence is potential pressure on Maye and reduced certainty in short yardage blocking. The fantasy consequence is a modest efficiency downgrade, not an automatic benching of every Patriot.
Chicago estimated Jonah Jackson out with hip and quadriceps issues. If that holds, the Bears may need another interior line adjustment on a short week. The combination of Monangai's injuries and a possible line absence could push Chicago toward quicker passes and a distributed backfield. That is a game plan inference, not a team announcement.
The Rams activated Alaric Jackson after his one game suspension. That return cannot replace Adams' receiving role, but it can stabilize protection and the run game.
Defense and special teams: Los Angeles absorbs multiple losses
Los Angeles lost Ford for the season to a ruptured triceps and expects Turner to miss several weeks with a groin strain. Myles Garrett is not expected to return to practice this week after knee surgery. Trent McDuffie is progressing from a groin injury, with McVay saying the club expects to determine his status at the end of the week.
That cluster matters more than any single absence. The Rams lose interior snaps and pass rush flexibility while facing Las Vegas. Opposing backs and short passing options gain efficiency appeal, but fantasy managers should avoid assuming one defender's absence guarantees a shootout. Replacement performance and game script still control the outcome.
Gardner suffered a mild calf strain and is considered week to week according to reporting carried by NFL.com and Reuters. Week to week is a prognosis, not an official out designation. Indianapolis' first practice report and final status will settle Week 7 availability. His absence would change the Colts' coverage matchups and could lift the opposing primary receiver.
Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur said Micah Parsons will not practice this week while he remains on the physically unable to perform list. The Packers should plan another game without his pass rush until activation occurs.
The Rams also lost Grupe to a torn ACL. McVay said the team was evaluating options, and the club had kicker workouts planned. Do not add a replacement kicker until Los Angeles signs one. The transaction, not the workout list, establishes the roster choice.
Several Week 6 exits involved concussion evaluations, including Nolan Smith Jr., Grant Delpit, Reed Blankenship and Greg Newsome II. Their Week 7 availability cannot be projected from how quickly another player cleared in a different case. Each player must move through the league protocol and receive the required clearance.
The same discipline applies to Atlanta linebacker Kendal Daniels, who was hospitalized after a collision. Reporting said he was conscious and had movement in all extremities, which is encouraging. It is not a return timeline. Health updates and protocol steps come before any football projection.
Kickoff window contingency plan
Thursday night comes first. Chicago and New England issue the week's earliest final designations. Maye's shoulder, Brown's ankle, Monangai's thumb and toe, and the Patriots' offensive line are the priority. Set a Thursday player only after the final report or a direct club announcement supports the decision.
For the early Sunday window, Mayfield and Dell are the most important cases. Dell has a coach confirmed intention to play, but managers still need the inactive list and any workload reporting. Mayfield requires Wednesday practice evidence and the final Tampa Bay designation. Place uncertain players in position specific lineup slots so later flexible players remain available.
Jackson and Jacobs require matching alternatives. If either plays later than a healthy fallback, hold a player from the same or a later window. The mistake is not waiting on a star. The mistake is waiting without a legal pivot.
Washington's bye removes McLaurin from Week 7 lineups, but the season ending diagnosis changes roster management beyond the bye. Move him to an injured reserve slot where league rules allow. In redraft leagues without injured reserve space, managers can release him for an active replacement. Dynasty managers should preserve him while avoiding any invented 2027 timetable.
Uncertainty, counterargument and next checkpoints
The strongest counterargument to aggressive adjustments is that good offenses can redistribute volume and elite players often return before fantasy managers expect. Both points are valid. Nacua can support a large role without Adams, Dell can contribute immediately, and Jackson or Mayfield may clear their tests.
The answer is to price uncertainty correctly. Confirmed absence creates replacement opportunity but does not guarantee the replacement matches the starter's role. Confirmed activity answers whether a player dresses but not how many snaps he receives. A hopeful coach statement improves the range but is not a game designation.
Tuesday and Wednesday bring the Patriots and Bears updates. Wednesday brings first normal reports for most teams and the Jackson and Mayfield tests. Friday brings most official out, doubtful and questionable designations. Saturday brings roster moves and elevations. Game day inactive lists provide the final availability evidence.
The Rams procedure and roster move for Adams remain the next medical and transaction checkpoints. For Washington, the next checkpoint is surgery and any official recovery guidance. Any material update to this canonical report should carry a new dated cutoff while preserving its original publication date.
Football Nation conclusion
Week 7 begins with two firm fantasy removals and several conditional decisions. Remove Adams from active lineups and plan for a multiweek absence. McLaurin is out for the 2026 season and belongs in an injured reserve slot where rules allow. Keep Evans projected only with a viable pivot until San Francisco reports practice participation.
At quarterback, preserve Jackson and Mayfield alternatives through Wednesday. Maye's estimated full work is encouraging for Thursday. At running back, solve Monangai before the short week locks, hold Jacobs through the full practice sequence and remember that Mason's return designation is not activation. At receiver, Dell can return to lineups only with a realistic first game workload range.
The edge is procedural. Separate diagnosis from prognosis. Separate both from confirmed availability. Respect the kickoff windows, preserve later pivots and let official reports replace Tuesday assumptions.
More Football Nation coverage
Sources and verification record
Sources were checked through October 20, 2026 at 2:34 p.m. Central. Dan Quinn's announcement that Terry McLaurin tore his patellar tendon and is out for the season was verified through ESPN at https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/50230371/commanders-wr-terry-mclaurin-torn-patellar-tendon and Hogs Haven at https://www.hogshaven.com/washington-commanders-injuries/450232/commanders-terry-mclaurin-knee-injury-dan-quinn-patella-tendon. Official team and league material supplies diagnoses, transactions and participation. Reputable national reporting supplies attributed prognosis where a team did not publish a full medical update.
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