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Week 17 NFL Injury Report & Leans: Early Games

Football Betting

Black Monday is coming, and all the NFL teams are scrambling to either make a run for the postseason or implode their rosters. After 17 long weeks, the BetUS NFL injury report caps off the final sports betting week in which no one is unscathed.

Before heading to the sportsbook to cap off the regular season, be sure to check out our analysis of who’s playing and who’s resting in the most convoluted handicapping weeks of all the NFL matchups.

Daniel Jones
AL BELLO / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA

Dallas Cowboys (-1½) at New York Giants (44½)

Cowboys

Say what you will about the Cowboys, they tried. Sacrificing whatever necessary to push on to make the playoffs, they did their best to not tank. In that spirit, once again, RB Ezekiel Elliott will be on the field. Everyone else is striving to hold it together, especially the defense.

Reports earlier in the day that the player who tested positive for COVID wouldn’t have an impact on the game were a little understated. Maybe they meant safety Darian Thompson, who is the player in question, wouldn’t have cleared his concussion but he is now declared out.

The other rostered safeties are also on the injury report, with Xavier Woods listed questionable, and Donovan Wilson who spent the week out of practice with an illness. Woods is rehabbing from a rib injury that kept him sidelined last Sunday. Wilson has been cleared of an injury designation and is expected to play, despite missing the practice week.

In that outbreak, they’ll also lose DT Justin Hamilton to the COVID-IR (IR-C), presumably as a close contact.

Two other defenders, both inactive last game, LB Leighton Vander Esch (ankle) and CB Rashard Robinson (knee) have both been ruled out again this week.

Finally, Cowboys’ owner Jerry Jones suggests that offensive lineman Zack Martin is “unlikely” to play. He had been designated to return from injured reserve, but does not appear to have rehabbed in time to make an end-of-season appearance. The same goes for backup S Steven Parker, also designated to return from an ankle injury.

Giants

The Giants liked it better when they had the luxury of toying with the media about QB Daniel Jones’ injury status to the media — better, at least, than when he’s telling them he’s planning on compensating for his injury by just playing more out of the pocket. But here we are. Jones, of course, played last week and will be the same partly-hobbled quarterback again this game.

He’ll very likely be without WR Golden Tate again this Sunday for the same calf injury that sidelined him last week. The Giants declared Tate doubtful, which in his case is closer to the inactive side of doubtful. They actually declared FB Elijhaa Penny out, though, for an “illness” that’s bad enough to end his season.

On the upside, team doctors cleared TE Evan Engram to play through his ankle injury. He was limited throughout the practice week and widely speculated he’d be done. While it’s not clear how effective he’ll be, he’s cleared the injury report and will play in the finale.

A few defenders are also scrambling to suit up one last time after missing at least the previous month. Coming off injured reserve, OLB Kyler Fackrell and CB Darnay Holmes should both be active for the final Sunday. New York also designated rookie DB Madre Harper to return from the IR, though it’s unclear if they’ll try to put him back on special teams for the last game.

Leans

The winner of this game claims the NFC East title if the Philadelphia Eagles beat Washington in the primetime game. So, the winning team will certainly become unfamiliar fans of the Eagles. Spoiler alert: Our report on the Sunday-night game is separate, but it seems like the Eagles are flipping the bird to these two division rivals by benching pretty much all of their starters.

Nonetheless, the Giants and Cowboys won’t lack motivation to do their part for the early NFC East “play-in” hopeful game and then go sit in the clubhouse and see if they get lucky.

This line opened with Dallas laying 2½ points, which got bet up to a full three before the injury reports started shaping up midweek. With the Cowboys limping in on defense, whatever lines that were available to take the Giants as field-goal underdogs were bought out by Thursday. Now, the line is at 1½, below where it opened.

This is an awful game to handicap but we’d default to the points and lean to the New York Giants +1½ or better still, save it for a teaser leg.

The total opened at 47 and crashed before the next day. It’s currently at 44½ and that move doesn’t make a lot of sense. Play over the total of 44½ and expect that number to climb back up to close to 47 by kickoff.

Pittsburgh Steelers (42) at Cleveland Browns (-9)

Steelers

Let’s face it, even if the Steelers weren’t going to sit quarterback Ben Roethlisberger for this final game, they still should have brought Mason Rudolph in for the second half so he could start a fistfight with Myles Garrett at midfield. But this Sunday, the band is back together and they swear this little incident from last November will have no bearing on this match:

They’re probably not lying. Not only will Roethlisberger be munching popcorn on the sidelines, so too will most of the other Pittsburgh starters. (And Myles Garrett’s a changed man. They made him captain for this game. And he’s the Browns’ Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award nominee.)

The Steelers went as far as naming a few other stand-out players who would be inactive Sunday, among them OLB T.J. Watt, DL Cameron Heyward and C Maurkice Pouncey. It foreshadows that Pittsburgh might be happy to have all their starting lineup on the bench in the second half. It’s not lost on them that they could be facing this same Browns team next week in the playoffs. It also calls into question whether the bunch of injury returnees will really play much at all.

Otherwise, the return of LB Robert Spillane, who’s now eligible to do so, would’ve received more media attention. Or OLB Ola Adeniyi and S Marcus Allen, both of whom missed last week, and are now cleared from injury designations. Same for RB Anthony McFarland who missed the last game with an illness (non-COVID) from which he’s now cured. It would be a fool’s errand to handicap how many snaps they all play but lean under.

The Steelers have only two actual injuries keeping players off the field. New in injured body parts this week, SS Terrell Edmunds’ shoulder will keep him benched. And kicker Chris Boswell’s groin is jeopardizing his role, as he’ll give up a second consecutive week to practice-squad sensation Matthew Wright.

Browns

Oh, Browns. Don’t blow this. The universe is moving stars around so you can make the playoffs, and somehow you’re still managing to put yourself in position to lose.

Hit by one of the most disruptive COVID outbreaks in the league since the Broncos didn’t have a quarterback, the Browns didn’t begin their formal practice week until Friday. Last week, they came into the game missing four wide receivers who were close contacts. It’s been a mess.

This week, those four wide-outs — Jarvis Landry, Rashard Higgins, Donovan Peoples-Jones, and KhaDarel Hodge — all cleared the protocol and will be back. The same goes for rookie linebacker Jacob Phillips, a close contact, now also returned to the active roster.

But the close contacts and infections didn’t stop there. At one point in the week, they added a new player to the IR-C and just threaded the tweet where they announced the earlier close contacts. So, keeping score, the Browns are still short-handed of MLB B.J. Goodson (patient zero), TE Harrison Bryant and OLB Malcolm Smith (both of whom tested positive), S Andrew Sendejo and CB Denzel Ward.

In injury news related to being physically beaten, Cleveland is striving to get right before their possible playoff run. The only player declared out for Sunday, rookie tackle Nick Harris, will get support in his position. Namely from starting left tackle Jedrick Wills (cleared from the IR-C last week) and right guard Wyatt Teller, who is excited to play despite the questionable injury status assigned to him for his ankle. (For what it’s worth, backup tackle Kendall Lamm missed the entire practice week with the dreaded “illness” tag and it’s unclear if he’ll be active or not.)

Only two other players carry an injury designation into Sunday. Both OLB Sione Takitaki and MLB Tae Davis were limited in practice this week due to their ankles and are listed questionable. It should be expected they’ll both play, but are worth checking on the inactives list for their names about an hour or so before kickoff.

Two more activations cap off the Browns’ weekly preparation. Activated from injured reserve, S Ronnie Harrison could be expected to play. Cleveland also activated new-signee WR Alexander Hollins from exemption, after they picked him up off the Vikings’ practice squad.

Leans

Just how badly does the market hate Mason Rudolph, anyway? No matter how bad the news the Browns would issue, the line just kept going up.

Opening at 6½, it snapped up to a full nine points after the Steelers revealed the depth to which they’d be sitting starters from the first snap. It’s hard to imagine that even with Mason Rudolph under center the Pittsburgh backups will be happy to lose by ten points or that this line will continue to go up any further. Lean to the Pittsburgh Backups +9 or at least take a 6½-point teaser to the Browns line because they will, in fact, die trying to win.

The total opened at 41, spiked as high as 44 and is now down to 42. It’s a murky guess, but we’d lean under the total of 42 and be completely uninterested in it if it goes down.

New York Jets (39½) at New England Patriots (-3)

Jets

Running-back legend Frank Gore might not rush for another yard in his NFL career. He won’t be adding to his 16,000-yard total in the final game this season though, as a lung contusion suffered in last week’s win over the Browns has him moved to the injured reserve.

Also dinged badly enough in the groin to also land on the injured reserve, RG Josh Andrews is done for the year. They’ve already activated RG Greg Van Roten to return from the reserve and it’s expected he’ll start. (They also activated OG Alex Lewis from the non-football injury list, but he’s not expected to dress.)

In COVID news, the Jets will not have RB La’Mical Perine on Sunday, as he tested positive for the disease this week. Returning from the IR-C, TE Ryan Griffin has finally cleared the list and is expected to play.

Inasmuch as the Jets are concerned about defense for this game, two cornerbacks come into the contest with questionable tags. For backup Javelin Guidry, that’s progress, since he was doubtful last week and didn’t play. He was limited this week and should be expected to go, especially if starter Bless Austin is inactive after missing the entire week with the dreaded “illness” description.

The last Jets’ questionable player is backup WR Jeff Smith, still rehabbing a shoulder injury he played through last Sunday.

Patriots

Coach Bill Belichick disappoints this week. Squandering an opportunity to put the entire roster on an injury report, coach Bill settles for a mere 21 listed players. Effort like this is what led to the Patriots’ worst result in decades. They do offer a little more diversity this week in that not all 21 of them are just questionable with limited practice.

In this case, two defenders, DL Tashawn Bower (neck) and LB Josh Uche (foot) were moved to injured reserve Thursday.

Also done for the season is RB Damien Harris whose spotty activity has him declared out for Sunday’s game, unable to get past the ankle injury that hampered him in the later part of the year.

Curiously, New England has also declared two of their starting offensive linemen inactive before they’re obliged to do so. Both C David Andrews and RG Shaq Mason won’t be suiting up on Sunday, which explains why the team signed C Marcus Martin this week.

Normally, it could be expected that more than a dozen other questionable players on the Patriots’ list would be playing on Sunday. By the time the media is done hounding coach Bill about whether or not Cam will start this week or whether WR Julian Edelman will be playing, well, there’s not enough time to care about the others.

But this week, there’s a sense that the Pats might be making mid-game roster moves for their own benefit down the road.

Leans

Does New England have any reason to win this? They’re floating between the 14th and 15th pick in the draft, and, with a few breaks from other teams, a loss here could put them as high as tenth. On top of that, the Patriots seem to be making moves to prepare for a week of in-game scouting for next year.

NFL betting odds markets agree in principle, as some modest bets have come for the Jets. (This game really shouldn’t have much of a handle to speak of. It defines meaningless.) The point spread is still at three and we expect it will close lower. Play the New York Jets +3.

The total dropped from an opening number of 41 down to 39½. We’d have leaned to the under 41½ but this far below the key number and it’s gone too far. Slight lean to over the total of 39½ with the expectation that it’s not going any lower.

Minnesota Vikings (-6½) at Detroit Lions (54)

In the off-season, the league’s Competition Committee should look into a rule that allows both teams to be given a loss in a game like this.

Vikings

Coach Mike Zimmer hasn’t said out loud that he’s giving up, but he did suggest that his evaluation for the 2021 season begins this week. And why not? He’s missing about a half-dozen defensive starters, injuries have once again scrambled their O-line, and they’ve barely rehabbed from last week’s linebacker disaster.

The lead this week is the unfortunate passing of RB Dalvin Cook’s father. Cook has already been announced out, as he would not be able to return in time to clear COVID protocols. That puts the load on Alexander Mattison who just returned from a concussion last week.

Blocking for him this Sunday won’t be starting left tackle Riley Reiff, as he’s been placed on the IR-C. Plans are already in place to start OT Rashod Hill instead of Ezra Clevland since the worse option would be to replace Cleveland at guard. (This brings OG Kyle Hinton’s promotion from the practice squad.)

For the rest of the offense, the Vikings will be without starting TE Kyle Rudolph, now moved to injured reserve. They will get back FB C.J. Ham, returning from a quad injury that kept him out last week.

On the defense, Minnesota has declared MLB Eric Kendricks out. Though he was key to the linebacker issues that plagued them last Sunday, he’s been out for a month. What made it worse was the absence of OLB Troy Dye and MLB Todd Davis, both of whom missed the last game but have since cleared the injury report and are expected to start.

Now they have new problems, as two defensive ends won’t be dressing. Starting DE Ifeadi Odenigbo just returned from an ankle injury in time to be knocked out of the last game with a chest injury. And DE Jalyn Holmes will miss the finale, like last week, with a groin pull.

Adding to the defensive troubles, lead CB Cameron Dantzler (foot) and CB Chris Jones (groin) are both scratched for Sunday. No wonder Zimmer wants to start evaluating — he’s got nothing but spots to fill.

Oh, and even though he says he feels great after getting in as much practice as he could this week, kicker Dan Bailey is still listed questionable for a back injury. But, the team would make a “collective decision” on Sunday to see if he’ll play, because it’s fun to mess with kickers’ heads.

Lions

And somehow that mess is favored over this mess.

On the upside, the Lions won’t be coached by Robert Prince. Instead, the guy who replaced the guy they fired is back. Interim head coach Darrell Bevell and four other defensive coaches, who missed last week due to being COVID close contacts, will return to their posts. The roster they’re returning to coach, however, is the same banged-up one that was there when they left.

Somewhere on Matthew Stafford’s body is a spot that isn’t bruised or injured. Maybe his hair. Otherwise, his ribs are cracked, his ankle swollen, and there was a rumor his thumb fell off. He will be starting on Sunday. He listed two limited practices at the end of the week, and we’d assume at this point he would play with a minor gunshot wound.

In front of him, Stafford will be happy starting center Frank Ragnow is cleared to play after his fractured throat. Ragnow is thrilled his vocal cords aren’t permanently damaged, and he is cleared to talk and shout, and other things centers have to do. Though he’s listed questionable, Ragnow is starting.

To that end, his backup Joe Dahl is done for the year. He’s been declared out with a back ailment. So too has OT Tyrell Crosby, who will now have not played in the last month, nursing a groin pull.

Without going through the bother of looking it up, we’d guess WR Kenny Golladay is the player declared inactive the most this season without being placed on injured reserve. He last played in Week 8, which was likely the last snap he will play in a Lions’ uniform.

On the defense, OLB Jamie Collins (neck) is still rehabbing from a hit he took from Derrick Henry a couple of weeks ago. He did manage a limited Friday practice and would be a game-time decision.

Leans

The poor NFL betting sharps seem to be lining up to have a crack at this game. Despite having limited availability early in the week, the point spread has already bounced between 6½ and 7, favoring the Vikings. Yet, we have to back the miserable Lions here in another meaningless Week 17 division rivalry where their opponent has, you know, thrown in the towel. Slight lean to the Detroit Lions at +6½, and only a slight lean because they’re the Lions and we’d prefer to be catching seven points. Maybe it’ll come back.

The total opened at a chunky 54½ and has notched down to 54. Maybe that’s a set up or someone who plays under anything over 54 because this game seems like it can’t help but end up as a shootout. Play over the total of 54. Maybe it comes down further but we’ll take the 54 now expecting it will close a point higher.

Atlanta Falcons (50½) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-6½)

Falcons

Could the Falcons somehow do Falcon things and pull off an upset and take themselves out of the fourth overall draft position? Could they win an inspired game for their interim coach who just had his interview to take over the position on a permanent basis? Well, sure — but they’ve got a few roster losses to contend with first.

First of all, WR Julio Jones will win this year’s Sammy Watkins’ Hamstring Award, taking the most attention of any injured hamstring during the regular season. Jones played the second fewest games of his career this year, and is now done. While that’s not a surprise, the Falcons also won’t have WR Brandon Powell, also ruled out. He was rehabbing back from a foot injury, apparently a little too aggressively, as he’s back on the injury report and done for the year. Already thin at wide receiver, they’re now emaciated.

Atlanta’s hopes of seeing C Alex Mack come back for one more game from the concussion that broke his iron-man streak last week have been dashed. Though he cleared the concussion protocol, Mack was moved to the IR-C on Thursday and is also now done for the season (and possibly as a Falcon). They’ll also be down OG James Carpenter, ruled out again and hasn’t played since injuring his groin in Week 15 when these two teams last played.

On defense, CB Darqueze Dennard (quad) will miss his third straight game. Regressing by missing the entire week’s practice, he’s deemed out and is finished for the season. Not so for DT Marlon Davidson who should return this week after missing last Sunday. He managed a limited practice during the week.

Finally, the Falcons have one true game-time questionable in DE Charles Harris, absent from practice for personal reasons. Little has been said about his absence, and though he’s listed as questionable, it’s more likely he may have travelled somewhere and wouldn’t be able to clear COVID protocol in time to play. Check his status come game day, but we’d bet against his availability.

Buccaneers

Things were going so well for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the week drew to a close.

They cleared RB Ronald Jones from the IR-C after he tested positive for COVID-19, managing through that at the same time he was rehabbing the metal pin surgically inserted in his broken pinky finger. Thought to be out for the season, he’s worked back to practice and will be playing (at least) one more game this year.

Furthermore, the only player declared out for the week was deep-depth backup DL Jeremiah Ledbetter (calf). The only other player with an injury designation was CB Carlton Davis (groin), listed as doubtful for a second week and just as much a game-time decision as last week when he was listed inactive.

Then the COVID outbreak happened.

So late on Friday, the Bucs lost star ILB Devin White, who tested positive. And in the same close-contact exposure, moved OLB Shaq Barrett and NT Steve McLendon to the IR-C. While they’ve had experience this year shuffling Kevin Minter in for White and Anthony Nelson in for Barrett, they haven’t lost this many defenders on such short order. (Not surprisingly, they signed LB Jack Cichy off the Patriots’ practice squad.)

Finally, the team moved backup RB Kenjon Barner to the injured reserve and promoted WR/KR Jaydon Mickens to the active roster.

Coach Bruce Arians’ claims to be playing to win this game apparently still stands.

Leans

The Buccaneers realistically stand to improve only their seeding with a win in this game. Despite Tampa Bay’s insistence the win is vital, it wouldn’t be a surprise if they start resting starters in the second half, particularly if they have a sizable enough lead. (How important is it they play the NFC East team as the number five seed? Do they really want Washington?)

Others like the idea of taking the points with the Falcons here because once they became touchdown favorites, that number vanished in an instant. They opened lower, but have largely moved between being 6½-point and 6-point underdogs. We’d lean to the Atlanta Falcons +6½ assuming that’s the best number to be available.

[Editor’s Note: The line has moved to -7].

The total has floated between its opening of 50 to 50½. Slight lean to under the total of 50½ but would really pass unless that steams above 51 for no newsworthy reason.

Baltimore Ravens (-13) at Cincinnati Bengals (44)

Ravens

It’s not unusual for the Ravens to come with a sheet of questionables. But this one is different from a long list of names who will invariably all suit up on Sunday.

First of all, several players listed questionable didn’t practice all week. LB Yannick Ngakoue, WR Willie Snead, and C Patrick Mekari all missed the practice week and are effectively game-time decisions. Check their names on the inactives list an hour or so before kickoff, but don’t be surprised if the Ravens believe they can handle this one without them. (Or they play the first half, and sit, if the game is out of hand.)

Two more of the questionables are late additions to the list. Both RB Gus Edwards (back) and D.J. Fluker (knee) popped up on the list Friday after not appearing there previously. While they could be expected to play, the late nature of the listing makes them extra questionable leading into Sunday.

Not all questionables are created equally though. Starting DE Calais Campbell, CB Marcus Peters, and CB Marlon Humphrey all got in a full practice by at least Friday, so it would be likely to see them all start. The same goes for RB Mark Ingram, who missed the first two days of practice with the mysterious “illness” designation. His full Friday practice ensures his starting on Sunday.

It’s unclear if the last questionable, CB Jimmy Smith, will play through his shoulder injury. He did limited practice at the end of the week and is worth checking on the inactives list released on the morning of the game.

On Thursday, the Ravens activated DB Terrell Bonds from injured reserve. On Friday, they cut him. Why wait until Monday?

Finally, Baltimore placed P Sam Koch on the COVID-IR. He will miss Sunday’s game. And while they will likely be fine with P Johnny Townsend (who they just signed off Chiefs’ practice squad), let’s take a moment to reflect on how long it’s been since the Ravens kicked a punt without Sam Koch: It was the last week of the 2005 season, when Bill Cowher took the Steelers to a Super Bowl victory with his junior quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. (George W. Bush was still in the White House.)

Bengals

The Bengals held their final practice on Friday and officially put Joe Mixon watch to rest for the year. Announced on Monday they wouldn’t (once again) be activating the running back from injured reserve, despite that being the lead question every week for the last several months.

Some good news to end out the year for Cincinnati in that they’ll have their starting wide receivers back. Tyler Boyd finally cleared concussion protocol, and Tee Higgins cleared his injury designation from earlier in the week.

They’ll also return MLB Jordan Evans who missed last week with a hamstring strain. Not so for MLB Logan Wilson whose ankle ends his season with a third consecutive inactive game. Also preemptively declared out, CB William Jackson has not cleared the concussion protocol and may well have played his last snap as a Bengal.

And because they’re the Bengals, they placed backup C B.J. Finney on the Non-Football Injury (NFI) reserve for an abdomen injury. There went the value they received in the Carlos Dunlap trade.

Better luck next year, Bungles!

Leans

Bettors wanted nothing to do with the surging Bengals, winners of two in a row. And rightly so, because it would be a fair guess that Cincinnati has already checked out having done what they can to save Zac Taylor’s job. (And good luck with that.)

Expect a blowout that won’t have too much of a sweat covering two touchdowns in the final third of the game and lean to the Baltimore Ravens -13. Even though this line already spiked up from its open of 11, we’d expect it has some more to go.

The total has kicked between 44 and 44½ and is currently at the lower number. Maybe wait until it notches back up another half-point, but we’ll call it at the current number and play the total under 44. (Or for that matter, the Bengals’ team total of 14½ to the under.)

Miami Dolphins (42½) at Buffalo Bills (-3)

Dolphins

On Thursday, the Miami Dolphins and fans of decent humans and football were dealt a blow when it broke in NFL news that quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick tested positive for COVID. Fitzmagic’s enthusiasm to eventually, finally get to play in a postseason game may be short-lived, and he’s certainly out for this Sunday.

Also in the loss column, the Dolphins moved MLB Elandon Roberts to the injured reserve after he suffered a significant knee injury last week. He’s done for the year regardless of whether or not Miami makes a playoff run or even an appearance.

Two questionable players, both wide receivers, are worth watching leading up to game time. WR Jakeem Grant sustained a high-ankle sprain last Sunday (after just rehabbing a hamstring injury) and was considered to be as good as out. Grant disagreed and put in two days of limited practice. Though he might really want to play, a high-ankle sprain would likely keep him sidelined Sunday, and he should be considered a game-time decision.

On the other hamstring, WR DeVante Parker should return after spending the last two weeks as a game-day scratch. We’d expect him to play in this all-hands game.

Listed questionable, rookie OG Solomon Kindley might be recovered from the knee contusion that kept him from action the last two weeks. It’s likely they’ll keep the configuration on the O-line they’ve had in his absence, and he’ll be used as a backup.

Having limited practice this week, DE Shaq Lawson might return from the ankle sprain that kept him sidelined last Sunday. Though, he had the same profile last practice week and was declared inactive, so he’s worth checking as well.

Finally, S Bobby McCain popped up on this week’s injury report for the same ankle that troubled him over the past few weeks. He’s now clear of an injury designation and will be on the field Sunday.

Bills

We’ve covered in the past how Bills’ coach Sean McDermott is compulsive. Which is nice if you like short, easy-to-read injury reports. Coach McDermott did not disappoint this week. That said, he’s also a neurotic that believes not revealing anything about this week’s starters would be competitively advantageous. (Whatever, Sean…)

He didn’t lie. But with this game having very little meaning with regard to the Bills’ postseason positioning, his statement they’ll do “what’s best” for the team is a pretty clear call that everyone starting in next week’s playoff game will be watching from the bench come the second half.

Two players will be watching the entire game from the bench, since they’ve already been ruled out. WR Cole Beasley, described on Monday as week-to-week, is not this week. He’ll take this game off to rehab a knee injury sustained in last Monday night’s match.

The other bench watcher will be FB Reggie Gilliam, now missing his second game with a knee injury.

Watching from the couch, backup RB T.J. Yeldon was placed on the IR-C after he tested positive for COVID, and hopes for the best for his own health.

On the plus side, the Bills activated WR John Brown from both the COVID and the normal injured reserve, and finally, after a six-week absence, he returns to a full Friday practice and carries no injury designation.

And finally, Buffalo elevated QB Davis Webb from their practice squad because that might be “what’s best” for the team — hint, hint! hint, hint!

Leans

This point spread might be one of the wildest rides of the year. Having opened as 3½-point chalk, the Bills were quickly bet up to 4½, and not long after that, the line crashed down to a single point after some significant support for the Dolphins. But as one-point favorites, the action came the other way, heavy enough that the line has been pushed back to three.

The total, on the other hand, opened at 47½ and basically crashed. First down to 44½, and then even further to the current number of 42½.

The motivation for the Bills here is puzzling. Even with a loss, they stand a decent chance of securing the second seed of the AFC and can’t do anything to improve. While the Bills would love to play spoiler, they’ll love the rest even more once their starters play a series or two and then hit the bench. Play the Miami Dolphins +3 assuming that 3½ won’t be back.

As for the total, lean to over 42½ if for no other reason than making NFL picks for all the sides and totals, it’s also likely now hit rock bottom and will only go up from here.

Here is a look at the latest Super Bowl Odds

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