Tracker for Week 11 Injured Reserve Returns
Teams may activate up to eight players from injured reserve following a regulation change in 2022.
As a result, franchises now have to go with some forethought when it comes to their activations, and in 2023, teams will once more need to be aware of their activation counts.
In the 2010s, the NFL reinstated IR-return options, which had previously meant that a player’s season would end upon being placed on injured reserve. However, the COVID-19 outbreak forced the league to relax its rules on in-game replays from 2020–21. To begin the decade, teams were allowed to use an unlimited number of activations; however, roster math is still taken into account.
Inactive players are required to sit out at least four games after cutdown day. When a team decides which player is eligible to return, the activation clock begins. After a player’s return to practice date, clubs have twenty-one days to activate the player. The player goes back to season-ending IR if no activation starts during that interval.
Here is how the NFL’s IR situations look for Week 11:
Arizona Cardinals
Activated:
- RB James Conner (story)
Eligible for activation:
- DL L.J. Collier
- DL Carlos Watkins
Activations remaining: 5
Atlanta Falcons
Eligible for activation:
- WR Josh Ali
- LB Troy Andersen; second-year defender uncertain to return this season
Activations remaining: 8
Baltimore Ravens
Eligible for activation:
- LB Malik Hamm
- OLB David Ojabo (story)
- CB Ar’Darius Washington
- CB Damarion Williams
Activations remaining: 5
Buffalo Bills
Eligible for activation:
- RB Damien Harris (story)
- DT DaQuan Jones; uncertain to return this season
- LB Matt Milano; uncertain to return this season
- WR Justin Shorter
Activations remaining: 7
Carolina Panthers
Designated for return:
- CB Jaycee Horn (Nov. 13)
- TE Ian Thomas (Nov. 13)
Activated:
- DE Marquis Haynes (story)
Eligible for activation:
- LB Shaq Thompson; ninth-year veteran not ruling out return from broken leg
Activations remaining: 6
Chicago Bears
Activated:
- CB Josh Blackwell
- WR Equanimeous St. Brown
Designated for return:
- RB Khalil Herbert (Nov. 6)
Activations remaining: 1
Cincinnati Bengals
Designated for return:
- WR Charlie Jones (Nov. 8)
Activations remaining: 8
Cleveland Browns
Eligible for activation:
- OL Michael Dunn
- LB Jordan Kunaszyk
Activations remaining: 8
Dallas Cowboys
Eligible for activation:
- CB C.J. Goodwin
- TE Peyton Hendershot
- LB Leighton Vander Esch (story)
- OL Matt Waletzko
Activations remaining: 7
Denver Broncos
Eligible for activation:
- OL Alex Palczewski
- CB K’Waun Williams; unlikely to return this season
Activations remaining: 6
Detroit Lions
Eligible for activation:
- FB Jason Cabinda
- S C.J. Gardner-Johnson; DB aiming for late-season return
- DE James Houston (story)
- OL Matt Nelson; lineman uncertain to return this season
Activations remaining: 5
Green Bay Packers
Eligible for activation:
- OL Luke Tenuta
Activations remaining: 8
Houston Texans
Activated:
- CB Derek Stingley Jr. (story)
Eligible for activation:
- C Juice Scruggs
Activations remaining: 3
Indianapolis Colts
Eligible for activation:
- TE Jelani Woods
Activations remaining: 8
Jacksonville Jaguars
Activated:
- CB Gregory Junior
Eligible for activation:
- CB Christian Braswell
- OL Cooper Hodges
- WR Parker Washington
Activations remaining: 6
Kansas City Chiefs
Designated for return:
- WR Richie James (Nov. 1)
Eligible for activation:
- OL Prince Tega Wanogho
Activations remaining: 8
Las Vegas Raiders
Eligible for activation:
- CB Brandon Facyson (story)
- S Roderic Teamer
Activations remaining: 7
Los Angeles Chargers
Eligible for activation: none
Activations remaining: 8
Los Angeles Rams
Designated for return:
- TE Hunter Long (Oct. 25)
Eligible for activation:
- DL Bobby Brown (story)
- CB Jason Taylor II
Activations remaining: 6
Miami Dolphins
Designated for return:
- WR River Cracraft (Oct. 25)
- RB De’Von Achane (Nov. 13)
Activations remaining: 4
Minnesota Vikings
Designated for return:
- WR Justin Jefferson (Nov. 8)
Eligible for activation:
- OLB Marcus Davenport (story)
- QB Nick Mullens (story)
Activations remaining: 6
New England Patriots
Eligible for activation:
- DL Daniel Ekuale
- OLB Matt Judon; uncertain to return this season
- T Riley Reiff (story)
- OL Tyrone Wheatley Jr.
Activations remaining: 5
New Orleans Saints
Activated:
- FB Adam Prentice
Eligible for activation:
- DE Payton Turner (story)
Activations remaining: 6
New York Giants
Activated:
- OLB Azeez Ojulari (story)
Eligible for activation:
- OL Joshua Ezeudu
Activations remaining: 7
New York Jets
Designated for return:
- LT Duane Brown (Nov. 2)
Eligible for activation:
- CB Justin Hardee
- QB Aaron Rodgers; team expecting late-season return despite Achilles tear
- TE Kenny Yeboah
Activations remaining: 7
Philadelphia Eagles
Designated for return:
- OL Cam Jurgens (Nov. 1)
Eligible for activation:
- S Justin Evans
- CB Avonte Maddox; slot defender uncertain to return after torn pec
- WR Quez Watkins
Activations remaining: 7
Pittsburgh Steelers
Designated for return:
- RB Anthony McFarland (Oct. 16)
Eligible for activation:
- TE Pat Freiermuth (story)
Activations remaining: 6
San Francisco 49ers
Designated for return:
- DE Robert Beal (Nov. 6)
- CB Samuel Womack (Nov. 6)
Eligible for activation:
- WR Danny Gray
Activations remaining: 8
Seattle Seahawks
Activated:
- RB Kenny McIntosh
- WR Dareke Young
Eligible for activation:
- DB Coby Bryant
- RT Abraham Lucas (story)
Activations remaining: 6
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Eligible for activation: none
Activations remaining: 7
Tennessee Titans
Designated for return:
- S Mike Brown (Oct. 30)
Eligible for activation:
- RB Julius Chestnut
- WR Kearis Jackson
Activations remaining: 7
Washington Commanders
Eligible for activation:
- S Darrick Forrest (story)
- WR Dax Milne
Activations remaining: 6
