National Football League

Injury updates: Picking up the pieces from bloody Sunday in Week 2

Published Sep. 16, 2014 12:51 a.m. ET

foxsports

The Monday after the conclusion of the NFL regular season is known as Black Monday — the day the league's bottom feeders cut loose coaches and the flood of resumes begin to consume front offices.

But several Mondays throughout the season deserve a similar nickname — those days the carnage from the day prior's games becomes clear and fans and fantasy owners league-wide go into panic mode.

This Monday was one of those days.

After a painful Sunday that saw players leave games early — be it on their own or on a cart — we found out just how bad some of those injuries are:

• Week 2's most high-profile injury actually turned out to be a bit of good news, as the left ankle injury suffered by Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III during Sunday's 41-10 victory over Jacksonville turned out to be a dislocation but not a break, leaving open the possibility of RG3 returning to Washington at some point this season.

• The jury is still out one of his favorite targets, as receiver DeSean Jackson is day-to-day with a Grade 1 sprain of the AC joint in his left shoulder, suffered when a defender landed on him completing the hit on an incomplete pass. When asked if Jackson would be able to play in Week 3 against his former team, the Eagles, Redskins head coach Jay Gruden told reporters on Monday, "It depends on if he can play with the pain."

• Another receiver who left Sunday early was Bengals' three-time Pro Bowler A.J. Green. The 26-year-old left early in Sunday's 24-10 win over Atlanta after aggravating a foot/toe injury while blocking on a running play. It was the first time in his career Green did not catch a pass in a game. The injury is reportedly a strained ligament in Green's right foot. (and not the turf toe initially feared). Green reportedly spent the day in the trainer's room Monday and declined to be interviewed, but head coach Marvin Lewis said, "I don't think it's anything long-term." The Bengals host the Titans on Sunday before a bye in Week 4, so if Green cannot play this coming weekend he would get nearly 21 full days off to recover.

• In terms of fantasy, the injury that had the most owners biting their finger nails heading into Monday was likely the bum ankle that limited Chiefs' All-Pro running back Jamaal Charles to just three touches for 12 total yards in Sunday's 24-17 loss at Denver. On Monday, head coach Andy Reid revealed Charles has a high ankle sprain. "It doesn't look to be a real severe one, but it does have the components of a high ankle sprain," Reid told reporters on Monday. "What does that mean? We'll see what happens." In terms of how long Charles could be out, Reid did not specify, but high ankle sprains often take longer to heal than low ankle sprains, sometimes requiring several weeks of rest.

• Bears cornerback Charles Tillman suffered a torn right triceps in Sunday night's 28-20 win over the 49ers and will miss the remainder of the season, the team announced Monday. Tillman, a two-time Pro Bowler, suffered a similar injury last November and never played again in 2013. The 33-year-old, 12-year veteran in on a one-year contract and his future with the Bears is now in question. In a statement, Tillman said:

• The Saints not only lost for the second time in as many weeks on Sunday, they also lost their power (and thus far best) running back Mark Ingram for a month with a broken hand, FOX Sports NFL Insider Mike Garafolo learned from a source.

Saints will be without RB Mark Ingram for about a month, source confirms. Hand injury, as @AdamSchefter tweeted. Surprise there.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) September 15, 2014

• Ingram, who had a team-high 24 carries with 143 yards and three touchdowns at the time of his injury, apparently broke his hand in the first half but continued to play in the 26-24 loss at Cleveland, piling up 104 total yards from scrimmage and a TD. On Monday, Saints coach Sean Payton would not even tell reporters whether Ingram was injured, let alone divulge any specifics of the injury.

• Two weeks ago, the Dolphins released running back Daniel Thomas. On Monday, they brought him back after losing two running backs to injury during Sunday's 29-10 loss at Buffalo. Knowshon Moreno is expected to miss about a month with a dislocated elbow, while Lamar Miller suffered an ankle injury that leaves his status for the upcoming weekend in question.

• A little north in Florida, the news was not much better. Jaguars tight end Marcedes Lewis, who earlier in Sunday's eventual 41-10 loss at Washington had the longest catch of his career, suffered an ankle injury later in the game that the team expects will keep him out until the second half of the season.

• The Giants, already reeling from an 0-2 start and getting beaten by Matthew Stafford and Drew Stanton — yeah, Drew Stanton — learned on Monday that cornerback and free-agent pickup Walter Thurmond will miss the remainder of the season with a torn pectoral muscle. The former Seahawk suffered the injury during Sunday's 25-14 home loss to Arizona and will have surgery on Tuesday.

• The Chargers got perhaps Week 2's biggest win with a 30-21 upset of defending Super Bowl champion Seattle, but also suffered a pretty sizable loss. Running back Ryan Mathews suffered a sprained MCL in his right knee San Diego coach Mike McCoy told reporters on Monday. McCoy would not give any sort of timetable in terms of Mathews' expected return, saying only, "he'll be out for a little bit of time."

• Speedy Rams receiver/kick returner Tavon Austin could play next weekend as the injury he suffered during Sunday's 19-17 win at Tampa Bay is only a mild sprain, the team announced on Twitter on Monday.