National Football League

NFL Week 13 injury report: What to know about Dalvin Cook, Deebo Samuel, more

Updated Nov. 30, 2021 10:16 p.m. ET

By Dr. Matt Provencher
FOX Sports Injury & Performance Analyst

As we head into Week 13 and the NFL season begins to steer toward the home stretch, injuries could impact the postseason efforts of several teams.

The Vikings are hoping running back Dalvin Cook can avoid surgery on his shoulder, the 49ers are hoping Deebo Samuel can play through his groin injury, and the Packers have multiple key players fighting through various ailments.

All of this is very important, as the health of any NFL team can have a direct impact on the standings. We've worked to quantify player and team health with the BUS, which you can learn about in the video below.

What is the 'Banged Up Score'?

Dr. Matt Provencher explains what the B.U.S., or "Banged Up Score," is and how it affects teams in the NFL.

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As far as this week goes, here is the lowdown on eight key injuries, with players' expected time missed and impact on production when they return.

DALVIN COOK, RB, MINNESOTA

Injury: Left shoulder

Impact: Affects stability, ability to carry the ball, trust in shoulder

Surgery: Potentially after season

Potential time missed: 0-4 games

Production upon return: I expect to see his snap count limited up to 15-20% when he returns.

Notes: It was originally reported that Cook had a shoulder dislocation and torn labrum. Coach Mike Zimmer said Cook did not tear his labrum but that there could be other structures involved, such as the pectoralis major, or pec tendon. As of now, we know it’s a shoulder injury that the team is considering day-to-day. With the pain Cook endured in Sunday's game, I doubt we see him on the field this week. Regardless of the injury, he will need to calm down the pain and swelling, then strengthen the musculature around the shoulder to stabilize it. When we do see him back, he will most likely need a brace for support, as well as a Sully or movement restriction brace so that the shoulder has extra protection.

Dr. Matt gives analysis on Vikings RB Dalvin Cook's injury

Dr. Matt Provencher takes a look at the injury to Dalvin Cook and details what a timeline for return could look like.

DEEBO SAMUEL, WR, 49ERS

Injury: Groin

Impact: Affects change of direction, burst, deceleration, jumping

Surgery: No

Potential time missed: 1-2 games

Production upon return: The data suggests that his snap percentage will likely be down 40% in his first game back and down 30% in Games 2-3, given his athleticism and prior recovery.

Notes: Change of direction, burst ability and deceleration are very important for receivers, and a groin injury can impact these areas. Samuel will need to rehab and work on pain and swelling reduction. Then he'll need to work on strengthening and stretching once the strained fibers have healed. He missed a game in 2019 because of a groin injury, and the 49ers will be eager to get the talented Samuel back on the field while being careful to avoid aggravating the injury.

Dr. Matt Provencher's prognosis for Deebo Samuel's groin injury

Dr. Matt Provencher breaks down San Francisco 49ers Deebo Samuel's groin injury: "We know that at his position, change of direction, burst ability and deceleration are very important. And a groin injury can be detrimental to this."

DARREN WALLER, TE, RAIDERS

Injury: Strained IT band (possible strained lateral capsule)

Impact: Affects mobility, jumping, speed

Surgery: No

Potential time missed: 0-2 games

Production upon return: With this injury, a player’s productivity usually decreases 5-10% in his first one or two games back, then returns to normal.

Notes: An isolated strained IT band is pretty rare, and it’s likely that Waller also injured a portion of his lateral knee joint and/or capsule, possibly with some LCL involvement. These usually go one of two ways. If it is more severe, it will take time to let the tissue calm down and heal, which can mean an absence of one or two games. If it's minor, he could play through it, as long as the pain and swelling are reduced to an acceptable level. We'll see how he practices this week and what he is looking like as game day gets closer.

CHRISTIAN McCAFFREY, RB, PANTHERS

Injury: Left ankle

Impact: Affects power, stability, yards after contact

Surgery: Maybe

Potential time missed: Remainder of season

Production upon return: McCaffrey's production will be down 20-25% when he returns next season. Data shows it can take four-to-six games to return to preinjury production following these ankle injuries.

Notes: McCaffrey has been banged up the past two seasons. He had a bad high ankle sprain to his right ankle in the 2020 season before suffering an AC joint injury. This season, he has been plagued by the hamstring bug. He left Sunday's game against Miami after injuring his left ankle, and an MRI determined it is season-ending. He will work for the remainder of this season and the offseason to heal and stabilize the joint. His medical staff has said surgery is not warranted (assuming adequate healing takes place). It’s important to recognize that if he cannot get the musculature and ligaments to heal correctly, surgery might be needed to stabilize the ankle from the inside so he doesn’t continue to injure it.

RANDALL COBB, WR, PACKERS

Injury: Groin

Impact: Affects change of direction, burst, deceleration, jumping

Surgery: No

Potential time missed: 0-2 games

Production upon return: The data suggests there will be a 40% reduction in snap percentage in Cobb's first game back. The reduction will likely be 30% in Games 2-3, given his athleticism and prior recovery.

Notes: Like Samuel, Cobb is going to experience the issues caused by groin strains. Unlike Samuel, Cobb's team has a bye this week, giving him extra time to heal. If the severity of his strain is minor, we might see him back for Green Bay's next game against Chicago. But it is something they won't push, as they will want the veteran ready for a playoff run. The Packers will have to make sure Cobb is healthy and ready to go before he tries to push it.

AARON RODGERS, QB, PACKERS

Injury: Left foot toe fracture

Impact: Affects push-off, mobility

Surgery: Maybe

Potential time missed: 0-2 games

Production upon return: Rodgers' production should not be impacted unless he decides on surgery or reinjures the foot during a game.

Notes: As we thought last week, the toe hasn’t stopped Rodgers from not only playing but also playing well. As of now, it looks like he is going to forego surgery and try to heal over the bye week. Coach Matt LaFleur has said Rodgers is still weighing his options, so we will continue to watch. The reigning MVP knows the Green Bay system so well that he can limit his practice time in favor of rest and still perform well on game day. I think he will rest when he can during the week and try to play through it on Sundays.

JACK CONKLIN, OT, BROWNS

Injury: Patellar tendon

Impact: Affects movement of knee, stability, range of motion

Surgery: Yes

Potential time missed: Remainder of season

Production upon return: When Conklin returns next season, he will have to test the knee in game situations. It usually takes a few games for players to feel confident enough with the repair and get back to playing their best football.

Notes: Conklin has been a tremendous player when on the field, but injuries have plagued him of late. He had just returned from a dislocated elbow suffered in Week 8 and was questionable in Weeks 6 and 7 with a separate knee injury. He battled multiple injuries in 2020, including to his finger, ankle and hamstring, as well as a stint on the COVID-IR list. Surgery for this injury will involve a variety of sutures and patellar bone tunnels, as well as anchors and tape sutures. Following surgery, he will have to regain motion in the knee and reduce scarring. Then he'll move to strength and proprioception exercises.

D’ANDRE SWIFT, RB, LIONS

Injury: Right shoulder sprain (most likely AC joint)

Impact: Affects ability to take contact, ball carrying, blocking

Surgery: Unlikely

Potential time missed: 0-2 games

Production upon return: When Swift returns, his productivity will likely be down 10-15% in his first three games back.

Notes: The Lions are calling the injury a shoulder sprain, which most likely means it’s an injury to his acromioclavicular joint. These can be very painful, and severe ones can require surgery. We are hearing that Swift will not need surgery, but that he will need to rest for a game or two before returning. When he does return, he will most likely pad the area with hard plastic molds, foam or a specialized pad to protect the area from taking too much impact.

Human shoulder pain with the anatomy of a skeleton shoulder

Renowned orthopedist Dr. Matt Provencher and his company, Proven Performance Technology (PPT), deliver data-driven injury insights to football fans. In this first-of-a-kind role as Athlete Injury and Performance Analyst for FOX Sports’ digital platforms, Provencher provides important predictive player health and recovery information about post-injury performance, the impact of weather, field conditions and more.