Just when you thought the NFL was going to leave well enough alone they made changes to the Injury Report. You'll no longer see the "Probable" tag on a player. The designations now used are "questionable", "doubtful" or "out". The NFL has updated the definition of these designations. A player listed as "questionable" means the player is uncertain to play. A player listed as "doubtful" means the player is unlikely to play. And this one is shocking, a player listed as "out" means that player will not play in the game, the horror. In addition, the injury report will be released two days before kickoff.
Quick and Dirty
- Probable: no longer used designation
- Questionable: uncertain to play
- Doubtful: unlikely to play
- Out: not playing
Apparently only 5% of players listed as Probable ended up missing that week's game. Much to my chagrin that 5% was on my team each week. Finally, teams will no longer have to include players who do not fully participate in Friday's practice on the Game Status Report. Guys, figuring out who to start and sit each week just became a very difficult challenge. This is a straight up legal cat and mouse game by the NFL. Seems like the sole purpose here is to greatly reduce the number of players listed on the injury report each week.
If you think this is a good thing, you're wrong. Furthermore, if you think it will be easier than ever to know who is playing and who isn't, you're wrong. If you think "Questionable" is the new "Probable", you might be right. One thing is certain, teams will find a way to exploit these new rules in an effort to confuse the other team. Gluing yourself to the TV Sunday morning is going to be a priority because now more than ever you'll be guessing about injuries. Guys like Jay Glazer, Ian Rapoport, Adam Schefter, Kurt Turner and Evan Silva are recommended follows when you're worried about a players status. Like how I tossed my name in that hat, classic!
