NFL Week 4 injury panic meter: Concern for Ja'Marr Chase as Lamar Jackson gets good news

We assess the latest injury news surrounding Lamar Jackson, Ja'Marr Chase, Saquon Barkley and the other prominent players hurt in Week 4

Oct 5, 2026 at 10:15 am ET • 6 min read

Throughout the first month of the 2026 regular season, we were reminded not once, not twice, but by what felt like an avalanche of injuries sweeping over the league. And it's not just the number of injuries that have popped up over the opening month, but it's also been inflicted on some of the biggest names in the league at the most important positions in the sport. 

For instance, leading up to Week 4, the NFL had already seen young phenoms like Caleb Williams (hamstring), Jayden Daniels (elbow) and Jaxson Dart (knee) suffer varying degrees of injuries. Meanwhile, Myles Garrett, the defending NFL Defensive Player of the Year and the centerpiece of arguably the biggest trade of the offseason, has yet to play for the Rams on American soil, landing on short-term IR after the opener in Australia due to a knee ailment. Then, there's Baker Mayfield (thumb), Justin Jefferson (ankle), Breece Hall (quad) and De'Von Achane (season-ending ACL tear), among other stars, dealing with injuries as well. 

It's truly a who's who when they step into the NFL infirmary, and Week 4 only added to that total. 

Below, we're going to highlight some of the biggest names in the NFL who went down with an injury in Week 4, assess their status, and give them a rating on our panic meter. 

Panic meter barometer: 
🔥🔥🔥 = Fears of a season-ender
🔥🔥 = Could miss a chunk of time
😬😬 = Could miss some time
😅 = Should be fine

Ravens QB Lamar Jackson (ankle)

Panic meter: 😅

The Ravens quarterback left Sunday's win over the Tennessee Titans with an ankle injury sustained just before halftime and was seen leaving M&T Bank Stadium in a walking boot. While Jackson being in a boot isn't exactly ideal for the two-time NFL MVP, it does sound more like a precaution than anything else. NFL Network reported on Monday morning that Jackson will undergo tests late today, but the initial thought is that he's day-to-day, signaling that the ailment doesn't appear to be too serious. Coach Jesse Minter also said that "there were some talks about that," referring to Jackson possibly reentering the game. The fact that it was a discussion about him going back in (even though he didn't) is another signal that Jackson avoided anything substantial.

Week 5 opponent: at Atlanta Falcons 

Bengals WR Ja'Marr Chase (concussion)

Panic meter: 😬😬

Chase suffered a concussion in the second quarter of Sunday's loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. After making a catch, the wideout was brought to the ground by his facemask by Jaguars corner Jarrian Jones (which drew a penalty), and he was hit again while being taken down. After sitting on the turf for a moment and being evaluated by the training staff, he was taken into the locker room and did not return. Chase is now in the league's concussion protocol, so he'll have to get over several hurdles this week to play next Sunday. Typically, it's a tight turnaround for a player to suffer a concussion and be back the next week, so there's a chance Chase misses at least a week. 

Week 5 opponent: at Miami Dolphins 

Bengals WR Tee Higgins (adductor)

Panic meter: 😬😬

Higgins suffered an adductor injury during Cincinnati's final drive of the game after making a leaping catch. He stayed on the field for one snap after being hobbled on the reception before exiting. With this being a soft-tissue injury, it does feel like there's a possibility Higgins could miss some time. That said, there's no definitive word on the severity of the injury yet. 

Week 5 opponent: at Miami Dolphins 

Eagles RB Saquon Barkley (hamstring)

Panic meter: 😬😬

It's been tough sledding for Barkley on the injury front this season. After already dealing with a stinger, the Eagles running back left Sunday's loss to the Rams due to a hamstring injury he suffered in the first quarter. Barkley seemed to pull up after running out of bounds on a carry during Philly's second possession. NFL Network reports that Barkley will undergo testing on Monday, but added that it doesn't appear to be overly serious. That said, as is the case with all soft tissue injuries, they won't know the full extent until they do testing. 

Week 5 opponent: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (in London)

Eagles CB Quinyon Mitchell (knee)

Panic meter: 😬😬

The injuries continued to pile up for Philadelphia. On top of Barkley, All-Pro corner Quinyon Mitchell left the game in the third quarter on Sunday due to a knee injury. Mitchell got tangled up on the sideline while tackling Rams running back Blake Corum and appears to have taken a helmet to the knee. NFL Network reports that the hope is Mitchell hyperextended his knee and may have suffered a bone bruise, but testing on Monday will reveal the severity. 

Week 5 opponent: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (in London)

Commanders QB Marcus Mariota (knee)

Panic meter: 🔥🔥

Mariota has been starting for Washington in place of the injured Jayden Daniels (left elbow), but he couldn't finish Sunday's loss to the Colts in London. The veteran reportedly aggravated his MCL injury and is now undergoing further testing, but he is expected to miss time. There's hope that Daniels will be back next week, but if he's unable to go, it could thrust rookie quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis, who came in under duress for Mariota, into the starter role. 

Week 5 opponent: vs. New York Giants

Bills WR DJ Moore (shoulder)

Panic meter: 😬😬

Moore aggravated his shoulder injury in Sunday's loss to the Patriots, but ESPN reports that the injury is not considered to be a long-term issue right now. Head coach Joe Brady didn't give an update on Moore's injury postgame. The wideout, who initially injured the shoulder in Week 2 against the Lions,  went down in the second quarter during Sunday's matchup. Before this aggravation, Moore didn't miss any time, but has been limited in practice. He'll have some extra time to recuperate as Buffalo plays on Monday night in Week 5. 

Week 5 opponent: at Los Angeles Rams

Packers LB Edgerrin Cooper (Achilles)

Panic meter: 🔥🔥🔥

The Packers fear Cooper, their standout linebacker, sustained a torn Achilles in the win over the Buccaneers. Coach Matt LaFleur acknowledged that the injury is "not good" and he'd "suspect" it will be a season-ending injury. 

Week 5 opponent: vs. Chicago Bears

Chiefs WR Tyquan Thornton (ankle)

Panic meter: 🔥🔥🔥

The Chiefs receiver was having the game of his life on Sunday against the Raiders, catching five passes for 111 yards and two touchdowns. Unfortunately, he suffered a gruesome ankle injury after making a sensational 55-yard catch and was carted off. Specifically, Thornton suffered a dislocated ankle. They were able to put the ankle back into place, and he did fly back with the team, but he is now out indefinitely. He will undergo an MRI on Monday to see if there is further damage. 

Week 5 opponent: BYE 

Chiefs WR Rashee Rice (hamstring)

Panic meter: 😅 

Head coach Andy Reid said that Rice tweaked his hamstring in the first quarter and did not return. While the wideout did not get back into the game in Week 4, the injury doesn't sound too severe, with NFL Network characterizing it as a very minor hamstring injury. With Kansas City on the bye in Week 5, it appears that Rice may not miss much, if any, time. 

Week 5 opponent: BYE 

Broncos CB Patrick Surtain II (ankle)

Panic meter: 🔥🔥

Denver's star corner is expected to miss time with an ankle injury and will undergo further evaluation on Monday, according to NFL Network. At the time when Surtain went down in the second quarter with a non-contact injury, fears of a season-ender were hard to ignore. However, the injury is not as severe as it initially appeared. Surtian is still expected to be sidelined for a period of time -- NFL Network floated a couple of weeks or an IR stint -- but it is not expected to be season-ending, which is good news for the Broncos.