• Big names returning: Players set to return from injury for Super Wild Card Weekend include Cleveland Browns WR Amari Cooper, Miami Dolphins WR Jaylen Waddle, Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, and Houston Texans EDGE Jonathan Greenard.

• Most and least injured teams: The Miami Dolphins (defense) and Baltimore Ravens (offense) have lost significant production throughout the season while the Houston Texans, Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers have remained relatively healthy.

• Dominate your fantasy league in 2023: For up-to-date fantasy draft rankings and projections, check out PFF’s fantasy rankings tool!

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

The playoffs have arrived, and we appear to be blessed with some stacked matchups this weekend, as there are noteworthy storylines everywhere you look — whether it is coaches/players matching up against their former teams or the projected frigid temperatures we may see in Buffalo and Kansas City.

The Miami Dolphins roll into Kansas City with a banged-up skill position group, but they also have lost multiple key defenders, such as Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips and will be without Jerome Baker and Xavien Howard this weekend. The Philadelphia Eagles have been one of the luckier teams thus far this season in regards to injury, but they face concerns over their star QB-WR duo in Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown for Monday night against Tampa Bay. While the list of players already ruled out is thin, there are a handful of key injuries in each game that could go either direction and will require some additional attention across the weekend. 

Saturday, January 13

Cleveland Browns at Houston Texans

• CLV: RB Kareem Hunt (groin), WR Amari Cooper (heel), WR Cedric Tillman (concussion)
• HOU: WR Noah Brown (back), WR Robert Woods (hip)

The Browns continue to be one of the more dinged-up teams this season and were without several key pieces earlier this week for practice. Heading into the weekend, the Browns have already ruled out rookie WR Cedric Tillman as well as kicker Dustin Hopkins and safety Grant Delpit (who is returning from injured reserve). Other secondary members in Denzel Ward and Juan Thornhill will remain questionable as well. The bright side is star receiver Amari Cooper should be back in action.

After an improbable turn of events, Houston rolls into the playoffs relatively healthy offensively with just veteran WRs Noah Brown and Robert Woods carrying questionable designations. However, the Texans could face some trouble up front defensively with EDGE Jerry Hughes already ruled out while DL Maliek Collins and Sheldon Rankins as well as EDGEs Will Anderson and Jonathan Greenard will be questionable after missing practices earlier in the week but should be on track to play.

Miami Dolphins at Kansas City Chiefs

• MIA: WR Jaylen Waddle (ankle), WR Tyreek Hill (ankle), RB Raheem Mostert (knee/ankle), RB De’Von Achane (toe/ribs)
• KC: WR Kadarius Toney (hip), WR Justyn Ross (hamstring)

The Dolphins' injury concerns have not subsided heading into wild-card weekend with Jaylen Waddle, Tyreek Hill, Raheem Mostert and De’Von Achane all limited in practice this week. Waddle and Mostert will carry questionable designations, but it’s hard to envision them sitting out barring any setbacks. Defensive backs Jevon Holland and DeShon Elliott are questionable as well while LB Jerome Baker and CB Xavien Howard have already been ruled out for a defense already missing several key pieces. 

Kansas City begins their potential playoff run as healthy on paper as one could hope for, with just WRs Kadarius Toney and Justyn Ross up in the air for Saturday. Any hit to an already shaky WR corps definitely would not help the Chiefs offensively, but neither Toney nor Ross have been particularly productive.

Sunday, January 14

Pittsburgh Steelers at Buffalo Bills

• PIT: RB Najee Harris (knee)
• BUF: WR Gabe Davis (knee)

The Steelers' injury sheet is relatively clean rolling into wild-card weekend aside from EDGE T.J. Watt’s knee issue suffered in their Week 18 win over Baltimore. RB Najee Harris missed practice Wednesday but returned in full Thursday, indicating it was more of a rest day, but it is still a situation to watch nonetheless. The Steelers also expect star safety Minkah Fitzpatrick to return for the first time since mid-December. 

The point of concern for Buffalo on the other hand is the status of WR Gabe Davis, who has not practiced this week. If he’s a no-go for Sunday, Khalil Shakir and Trent Sherfield will be next in line for a bump in snaps. LB Tyrel Dodson, CB Rasul Douglas and safety Taylor Rapp have also not practiced this week.

Green Bay Packers at Dallas Cowboys

• GB: RB AJ Dillon (thumb/neck), WR Romeo Doubs (chest), RB Aaron Jones (knee), WR Christian Watson (hamstring)
• DAL: None

The Packers face several question marks heading into the weekend as RB AJ Dillon has not practiced with a neck issue and CB Jaire Alexander was held out of practice Thursday after rolling his ankle Wednesday. RB Aaron Jones in addition to WRs Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson have been limited this week but should be good to go.

Dallas gave WR Brandin Cooks as well as most of their starting offensive line a rest day Wednesday, but the Cowboys have no real injury issues heading into the weekend aside from CB Stephon Gilmore and DT Johnathan Hankins, who were both limited Thursday with shoulder and ankle issues respectively. 

Los Angeles Rams at Detroit Lions

• LAR: TE Tyler Higbee (shoulder)
• DET: TE Sam LaPorta (knee), WR Kalif Raymond (knee)

Limited in practice this week, TE Tyler Higbee appears to be the only noteworthy concern on the offensive side of the ball for Los Angeles. Defensively, safety Jordan Fuller has not practiced this week and sounds unlikely to play Sunday night. 

The tight end on the other sideline, rookie phenom Sam LaPorta, has not practiced as of Thursday but sounds optimistic about his chances for Sunday. Regardless, his Friday status will be pivotal, and it will likely come down to a game-time decision. Also not practicing for the Lions is speedster Kalif Raymond, and his game status will likely not be determined until Sunday as well.

Monday, January 15

Philadelphia Eagles at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

• PHI: QB Jalen Hurts (finger), WR A.J. Brown (knee)
• TB: QB Baker Mayfield (ankle/ribs)

Philadelphia rolls into wild-card weekend with major question marks around their QB-WR duo in Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown, both of whom did not practice on Thursday after suffering their respective injuries in Week 18. Defensively, the Eagles lost safety Sydney Brown for potentially multiple weeks while fellow safety Reed Blankenship was not able to practice Thursday with a groin injury. 

The injury report for Tampa Bay is not long, but notably QB Baker Mayfield was a non-participant Thursday. Also worth watching in Tampa Bay is LT Tristan Wirfs, who was held out Wednesday with an illness.