NFL Week 9 Injury Report: Kyler Murray Questionable for Vikings, Breece Hall Probable for Jets

The NFL injury wheel keeps turning as we pass the halfway point of the season, and there have been some major changes to the NFL landscape as a result. Lamar Jackson, the Baltimore Ravens franchise quarterback, is likely out for the season after injuring his thumb on the first play of his comeback in Week 8.

The Jacksonville Jaguars and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are dealing with injuries to key defensive linemen, while on the flip side, a host of players are set to make their returns to the field this week, including New York Jets running back Breece Hall. 

✅ Probable

Position	Team	Player	Injury
EDGE	Carolina Panthers	Jaelan Phillips	Hamstring
WR	Green Bay Packers	Christian Watson	Ribs
EDGE	Jacksonville Jaguars	Travon Walker	Ribs
CB	Los Angeles Rams	Trent McDuffie	Back
QB	Los Angeles Rams	Matt Stafford	Arm
RB	New York Jets	Breece Hall	Quadriceps

RB – Breece Hall (Jets vs. Chiefs): Probable

It’s been a stop-and-start season for the New York Jets and their star running back, Breece Hall. The Jets were on the wrong end of a firecracker matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 8, losing 38-33 to fall to 2-6 on the season. The offense wasn’t the issue in the loss, and arguably hasn’t been for most of the season. The unit currently ranks 12th in expected points added per play, per Sumer Sports, and that’s with Hall only playing in three games in 2026. The former second-round pick has been plagued by a quad injury in 2026, leading to him carrying the ball just 51 times for 163 yards and a touchdown. Meanwhile, Hall’s backup, Braelon Allen, has been crushing it in the backfield. But Hall looks to be back in the lineup and ready to go vs. the Chiefs in Week 9, meaning the Jets either have a dilemma in the backfield or the opportunity to create a two-headed monster to build the offense around.

WR – Christian Watson (Packers vs. Patriots): Probable

Christian Watson and the Green Bay Packers’ offense are rolling in 2026. A slow start, partly due to poor offensive line play, is a thing of the past, and now the Packers are 12th in passing success rate and eighth since Week 4, per Sumer Sports. A major catalyst in their rise has been the continued play of Watson, who is in the midst of a career year. Watson has already set career-highs in catches (42) and receiving yards (702), and is two touchdowns away from a career-high. In keeping with his career so far, Watson has also been doing it banged up. The veteran receiver suffered a broken rib in the Week 8 win against the Panthers, but miraculously returned to the game after leaving in an ambulance. It’s clear Watson is banged up, but he was spotted practicing on Wednesday, which is a surefire sign that despite the rib injury, he’ll be on the field for a feisty matchup vs. Patriots’ cornerback Christian Gonzalez.

EDGE – Jaelan Phillips (Panthers vs. Broncos): Probable

The Panthers paid big money to Jaelan Phillips this offseason, hoping that the powerful edge rusher could be the centerpiece of their evolving defense. The result as a whole for the defense has been mixed. They’re currently 20th in expected points added and just moved on from highly-rated defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero after the loss to the Packers, but there have been flashes. Phillips leads the team with a 13.2% pressure rate—49th among edge rushers—but has room for improvement. He’s also missed the last two games with a hamstring issue, which has capped what the defense can do. However, Phillips is now viewed as day-to-day heading into the Week 9 matchup against the Denver Broncos, and it feels like there’s an increasingly good chance he’ll play this week.

❓Questionable

Position	Team	Player	Injury
S	Dallas Cowboys	Caleb Downs	Concussion
C	Detroit Lions	Cade Mays	Ankle
CB	Kansas City Chiefs	Mansoor Delane	Shoulder
QB	Minnesota Vikings	Kyler Murray	Hamstring
EDGE	San Francisco 49ers	Nick Bosa	Knee
RB	New York Giants	Cam Skattebo	Hamstring

QB – Kyler Murray (Vikings vs. Bills): Questionable

The Vikings are undoubtedly one of the strangest 6-1 teams in recent memory. A defensive juggernaut, the Vikings’ defense is second in expected points added, chewing up and spitting out nearly every opposing offense they face. They’ve been the driving force behind the Vikings’ strong start to the season. On the flip side, the offense is a crater. They’re 30th in expected points added and 27th in points per game. The move to bring in Kyler Murray on a one-year deal so far hasn’t panned out. Murray is 29th out of 40 quarterbacks in expected points added per play and is struggling to assimilate to the offense, leaving his short-term and long-term future with the team in doubt. It doesn’t help that Murray is reportedly dealing with a hamstring injury that has his status for Monday Night Football up in the air. If Murray can’t go, it’ll be up to Carson Wentz to take the reins of the offense again. The galaxy-brained might call this a soft-benching. Who knows?

EDGE – Nick Bosa (49ers vs. Raiders): Questionable

We haven’t seen as much of Nick Bosa on the field as we deserve in recent seasons. Bosa has played just 19 regular season games over the last three seasons, suffering a torn ACL in 2025 after just three games. Bosa returned to start the 2026 season, but hasn’t been seen since Week 2. Despite not having one of their top defensive players, the 49ers are still rolling, but they’ve felt the lack of impact when it comes to rushing the passer. The 49ers’ 35.9% pressure rate is 26th among defenses, but having Bosa—one of the league’s top pass-rushers—on the field would make a world of difference. Bosa was practicing in a limited capacity this week, which indicates that he’ll likely be ramping up for a return in Week 9. Bosa is currently questionable, but leaning more towards playing. 

CB – Mansoor Delane (Chiefs vs. Jets): Questionable

The Kansas City Chiefs look to have found a gem in the 2026 NFL Draft. Their first-round pick, sixth overall cornerback Mansoor Delane, has started his rookie season well. Delane has allowed just 15 receptions on 26 targets and has five PBUs on the season. He’s hit the ground running on one of the league’s top defenses. But despite his hot start, Delane has also missed a couple of games in 2026 and is in jeopardy of missing another heading into Week 9. Delane missed the Week 8 loss to the Broncos after aggravating a shoulder injury that’s been lingering since the preseason and has been practicing in a limited capacity this week. Andy Reid has said that Delane could return this week to face the Jets. However, he’s being viewed as day-to-day right now, so there’s a chance that Delane’s status could be a game-time decision. The Chiefs have excellent depth at cornerback. Nohl Williams has been a revelation in 2026, and Kristian Fulton has done a solid job when stepping in. Delane makes them a better unit, though. 

🏥 Doubtful, Out

Position	Team	Player	Injury
EDGE	Cincinnati Bengals	Cashius Howell	Wrist – OUT
RB	Houston Texans	David Montgomery	Groin
DT	Jacksonville Jaguars	Davon Hamilton	Knee – OUT
WR	New England Patriots	A.J. Brown	Knee, Ankle
EDGE	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	YaYa Diaby	Knee – OUT
DT	Washington Commanders	Daron Payne	Foot – OUT

EDGE – Cashius Howell (Bengals vs. Falcons): Out

The Bengals’ defense has taken an unlikely step forward in 2026. After being one of the worst units in the NFL over the last few seasons, the Bengals are now 15th in expected points added per play. They’re not one of the league’s best units, but preseason hopes were that anything close to league-average would help the Bengals become actual Super Bowl contenders. Aided by one of the league’s highest sack rates (8.1%, fourth in the NFL), the Bengals are 5-2. A big reason for their defensive resurgence has been rookie second-round pick Cashius Howell. The former Aggie has a 12.3% pressure rate and a 14.9% pass-rush win rate in seven games, but a wrist injury that will require surgery has landed him on IR. Howell won’t be out for the entire season, and the Bengals should have him back on the field closer to the playoffs, but he’ll be a loss for now, especially given the struggles of 2025 first-round pick Shemar Stewart. Stewart was a healthy scratch in Week 7, but will now have to show he’s ready to step up.

WR – A.J. Brown (Patriots vs. Packers): Doubtful

After making it to the Super Bowl in 2025, the New England Patriots took a massive swing for the fences ahead of the 2026 NFL season, trading a 2028 first-round pick to acquire the mercurial receiver, A.J. Brown. Nine weeks into the season, and the trade doesn’t feel like a win for the Patriots. Brown has caught just nine passes for 101 yards in three games for the Patriots and has already spent time on injured reserve due to a high ankle sprain, but now finds himself back on the injury report and in doubt of playing against the Packers in Week 9 due to knee and ankle ailments. Brown hasn’t been spotted at practice this week and missed the Week 8 win against the Miami Dolphins. The offense has generally been good, ranking ninth in expected points added per play, but Brown is a top-tier receiver when healthy and can completely change the dimensions of an offense. But he’s battling multiple injuries at the moment and seems to be trending towards missing another game. 

RB – David Montgomery (Texans vs. Chargers): OUT

Another team that made an offseason move hoping it would open up their offense was the Houston Texans, who added former Lions running back David Montgomery to the backfield. Like the Patriots, though, the Texans haven’t felt the full impact of that addition yet. Montgomery started the season hot with a three-touchdown performance against the Buffalo Bills, but has missed the last three games with a groin injury, and has now been ruled out for a fourth consecutive game. The Texans started the week without Montgomery on the practice field, and no real update regarding his current status, which set alarm bells ringing, and DeMeco Ryans announced on Wednesday that Montgomery was still seen as week-to-week. A concern, considering the Texans hoped they could have Montgomery back after their bye week. Instead, the plodding run game will hope to come to life against the Chargers, with Woody Marks carrying the bulk of the load. The Texans are 27th in rushing success rate and are stuffed on 22.2% of their runs. 

Photo Credit: REUTERS