Sports · American Football · 21 hrs ago
NFL teams track injured players eligible to return in Week 5
The tracker shows injured players who may return to action for NFL teams in Week 5.
It covers all 32 teams and lists players designated for return, players eligible to be activated and each team’s remaining activations.
NFL teams have a regular-season limit of eight activations for players returning from injured reserve or the non-football injury list.
Teams could designate up to two players on those lists before setting their initial 53-player rosters, and those designations count toward the limit.
Players placed on injured reserve after the initial roster is set do not count toward the limit until they are designated for return.
Teams can use two additional injury activations once the postseason begins.
The tracker will change as players become eligible and teams decide whom to activate.
As of Week 5, players designated for return on August 30 are eligible to be activated.
NFL teams have a regular-season limit of eight injury activations, and August 30 return designations count against that limit.
Teams have different numbers of activations remaining, with the tracker listing figures for clubs across the league.
The tracker also records players who are eligible for activation, have opened practice windows or have already been activated.
Playoff teams will receive two additional injury activations once the postseason begins.
- Who
- NFL teams and injured players listed in the tracker.
- What
- The tracker reports players eligible to return and each listed team’s remaining injury activations.
- When
- Week 5 of the 2026 NFL season; the article was published October 11, 2026.
- Where
- Across the NFL’s 32 teams.
- Why
- Teams must manage injured-player returns within the regular-season activation limit.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
No direct quotes in the coverage so far.
Teams designated players for return before setting their initial rosters.
Practice windows opened for Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel and the Texans designated defensive tackle Kalia Davis for return.
Practice windows opened for Lions center Cade Mays, Packers wide receiver Savion Williams and Texans wide receiver Tank Dell; the Raiders designated wide receiver Dont’e Thornton for return.
The tracker listed several players as activated, including Cowboys guard Tyler Smith and Texans defensive tackle Kayden McDonald.
- Regular-season activation limit
- 8 players
- Playoff activations
- 2 additional injury activations
- Arizona Cardinals activations remaining
- 6
- Dallas Cowboys activations remaining
- 5
- Chicago Bears activations remaining
- 8
- Tracker publication date
- October 11, 2026
Sources
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