The final Week 5 injury report for the Detroit Lions was fairly lengthy, with a total of eight players listed as questionable. It got a little bit worse on Saturday, with the dreaded day before the gamedowngrade of rookie running back Jahmyr Gibbs from questionable to doubtful after he popped up on the injury report late with a hamstring issue on Friday.
Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown was listed as doubtful with an abdomen injury after not practicing all week. That he wasn't downgraded to out on Saturday seemed like a good sign, likely pending how he felt during pregame warmups. Rookie defensive back Brian Branch was already declared on Friday out with an ankle injury he suffered in Week 4 against the Green Bay Packers.
Saturday night, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the not entirely unexpected injury news on St. Brown and Gibbs.
"Lions’ WR Amon-Ra St. Brown (abdomen) and RB Jahmyr Gibbs (hamstring), both listed as doubtful for today, are not expected to play vs. the Panthers. WR Jameson Williams, who is listed as questionable and is coming off his gambling policy suspension, is expected to play vs. the Panthers, per source. The team already had ruled out rookie CB Brian Branch due to an ankle injury."
Schefter did add the expected news that wide receiver Jameson Williams will play, and he will make his season debut after his gambling suspension was shortened by two games. So that's a positive. The Lions will get safety Kerby Joseph back after a two-game absence with a hip injury, and cornerback Emmanuel Moseley will make his Lions' debut.
Here are the players who will be inactive for the Lions on Sunday against the Panthers.
DB Brian Branch
RB Jahmyr Gibbs
WR Amon-Ra St. Brown
DT Levi Onwuzurike
DT Brodric Martin
TE James Mitchell
And here are Sunday's inactives for the Panthers.
FS Xavier Woods
CB Donte Jackson
RB Raheem Blackshear
LB Deion Jones
OT David Sharpe