It's probable the NFL’s revised injury report policy will take some getting used to for teams, gamblers and fantasy football players.
In early June, the competition committee approved several changes to the policy — most notable, the elimination of the “probable” designation on the game status report that had been used for players who had a virtual certainty of being available for normal duty in that week’s game.
Instead, if there is any question about the player’s availability for the game, the league says he should now be listed as “questionable” on the status report, which previously meant a player had a 50% chance of playing. If the player is certain to play, he is to be removed from the report, with the club required to provide an explanation to the league and subject to possible discipline if that player ends up being deactivated.
There now are three designations on the game status report instead of four: questionable (uncertain as to whether the player will play in the game), doubtful (unlikely the player will participate) and out (will not play).
It remains to be seen how each team interprets and complies with the new rules, which seems likely to lead to an increase in players listed as questionable. The New England Patriots were notorious for doing that even under the old rules (their final injury report of the 2015 season listed 14 players as questionable).
According to a summary of the changes sent by a league spokesman, the probable designation was eliminated because roughly 95% of players listed as probable in prior years played in the game — which makes sense, given it meant "virtual certainty."
The competition committee also eliminated the “out” category from the separate practice report, meaning players can’t formally be ruled out until Fridays before Sunday games, rather than Wednesdays. The practice report now contains three designations: did not participate, limited participation (less than 100% of a player’s normal repetitions) and full participation. That change was to eliminate confusion, the league says.
The league confirmed the changes Sunday after The Miami Herald reported the elimination of the probable designation.
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