Chiefs Injury Updates Ahead of Game Against Texans

The end of the week sheds some new light on potential availability for KC on Sunday.

As the Kansas City Chiefs gear up for the final stretch of the 2022 campaign, they're looking to get and stay healthy for their last four games of the regular season. 

Coming off a Week 14 victory on the road against the Denver Broncos, Kansas City is traveling to Houston to square off against the 1-11-1 Texans this week. Currently, Lovie Smith's squad has injuries to multiple notable playmakers such as running back Dameon Pierce, cornerbacks Steven Nelson and Derek Stingley Jr., wide receiver Nico Collins and a few others. Meanwhile, the Chiefs' injury report for Week 15 contains a lot of names but not many serious ailments.

Of the 13 players on the injury report this week, all but one of them was a full participant in practice on Thursday. Only wide receiver Kadarius Toney, still working his way back from a hamstring issue, was limited. Wideout Mecole Hardman, who isn't on the report because he has yet to officially be activated off the injured reserve list, returned to practice this week and saw his 21-day eligibility window get opened up. Running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire (high-ankle sprain) remains on IR. 

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid took the podium on Friday and provided some updates on his injured players, also shedding a bit of light on potential availability for Sunday's matchup down in Texas. 

Andy Reid said #Chiefs DT Chris Jones is sick today and didn't practice.

Reid is "leaning away" from putting WR Mecole Hardman back in the lineup this week.

TBD on WR Kadarius Toney.

(Patrick Mahomes' hand is fine.)

— Jordan Foote (@footenoted) December 16, 2022

The two minor notes from Reid's Friday update pertain to Jones and Mahomes. Jones's illness renders him questionable for Sunday's game, whereas Mahomes has been dealing with a thumb injury that led to his hand being protected a bit this week but not nearly enough to limit him. From a health standpoint, Mahomes is in good shape and Jones's status will become more clear as Sunday draws nearer.

Hardman, who hasn't played since Week 9 due to an abdominal injury, lost some weight while dealing with that ailment. Reid mentioned earlier in the week that the fourth-year receiver was still trying to get and keep his weight and strength back up, which could play a role in his availability this week. Kansas City has been taking a cautious approach with injuries this year, and Reid leaning away from Hardman playing follows that trend.

Toney, who got injured in Week 11 and hasn't played since then, is questionable for Sunday on the team's official injury report. 

Read More: Could Defensive Changes Be on the Horizon for the Chiefs?