NFL Week 16 injury roundup: Key actives/inactives

Wes Welker, still recovering from a concussion suffered in Week 14, will be out this week. (Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

In the NFL’s constant war of attrition, injuries can decide games, seasons and a whole lot of futures. Here’s who will give it a shot, and who will not, as we head into Week 15 of the 2013 season:

Active

Adrian Peterson, RB, Vikings (foot): Give some credit to Peterson, who continues fighting through injury in attempts to get on the field despite the Vikings' playoff hopes being long gone. Peterson practiced Friday and showed enough there to get back into the lineup after sitting out Week 15. Toby Gerhart (hamstring) also is active.

Maurice Jones-Drew, RB, Jaguars (ankle): Jones-Drew rushed for 103 yards in his last outing, on Dec. 5 vs. the Texans. He did not play the following week and has been very, very limited in practice since, but he will give it a shot vs. the Titans.

T.Y. Hilton, WR, Colts (shoulder): Listed as questionable on the Colts' final injury report leading up to Sunday, Hilton was kept on the active roster for the matchup with the Chiefs. With Reggie Wayne out of the lineup, Andrew Luck badly needs a healthy Hilton for the passing attack.

Daniel Thomas, RB, Dolphins (ankle): Although he took it easy in practice this week, Thomas will suit up as Lamar Miller's backup in what amounts to a must-win game for the Dolphins.

Calvin Johnson, WR, Lions (knee): There was some doubt leading up to Sunday afternoon that Megatron would play in a must-win game. But he made it through pregame drills without any issues, so Matthew Stafford will have his go-to receiver.

Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Cardinals (concussion): Fitzgerald went through the league's mandated concussion protocol after suffering his injury late last week. He received the all-clear from team docs and will play Sunday, as will QB Carson Palmer (elbow).

Inactive

Wes Welker, WR, Broncos (concussion): The Broncos ruled out Welker Friday and it's up in the air whether we'll see him again at all this season. He has not yet been cleared to practice, two weeks removed from suffering his second concussion of the season at Tennessee in Week 14.

Tavon Austin, WR, Rams (ankle): Austin did not play last week and he sat out practice all this week, so his absence from St. Louis' lineup comes as no real surprise. The Rams beat the Saints last Sunday despite being without Austin.

Nate Solder, OT, Patriots (concussion): New England will have to shuffle its O-line for Sunday's important game at Baltimore after listing Solder as out on Friday's injury report. Also missing for the Patriots in that one will be WRs Kenbrell Thompkins (hip) and Josh Boyce (ankle).

Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Lions (ankle): If you're a fan of Joseph Fauria's touchdown dances, this might be the week for you. Fauria figures to see increased time on the Lions' offense with Pettigrew out of the lineup.

Justin Houston, OLB, Chiefs (elbow)/Branden Albert, OT, Chiefs (knee):