Melvin Gordon will return to the field this Saturday after spending three weeks sidelined with an MCL sprain suffered in Week 12's win over the Arizona Cardinals.
"Because he's been out for a couple weeks, he won't be on a pitch count, but we'll be watching him closely because we have more than capable guys that can go in and get the job done," Head Coach Anthony Lynn said.
The running back isn't the only Charger returning to the fold as Brandon Mebane is back as well. The defensive captain missed four games while attending to a family matter.
Meanwhile, after injuring his hip during last week's win over the Kansas City Chiefs, Keenan Allen is questionable. He did not practice on Tuesday but was limited the past two days. Lynn noted that Allen will be a game time decision, and it will depend on how comfortable he feels putting the Pro Bowl wide receiver in the matchup.
"I need to see him run full speed and make cuts," Lynn said. "He did some things limited in practice this week. (But) before I put a player in the game, I like to see them run full speed."
Finally, while Gordon is prepared to take the field, fellow running back Austin Ekeler (neck) was downgraded from doubtful to out on Friday. In addition, Sean Culkin (back) is set to miss his third straight game.
Los Angeles Chargers:
| Player | Position | Injury | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Game Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keenan Allen | WR | Hip | DNP | LP | LP | Questionable |
| Sean Culkin | TE | Back | DNP | DNP | DNP | Out |
| Austin Ekeler | RB | Neck | DNP | DNP | LP | Out |
| Melvin Gordon | RB | Knee | FP | FP | FP | -- |
| Brandon Mebane | NT | Not Injury Related | FP | FP | FP | -- |
The Ravens are exceedingly healthy going into the Week 16 showdown, with no players officially marked out.
Baltimore's top blocking tight end Nick Boyle was cleared from concussion protocol after missing practice earlier in the week, but his game status remains up in the air. Should he miss the game, the Ravens boast tremendous depth at the position with Maxx Williams and rookies Mark Andrews and Hayden Hurst.
LG Alex Lewis (shoulder) was the only player limited in practice all week and could potentially play on Saturday, bolstering the Ravens' offensive line after missing the previous two games.
LB Matthew Judon (knee) and LB/DB Anthony Levine (toe/ankle) are also marked questionable.
Baltimore Ravens:
| Player | Position | Injury | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Game Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nick Boyle | TE | Concussion | DNP | LP | FP | Questionable |
| Matthew Judon | LB | Knee | DNP | LP | FP | Questionable |
| Anthony Levine | LB/DB | Toe/Ankle | DNP | DNP | FP | Questionable |
| Jimmy Smith | CB | Not Injury Related | DNP | FP | FP | -- |
| Terrell Suggs | LB | Not Injury Related | DNP | FP | FP | -- |
| Eric Weddle | S | Not Injury Related | DNP | FP | FP | -- |
| Alex Lewis | G | Shoulder | LP | LP | LP | Questionable |
| Marshal Yanda | G | Not Injury Related | -- | DNP | FP | -- |
Practice Status
- DNP - Did not participate in practice
- LP - Limited participation in practice
- FP - Full participation
- (-) - Not listed
Game Status
- Out - Player will not play
- Doubtful - Player is unlikely to play
- Questionable - Player is not certain to play
- (-) - Not listed
