Week One injury report: New York Giants, Dallas Cowboys mostly healthy

Here’s where we stand on the injury front heading into Sunday’s heated match-up between the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys.

The Giants and Cowboys both made it through training camp and the pre-season with their squads mainly intact. Due to that, we should really be seeing the best of what both of these hated rivals have to offer each other on Sunday afternoon. Other than Golden Tate, who was suspended for PED use, just-about every major piece for both team figures to be on the field. Neither team figures to have an injury excuse when one of them ends up losing.

However, there still are a few injuries that could end up playing a factor in the tilt.

New York Giants

1. RT Mike Remmers (Illness/back, DNP Weds or Thurs): As we covered yesterday, this mix of an illness and a possible re-aggravation of a back injury that led to off-season surgery to Mike Remmers comes at a most inopportune time for Big Blue. Part of the reason the Giants got such a good deal on the veteran tackle was due to the fact that he had that surgery. Hopefully, his absence has more to do with illness than injury. It’s worth noting that Remmers did not miss any action in all of training camp, so it’s not a must for him to practice this week to play. If he does miss the game, it will put the team in a tough place while attempting to neutralize Pro-Bowler Demarcus Lawrence.

2. WR Darius Slayton (Hamstring, DNP Weds or Thurs): We’ve known for quite some time that rookie Darius Slayton would likely not suit up for week one, and him missing practice these last two days pretty-much cements that. On a positive note, the nagging hamstring injury was not deemed serious enough to put him on injured reserve (with a possible designation to return). That’s encouraging, as the coaching staff had to like enough of what they saw out of the former Auburn Tiger to keep him on the 53-man roster despite potentially missing a game or two (hopefully).

3. TE Garrett Dickerson (Quad, DNP Weds or Thurs): Rounding out the short injury list for Big Blue is tight-end Garrett Dickerson, who has also been expected to miss week one for a while now. Dickerson impressed all summer, and like with Slayton, it’s a positive sign that the coaching staff thought enough of him (and little of the injury) to keep him on the active roster. Newly-acquired Eric Tomlinson figures to step up as the third tight end, although he won’t figure to see much action.

Dallas Cowboys

1. RG Zack Martin (Back, LP Weds and Thurs): This injury has the potential to have the biggest impact on the game out of all of the rest. However, Martin is expected to play despite battling a bulging disk that has been bothering him for quite some time. The five-time All-Pro has proven to be extremely durable in his five-year career, missing only two out of a possible 80 games so far. Seeing limited work means that Martin will almost certainly suit up, but you never know with a disk injury. In a pinch, Joe Looney would figure to slide over from center (if he’s not too busy doing another hilarious impression of ‘Zeke).

2. S Darian Thompson (Ankle, DNP Weds or Thurs): Mark down Giants fans as a group of people that are not surprised to see Darian Thompson expected to miss action. The oft-injured former Giant is battling an ankle injury, and is a long-shot at best to play Sunday. Thompson was expected to see action when healthy, and an already-thin safety group appears to be the weak point of this Cowboys team.

3. S Donovan Wilson (Ankle, DNP Weds or Thurs): To make matters worse for Dallas, another back-up safety in Donovan Wilson figures to miss Sunday’s contest as well. The rookie sixth-round draft choice dazzled this pre-season, hauling in three interceptions. Cowboys fans will likely have to wait to see Wilson in regular-season action. Should Jeff Heath or Xavier Woods go down, Kavon Frazier figures to get the first look. In an emergency, Byron Jones has shown an ability to play safety in the past.

4. LB Luke Gifford (Ankle, DNP Weds or Thurs): With all these ankle injuries, did the Cowboys have an pick-up basketball game that went horribly awry? On a serious note, the Gifford injury is one that the Cowboys can easily deal with. The un-drafted rookie didn’t figure to factor into the team’s plans much this season, outside of special teams. The former Nebraska Cornhusker apparently did enough to impress in his one quarter of pre-season action, as he recorded an interception and a pass break-up. He’s expected to miss more than just this game, at this time.