Playing an expanded slate of Thursday night games in 2012 led to concerns that NFL players would be more susceptible to serious injuries with such a short turnaround.

The numbers show that wasn’t the case.

According to STATS LLC, there were 336 players on injured reserve through the first 15 weeks of the NFL season. Although that total will grow over the final two weeks of the season as teams stash banged-up veterans to sign younger replacements whose contractual rights they can then keep in 2013, the league appears unlikely to hit this century’s high-water mark of 404 players on injured reserve set in 2010.

Some of the players now sidelined would have proven better options than the Pro Bowl selections that will be announced on Dec. 26. As a consolation prize, here’s a position-by-position breakdown of the FOXSports.com All-Injury squad.

Unfortunately, we can only offer sympathy rather than an all-expenses paid trip to Hawaii.

— Alex Marvez
 

Injury suffered: Dislocated rib in Week 10 against Kansas City.

Games missed: Three.

Impact: The Steelers lost their first two games without Roethlisberger before third-stringer Charlie Batch helped orchestrate a 23-20 win at Baltimore in Week 13. Roethlisberger had thrown for 17 touchdowns with four interceptions in his first nine starts of 2012. Batch and fellow reserve Byron Leftwich combined for one score and five INTs in Roethlisberger’s absence.

Return date: Should the Steelers have stuck with Batch? I kid, but the Steelers (7-7) have dropped two games since Roethlisberger re-entered the starting lineup. Roethlisberger was rusty in a Week 14 home loss against San Diego but had a solid outing in last Sunday’s 27-24 overtime loss at Dallas.
 

Injury suffered: Sprained foot in Week 7 against Oakland.

Games missed: Eight and counting.

Impact: Jones-Drew didn’t have a shot to repeat as NFL rushing champion with new offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski foolishly reducing his role in the offense through the first six games. But both of Jacksonville’s quarterbacks (the now-injured Blaine Gabbert and replacement Chad Henne) would have benefited from the threat MJD provides. Jones-Drew’s top two backups, Rashad Jennings and Jalen Parmele, are out as well. Jacksonville ranks 30th in the NFL in rushing offense compared to 12th when riding Jones-Drew in 2011.

Return date: Jones-Drew still hasn’t practiced since getting hurt. With only two games left in the regular season and the Jaguars at 2-12, there is a legitimate chance MJD won’t play again for Jacksonville in 2012, or maybe ever considering his demands last offseason for a new contract.

Injury suffered: High right ankle sprain in Week 9 versus Tampa Bay.

Games missed: Four.

Impact: No All-Injury team is complete without McFadden, who has missed 23 of 78 contests since being the No. 4 overall selection in the 2008 NFL draft. McFadden, who was averaging 22 rushes through the first six games before getting hurt, returned with an 11-carry, 52-yard performance in a Week 14 loss to Denver. The Raiders lost all four games without McFadden.

Return date: McFadden aggravated his injury in the second half against Denver but returned last Sunday with a 110-yard showing on a career-high 30 rushes against Kansas City. The Raiders must decide in the offseason whether it’s worth bringing back McFadden in 2013 at a $5.9 million salary in the final year of his contract.

Injury suffered: Lisfranc dislocation of bones in his left foot in Week 4 against San Francisco.

Games missed: Nine and counting.

Impact: As much blame as Mark Sanchez has received for New York’s offensive struggles, the loss of the quarterback’s top receiving target exacerbated the problems. Holmes wasn’t having a banner season, but the Jets had no one who could pick up the slack in the passing game following a freak non-contact injury while Holmes was trying to make a tackle following an interception.

Return date: The injury Holmes suffered is serious enough that he will need surgery in February to have a plate removed from his foot. Holmes recently told reporters he hopes to start running again in April.

Injury suffered: High ankle sprain in Week 9 against Seattle.

Games missed: Five and counting.

Impact: Harvin was the lone threat at wide receiver for the Vikings. Even with the time he has missed, Harvin still has 17 more catches than any other Vikings wideout. His absence has placed even more of a burden on running back Adrian Peterson to carry Minnesota’s offense.

Return date: Harvin was placed on injured reserve Dec. 5 and will miss the rest of the season.

Injury suffered: Torn left Achilles tendon in Week 7 against the New York Giants.

Games missed: Seven and counting.

Impact: Davis was Washington’s leading receiver at the time of his injury. Logan Paulsen has filled in admirably, but he isn’t the same type of receiving threat as Davis. Fortunately for the Redskins, they’ve found ways to compensate with the NFL’s top-ranked rushing attack and the return of wide receiver Pierre Garcon from an early-season foot injury.

Return date: Davis should be ready to play in 2013, but whether he will be back with the Redskins remains in question. Davis is set to become an unrestricted free agent after playing this season under a franchise tag, which makes the timing of his injury especially unlucky.

Injury suffered: Peters ruptured his Achilles tendon last March during a workout. Less than two months later, he re-tore his Achilles during an accident at home.

Games missed: The entire 2012 season.

Impact: One of the NFL’s top blockers, Peters was the first domino to fall on Philadelphia’s offensive line. Three other starters and multiple backups have gotten hurt as well, leaving left guard Evan Mathis as the only remaining first-string player from the projected 2012 line. The unit’s woes are where Philadelphia’s offensive problems began.

Return date: Peters is set to return in 2013, but the Eagles will be paying close attention to his progress. The franchise probably won’t want to pay Peters his $10.4 million salary if he’s damaged goods.

Injury suffered: Hip, calf and ankle ailments of varying degrees at different points of the season. Mankins also missed the opening of training camp while recovering from offseason surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

Games missed: Six.

Impact: Mankins is one of the NFL’s top interior linemen, but the Patriots didn’t skip a beat in his absence. New England was 6-0 in those contests and averaged 43 points a game using five-year NFL veteran Donald Thomas in his stead.

Return date: Mankins was back in the starting lineup in Week 14 against Houston and currently leads all AFC guards in Pro Bowl voting.

Injury suffered: Lisfranc injury to left foot.

Games missed: Nine and counting.

Impact: Kyle Cook (Cincinnati), Phil Costa (Dallas) and Eugene Amano (Tennessee) were among an inordinately high number of centers to have suffered season-ending injuries. With three consecutive Pro Bowl berths, Kalil was the most accomplished of them all. The Panthers were lucky that right guard Geoff Hangartner has plenty of experience at center. He shifted to that spot, and fourth-year veteran Garry Williams became the new starting right guard.

Return date: 2013.

Injury suffered: Torn right anterior cruciate ligament in a preseason game against New England.

Games missed: The entire 2012 season.

Impact: The Buccaneers thought they would be fielding two Pro Bowl guards after signing Carl Nicks away from New Orleans during the offseason to complement Joseph. Nicks, though, joined Joseph on injured reserve in late October with a toe problem that required surgery. Rookie running back Doug Martin has still rushed for 1,250 yards but his production has slumped over the past month.

Return date: 2013.

Injury suffered: Bulaga told reporters in early December that he suffered a small fracture in his left hip in Week 9 against Arizona. The initial belief was that Bulaga had suffered a dislocation.

Games missed: Five and counting.

Impact: The Packers initially experienced some line problems after left guard T.J. Lang shifted to right tackle. The emergence of rookie Don Barclay has allowed Green Bay to shift Lang back to his more natural position. Bulaga was playing better than earlier in the season, but Aaron Rodgers is still the NFL’s most-sacked quarterback (45).

Return date: Bulaga was hoping he could play again in 2012, but Packers brass didn’t want to risk the injury becoming more serious if he returned prematurely. Bulaga is on injured reserve and ineligible to return.
 

Injury suffered: Williams entered the season with a sprained left wrist that wasn’t listed on the team’s injury report, which drew the Bills a $20,000 NFL fine for non-disclosure. Williams didn’t miss any starts but underwent surgery in late October.

Games missed: None.

Impact: Maybe it was psychosomatic, but the minor procedure Williams had done on his wrist did the trick. Williams, who signed a six-year, $100 million contract to join the Bills during the offseason, registered only 3.5 sacks and 16 tackles in the first seven games. Since then, Williams has seven sacks, 25 tackles and two forced fumbles. Williams has a ways to go before becoming the next Bruce Smith — which is why the Bills paid him the big bucks — but it’s a start.

Injury suffered: Torn right anterior cruciate ligament in Week 3 against Dallas.

Games missed: Eleven and counting.

Impact: Clayborn paced the Bucs with 7.5 sacks as a rookie in 2011. Even with fellow second-year end Da'Quan Bowers (Achilles tendon) coming off the PUP list to join the team in late October, Clayborn's presence still is sorely missed. The Bucs have generated only 25 sacks, which has contributed to Tampa Bay allowing a league-high 4,349 passing yards.

Return date: 2013.

Injury suffered: Ratliff first suffered a high left ankle sprain in an exhibition game against St. Louis that sidelined him for the first four games of the regular season. He started six games before being knocked out again by surgery for a sports hernia.

Games missed: Eight and counting.

Impact: Ratliff's speed from the nose-tackle position allows him to create mismatches against slower-footed offensive linemen. His absence is compounded by replacement Josh Brent being placed on the reserve/non-football illness list after his involvement in an alleged drunk-driving accident that killed a teammate.

Return date: With the hopes that his team can make a postseason run, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones decided not to place Ratliff on injured reserve following his operation. Even so, Ratliff's time with the Cowboys may be winding down. Ratliff turns 32 next August and is due to make $5 million in base salary. What was reportedly a recent nose-to-nose argument with Jones about his playing status probably doesn't help.

Injury suffered: Hamstring/knee.

Games missed: Six and counting.

Impact: Until playing the hapless Kansas City Chiefs last Sunday, the Raiders were among the NFL's worst defenses. But even when he was playing, the 33-year-old Seymour's impact was far less than during his heyday with the New England Patriots. He had 15 tackles and three sacks in Oakland’s first eight games.

Return date: Unknown. Seymour was listed as questionable against the Chiefs but didn’t play. He is highly unlikely to return next season as an unrestricted free agent as the Raiders seek younger, cheaper talent under general manager Reggie McKenzie.

Injury suffered: Torn left pectoral muscle in Week 2 versus St. Louis.

Games missed: Twelve and counting.

Impact: Orakpo led the Redskins in sacks last season with nine and was expected to better those numbers in 2012 with fellow OLB Ryan Kerrigan serving as a dangerous complement. Orakpo's lengthy absence, as well as that of defensive end Adam Carriker (knee/injured reserve), had a trickle-down effect on Washington's defense. The Redskins are tied for 28th in sacks with 25.

Return date: 2013.

Injury suffered: Torn Achilles tendon during an offseason workout and torn biceps in Week 13 against Pittsburgh.

Games missed: Seven.

Impact: The fact Suggs was able to return from an Achilles injury that usually requires a much longer recovery time is considered a medical miracle. Suggs, though, appeared heavier than his normal playing weight upon his return and hasn't proved as disruptive a force as in previous seasons. The biceps injury has further hindered his effectiveness. Suggs, who averaged nine sacks during his first nine NFL seasons, has two in 2012.

Injury suffered: A torn left anterior cruciate ligament on a controversial block by Jets left guard Matt Slauson in a Week 5 matchup.

Games missed: Nine and counting.

Impact: The Texans still field a quality defense led by defensive end J.J. Watt. But the unit hasn't reached the heights it could have with Cushing on the field. Before he was injured, Cushing led the Texans in tackles with 38. He also could pressure the passer as well as defend the run between the tackles.

Return date: When he returns in 2013, the rules regarding cut-blocks may have gotten changed by the NFL. The strike that injured Cushing would be the impetus for such reform.

Injury suffered: Ligament damage in his right big toe during a Week 7 game against Carolina.

Games missed: Eight and counting.

Impact: In his third NFL season, Lee was gaining respect as one of the NFL's top 3-4 inside LBs before getting hurt. Lee's absence was compounded by the loss of fellow starting ILB Bruce Carter, who suffered a season-ending elbow injury against Washington on Thanksgiving Day.

Return date: 2013.

Injury suffered: Torn left anterior cruciate ligament in Week 3 against Miami.

Games missed: Twelve and counting.

Impact: New York lost the services of the NFL's top cover cornerback when Revis’ knee buckled on the Sun Life Stadium turf while trying to get into position to tackle Dolphins running back Daniel Thomas. To their credit, the Jets are the league's only team to not allow a 100-yard receiver this season even without Revis. Cornerback Antonio Cromartie stepped up his game in Revis' absence.

Return date: 2013.

Injury suffered: Torn Achilles tendon in the season-opener against Kansas City.

Games missed: Thirteen and counting.

Impact: An offseason trade to acquire Asante Samuel from Philadelphia proved sage by general manager Thomas Dimitroff when Grimes — one of the league's most athletic cornerbacks — went down. What may be the NFL's best safety tandem — William Moore and Thomas DeCoud — also has helped defensive coordinator Mike Nolan compensate for Grimes' absence. Grimes had 37 pass break-ups the previous two seasons.

Return date: 2013. Grimes is set to become an unrestricted free agent after playing under the franchise tag this season.

Injury suffered: Strained right calf in the season-opener against Denver. He aggravated the injury in Week 5 against Philadelphia.

Games missed: Nine.

Impact: Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau had to dial back his game plans without a multi-purpose threat like Polamalu on the field. Still, Polamalu hasn't made much of a difference since his return and isn't as trim as in recent seasons. Injuries across the board in Pittsburgh's secondary have proved a challenge as well, but the Steelers are still ranked atop the NFL in fewest yards allowed.

Injury suffered: Broken left collarbone in Week 7 against St. Louis.

Games missed: Seven and counting.

Impact: Despite losing the services of one of the NFL's wisest defensive backs, a young Packers secondary has weathered Woodson's absence surprisingly well. When he is back on the field, Green Bay will have more schematic flexibility with Woodson able to handle tight ends and wide receivers in coverage.

Return date: The Packers are being extremely cautious with Woodson so he doesn’t aggravate the injury (he also suffered a broken collarbone in Super Bowl XLV). Once the bone is completely fused together, Woodson will return to the field. Woodson will be back by the playoffs and possibly sooner.