Injuries demand attention. The focus sharpens during the final quarterpole of the season when playoff berths and seeds hang in the balance. The Broncos enter the final stretch, facing the possibility of tight end Julius Thomas missing his third consecutive game.

The Broncos listed Thomas as questionable on Friday’s injury report with his lingering left ankle issue. Thomas remains unsure if he will be able to play. Demaryius Thomas, who suffered a bruised right ankle when cleated and stepped on during a team drill on Wednesday, talked more optimistically.

“I did enough running. It felt good. It’s getting better,” the Pro Bowl receiver said Friday. “That’s the goal (to play).”

Thomas leads the Broncos with 88 catches and 1,255 yards. Even as the Broncos have tilted toward the running game over the past two weeks, Thomas has excelled, catching 16 passes for four touchdowns. Coach John Fox has downplayed Demaryius Thomas’ injury, believing he will be “fine.”

The same can’t be said for Julius Thomas, whose production has been missed in the red zone. Thomas continues to experience good and bad days as he recovers. He ran pass routes during the open viewing session, more activity than he had shown earlier in the week. But there is still no guarantee he will play in Sunday’s home game against Buffalo.

The Broncos are banged up at tight end. However, Jacob Tamme (ribs) returned to practice on Friday, and Virgil Green remains an integral part of the running attack with his blocking prowess.

Footnotes

Linebacker Von Miller was not fined for his late hit on Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith last Sunday. … Cornerback Aqib Talib expects to play Sunday and is probable on the injury report. … Cornerback Kayvon Webster, ruled out for this week, hopes to play at San Diego after working out on the field for the first time since dislocating his right shoulder against the Dolphins. … Cody Latimer is undergoing the concussion protocol and will not play on Sunday. … Brandon McManus returned to the Broncos as a member of their practice squad. Fox sees it as a possible training ground for McManus as a field goal kicker. It also leaves him available to handle kickoffs if Connor Barth struggles again.

Troy E. Renck: trenck@denverpost.com or twitter.com/troyrenck