Quarterback Colt McCoy is expected to start for the Washington Redskins on Sunday despite a sprained neck.

McCoy practiced with the starters Friday, and coach Jay Gruden said the quarterback was slated to see a specialist Friday afternoon to get final clearance for the game in New York against the Giants.

“It’s just another hurdle we want him to go through to make sure we’re 100 percent sure there’s no risk of him doing damage to his neck,” Gruden said. “So, once he gets cleared there, there shouldn’t be an issue.”

Gruden said the team wants “to make sure he can withstand some punishment because he’s going to get hit eventually in this game. So, we’ve just got to make sure he’s OK, can withstand the punishment and maybe getting hit in the back, getting jarred in the back and just make sure he’s got the full range of motion. Once he gets the clearance then he’ll be OK.”

In practice Friday, McCoy “was fine,” Gruden said. “He threw the ball well and didn’t have any issues whatsoever.”

McCoy was injured in a 24-0 loss to the St. Louis Rams last Sunday. He was making his third start of the season — returning to the lineup after Gruden benched Robert Griffin III.

Gruden said he prefers to stick with McCoy because he makes better decisions than Griffin or Kirk Cousins.

In other injury news for the Redskins, safety Brandon Meriweather and running back Roy Helu are out with toe injuries, and defensive end Jason Hatcher (knee) and wide receiver DeSean Jackson (bruised leg) are questionable.

Gruden said Jackson, who did not play vs. the Rams, “ran around a little bit better today. So I feel pretty good about his chances really.”