Manager Alex Neil is again likely to have to include Academy products to supplement his squad for their trip to Sheffield Wednesday.
Over the past couple of weeks, both Jack Baxter and Ethan Walker have featured on the bench for the Lilywhites and could again be involved in the travelling party heading over the Pennines to take on the Owls.
Louis Moult was the latest to join the packed medical room, missing last weekend’s win over Millwall and he will be given as long as possible to see whether he is fit to return to the ground he scored his first goal for the club, in last season’s defeat to Jos Luhukay’s team.
Sean Maguire and Brandon Barker (both hamstring) and Josh Earl (thigh) are all making good progress, but are not yet ready to return to the squad and will target returns over the festive period.
Josh Harrop and Billy Bodin (both ACL) and Callum Robinson (hamstring) are all out long term, leaving the manager with limited choices, particularly at the attacking end of the pitch.
For last weekend's defeat to Swansea City, Wednesday boss Luhukay made two changes, preferring Daniel Pudill at centre half to Michael Hector, while Josh Onomah, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur until the end of the season, replaced the suspended Barry Bannan.
Scotland international Bannan sits out the second of two games after collecting ten yellow cards for the season, but whether Onomah keeps his place will be one question, after the manager criticised his display against the Swans last week.
Defender Joost van Aken and former Lilywhites midfielder David Jones were included in the matchday squad for the first time since August in that game and could push for recalls to the starting XI.
But forward Fernando Forestieri (hamstring) and strikers Gary Hooper (groin) and Sam Winnall (hamstring) and Kieran Lee (knee) all look like they will still be sidelined.