Yohan Benalouane is one of three players to return for Nottingham Forest ahead of facing QPR, but Yuri Ribeiro and Samba Sow will miss the trip to London.
It had been hoped left-back Ribeiro would be fit again after being ruled out of the 0-0 draw at Bristol City on Saturday.
However, manager Sabri Lamouchi has confirmed the Portuguese must sit out Wednesday's trip to Loftus Road with a view to facing Cardiff City on Saturday.
The positive very much outweighs the negative ahead of facing Mark Warburton's team though, with Alfa Semedo, Carl Jenkinson and Benalouane all fit again.
Semedo and Jenkinson have been back in training for longer than Benalouane and Semedo could be the man to replace the suspended Ryan Yates in the Reds midfield.
Benalouane looks highly unlikely to feature against QPR, but Lamouchi is thrilled to have the Tunisia international back after seven months out with a back injury.
"He's very important for the team. It's very important for me to have one more solution," he said.
"He's trained with us but it is so early for him to play from the beginning or for a short time."
Even if 100 percent fit, it is unlikely the 32-year-old would feature given the form of Joe Worrall and Tobias Figueiredo at the back.
Portuguese defender Figueiredo kept his place at Ashton Gate and with a clean sheet in the bank, he will hope to play again on Wednesday.
That would mean fit again Dawson again sits out, but Lamouchi says it is not as simple as that.
"We do not make changes just because we lose or win a game," he said.
"The players know my philosophy about that. With Michael, it's a big pleasure for me to work with a great professional like him."
Yates is suspended for three games after being shown a straight red card at the weekend. Fellow midfielder Samba Sow is still out with a hamstring injury.
Semedo suffered a back injury against Barnsley in September, while Jenkinson has not played since the end of August due to an ankle problem.
His absence has been mitigated by the form of Matty Cash at right-back.
