Bobby Hill's potential return via the VFL has at least buoyed the club, with the premiership hero on target to play after an extended period of personal leave.
Star defender Moore had been bullish he would feature in Saturday's clash against Essendon, after his first game of the season in round four did not last past the first quarter.
Faced with a five-day turnaround to play third-placed Hawthorn in round eight, Collingwood coach Craig McRae said pushing Moore wasn't worth the risk.
After the Hawks, the 11th-placed Magpies (3-3) will hit the road to play sixth-placed Geelong and ladder-leaders Sydney.
Midfielders Jordan De Goey (concussion) and Steele Sidebottom (hip) have at least proven their fitness.
"Are we being conservative (with Moore)? Probably. Probably a little bit," McRae said on Thursday.
"He plays this game, and he might miss the five-day break. It seems a bit silly then, doesn't it?
"But ultimately, he hasn't quite done enough load, so that's where we stand at the moment, and I think he'll benefit from it."
If Hill gets through training on Thursday, the club is hopeful the 2023 Norm Smith Medal winner will feature in the VFL match against the Bombers the following day.
The 26-year-old had last year taken time out for personal reasons in June and returned for one senior appearance as a substitute in August, before being overlooked for finals.
Hill, contracted until the end of 2030, has been building his fitness since returning to the club in March.
Elsewhere, Carlton coach Michael Voss said ruck Liam Reidy will play his fifth AFL game against Fremantle after Marc Pittonet underwent hand surgery.
Pittonet suffered a small fracture in their defeat to the Magpies, joining Harry McKay (concussion) on the sidelines.
Reidy, who played three games for the Dockers before making the move this year, will likely face off against former Collingwood ruck Mason Cox.
Initially ruled out with a concussion, preferred ruckman Sean Darcy is still sidelined after a flare-up of the calf injury he had been battling during pre-season.
"I don't have to spend any time in front of the TV screen with him this week learning about what they do considering that he's trained with them for the better part of two or three years," Voss said of Reidy.
"To be fair to him, he's really improved himself over the course of the last little while and through pre-season.
"He's really pushed 'Pitto', and I think as a result he's probably made 'Pitto' better."
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