Barton was sent off for two yellow cards in the 1-0 defeat at home to Leicester City on Saturday.
That was Queens Park Rangers' first reverse at Loftus Road in the league this season and although Harry Redknapp's side have not been a consistent away from home they have only lost twice on the road.
Their 10 games away from West London, however, have produced only 18 goals so a low-scoring affair may be on the cards given Forest's struggles to find the net in recent weeks.