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AJ MassESPN Staff Writer
Who should you start? Who should you sit? To help you set your fantasy football lineups and to avoid starting a player who won’t be in the lineup, we’ll post fantasy-relevant updates and analysis here as NFL teams release their inactives, typically about 90 minutes before kickoff. Any rankings cited in this column come from our ESPN Fantasy staff ranks.
Refresh often for the latest information.
Note: The Baltimore-Pittsburgh game originally scheduled for Thursday night and then rescheduled for Sunday afternoon has been postponed once again. For now, both teams are preparing to play on Tuesday night. To see how ESPN is handling these kinds of NFL postponements for fantasy football purposes, click here.
1 p.m. ET games
Offense
Larry Fitzgerald, WR, ARI: Illness — OUT/IR
Impact: Christian Kirk/Andy Isabella rise in value as the veteran sits due to COVID-19.
Todd Gurley II, RB, ATL: Knee — OUT
Impact: Brian Hill is suddenly an interesting fantasy play.
Julio Jones, WR, ATL: Hamstring — Questionable
Impact: Calvin Ridley was hurt early in week but should be at 100% for Sunday’s action.
Hayden Hurst, TE, ATL: Ankle — Questionable
Impact: Luke Stocker would be in the mix for a start if Hurst sits.
John Brown, WR, BUF: Ankle — OUT/IR
Impact: Gabriel Davis suddenly becomes fantasy-relevant.
Christian McCaffrey, RB, CAR: Shoulder — OUT
Impact: Mike Davis continues his streak of starts in the superstar’s stead.
Giovani Bernard, RB, CIN: Concussion — Questionable
Impact: It’s probably best to avoid all Bengals. Samaje Perine to start if Bernard doesn’t clear protocol.
Mike Thomas, WR, CIN: Hamstring — Doubtful
Impact: Auden Tate was activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list.
Philip Rivers, QB, IND: Toe — Questionable
Impact: Still expected to play, with Jacoby Brissett at the ready.
Zach Pascal, WR, IND: Knee — Questionable
Impact: Likely to be a game-time call. Dezmon Patmon might be a dart throw.
Jonathan Taylor, RB, IND: Illness — OUT/IR
Impact: Jordan Wilkins/Nyheim Hines surge in value due to Taylor’s absence due to his “high-contact” status.
Gardner Minshew II, QB, JAX: Thumb — Questionable
Impact: Mike Glennon gets the call over plucky Jake Luton.
Chris Conley, WR, JAX: Hip — OUT
Impact: Laviska Shenault Jr. is back to full health and could shine.
DJ Chark Jr., WR, JAX: Ribs — OUT
Impact: Keelan Cole Sr. might once again get a chance to do more than return kicks.
Kalen Ballage, RB, LAC: Ankle — Questionable
Impact: Austin Ekeler has been activated from IR. It’s still unclear as to whether he’ll start.
Tua Tagovailoa, QB, MIA: Thumb — Doubtful
Impact: It’s all but certain that Ryan Fitzpatrick will start.
Salvon Ahmed, RB, MIA: Shoulder — OUT
Impact: Myles Gaskin still could be activated from the IR, but Matt Breida might end up the No. 1 back anyway.
Jakeem Grant, WR, MIA: Hamstring — Questionable
Impact: Looking to be a game-time decision for Miami.
Irv Smith Jr., TE, MIN: Groin — Doubtful
Impact: Kyle Rudolph becomes a potential TE1 with Smith unable to steal targets.
Adam Thielen, WR, MIN: Illness — Doubtful
Impact: A “false positive” has his status in doubt for Sunday, as he might not be cleared in time to play.
Rex Burkhead, RB, NE: Knee — OUT/IR
Impact: James White should see a big uptick in usage.
N’Keal Harry, WR, NE: Shoulder — Questionable
Impact: Jakobi Meyers is likely to remain as only a secondary target behind Harry this week.
Ryan Izzo, TE, NE: Hamstring — Questionable
Impact: He should play through his injuries, as he has done for most of the season.
Nick Folk, K, NE: Back — Questionable
Impact: Similarly, this lingering issue is unlikely to keep Folk from the gridiron on Sunday.
Adam Humphries, WR, TEN: Concussion — OUT
Impact: A trio of relative unknown WRs will attempt to fill in, with none worthy of fantasy note.
Defense
Josh Mauro, DE, ARI: Hamstring — OUT
Jalen Thompson, S, ARI: Ankle — OUT
Charles Washington, S, ARI: Groin — Questionable
Dante Fowler Jr., DE, ATL: Hamstring — Questionable
Tahir Whitehead, LB, CAR: Ribs — Questionable
Donte Jackson, CB, CAR: Toe — Doubtful
Mackensie Alexander, CB, CIN: Hamstring — Questionable
Denzel Ward, CB, CLE: Calf — OUT
Andrew Sendejo, S, CLE: Groin — Questionable
Bobby Okereke, LB, IND: Ankle — OUT
Anthony Walker, LB, IND: Ribs — Questionable
Khari Willis, S, IND: Ribs — Questionable
Uchenna Nwosu, LB, LAC: Shoulder — OUT
Casey Hayward Jr., CB, LAC: Groin — OUT
Clelin Ferrell, DE, LV: Undisclosed — Questionable
Erik Harris, S, LV: Calf — Questionable
Lawrence Guy, DT, NE: Shoulder — Questionable
Carl Davis, DT, NE: Concussion — Questionable
Adam Butler, DT, NE: Shoulder — Questionable
Ja’Whaun Bentley, LB, NE: Groin — Questionable
Stephon Gilmore, CB, NE: Hand — Questionable
Blake Cashman, LB, NYJ: Hamstring — Questionable
Adoree’ Jackson, CB, TEN: Knee — OUT
4 p.m. ET games
Offense
Drew Lock, QB, DEN: Illness — OUT
Impact: After COVID-19 exposure, all of the QBs who had been on Denver’s active roster were ruled out for Sunday. Practice squad member Kendall Hinton is currently expected to step in as the signal-caller, but handoffs might be plentiful.
Jerry Jeudy, WR, DEN: Ankle — Questionable
Impact: The same injury last week didn’t keep Jeudy from suiting up.
Tyler Higbee, TE, LAR: Elbow — Questionable
Impact: Game-time call. Gerald Everett‘s value would skyrocket if Higbee sits.
Deonte Harris, WR, NO: Neck — Questionable
Impact: No practice all week. Marquez Callaway might be an interesting long shot.
Tevin Coleman, RB, SF: Knee — OUT
Impact: Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson Jr. could split carries, assuming they are both active.
Jordan Reed, TE, SF: Illness — Questionable
Impact: Ross Dwelley might see his fair share of targets if Reed misses the game.
Brandon Aiyuk, WR, SF: Illness — Doubtful
Impact: Not expected to return from the COVID-19 list. Deebo Samuel, just off that list, is the lone viable fantasy option at WR here with the 49ers.
Defense
Bryce Callahan, CB, DEN: Foot — Questionable
Javon Kinlaw, DT, SF: Undisclosed — Questionable
Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, LB, SF: Hamstring — OUT
Dre Greenlaw, LB, SF: Illness — Questionable
Sunday night game
Nick Foles, QB, CHI: Hip — Doubtful
Impact: Mitchell Trubisky is tabbed to start this one, as the Bears’ offense has struggled under Foles.
Akiem Hicks, DE, CHI: Hamstring — Questionable
Marquez Valdes-Scantling, WR, GB: Achilles — Questionable
Impact: He sat out practice on Friday, which is not a good sign. Allen Lazard‘s usage should see a big increase.
Kevin King, CB, GB: Achilles — Questionable
Official Sunday inactives should begin coming in at approximately 11:30 a.m. ET for the early games and 2:30 p.m. ET for the late games.
