-
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.
1 p.m. ET games
Offense
Kenyan Drake, RB, ARI: Hip — Questionable
Impact: He was limited in practice this past week, but he still should handle lead back duties for the Cardinals.
DeAndre Hopkins, WR, ARI: Neck — Questionable
Impact: He’s expected to play along with Larry Fitzgerald, who was activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list.
Zane Gonzalez, K, ARI: Back — OUT
Impact: Mike Nugent has been promoted from the practice squad to take his place for at least one week.
Christian McCaffrey, RB, CAR: Thigh — OUT
Impact: Adam Schefter reports that McCaffrey does not believe his season is over. For now, Mike Davis will continue to play in his stead.
Ian Thomas, TE, CAR: Knee — Questionable
Impact: Chris Manhertz would assume primary TE duties if Thomas can’t go.
Curtis Samuel, WR, CAR: Illness — Questionable
Impact: He’s been activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list. Likely to play, but potentially limited.
Tee Higgins, WR, CIN: Hamstring — Questionable
Impact: He should suit up on Sunday as he got no worse for the wear during the week.
Ezekiel Elliott, RB, DAL: Calf — Questionable
Impact: Not a lot of fear that he won’t suit up. Understudy Tony Pollard remains at the ready.
David Johnson, RB, HOU: Illness — OUT/IR
Impact: He’s been placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Duke Johnson takes over No. 1 RB duties for Houston.
Brandin Cooks, WR, HOU: Foot — Questionable
Impact: Cooks is iffy, but Keke Coutee should be active. Few alternative options remain at WR …
Keke Coutee, WR, HOU: Knee — Questionable
Impact: … for the Texans, with Isaiah Coulter being perhaps the best of a bad bunch.
Tyler Eifert, TE, JAX: Shoulder — Questionable
Impact: James O’Shaughnessy might be in play if Eifert can’t go this weekend.
Myles Gaskin, RB, MIA: Shoulder — OUT/IR
Impact: It would have been Gaskin’s show, but DeAndre Washington is now Miami’s No. 1 RB …
Salvon Ahmed, RB, MIA: Shoulder — OUT
Impact: … with Patrick Laird and Elijah McGuire backing him up.
Alexander Mattison, RB, MIN: Appendix — OUT
Impact: Ameer Abdullah to once again play a very distant second fiddle to Dalvin Cook.
Kyle Rudolph, TE, MIN: Foot — Doubtful
Impact: After not practicing all week, it doesn’t look good for Rudolph …
Irv Smith Jr., TE, MIN: Back — Questionable
Impact: … but could he give it a try if Smith can’t? Stranger things have happened.
Daniel Jones, QB, NYG: Hamstring — Questionable
Impact: Barring any last-second setbacks, Jones should be back in the Giants’ huddle.
Cameron Brate, TE, TB: Illness — Questionable
Impact: Rob Gronkowski may not have as much competition for red zone targets if Brate can’t be cleared to play.
Defense
De’Vondre Campbell, LB, ARI: Ankle — Questionable
Isaiah Simmons, LB, ARI: Neck — Questionable
Jalen Thompson, S, ARI: Ankle — OUT
Tre Boston, S, CAR: Hamstring — Questionable
Rasul Douglas, CB, CAR: Personal — Questionable
Khalil Mack, LB, CHI: Shoulder — Questionable
Mackensie Alexander, CB, CIN: Knee — Questionable
Jonathan Greenard, LB, HOU: Illness — Questionable
Phillip Gaines, CB, HOU: Knee — Questionable
Greg Mabin, CB, JAX: Hamstring — Questionable
Tyrann Mathieu, S, KC: Hip — Questionable
Kyle Van Noy, LB, MIA: Hip — Questionable
Elandon Roberts, LB, MIA: Chest — Questionable
Eric Kendricks, LB, MIN: Calf — OUT
Blake Martinez, LB, NYG: Back — Questionable
Darnay Holmes, CB, NYG: Knee — Questionable
Breon Borders, CB, TEN: Hip — OUT/IR
4 p.m. ET games
Offense
Julio Jones, WR, ATL: Hamstring — OUT
Impact: Russell Gage will get a chance to step it up alongside Calvin Ridley.
Matthew Stafford, QB, DET: Thumb — Questionable
Impact: No reason that Stafford won’t continue his audition for other teams in the hopes he finds a new home for next season.
D’Andre Swift, RB, DET: Illness — Questionable
Impact: He fully participated in practice Friday, so this could be the week he finally returns to action.
Kenny Golladay, WR, DET: Hip — OUT
Impact: Wily veteran Mohamed Sanu Sr. gets another week to remain potentially fantasy relevant.
Equanimeous St. Brown, WR, GB: Concussion — Questionable
Impact: If he sits, the upside rises for Allen Lazard, who continues to sit on a snap count.
Jace Sternberger, TE, GB: Concussion — OUT
Impact: Robert Tonyan was already the best fantasy option at TE from Green Bay.
Josh Jacobs, RB, LV: Ankle — Questionable
Impact: He’s expected to be a game-time call, but signs point to his being able to play.
Deonte Harris, WR, NO: Neck — Questionable
Impact: If he plays, no more than special-teams value is expected from him this week since Taysom Hill will handle QB duties for what could be the last time before Drew Brees returns.
Frank Gore, RB, NYJ: Concussion — Questionable
Impact: If Gore can indeed play, then there’s no reason to give Ty Johnson any notice.
Jamison Crowder, WR, NYJ: Calf — Questionable
Impact: He was a late add to the injury report. Denzel Mims will miss this game for personal reasons, leaving Breshad Perriman as the only other receiver of interest.
Travis Homer, RB, SEA: Knee — Doubtful
Impact: Oh, well. It hardly matters with both Chris Carson and Carlos Hyde back and only getting healthier week by week.
Antonio Gibson, RB, WAS: Toe — OUT
Impact: Peyton Barber should get the carries, while J.D. McKissic gets the targets.
Defense
Ricardo Allen, S, ATL: Concussion — OUT
John Penisini, DT, DET: Shoulder — Questionable
Jeff Okudah, CB, DET: Groin — OUT/IR
Darnell Savage Jr., S, GB: Groin — Questionable
Jeff Heath, S, LV: Concussion — OUT/IR
Damon Arnette, CB, LV: Concussion — OUT
Malcom Brown, DT, NO: Shoulder — OUT
Patrick Robinson, CB, NO: Hamstring — OUT/IR
Jordan Jenkins, LB, NYJ: Shoulder — OUT
Bennett Jackson, S, NYJ: Hamstring — OUT
Ashtyn Davis, S, NYJ: Foot — OUT/IR
D.J. Jones, DT, SF: Ankle — Doubtful
Sunday night game
Joe Haden, CB, PIT: Concussion — OUT
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.
