-
AJ Mass, ESPN Staff Writer
Whom should you start? Whom should you sit? To help you set your fantasy football lineups and avoid starting an offensive player who won’t be in the lineup, we’ll post fantasy-relevant updates and analysis here as NFL teams release their official inactives lists. Any rankings cited in this column come from our ESPN Fantasy staff ranks.
Official Sunday inactives should begin coming in approximately 90 minutes before the scheduled kickoff times: around 11:30 a.m. ET for the early games and 2:30 p.m. ET for the late-afternoon games.
Refresh often for the latest information.
4 p.m. ET games
Dawson Knox, TE, BUF — Questionable
Impact: He practiced in full all week and was indeed activated from IR. It’s looking very good for him to take Buffalo’s TE duties back from Dalton Kincaid.
Samaje Perine, RB, DEN — Questionable
Impact: His status likely only impacts those fantasy managers hoping for something out of Jaleel McLaughlin.
Isiah Pacheco, RB, KC — OUT
Impact: A stint on IR still looms as a possibility. Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Jerick McKinnon will try to pick up the slack.
Justin Jefferson, WR, MIN — Activated from IR
Impact: At long last, Jefferson will return to action this week. That’s good news for his fantasy managers, as well as those counting on QB Joshua Dobbs.
Geno Smith, QB, SEA — Questionable
Impact: Smith got hurt during the week, and it’s unclear whether he’ll be able to play. Drew Lock could start in his place or perhaps may well even take over midstream even if Smith tries to gut it out.
Kenneth Walker III, RB, SEA — Questionable
Impact: Zach Charbonnet is also listed as questionable. Both should be game-time calls. This is far from ideal, but right now both are trending toward playing.
Elijah Mitchell, RB, SF — Doubtful
Impact: Jordan Mason would be the backup to Christian McCaffrey, which could lead to a lot of touches if this one becomes a blowout.
Sunday night game
No fantasy-relevant injuries of note for this game.
1 p.m. ET games
Mack Hollins, WR, ATL — Active
Impact: It’s his first action since suffering an ankle injury in Week 9. That said, there’s not a ton of fantasy upside here.
Hayden Hurst, TE, CAR — OUT
Impact: We’re not sure if Hurst will be back at all this season due to post-traumatic amnesia. Tommy Tremble and Stephen Sullivan were both listed as questionable and both will dress. Still, Ian Thomas may well be the only fully healthy TE option.
Equanimeous St. Brown, WR, CHI — OUT
Impact: Velus Jones Jr. and Tyler Scott were listed as questionable heading into Sunday, but are both active.
Tyler Boyd, WR, CIN — Active
Impact: He tweaked his ankle during practice this past week, but will play. Charlie Jones could step in if Boyd gets hurt again during the game.
Amari Cooper, WR, CLE — Active
Impact: As expected, Cooper is going to play, although we’re not yet 100% sure whether it will be Dorian Thompson-Robinson or Joe Flacco throwing the ball his way. It’s probably going to be Flacco, but it definitely won’t be PJ Walker, who was waived.
Noah Brown, WR, HOU — Active
Impact: He joins Nico Collins and, to a lesser extent, Robert Woods as the notable fantasy WR options in Houston.
Dalton Schultz, TE, HOU — OUT
Impact: Brevin Jordan gets another chance to shine, with Schultz’s hamstring not good enough for him to return.
Ka’imi Fairbairn, K, HOU — OUT/IR
Impact: Matt Ammendola gets another paycheck, as Fairbairn needs at least another week before returning from his quad injury.
Jonathan Taylor, RB, IND — OUT
Impact: No surprise here, as we fully expected his thumb injury to keep him sidelined for at least this long. Zack Moss gets the start.
Trevor Lawrence, QB, JAX — Active
Impact: Lawrence is going to try to play. C.J. Beathard may still be called upon to step in should Lawrence not be able to play a full 60 minutes. Nathan Rourke was designated as the third quarterback.
Travis Etienne Jr., RB, JAX — Active
Impact: He was limited in practice throughout the week but will play. D’Ernest Johnson is also banged up, but also active for this one.
Tyler Higbee, TE, LAR — Inactive
Impact: No practice all week indicated that Higbee wasn’t going to be playing. Hunter Long should get some extra looks.
Mason Crosby, K, LAR — Inactive
Impact: Surprisingly, the veteran will not be taking over kicking duties from the shaky Lucas Havrisik.
Derek Carr, QB, NO — Active
Impact: He has cleared the league’s concussion protocol, so now it’s about pain tolerance with his ribs. Carr will start, but Jameis Winston is likely to be ready to step in at a moment’s notice.
Chris Olave, WR, NO — Active
Impact: He had been dealing with an illness but appears to be out of the woods. That’s a good thing, as otherwise we’d be looking at Keith Kirkwood or Lynn Bowden Jr.
Rashid Shaheed, WR, NO — OUT
Impact: A.T. Perry would get the start alongside Olave, assuming he plays.
Taysom Hill, TE, NO — Inactive
Impact: Juwan Johnson has been limited in practice but will suit up.
Jason Brownlee, WR, NYJ — OUT
Impact: Allen Lazard should join Garrett Wilson as a starting wideout, with Xavier Gipson also in the WR mix.
Breece Hall, RB, NYJ — Active
Impact: Dalvin Cook will still likely split the workload with Hall.