Who will have to start? Who will have to sit you? To help you set your fantasy football lineups and avoid starting an offensive player who won’t be in the lineup, we’ll send fantasy-relevant updates and research here as NFL teams let go of their respectable inactive lists. All ratings cited in this column come from our ESPN Fiction staff team.
Sunday idlers in good standing should begin arriving approximately 90 minutes before scheduled start times: around 11:30 am ET for early games and 2:30 pm ET for afternoon games.
Keaton Mitchell, RB, BAL: Knee — OUTSIDE
Influence: You can now see your 21-day window to go back. Once he returns, he could replace Justice Hill as the Wrong One. 2 RB options.
Rasheen Ali, RB, BAL: Ankle — OUTSIDE
Affect: Given the information above, once Ali can put it back together, it could also be more easily applied to specific groups.
Zay, WR, BAL plants: Ankle — Questionable
Influence: He will most likely try to play, but don’t be surprised to see Rashod Bateman be more hands-on on Sunday.
Tee Higgins, WR, CIN: Quadruple — Questionable
Influence: Its expected addition to Friday’s surprise document does not bode well. Andrei Iosivas will get a modest increase in fiction value.
Jerome Ford, RB, CLE: Hamstring– OUTSIDE
Affect: Nick Chubb will be written by Pierre Sturdy Jr.
Deshaun Watson, quarterback, CLE: Achilles– OUT/GO
Impact on: Jameis Winston is expected to hold off Dorian Thompson-Robinson (finger) for future opening attention.
Jameson Williams, WR, DET: Suspension
Affects: Will be out this year and next. Kalif Raymond and Tim Patrick will get value increases.
Travis Etienne Jr., running back, JAX: Hamstring– Questionable
Affect: This will be a playing time call, with Tank Bigsby and D’Ernest Johnson able to step up if he can’t travel.
Tua Tagovailoa, QB, missing in action: Concussion — Questionable
Impact on: Has cleared the league’s concussion protocol and will return to the meeting on Sunday. Tyler Huntley (shoulder) takes his field on IR.
Tyreek Hill, WR, MIA: Substructure — Questionable
Affect: Jaylen Waddle could be the wrong one. 1 WR option for Tua to return if Hill isn’t 100%.
Ja’Lynn Polk, WR, NE: Concussion — OUTSIDE
Affects: Rest within the league’s concussion protocol. Kayshon Boutte is the Patriots’ “safest” receiver right now.
Allen Lazard, WR, New York: Chest — Insecure
Affect: That is, at most, one title of the game time. Although he plays, the Jets did not want Davante Adams not to throw him as high as possible.
Dallas Goedert, TE, PHI: Hamstring– OUTSIDE
Affect: Provide Calcaterra with the decision instead.
Bucky Irving, RB, TB: Toe — Questionable
Impact on: Expected to play, but Sean Tucker is lurking.
Mike Evans, WR, TB: Hamstring– OUTSIDE
Affect: Chris Godwin (ankle/IR) is complete for the season. Evans could be back on Date 12 if all goes well.
Rakim Jarrett, WR, TB: Knee — Questionable
Impact on: Activated from IR this year as the Bucs look to replenish a depleted WR room.
Will Levis, QB, TEN: Shoulder — Questionable
Impact on: Mason Rudolph took a lot of the reps with the main team this year, so this is supposed to give him a lot of insight.
Tyjae Spears, RB, TEN: Hamstring– OUTSIDE
Affect: Tony Pollard will have to get a lot of the carries, with the leftover touches going to Julius Chestnut.
4 pm ET video games
Curtis Samuel, WR, BUF: pectoral– OUTSIDE
Effect: He’s focused on Date 9 to return, but he has even less value now that Amari Cooper is in town.
Andy Dalton, quarterback, CAR: Thumb — Insecure
Impact on: Bryce Young will start as Dalton recovers from Tuesday’s car collision.
Jonathon Brooks, RB, CAR: Knee — OUTSIDE
Impact on: Chuba Hubbard will become the Panthers’ main man for at least one more year.
Tommy Tremble, TE, CAR: Again — Questionable
Affecting: Ja’Tavion Sanders (groin/wrist) also had restricted practice all year. Both TEs may eventually end up in the takeover.
Diontae Johnson, WR, CAR: ribs– OUTSIDE
Effect on: Going to sit down, despite claiming he can ride. Xavier Legette and Jonathan Mingo start.
Adam Thielen, WR, CAR: Hamstring– OUTSIDE
Impact on: We can’t come back from IR yet, let’s see David Moore or Jalen Coker get their looks.
Travis Homer, RB, CHI: Finger — Questionable
Affect: Fresh out of IR, you will hit D’Andre Rapid Witchcraft.
JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, KC: Hamstring– OUTSIDE
Affect: At least it’s not on IR anymore. New to town, DeAndre Hopkins will join Xavier Decent.
Will Dissly, TE, LAC: Shoulder — Questionable
Effect on: Had eight passes last year with Hurst out, but could be a playing time call.
Hayden Hurst, TE, LAC: Groin — Questionable
Influence: If both Hurst and Dissly sit, Eric Tomlinson is usually a sleeper TE.
DJ Chark Jr., WR, LAC: Groin — Questionable
Influence: Was on IR heading into the year, but there are a ton of WR openings here.
Derius Davis, WR, LAC: Hamstring– Insecure
Effect: If he can’t travel, both Brenden Rice and Simi Fehoko could end up in the huddle for some default snaps.
Quentin Johnston, WR, LAC: Ankle — Insecure
Influence: It looks like Joshua Palmer is the Chargers wide receiver you’ll rely on to start. Jaylen Johnson and Jalen Reagor were promoted from the following team.
Ladd McConkey, WR, LAC: Hip — Questionable
Influence: Will have to accept up top (out of necessity) even though he missed two practices this year and only saw limited action on Friday.
Aidan O’Connell, QB, LV: Thumb — OUT/GO
Influence: Gardner Minshew, whose mustache has often been more important than his stat line, will start again at quarterback.
Jakobi Meyers, WR, LV: Ankle — Questionable
Impact: Expected to play games for the first time in several weeks. He could also be “on a pitch count.”
Derek Carr, quarterback, NO: Indirect– Insecure
Impact on: Spencer Rattler will set up another start as Carr tries to get back into pitching condition.
Cedrick Wilson Jr., WR, NO: Hip — OUTSIDE
Influence: Chris Olave, on the other hand, is expected to return this year after an absence due to a concussion.
DK Metcalf, WR, SEA: Knee — Insecure
Impact on: It will be Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba for all your pass-catching desires.
Jayden Daniels, quarterback, ERA: ribs– Questionable
Affect: This will be a game-time decision and Marcus Mariota will be able to travel, if he so chooses. Sam Hartman rests on the tracking team, so that it is the correct signal.
Sunday night quiz
John Stephens Jr., TE, DAL: Knee — OUT/GO
Impact on: Your season is over. The freed up roster spot helped make room for RB Dalvin Cook, who was promoted from the next team.
Jake Moody, OK, SF: Ankle — OUTSIDE
Impact on: Anders Carlson replaces again, including the closest without a waste level last year.
Jauan Jennings, WR, SF: Hip — OUTSIDE
Impact: With Jennings and Brandon Aiyuk (torn ACL/IR) out, Ricky Pearsall could also be tasked with taking over.
Deebo Samuel Sr., WR, SF: Infection — Questionable
Impact on: Jacob Cowing and Chris Conley could also see some goals, as Samuel is suffering from pneumonia, although he is expected to play games of late.
George Kittle, TE, San Francisco: Substructure — Questionable
Shock: Especially given WR’s issues, expect Kittle to play during shock.
