While rankings and projections are beneficial, few things are more important in fantasy football than following injury updates. Injuries not only impact the player in question but the teammates and the offenses around them. Here’s an update on some critical injury reports to watch and their fantasy football impact.
Fantasy Football Injury Report: QB update
Let’s go through the injuries currently impacting quarterbacks.
Daniel Jones, New York Giants
An independent neurologist cleared Daniel Jones on Friday afternoon. He is not listed on the injury report and will return from his concussion without missing a game.
Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
Kyler Murray returned to a full practice on Friday. He is not on the injury report and will play Sunday.
Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins activated Tua Tagovailoa from the injured reserve, and he will start Sunday morning when the Dolphins take on the Jaguars in London.
Fantasy Football Injury Report: RB update
Which running backs are dealing with injuries that may affect their game status?
Saquon Barkley, New York Giants
Saquon Barkley is out in Week 6 due to his sprained ankle. He will most likely miss Week 7 as well. Devontae Booker will be the Giants’ primary back in the interim.
Chris Carson, Seattle Seahawks
Chris Carson did not practice all week and is out Sunday with his ongoing neck issue. Alex Collins will start once again.
Nick Chubb & Kareem Hunt, Cleveland Browns
The Browns’ top two running backs did not practice Wednesday or Thursday. Kareem Hunt returned to a limited practice Friday and is listed as questionable. Nick Chubb was ruled out after a third missed practice. Hunt will likely be active, but if fantasy managers are chasing the next man up, I prefer Demetric Felton to D’Ernest Johnson.
Dalvin Cook, Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings did not include Dalvin Cook on their final injury report. He will be back after a one-week absence.
Chase Edmonds, Arizona Cardinals
Chase Edmonds was limited all week with a shoulder injury. It’s a step forward after he barely practiced last week before ultimately suiting up on Sunday. He came out of Week 5 with no further injury, so he should play again this week.
Antonio Gibson, Washington Football Team
Antonio Gibson is listed as questionable for this week’s game against the Chiefs. He’s been dealing with a stress fracture in his shin but has played through it for two consecutive weeks. The Football Team is just managing his reps in practice. Barring some last-minute setback, Gibson is going to play.
10/17 update: Unsurprisingly, Gibson is active. Start him just like you have every week this season.
Melvin Gordon, Denver Broncos
Melvin Gordon was limited at practice all week with a knee/hip issue. He is listed as questionable, but I would expect him to play Sunday.
Damien Harris, New England Patriots
Damien Harris was limited again on Friday with bruised ribs. The Patriots listed him as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Cowboys. It appears as if Harris’ status is genuinely up in the air. Fantasy managers should have an alternative ready. Rhamondre Stevenson would handle early-down work if Harris can’t go.
10/17 update: Harris is active and should get his usual workload, but the matchup against the Cowboys is not great.
Christian McCaffrey, Carolina Panthers
After seeming to be on track to return last week, Christian McCaffrey was nowhere close to playing this week. Then on Saturday, the Panthers placed him on IR. The earliest we will see CMC back on the field is Week 9, and that seems very questionable at the moment.
Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals listed Joe Mixon as questionable with his ankle injury. However, Zac Taylor already indicated Mixon will play and see his normal workload. Chris Evans is Mixon’s primary backup with Samaje Perine out due to COVID-19.
10/17 update: Mixon is active
Josh Jacobs, Las Vegas Raiders
Josh Jacobs missed practice Thursday with an illness, but he was back out there Friday. He’s fine and will play Sunday.
Aaron Jones, Green Bay Packers
Aaron Jones was limited in practice all week with an ankle injury, but he was left off the final injury report. He will play.
D’Andre Swift, Detroit Lions
The Lions list D’Andre Swift as questionable every week — Dan Campbell must think it’s funny or something. There is not actually any question regarding Swift’s status. He’s fine. He will play — just like he has every week this season.
Damien Williams, Chicago Bears
Damien Williams tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this week and is out Sunday. Khalil Herbert will operate as the Bears’ primary back, with Ryan Nall mixing in behind him.
Jamaal Williams, Detroit Lions
Jamaal Williams was limited in practice on Wednesday and Friday and did not practice on Thursday. The Lions are just managing his reps. He’s listed as questionable, but he’ll be out there Sunday.
WR Injury Update
How are the fantasy-relevant wide receivers dealing with injuries?
Rashod Bateman, Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens activated Rashod Bateman from IR. He will make his NFL debut this Sunday but should not be in fantasy lineups as John Harbaugh intends to ease him into action.
Dyami Brown, Washington Football Team
Dyami Brown is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Chiefs. With Washington’s pass-catching corps seriously banged up, expect Brown to return from his knee injury. He has yet to do anything this season, but if Terry McLaurin can’t go, Brown could find himself heavily targeted out of necessity.
Chase Claypool, Pittsburgh Steelers
Chase Claypool practiced fully on Friday and is not listed on the Steelers’ final injury report. He will play.
Kenny Golladay, Sterling Shepard, Darius Slayton, & Kadarius Toney, New York Giants
As you can see, the Giants have WR injury issues. We’ve known since Wednesday that Kenny Golladay would not play. Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton practiced all week, but Slayton remains questionable while Shepard is not on the injury report and will play. Kadarius Toney is questionable with an ankle issue but is expected to suit up.
10/17 update: Toney reportedly did not look great in pre-game warmups — constantly checking and fidgeting with his ankle. However, he is active.
Slayton is inactive, which makes me feel a little better about Toney, but fantasy managers should still consider an alternative if they have a solid one.
Tyreek Hill, Kansas City Chiefs
After missing practice Wednesday and Thursday, Tyreek Hill returned to a limited practice Friday and is listed as questionable. According to beat reporters, he looked like his normal self. Andy Reid did not commit to Hill playing, but fantasy managers should expect to have him out there.
10/17 update: Hill is active, but was not spotted in pre-game warmups. That’s not necessarily a concern, but it means we don’t have any information on how he looks. Regardless, you can’t sit Hill.
T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis Colts
The Colts activated T.Y. Hilton from IR on Saturday afternoon. He will make his 2021 debut this week against the Texans.
DeAndre Hopkins, Arizona Cardinals
After missing practice on Wednesday and Thursday with an illness, DeAndre Hopkins returned to a full practice Friday. He’s good to go this week.
Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings did not include Justin Jefferson on their final injury status. He will play.
Julio Jones, Tennessee Titans
Julio Jones practiced fully on Thursday and Friday. He has no injury designation and will make his return after a two-game absence.
Jarvis Landry, Cleveland Browns
On Friday, the Browns started the three-week clock to move Jarvis Landry to the active roster. Typically, players designated to return from IR mere days before a game do not play that week. Although Kevin Stefanski did not rule out Landry for this Sunday’s game against the Cardinals, on Saturday afternoon, Mary Kay Cabot reported that Landry would not be activated for Sunday’s game. He’s out.
Terry McLaurin, Washington Football Team
Terry McLaurin was not injured prior to a surprising Friday DNP at practice. According to Ron Rivera, he felt tightness in his hamstring. That’s not good news for McLaurin’s chances of playing Sunday. He is a true game-time decision.
10/17 update: McLaurin is active and he reportedly felt good on Saturday. Fantasy managers can safely return him to lineups.
DK Metcalf, Seattle Seahawks
DK Metcalf got in a limited practice on Friday, which puts him on track to play Sunday. He’s been dealing with a foot injury but has played through it. Fantasy managers will have to make a call early with the Seahawks playing on Sunday Night Football. Still, given that he’s not listed on the final injury report, I’d feel confident putting Metcalf in lineups.
Darnell Mooney, Chicago Bears
Darnell Mooney practiced in full on Friday and is not listed on the Bears’ injury report. He will play.
DeVante Parker, Miami Dolphins
DeVante Parker didn’t practice all week and will miss his second consecutive game with a strained hamstring. Jaylen Waddle and Mike Gesicki are the Dolphins’ only healthy starting pass catchers.
Allen Robinson, Chicago Bears
Allen Robinson missed practice Wednesday and Thursday before returning in a limited capacity Friday. He is listed as questionable, but the limited practice on Friday suggests the veteran who historically plays through injuries will be on the field against the Packers.
10/17 update: ARob is active and I wouldn’t expect him to be limited. The trepidation in starting him remains with his productivity.
Curtis Samuel, Washington Football Team
Curtis Samuel’s lingering groin injury will cost him yet another game. He is out Sunday.
James Washington, Pittsburgh Steelers
James Washington practiced fully on Friday and is not listed on the Steelers’ final injury report. He will play and see increased action in three-receiver sets with JuJu Smith-Schuster’s season over.
Sammy Watkins, Baltimore Ravens
Sammy Watkins did not practice all week with a hamstring strain and is not only out for Sunday but is expected to miss multiple weeks. A returning Rashod Bateman will take his place in two-receiver sets as he ramps up his playing time over the coming weeks.
Mike Williams, Los Angeles Chargers
Despite not practicing at all this week, the Chargers listed Mike Williams as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Ravens. Unfortunately, players do not often play if they can’t get in at least a limited practice on the Friday before game day.
However, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that Williams is expected to play as long everything goes smoothly in pre-game warmups. Be sure to monitor what the sideline reporters are saying about how Williams looks as him being active, but merely a decoy is a very real concern. Jalen Guyton will likely see an uptick in snaps regardless.
10/17 update: Big Mike is active, which rarely happens when a player does not practice all week. Despite being in the lineup, he’s a very risky start as he could be a decoy or aggravate his knee injury in game.
TE Injury Update for Week 6
Are there tight end injuries we need to be concerned about?
T.J. Hockenson, Detroit Lions
T.J. Hockenson has been nursing a knee injury for a couple of weeks. He did not practice Wednesday but got in limited sessions on Thursday and Friday. He’s listed as questionable, but he will play.
David Njoku, Cleveland Browns
David Njoku was limited Thursday and Friday with a knee injury and is listed as questionable. He played through it last week and should do so again in Week 6.