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AJ MassESPN Staff Writer
Who should you start? Who should you sit down? To help you set up your fantasy football lineups and avoid starting a player who’s not in the lineup, we’ll post fantasy-related updates and analysis here as NFL teams release their inactive ones, usually about 90 minutes before kickoff . All rankings mentioned in this column are from our ESPN Fantasy staff.
Refresh often for the latest information.
1 p.m. ET games
Violation
Julio Jones, WR, ATL: Hamstring – FROM
Impact: Russell Gage sees a spike in fantasy value with the veteran missing this week’s game.
Luke Willson, TE, BAL: Hip – FROM
Impact: Mark Andrews will now handle nearly all TE tasks as Willson has been disbanded. WR’s Marquise Brown and Miles Boykin have been activated from the reserve / COVID-19 list.
Jimmy Graham, TE, CHI: Hip – Doubtful
Impact: Cole Kmet may finally be ready to emerge from the veteran’s shadow.
Ezekiel Elliott, RB, DAL: Calf – Doubtful
Impact: Expected to play, although Tony Pollard may see some additional carries.
Matthew Stafford, QB, DET: Ribs – Doubtful
Impact: All signs currently indicate Stafford is trying on Sunday.
Kenny Golladay, WR, DET: Hip – FROM
Impact: While he still insists he will be back on the pitch this season, time is running out.
Duke Johnson, RB, HOU: Neck – FROM
Impact: David Johnson will handle all Houston RB duties …
CJ Prosise, RB, HOU: Only – Doubtful
Consequences: … because alternative options may not be available.
Mo Alie-Cox, TE, IND: Knee — Doubtful
Impact: Trey Burton would qualify for significant appreciation when Cox sits.
Salvon Ahmed, RB, MIA: Shoulder – Doubtful
Impact: Tends to take off and could shine if Myles Gaskin stays on the reserve / COVID-19 list.
DeVante Parker, WR, MIA: Hamstring – Doubtful
Consequences: Signs indicate Parker is playing – and presumably someone will have to tackle Miami’s targets.
Jakeem Grant, WR, MIA: Hamstring – Doubtful
Impact: Limited during practice all week after leaving the action early in Week 14. Isaiah Ford was promoted from the practice squad.
Mike Gesicki, TE, MIA: Shoulder – Doubtful
Impact: An immediate red zone threat when released this weekend.
Alexander Mattison, RB, MIN: Appendix – Doubtful
Impact: Returned this week to practice and slowly come back from surgery.
Kyle Rudolph, TE, MIN: Foot – FROM
Impact: Irv Smith Jr. did well last week when he got rid of Minnesota TE time-share.
Damien Harris, RB, NE: Only – FROM
Impact: Sony Michel may be called upon to handle lead-back tasks …
James White, RB, NE: Foot – Doubtful
Impact: … especially because White has been bothered by his injury all week.
Nick Folk, K, NE: Back – Doubtful
Impact: Folk was questionable for almost the entire second half of the season. Nothing to worry about.
Travis Homer, RB, ZEE: Knee — OFF / IR
Impact: Rashaad Penny (knee) is expected to make his 2020 debut in support of Chris Carson.
Deebo Samuel, WR, SF: Hamstring – FROM
Impact: This could be the end of 2020 for Samuel. Kendrick Bourne will likely start in his place.
Alex Smith, QB, WAS: Calf – FROM
Impact: Dwayne Haskins Jr. will try to keep the Washington Football Team in first place.
Antonio Gibson, RB, WAS: Teen – Doubtful
Impact: With Smith also out, Washington can lean heavily on the run. JD McKissic and Peyton Barber can take advantage of this.
Defense
Darqueze Dennard, CB, ATL: Quad – FROM
Ricardo Allen, S, ATL: Concussion – FROM
Calais Campbell, DE, BAL: Calf – Doubtful
Derek Wolfe, DE, BAL: Neck – Doubtful
Marcus Peters, CB, BAL: Calf – Doubtful
Davontae Harris, CB, BAL: Only – Doubtful
Khalil Mack, LB, CHI: Shoulder – Doubtful
Jaylon Johnson, CB, CHI: Shoulder – Doubtful
Rashard Robinson, CB, DAL: Knee — Doubtful
Xavier Woods, S, DAL: Lies – Doubtful
John Penisini, DT, DET: Shoulder – Doubtful
Darryl Roberts, CB, DET: Hip – FROM
Phillip Gaines, CB, HOU: Knee — Doubtful
DeForest Buckner, DT, IND: Only – Doubtful
Kyle Van Noy, LB, MIA: Hip – Doubtful
Elandon Roberts, LB, MIA: Chest – Doubtful
Jerome Baker, LB, MIA: Knee — Doubtful
Bobby McCain, S, MIA: Only – Doubtful
Eric Kendricks, LB, MIN: Calf – FROM
Lawrence Guy, DT, NE: Shoulder – Doubtful
Adam Butler, DT, NE: Shoulder – Doubtful
Byron Cowart, DT, NE: Back – Doubtful
Fred Warner, LB, SF: Shoulder – Doubtful
Kenny Vaccaro, S, TEN: Illness – Doubtful
Adoree ‘Jackson, CB, TEN: Knee — Doubtful
Kevin Pierre-Louis, LB, WAS: Only – FROM
Cole Holcomb, LB, WAS: Concussion – FROM
4:00 PM ET games
Violation
Chase Edmonds, RB, ARI: Only – Doubtful
Impact: Kenyan Drake appears to be the safer choice in this backfield, although Edmonds improved as the week went on.
Zane Gonzalez, K, ARI: Back – OFF / IR
Impact: Veteran Mike Nugent appears to have won this job for himself after last week’s strong effort.
Michael Thomas, WR, NO: Only – OFF / IR
Impact: New Orleans expects Thomas to return for the NFL playoffs, but his season has come to an end for fantasy purposes.
Deonte Harris, WR, NO: Neck – OFF / IR
Impact: Drew Brees returns. Choose from Tre’Quan Smith or Emmanuel Sanders at WR.
Jamison Crowder, WR, NYJ: Calf – Doubtful
Impact: Expected to play, although Denzel Mims has outperformed him lately.
Defense
Jordan Phillips, DEAR ME: Hamstring – OFF / IR
Jalen Thompson, S, ARI: Only – FROM
Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, ARI: Hamstring – Doubtful
Damien Wilson, LB, KC: Knee — FROM
Justin Hollins, LB, LAR: Not published – Doubtful
Malcom Brown, DT, NO: Shoulder – FROM
Darius Slay, CB, PHI: Concussion – FROM
Match on Sunday evening
Austin Hooper, TE, CLE: Neck – Doubtful
Impact: Expected to play after missing last week’s game …
David Njoku, TE, CLE: Knee — Doubtful
Impact: … which is probably good news as Njoku did not train on Friday.
Andrew Sendejo, S, CLE: Concussion – FROM
Denzel Ward, CB, CLE: Calf – Doubtful
Daniel Jones, QB, NYG: Only – FROM
Impact: Colt McCoy, who did well enough to lead the Giants to a win over Seattle in Week 13, is back on the road.
Evan Engram, TE, NYG: Calf – Doubtful
Impact: A late addition to the injury report doesn’t bode well for Engram …
Kaden Smith, TE, NYG: Knee — Doubtful
Impact: … and with Smith hurt too, Levine Toilolo may be the only TE option here.
Darnay Holmes, CB, NYG: Knee — FROM
Official inactive on Sundays should come in around 11:30 a.m. ET for the early games and 2:30 p.m. ET for the late games.