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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 — Active
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 — Active
Impact: He’s expected to play along with Larry Fitzgerald, who was activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list. Andy Isabella is inactive.
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 — Active
Impact: Chris Manhertz would assume primary TE duties if Thomas can’t go a full 60 minutes.
Curtis Samuel, WR, CAR: Illness — Active
Impact: He’s been activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list. Likely to play some, but potentially limited.
Tee Higgins, WR, CIN: Hamstring — Active
Impact: He should suit up on Sunday as he got no worse for the wear during the week.
Randy Bullock, K, CIN: Team decision — Inactive
Impact: Austin Seibert makes his first start of the season.
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 — Inactive
Impact: Few alternative options remain at WR for the Texans …
Keke Coutee, WR, HOU: Knee — Active
Impact: … with Isaiah Coulter being perhaps the best of a bad bunch.
Tyler Eifert, TE, JAX: Shoulder — Active
Impact: James O’Shaughnessy might be in play even with Eifert able to 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 — Inactive
Impact: After not practicing all week, it’s no surprise that Rudolph sits.
Irv Smith Jr., TE, MIN: Back — Active
Impact: With Rudolph out, a banged up Smith will give it a try.
Daniel Jones, QB, NYG: Hamstring — Active
Impact: Jones will be back in the Giants’ huddle for Week 14.
Cameron Brate, TE, TB: Illness — Active
Impact: Rob Gronkowski will still have some competition for red zone targets.
Leonard Fournette, RB, TB: Team decision — Inactive
Impact: A surprise sit likely makes your flex decision for you. Ronald Jones II should get all the carries here.
Defense
De’Vondre Campbell, LB, ARI: Ankle — Active
Isaiah Simmons, LB, ARI: Neck — Active
Jalen Thompson, S, ARI: Ankle — OUT
Tre Boston, S, CAR: Hamstring — Active
Rasul Douglas, CB, CAR: Personal — Active
Khalil Mack, LB, CHI: Shoulder — Active
Mackensie Alexander, CB, CIN: Knee — Active
Jonathan Greenard, LB, HOU: Illness — Active
Phillip Gaines, CB, HOU: Knee — Inactive
Greg Mabin, CB, JAX: Hamstring — Active
Tyrann Mathieu, S, KC: Hip — Questionable
Kyle Van Noy, LB, MIA: Hip — Inactive
Elandon Roberts, LB, MIA: Chest — Inactive
Eric Kendricks, LB, MIN: Calf — OUT
Blake Martinez, LB, NYG: Back — Active
Darnay Holmes, CB, NYG: Knee — Inactive
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.