Every NFL team playing Sunday is required to issue a final injury report on Friday. The pair of teams playing Monday night will issue their final report Saturday. Here we will review all of the fantasy-relevant players dealing with ailments and how to plan accordingly. Keep in mind, however, the inactive list isn't due until 90 minutes before kickoff. As you start to put the final touches on those lineups, have a fallback plan or two at the ready in the event you will be dealing with an ailing player.
Injured Monday night players
Matt Forte, RB, Bears – Knee
The Bears coaching staff likes to make very little information known to the media, but the players are speaking as if Forte has been ruled out. Rookie Jeremy Langford draws an excellent matchup to make his first career start Monday night against a hapless Chargers run defense. Langford needs to be picked up in all season-long leagues and will be a very popular value play in DFS.
Eddie Royal, WR, Bears – Knee
The expectation is that Royal will not play. That means Marquess Wilson will start opposite Alshon Jeffery. Wilson is a worthwhile streaming option after showing some flashes back in Week 4 and Week 5 when Jeffery was out.
Antonio Gates, TE, Chargers – Knee, Ladarius Green, TE, Chargers – Ankle
Green is still in a walking boot and unlikely to be available. Meanwhile, Gates is playing with a MCL sprain. He really struggled to move laterally last week when he was forced into extended action after Green was knocked out of the game in the first quarter. Gates will be a tempting play, especially with Keenan Allen (kidney) out of the year. Just keep in mind he's far from 100 percent at the moment.
QUESTIONABLE (SUNDAY)
Ronnie Hillman, RB, Broncos – Thigh
Head coach Gary Kubiak has already confirmed Hillman as this week's starter. Even though he scored twice in Week 8 against the Packers, C.J. Anderson finally broke through with 101 rushing yards on 14 carries, both season highs. The pair will continue to split carries heading to Indy for a nice matchup against the Colts.
Ryan Mathews, RB, Eagles – Groin
Mathews sat out Thursday before be listed as a full participant in Friday's walk-through session. Reporters don't seem overly worried about his availability. Back in Week 2 against the same Cowboys defense, Mathews only saw one carry as the Eagles ran for just seven net rushing yards on 17 attempts as a team.
Tre Mason, RB, Rams – Ankle
Mason has been limited in practice and won't see much action unless Todd Gurley is rested late and the game is decided. Mason is mentioned here as a public service for Gurley owners to handcuff him now, if possible. Big name running backs Jamaal Charles and Le'Veon Bell are on IR. Now Matt Forte appears likely to miss multiple games.
T.Y. Hilton, WR, Colts – Foot
Hilton is still in a walking boot and will be a game-time decision, at best. With a nasty Broncos defense coming to town, you'll want to look elsewhere.
Brandon Marshall, WR, Jets – Toe, Ankle
Marshall rested Wednesday before being limited in the Thursday and Friday practice sessions. Keep a close eye on this one, but Marshall figures to play.
Sammy Watkins, WR, Bills – Ankle
After being limited early in the week, Watkins tweaked his ankle Friday and left practice early. However, he's very confident about playing against the Dolphins. However, the team could be extra cautious here and make him a game-time decision. Lean toward Watkins being more likely to play than not.
DeSean Jackson, WR, Redskins – Hamstring
D-Jax has been limited all week while hoping to make his return against the Patriots. Jackson has been out of commission being leaving the Week 1 opener. Washington is likely to find themselves in a deep hole and needing to throw often in the second half.
Rueben Randle, WR, Giants – Hamstring
Nelson Agholor, WR, Eagles – Ankle
Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE, Buccaneers – Shoulder
He's not a lock to play, but ASJ could be a sneaky deep sleeper against a Giants defense that just got roasted by Saints tight end Benjamin Watson.
Jordan Cameron, TE, Dolphins – Hamstring
Even if Cameron plays, he's been very quiet since a decent first two games.
OUT
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Carlos Hyde, RB, 49ers – Foot
Rookie Mike Davis (hand) is also out, so expect a lot of Pierre Thomas with some Shaun Draughn mixed in.
Vincent Jackson, WR, Buccaneers – Knee
Last week against the Falcons, Mike Evans failed to do much with V-Jax out of the lineup. Evans has since admitted to injuring his groin and oblique in that game, although he's not listed on this week's injury report.
Kendall Wright, WR, Titans – Knee
No Wright makes Justin Hunter sort of interesting as a dart throw. While Hunter hasn't done much recently, he played nearly all the offensive snaps in the last two games. Hunter will get another chance to step up as a starter, aided by the return of Marcus Mariota (knee).
Leonard Hankerson, WR, Falcons – Hamstring
Percy Harvin, WR, Bills – Knee (just placed on season-ending IR)
Victor Cruz, WR, Giants – Calf
Larry Donnell, TE, Giants - Neck
DOUBTFUL
Bilal Powell, RB, Jets – Ankle
Anquan Boldin, WR, 49ers – Hamstring
DeVante Parker, WR, Dolphins – Foot
PROBABLE (limited practice)
Dion Lewis, RB, Patriots – Abdomen
Orleans Darkwa, RB, Giants – Back
Dez Bryant, WR, Cowboys – Foot
Julian Edelman, WR, Patriots – Knee
Willie Snead, WR, Saints – Knee
PROBABLE (full practice)
Andrew Luck, QB, Colts – Ankle
Peyton Manning, QB, Broncos – Shoulder
Tyrod Taylor, QB, Bills – Knee
Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB, Jets – Thumb
Marcus Mariota, QB, Titans – Knee
Matt Cassel, QB, Cowboys – Knee
Chris Ivory, RB, Jets – Hamstring
Karlos Williams, RB, Bills – Concussion
Chris Thompson, RB, Redskins – Back
Emmanuel Sanders, WR, Broncos – Shoulder
Stefon Diggs, WR, Vikings – Hamstring
Martavis Bryant, WR, Steelers – Illness
Allen Hurns, WR, Jaguars – Ankle
Eric Decker, WR, Jets – Knee
Harry Douglas, WR, Texans – Ribs
Julius Thomas, TE, Jaguars – Abdomen
Owen Daniels, TE, Broncos – Shoulder
IR – Designated for return
Tony Romo, QB, Cowboys – Collarbone
Expected to return when eligible Week 11. Has now thrown in practice each of the last two weeks.
David Cobb, RB, Titans – Calf
Currently practicing, but has conditioning issues and likely returning in Week 10. The coaching staff recently stated Antonio Andrews will be their lead back.
Jay Ajayi, RB, Dolphins – Ribs
Eligible to return in Week 9, but likely one week away from returning to play.
Player News
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said the team does not “have any feelings on competition” when asked about the quarterback room.
O’Connell was asked about a potential quarterback competition on the Rich Eisen Show Wednesday and was unclear on whether J.J. McCarthy would have to compete to start. He said, “we’ve got an obligation as coaches to put our players in position to attack that competition phase.” O’Connell discussed first putting Brett Rypien and the newly acquired Sam Howell in a position to play before any competition would occur. He continued that McCarthy is “owning it” this offseason and is taking snaps from starting center Ryan Kelly. After missing last season with a torn meniscus, McCarthy has been ramping up workouts in the offseason and is the front-runner to start for the Vikings in 2025. As of now, Howell looks to be reinforcement at the backup spot in case it turns out McCarthy is not ready to start.
Texans re-signed DT Foley Fatukasi.
Fatukasi initially joined the Texans last offseason on a one-year contract. The 30-year-old was a rotational defensive lineman, tallying four tackles for loss and one sack. He returns to Houston for 2025, where he will be a part of a deep Texans front seven.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports Tyreek Hill’s second wrist surgery was part of the original plan and his timeline remains unchanged.
Hill announced the second surgery on social media and Pelissero quickly added some context to the situation. The speedy receiver suffered the wrist injury just before the start of the season and it lingered throughout the year, though he never missed a game because of it. If the second surgery truly is a non-story, an offseason to recover might be what Hill needs to return to form after a down 2024 season. On the other hand, Hill is 31 years old, played his worst football last year, and his offense prioritized targets for Jonnu Smith and De’Von Achane. As it stands, Hill might have the highest risk-reward split in fantasy drafts.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports there are “multiple people in the league who believe the new regime is not so high on Travis Etienne.”
Fowler also noted Tank Bigsby’s fumbling issue but didn’t directly relate that to the feelings of the new brain trust in Jacksonville. The Jags clearly felt they were lacking at running back this offseason and addressed that opening via the draft with Bhayshul Tuten in the fourth round and LeQuint Allen in the seventh. The pair of additions complicate an already-messy backfield by committee. Etienne is entering the final year of his rookie deal and is a long-shot to be brought back in 2026. The Jags could opt to move on early by trading him, clearing $6.1 million in cap space in the process. If the team does trade Etienne, Tuten would likely be the team’s top back in the long run, making him a high-upside bet in early fantasy drafts.
Broncos signed third-round pick WR Pat Bryant to a four-year contract.
The deal includes $1.4 million guaranteed and is worth $6.6 million in total. Sean Payton compared aspects of Bryant’s game to those of Michael Thomas in his post-draft press conference and there are at least a few similarities in their profiles. Bryant stands at 6'2/204 and ran a 4.61-second Forty at the combine. Thomas measured in at 6'3/212 and clocked a 4.57-second Forty. Though the two have similar physical characteristics, Thomas was known for his proficiency from the slot while Bryant primarily played on the outside as a field-stretcher at Illinois. Bryant’s transition to slot duties may take some time, but third-round draft capital makes him worth a shot in dynasty leagues.
Colts EDGE Samson Ebukam (Achilles) said he is expected to be cleared for training camp.
Ebukam suffered a torn Achilles in training camp last year and did not play in the 2024 season. He broke out in 2023 with a career-high 9.5 sacks in his first season with the Colts. He now has one year left on his deal and will be looking for a rebound season as he stares down free agency in 2026