Who is ready for some football? Anyone reading this article, I am willing to wager. In the coming weeks, this space will highlight those defensive players that are on the move, whether up in the rankings, or dropping off the list of IDP you want on your roster. There will also be a handy short list of the waiver wire options, those players that you have a chance to snap up and that have been given a fuller profile in the opening portion of the article to assist with your add/drop decision(s). A matchup discussion will also appear once we have enough statistical data to provide realistic analysis of just how offenses and defenses are performing this season, probably around Week 3 or thereabouts.
Every week will also wrap up with the current injury report and that is just what you will find presented immediately below. Injury reports are notoriously unreliable despite the league’s efforts to compel full disclosure, and with the activation/deactivation time frame being shortened this season, it will behoove you to check the game day injury reports carefully when setting your lineups for the weekly matchups, especially on Sunday and Monday.
Ouch (My Aching Roster)
All the injury reports below need evaluation prior to kickoff. Teams are notoriously sketchy about injury reports, and we often do not know a player's status until just before game time. Consider the list below as a "heads up" as to what is going on early in the week, and should not be considered definitive.
| Defensive End |
| Player | Team | Injury | Status |
| Charles Harris | ATL | Ankle | |
| Akiem Hicks | CHI | Quadriceps | |
| Carlos Dunlap | CIN | Lower Body | |
| Myles Garrett | CLE | Wrist | |
| Curtis Weaver | CLE | Foot | IR |
| George Obinna | CLE | Triceps | IR |
| Trevon Young | CLE | Undisclosed | IR |
| Austin Bryant | DET | Undisclosed | PUP |
| Kemoko Turay | IND | Ankle | PUP |
| Kenny Willekes | MIN | Leg | IR |
| Danielle Hunter | MIN | Undisclosed | |
| Anthony Lanier | NO | Undisclosed | IR |
| Jabari Zuniga | NYJ | Quadriceps | IR |
| John Franklin-Myers | NYJ | Groin | |
| Jordan Willis | NYJ | Knee | |
| Player | Team | Injury | Status |
| Genard Avery | PHI | Lower Body | |
| Daeshon Hall | PHI | Knee-Acl | PUP |
| Vinny Curry | PHI | Lower Body | |
| Derek Barnett | PHI | Ankle | |
| Stephon Tuitt | PIT | Undisclosed | |
| Ronald Blair | SF | Knee-Acl | PUP |
| Branden Jackson | SEA | Spine | IR |
| Benson Mayowa | SEA | Undisclosed | |
| Ryan See | WAS | Undisclosed | IR |
| Defensive Tackle |
| Player | Team | Injury | Status |
| Marlon Davidson | ATL | Knee | |
| Justin Madubuike | BAL | Leg | |
| Vernon Butler | BUF | Hamstring | |
| Zach Kerr | CAR | Illness | |
| Renell Wren | CIN | Quadriceps | IR |
| Jashon Cornell | DET | Achilles | IR |
| Treyvon Hester | GB | Undisclosed | IR |
| Montravius Adams | GB | Toe | |
| Dontavius Russell | JAX | Undisclosed | IR |
| Michael Barnett | NE | Undisclosed | IR |
| Beau Allen | NE | Undisclosed | IR |
| Jalen Dalton | NO | Triceps | IR |
| R.J. McIntosh | NYG | Foot | |
| Hassan Ridgeway | PHI | Lower Body | |
| Javon Hargrave | PHI | Pectoral | |
| Chris Wormley | PIT | Shoulder | |
| Julian Taylor | SF | Knee-Acl | PUP |
| Safety |
| Player | Team | Injury | Status |
| Kendall Sheffield | ATL | Foot | |
| Ricardo Allen | ATL | Ankle | |
| Keanu Neal | ATL | Achilles | |
| Tashaun Gipson | CHI | Lower Back | |
| Shawn Williams | CIN | Calf | |
| Grant Delpit | CLE | Achilles | IR |
| Xavier Woods | DAL | Undisclosed | |
| Derwin James | LAC | Knee | IR |
| Nate Brooks | MIA | Undisclosed | IR |
| Myles Dorn | MIN | Undisclosed | IR |
| Saquan Hampton | NO | Undisclosed | IR |
| Johnson Bademosi | NO | Undisclosed | IR |
| Xavier McKinney | NYG | Foot | IR |
| Marcus Maye | NYJ | Calf | |
| Matthias Farley | NYJ | Hamstring | |
| Player | Team | Injury | Status |
| Avonte Maddox | PHI | Lower Body | |
| Will Parks | PHI | Lower Body | IR |
| Marcus Epps | PHI | Lower Body | |
| Terrell Edmunds | PIT | Undisclosed | |
| Jamal Adams | SEA | Finger | |
| Justin Evans | TB | Foot | PUP |
| Dane Cruikshank | TEN | Undisclosed | IR |
| Simeon Thomas | WAS | Abdomen | IR |
| Corner Back |
| Player | Team | Injury | Status |
| Robert lford | ARI | Pectoral | IR |
| Iman Marshall | BAL | Knee | IR |
| Josh Norman | BUF | Hamstring | |
| Eli Apple | CAR | Ankle | IR |
| Michael Joseph | CHI | Undisclosed | IR |
| Artie Burns | CHI | Knee-Acl | IR |
| Trae Waynes | CIN | Pectoral | IR |
| Darius Phillips | CIN | Lower Leg | leg |
| Mackensie Alexander | CIN | Personal | |
| Greedy Williams | CLE | Shoulder | |
| M.J. Stewart | CLE | Hamstring | |
| Kevin Johnson | CLE | Abdomen | |
| Chidobe Awuzie | DAL | Leg | |
| Jourdan Lewis | DAL | Ankle | |
| Michael Ojemudia | DEN | Quadriceps | |
| Player | Team | Injury | Status |
| Mike Ford | DET | Leg | IR |
| Will Sunderland | GB | Undisclosed | IR |
| Kabion Ento | GB | Undisclosed | IR |
| Gareon Conley | HOU | Ankle | IR |
| Alex Brown | KC | Knee-Acl | IR |
| Damon Arnette | LV | Thumb | |
| Byron Jones | MIA | Achilles | |
| Xavien Howard | MIA | Knee | |
| Montre Hartage | NYG | Hamstring | IR |
| Darnay Holmes | NYG | Lower Body | |
| Kyron Brown | NYJ | Quadriceps | PUP |
| Pierre Desir | NYJ | Hamstring | |
| Brian Poole | NYJ | Illness | |
| Jason Verrett | SF | Hamstring | |
| Tre Flowers | SEA | Ankle | |
| Carlton Davis | TB | Shoulder | |
| Kendall Fuller | WAS | Calf |
As ever, good luck and Godspeed in your fantasy efforts. Make sure to read all of our great articles to help you win your fantasy match ups every week and ultimately bask in championship glory. FANation Chat is now live on the site, to help you work through your fantasy football dilemmas. Or if you have any fantasy football questions, especially about IDP leagues, you can also send a message to ia@fantasyalarm.com for a personal response from the writer of this article. Naturally, the more detail you can send about your league, such as number of teams, platform you play in (Yahoo, ESPN, etc.), scoring and roster system, the better the ability to provide accurate advice.
