NFL injury reports keep getting less horrifying for fantasy purposes. Joe Mixon drafters might disagree with that assessment.
Let’s get into Week 7 injuries and how they might affect your start-sit decisions.
Early Games
Bills @ Jets
John Brown (knee), LB Tyrel Dodson (hamstring), T Cody Ford (knee), TE Dawson Knox (calf), and CB Josh Norman (hamstring) are out. Gabriel Davis becomes a worthwhile spot starter in a matchup against a Jets secondary allowing the ninth most wide receiver yardage this year. CB Cameron Lewis (wrist), LB Matt Milano (pectoral) and CB Tre'Davious White (back) are listed as questionable. " data-reactid="27">Bills WR John Brown (knee), LB Tyrel Dodson (hamstring), T Cody Ford (knee), TE Dawson Knox (calf), and CB Josh Norman (hamstring) are out. Gabriel Davis becomes a worthwhile spot starter in a matchup against a Jets secondary allowing the ninth most wide receiver yardage this year. CB Cameron Lewis (wrist), LB Matt Milano (pectoral) and CB Tre’Davious White (back) are listed as questionable.
Jets K Sam Ficken (right groin) and G Alex Lewis (shoulder) are out, so if you were starting Ficken in a two-kicker league, make other plans. T Mekhi Becton (shoulder), WR Jamison Crowder (groin), QB Sam Darnold (right shoulder), T Chuma Edoga (calf), and T George Fant (knee) are questionable. Head coach Adam Gase expects Darnold to suit up against Buffalo — a considerable upgrade from Jamison Crowder if he can play Sunday.
Steelers @ Titans
Steelers CB Mike Hilton (shoulder) and FB Derek Watt (hamstring) are out. WR Diontae Johnson (back) practiced Friday and will play against the Titans. He’s a WR3 option with upside in a potentially high scoring game.
Titans WR A.J. Brown (knee), LB Jadeveon Clowney (knee), DT DaQuan Jones (foot), T Dennis Kelly (knee), TE MyCole Pruitt (illness), TE Jonnu Smith (ankle), and T Isaiah Wilson (illness) practiced fully Friday. Brown and Smith should be ready to play Sunday against Pittsburgh.
Packers @ Texans
Packers RB Tyler Ervin (wrist) and DT Tyler Lancaster (shoulder) are out, and T David Bakhtiari (chest), CB Kevin King (quadricep), and S Darnell Savage (quadricep) are listed as doubtful to face Houston.
Packers DE Montravius Adams (foot), RB Aaron Jones (calf), C Corey Linsley (back), LB Preston Smith (shoulder), and TE Robert Tonyan (ankle) are questionable. Jone tweaked a calf in practice late in the week and shapes up as a full blown game-time call for Green Bay. An inactive Jones would clear the way for Jamaal Williams to lead the Packers backfield in a mouth watering matchup. Rookie AJ Dillon should get some run too. Tyler Ervin being out leaves Williams and Dillon as the only healthy backs on the team.
Texans TE Jordan Akins (ankle, concussion) and LB Peter Kalambayi (hamstring) are questionable. Don’t expect Darren Fells to continue posting a 22 percent touchdown rate, but he remains a viable streaming option if Akins misses Week 7.
Lions @ Falcons
Lions CB Desmond Trufant (hamstring) is out.
Falcons DE Takkarist McKinley (groin) is questionable. Julio Jones (hamstring) had limited practices on Thursday and Friday — he should be good to go against Detroit.
Browns @ Bengals
Browns TE Austin Hooper (illness), LB Jacob Phillips (knee), and G Wyatt Teller (calf) are out. David Njoku has run a couple more routes and has one more target than Harrison Bryant over the past couple weeks. Both should see plenty of playing time this week, with Njoku being a slightly better waiver add. S Karl Joseph (hamstring) and DT Sheldon Richardson (achilles) are listed as questionable.
Bengals CB William Jackson (concussion) and RB Joe Mixon (foot) are out. Gio Bernard, in four games with Mixon out of the Bengals’ lineup since 2017, has averaged 17.5 touches and 88.75 total yards. Bernard is a low-end RB2 against Cleveland.
Bengals WR John Ross (illness) and S Shawn Williams (hamstring) are listed as questionable.
Panthers @ Saints
Panthers CB Eli Apple (hamstring), CB Donte Jackson (toe), G John Miller (ankle), and WR Curtis Samuel (knee) are questionable to play. Samuel shouldn’t be in fantasy lineups even if he gets the green light.
Saints G Nick Easton (concussion) and WR Michael Thomas (ankle, hamstring) are out, and WR Emmanuel Sanders will miss Week 7 after being placed on the COVID-19 list. That leaves Tre’Quan Smith and Marquez Callaway as the top two wideouts for New Orleans. Callaway shapes up as a sneaky play in deeper leagues after playing 68 percent of the Saints’ snaps in Week 5 and getting six targets from Drew Brees.
Saints S J.T. Gray (hamstring) is questionable.
Cowboys @ Football Team
Cowboys T Brandon Knight (knee) and G Zack Martin (concussion) are out.
Washington T Saahdiq Charles (knee), WR Antonio Gandy-Golden (hamstring), DE James Smith-Williams (concussion), and WR Isaiah Wright (shoulder) are out. Wright and Gandy-Golden being inactive should open up a few more targets for Dontrelle Inman, though the team’s passing game will continue to run through Terry McLaurin. T Geron Christian (knee) is questionable.
Afternoon Games
Bucs @ Raiders
Bucs S Andrew Adams (hamstring) is out.
Raiders WR Bryan Edwards (foot, ankle) and CB Keisean Nixon (groin) are out; DT Maliek Collins (shoulder) and DE Carl Nassib (toe) are listed as questionable. Head coach Jon Gruden said he expects to have the team’s offensive linemen back for Sunday’s game after they were kept home from practice because they had contact with Trent Brown, who tested positive for COVID-19 and will not play Week 7.
49ers @ Patriots
49ers LB Kwon Alexander (ankle), RB Raheem Mostert (ankle), S Jaquiski Tartt (groin), and S Jimmie Ward (quadricep) are out. The Niners will be without both starting safeties this week. T Trent Williams (ankle) and RB Jeffery Wilson (calf) are questionable to play. Wilson could throw a wrench into what looked like a safe early down role for JaMycal Hasty. RB Raheem Mostert (ankle) was placed on IR this week.
Patriots DT Carl Davis (concussion) is out. DT Adam Butler (elbow), S Kyle Dugger (ankle), WR Julian Edelman (knee), G Shaquille Mason (calf), and DE Derek Rivers (back) are listed as questionable. Edelman should play. He’s a WR3 option in PPR leagues against the Niners.
Chiefs @ Broncos
Chiefs DE Taco Charlton (knee), DE Alex Okafor (hamstring), T Mitchell Schwartz (back), and WR Sammy Watkins (hamstring) are out. Demarcus Robinson, who saw six targets last week, makes for a better fantasy play than Mecole Hardman with Watkins sidelined.
Broncos LB Jeremiah Attaochu (quadricep) and WR Diontae Spencer (shoulder) are out, while TE Andrew Beck (hamstring), TE Jake Butt (hamstring), and G Dalton Risner (shoulder) are considered questionable. TE Noah Fant (ankle) and WR K.J. Hamler (hamstring) practiced fully Friday and will play against KC. Fant should be back in fantasy lineups.
Jaguars @ Chargers
Jaguars TE Tyler Eifert (neck), LB Myles Jack (ankle), and S Jarrod Wilson (hamstring) are out. G A.J. Cann (shoulder) is considered questionable.
Chargers G Trai Turner (groin) is out and T Storm Norton (knee) is doubtful to play. T Bryan Bulaga (back), WR K.J. Hill (hip), RB Justin Jackson (knee), and QB Tyrod Taylor (ribs) are listed as questionable. Jackson, who practiced fully to close the week, should be a go against the Jaguars. He’s a high-end RB2 in a superb matchup.
Sunday Night Football
Seahawks @ Cardinals
Seahawks S Jamal Adams (groin) is out again. G Mike Iupati (back) is considered questionable.
Cardinals T Kelvin Beachum (ankle), LB Kylie Fitts (hamstring), LB Dennis Gardeck (foot), WR DeAndre Hopkins (ankle), CB Dre Kirkpatrick (foot), and DT Jordan Phillips (foot) are questionable. Head coach Kliff Kingsbury said he’s “hopeful” Hopkins can play this week after getting in a limited Friday practice. If Hopkins is active, fantasy managers shouldn’t get cute. Hopkins has a dream matchup against a nonexistent Seattle secondary.
Monday Night Football
Bears @ Rams
Bears S Deon Bush (hamstring) and DT Bilal Nichols (knee) had limited practices on Friday.
Rams RB Darrell Henderson (thigh), TE Tyler Higbee (hand), and WR Robert Woods (groin) did not practice Friday. Head coach Sean McVay said all three guys should be available Monday night. Fantasy players should keep an eye on their Saturday practice status.
