AJ MassESPN Staff Writer September 17, 2023, 11:43am ET4 minutes read
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Who should you start with? Who should you sit on? To help you set your fantasy football lineups and avoid using an offensive player who won’t be in the lineup, we’ll be posting fantasy-related updates and analysis here as NFL teams release their official inactive lists . All rankings cited in this column come from our ESPN Fantasy staff.
Official inactive players on Sunday should arrive approximately 90 minutes before the scheduled kickoff times: approximately 11:30 a.m. ET for early games and 2:30 p.m. ET for late afternoon games.
Update regularly to get the latest information.
Play at 1 p.m. ET
Cordarrelle Patterson, RB, ATL, Inactive
Impact: With Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier seemingly taking over the backfield job, Patterson’s services don’t appear to be needed at this time.
Mark Andrews, TE, BALActive
Impact: As expected, Andrews will play today. Include him in your lineup if you have him.
D’Onta Foreman, RB, CHI, Inactive
Impact: A healthy scratch, Foreman’s loss is Roschon Johnson’s gain. Johnson is now the clear No. 2 for Khalil Herbert in the Bears’ backfield, although he’s not quite ready for regular fantasy roster action just yet.
Chris Evans, RB, CINInactive
Impact: Trayveon Williams becomes the more likely option to spell Joe Mixon in Week 2.
Christian Watson, WR, GBInactive
Impact: Watson had limited work on Friday, but he will sit it out. Romeo Doubs and Jayden Reed will handle most of the Packers’ receiving duties.
Aaron Jones, RB, GBInactive
Impact: Because Jones didn’t practice all week, he was never actually expected to play. This should mean a lot more touches for AJ Dillon.
CJ Stroud, QB, HOUActive
Impact: While the Texans have been cautious about Stroud’s shoulder all week, they won’t be forced to turn to Davis Mills in Week 2. Knock on wood.
Kylen Granson, TE, IND, Active
Impact: Granson was demoted on Saturday but will apparently try out. However, Mo Alie-Cox might be the better TE option here. Drew Ogletree, fresh out of the league’s concussion protocol, is inactive.
Travis Kelce, TE, KCActive
Impact: Andy Reid said he would play. He told the truth. Start Kelce.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, KCActive
Impact: Illness kept him from training this week, but CEH will play. La’Mical Perine, who was called up from the practice squad, is a healthy inactive. Regardless, Isiah Pacheco still looks like the RB1 in Kansas City.
Jakobi Meyers, WR, LVOUT OF
Impact: Hunter Renfrow will move to the No. 2 WR spot in Las Vegas alongside Davante Adams, who was taken off the injury report.
Austin Ekeler, RB, LACOUT OF
Impact: Expect Joshua Kelley to be in the starting lineup with Elijah Dotson and Isaiah Spiller behind him.
DeAndre Hopkins, WR, TENActive
Impact: This was a call during the game and Hopkins did not practice all week. Treylon Burks and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine may still be in line for a fantasy value boost.
4 p.m. ET games
Brandin Cooks, WR, DALQuestionable
Impact: There’s only one outside shot he’ll play, but after a 40-point win in Week 1, why would Dallas decide to risk further injury here? Both Michael Gallup and Jalen Tolbert would benefit from Cooks sitting.
Greg Dulcich, TE, DENOUT/IR
Impact: It will be at least a month before we see Dulcich again. Adam Trautman enters the high-profile TE mix.
Puka Nacua, WR, LARQuestionable
Impact: If he sits, both Van Jefferson and Tutu Atwell become more interesting in fantasy, but after 15 targets in Week 1, most fantasy managers are hoping Nacua can provide an encore.
Wan’Dale Robinson, WR, NYGDoubtful
Impact: It could be a few more weeks for Robinson. If you’re looking to start a receiver on the Giants, TE Darren Waller is probably a better choice than anyone else in the WR room.
Breece Hall, RB, NYJQuestionable
Impact: A full Friday practice suggests he’ll likely play, but Dalvin Cook could end up getting more touches. However, given Hall’s efficiency in his career, a “quick count” shouldn’t diminish his fantasy value.
Greg Zuerlein, K, NYJ, OUT OF
Impact: Austin Seibert was brought in to replace Zuerlein, who was injured in practice on Thursday.
Game on Sunday evening
DeVante Parker, WR, NEQuestionable
Impact: He skipped Week 1 with the same amount of training during the week, so you shouldn’t rely on him. JuJu Smith-Schuster, however, is no longer on the injury report. Still, you might want to check out Kayshon Boutte or Demario Douglas as potential fantasy flyers instead.