Whom should you start? Whom should you sit? To help you set your fantasy football lineups and avoid starting an offensive player who won’t be in the lineup, we’ll post fantasy-relevant updates and analysis here as NFL teams release their official inactives lists. Any rankings cited in this column come from our ESPN Fantasy staff ranks.
Official Sunday inactives should begin coming in approximately 90 minutes prior to the scheduled kickoff times: around 11:30 a.m. ET for the early games and 2:30 p.m. ET for the late afternoon games.
Refresh often for the latest information.
1 p.m. ET games
Cordarrelle Patterson, RB, ATL, Inactive
Impact: With Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier seemingly handling the backfield job, Patterson’s services are apparently not needed right now.
Mark Andrews, TE, BAL, Active
Impact: As expected, Andrews will play today. Get him into your lineups 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 to Khalil Herbert in the Bears’ backfield, though not quite ready for regular fantasy lineup usage.
Chris Evans, RB, CIN, Inactive
Impact: Trayveon Williams becomes the more likely option to spell Joe Mixon in Week 2.
Christian Watson, WR, GB, Inactive
Impact: Watson did get in some limited work Friday, but he will be sitting this one out. Romeo Doubs and Jayden Reed will handle most of the Packers’ receiving duties.
Aaron Jones, RB, GB, Inactive
Impact: With Jones not practicing all week, he was never really expected to play. This should mean a lot more touches for AJ Dillon.
C.J. Stroud, QB, HOU, Active
Impact: While the Texans have been cautious with Stroud’s shoulder all week, they will not be forced to turn to Davis Mills in Week 2. Knock on wood.
Kylen Granson, TE, IND, Active
Impact: Granson was downgraded on Saturday but will apparently give it a go. Mo Alie-Cox might be the better TE option here, though. Drew Ogletree, fresh out of the league’s concussion protocol, is inactive.
Travis Kelce, TE, KC, Active
Impact: Andy Reid said he was playing. He was telling the truth. Start Kelce.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, KC, Active
Impact: An illness kept him out of practice this week, but CEH will play. La’Mical Perine, who was elevated from the practice squad, is a healthy inactive. Regardless, Isiah Pacheco is still looking like the RB1 in Kansas City.
Jakobi Meyers, WR, LV, OUT
Impact: Hunter Renfrow will slide into the No. 2 WR spot in Las Vegas alongside Davante Adams, who was removed from the injury report.
Austin Ekeler, RB, LAC, OUT
Impact: Expect Joshua Kelley to start, with Elijah Dotson and Isaiah Spiller backing him up.
DeAndre Hopkins, WR, TEN, Active
Impact: This was a game-time call 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, DAL, Questionable
Impact: There’s only an 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 if Cooks sits.
Greg Dulcich, TE, DEN, OUT/IR
Impact: It will be at least a month before we see Dulcich again. Adam Trautman enters the deep-league TE mix.
Puka Nacua, WR, LAR, Questionable
Impact: If he sits, Van Jefferson and Tutu Atwell both become more interesting in fantasy, but after 15 targets in Week 1, most fantasy managers are hoping Nacua will be able to provide an encore.
Wan’Dale Robinson, WR, NYG, Doubtful
Impact: It may 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 bet than anyone in the WR room.
Breece Hall, RB, NYJ, Questionable
Impact: A full Friday practice indicates he’ll likely play, but Dalvin Cook may end up getting more touches. Given Hall’s efficiency in his career, however, a “snap count” may not hold back his fantasy value.
Greg Zuerlein, K, NYJ, OUT
Impact: Austin Seibert was signed to fill in for Zuerlein, who got hurt in practice Thursday.
Sunday night game
DeVante Parker, WR, NE, Questionable
Impact: He sat out Week 1 with the same amount of midweek practice, so you shouldn’t count on him. JuJu Smith-Schuster, on the other hand, is no longer on the injury report. Even so, you may want to take a chance on Kayshon Boutte or Demario Douglas instead, as potential fantasy fliers.
