NFL injury report: The situations to monitor for Week 17

Every Tuesday this season, we will review the most recent injury news through the lens of fantasy football.

Injuries are an unfortunate part of football, but there’s always a “next man up” — and fantasy players need to know the situations to monitor to take early advantage of changing situations.

A lot can change between now and kickoff, but these are the biggest situations to monitor thought the week.

Quarterback Kyler Murray , Arizona Cardinals (leg)

Murray is questionable with a lower leg injury, and head coach Kliff Kingsbury says he’s “hopeful” Murray will be available for Week 17. The only legitimate takeaway there is that Murray isn’t a flat-out “no,” which we can take some solace in. But Murray will need to practice some this week to be considered on the right side of questionable.

Deshaun Watson , Houston Texans (arm)

Watson hurt his arm in Week 16 but finished the game. He is expected to play in Week 17 barring setbacks.

Matthew Stafford , Detroit Lions (ankle)

Stafford missed most of Week 16 with an ankle injury, but he says he hopes to play in Detroit’s finale against the Vikings, who do have an exploitable secondary.

Jared Goff , Los Angeles Rams (thumb)

Goff injured his thumb and underwent surgery, which will keep him on the sidelines for Week 17. Goff is eyeing a playoff return (if the Rams make it, which is no sure thing with QB John Wolford next up).

Alex Smith , Washington Football Team (calf)

There’s optimism Smith will be ready for Week 17. It seems unlikely that the WFT would have cut Dwayne Haskins if they were not confident in Smith’s return, given that the Week 17 tilt determines the division winner. Smith is a streaming QB2.

Jimmy Garoppolo , San Francisco 49ers (ankle)

Garoppolo is not expected to play in Week 17.

Running back Christian McCaffrey , Carolina Panthers (thigh)

The Panthers have nothing to play for in Week 17, and McCaffrey isn’t expected to give it a go.

James Robinson , Jacksonville Jaguars (ankle)

Robinson hasn’t practiced since Week 15 and will be reevaluated in the middle of the week prior to Week 17’s game. Dare Ogunbowale is due for 15-20 touches if Robinson can’t suit up again.

Cam Akers , Los Angeles Rams (ankle)

Akers may be available for Week 17. With Darrell Henderson and Jared Goff already out for Week 17, the Rams are running thin on talent in the backfield. They also need to win (or a Bears loss) to make the playoffs. The confluence of events may cause Akers to be returned before he’s 100%. If Akers also misses, Malcolm Brown should handle a workhorse-like role.

Darrell Henderson , Los Angeles Rams (ankle)

Henderson is dealing with an ankle issue that is feared to be a high ankle sprain. He will not play in Week 17. Malcolm Brown will fill in for Henderson, and he could be in for a big role unless Akers returns.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire , Kansas City Chiefs (ankle, hip)

Edwards-Helaire is expected to be out Week 17. Darrel Williams unexpectedly served as the lead back in Week 16, seeing 14 touches to Le'Veon Bell ’s eight. It will likely be a backfield-by-committee again in Week 17.

Joe Mixon , Cincinnati Bengals (foot)

Mixon won’t play in Week 17, giving Giovani Bernard (23 touches, 131 total yards last week) and Samaje Perine (17 touches, 136 total yards, 2 TDs last week) more work in the finale, but such productive outings for both players shouldn’t be expected.

Ronald Jones , Tampa Bay Buccaneers (finger, COVID list)

Jones will likely be activated off the Reserve/COVID-19 list this week to be available for Week 17 against the Falcons and in the playoffs. Jones’ return will bump Leonard Fournette back to spot duty.

Raheem Mostert , San Francisco 49ers (ankle)

Mostert was placed on IR last week, ending his season. Jeffery Wilson is the only 49ers RB you need to know about for Week 17.

Phillip Lindsay , Denver Broncos (hip/knee)

Lindsay was placed on IR just before Week 16, locking Melvin Gordon in for 16-20 touches in Week 17 as a solid fantasy RB2.

Damien Harris , New England Patriots (ankle)

Harris did not play Monday night, paving the way for Sony Michel to operate as the lead RB in New England. Harris and Michel have flip-flopped starting jobs all year. This will be a positional battle to watch in the offseason.

Frank Gore , New York Jets (lung)

Gore will not play in Week 17. La'Mical Perine is a volume-based flex option as a result, as he’s now locked in to at least 15 touches.

Jamaal Williams , Green Bay Packers (quad)

Williams didn’t practice last week and missed Week 16. In his absence, the Packers saw what they had in rookie A.J. Dillon , who dominated with 124 rushing yards and two scores. Green Bay was in control from start to finish, and Aaron Jones is still the lead guy for the Packers, but Dillon’s strong performance may spell the end of Williams’ time as the primary backup.

Chase Edmonds , Arizona Cardinals (hip)

Edmonds is day-to-day with a hip injury. Kenyan Drake would be a lock for 18-22 touches if Edmonds misses time.

Duke Johnson , Houston Texans (neck)

Duke missed Week 16, once again giving David Johnson the bulk of the work (15 touches. 139 yards, 2 TDs). Duke is not relevant in fantasy even if he returns in Week 17.

Wide receiver Michael Thomas , New Orleans Saints (ankle)

Thomas is still on the IR, but head coach Sean Payton thinks it will only be for the three-week minimum, meaning Thomas should be set for the playoffs.

DeAndre Hopkins , Arizona Cardinals (upper body)

Hopkins exited the game in the second quarter, but he returned and saw 12 targets on the day. He should be fine for Week 17, but his practice status will have to be monitored.

Julio Jones , Atlanta Falcons (hamstring)

Jones has missed the last three weeks but has a chance to play in Week 17 in what could be a high-scoring affair against the Buccaneers. He’ll need at least limited practices this week to have a realistic shot at playing as anything more than a decoy.

Keenan Allen , Los Angeles Chargers (hamstring)

Allen caught one of three targets while playing injured in Week 15 and then didn’t play in Week 16. It was a lame-duck finish to the fantasy season after Allen had carried managers to the playoffs. He’s locked in as a fantasy PPR WR1 in LA with Justin Herbert next season.

Terry McLaurin , Washington Football Team (ankle)

McLaurin is dealing with a high-ankle sprain, an injury that may bleed into the NFL playoffs should Washington make it that far.

Brandon Aiyuk , San Francisco 49ers (ankle)

Aiyuk suffered a high-ankle sprain in Week 16 and will not play in Week 17. He was a rookie revelation and will come off draft boards in the first six rounds in 2021 fantasy drafts.

Kenny Golladay , Detroit Lions (hip)

It would be a surprise to see Golladay show up in Week 17. He missed the entire second half of the season, but he’s still a top-12 WR stash in dynasty leagues.

Tyler Boyd , Cincinnati Bengals (head)

Boyd suffered a concussion in Week 15 and did not play in Week 16. Tee Higgins and Alex Erickson each caught six passes with Boyd out last week.

Cleveland Browns WRs (COVID-19 list)

Jarvis Landry , Rashard Higgins , Donovan Peoples-Jones , and Khadarel Hodge all landed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list before Week 16. There int still enough time for them to test negative and play in Week 17.

Miami Dolphins WRs (various)

DeVante Parker (hamstring), Jakeem Grant (ankle) and Preston Williams (foot) are all hurt for various reasons. Parker has now missed two games as a game-time decision, but he seems close enough to a return that he should be back on the field sooner rather than later. Grant suffered a high-ankle sprain in Week 16 and will now likely miss several weeks. Williams hasn’t been seen since Week 9 but still has a chance to return for either Week 17 or the playoffs.

Tre'Quan Smith , New Orleans Saints (ankle)

Smith missed Week 16 after missing most of Week 15. Emmanuel Sanders and Jared Cook are the primary beneficiaries for as long as both Smith and Michael Thomas are out.

Sammy Watkins , Kansas City Chiefs (calf)

Watkins exited Week 16 with a calf injury, but it’s not thought to be too serious. Watkins sees steady volume, but the passing TDs in KC outside of Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill are very hard to reliably predict.

John Brown , Buffalo Bills (ankle, Reserve/COVID-19 list)

Brown was reactivated from his ankle injury but then landed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list prior to Week 16.

Julian Edelman , New England Patriots (knee)

Edelman returned to practice two weeks ago but still hasn’t been activated, which may indicate that the team is eyeing a 2021 return at this point.

Golden Tate , New York Giants (calf)

Tate hurt his calf midway through the week last week and the missed practices Thursday and Friday before missing the game Sunday. His practice reports will have to be monitored. New York’s offense will flow heavily through Sterling Shepard (9-77-1 last week) and Evan Engram (7-65-0) with Tate out.

Michael Pittman , Indianapolis Colts (head)

Pittman is now in the NFL’s concussion protocol. There’s little hope he’ll be ready for Week 17.

K.J. Hamler , Denver Broncos (head)

The home-run hitter suffered a possible concussion in Week 16. Check on his status later in the week.

Tight end Hunter Henry , Los Angeles Chargers (Reserve/COVID-19 list)

He’ll obviously need to come off the Reserve/COVID-19 list to have a chance to play in Week 17. If he returns, he could see a few additional targets with Keenan Allen not 100%.

Evan Engram , New York Giants (ankle)

Engram was hurt in the fourth quarter of Week 16, and while head coach Joe Judge said he’s optimistic, we’ll need to wait until later in the week to hear what actual doctors say about Engram’s ankle. Practice reports will have to be monitored closely here, as Engram is a solid middle-of-the-pack TE1 if he’s able to suit up (he saw 10 targets last week).

Dallas Goedert , Philadelphia Eagles (calf)

Goedert was forced out of the Week 16 game in the fourth quarter. If he’s not ready for Week 17, Zach Ertz will be in line for a top-five fantasy week.

Kyle Rudolph , Minnesota Vikings (foot)

Irv Smith is a top streaming option for as long as Rudolph is out.

NFL injury report: The situations to monitor for Week 17

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