Teams missing their entire offensive core, teams with moving reports through bye weeks, and now a ton of big name fantasy players on bye in Week 7—there’s a lot to cope with driven by health in the NFL and the time to be updated is now. Headed into the weekend, before setting lineups, get on the same page with the NFL beat on which fantasy-relevant players are affected by injury designations.
This series will continue to be live every Saturday morning, meaning that if brand new statuses appear, they are not covered here. You can also follow me on Twitter (@AhaanRungta) for more regular fantasy football discussions, including comments on injury-riddled fantasy rosters. If a game does not appear on this list, that means there is currently no current injury threat in the realm of fantasy relevance.
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Week 7 NFL Inactives
*Also check out our Week 7 Fantasy Football Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | Kicker | D/ST | PPR | Flex
Kansas City Chiefs vs. Tennessee Titans
QUESTIONABLE: WR Tyreek Hill, KC (quadriceps)
QUESTIONABLE: WR Julio Jones, TEN (hamstring)
OUT: WR Chester Rogers, TEN (groin)
There’s wide receiver trouble all around in this game between the puzzling Kansas City Chiefs and the wild card Tennessee Titans, who just upset the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football. Generational Chiefs talent Tyreek Hill, who has been inconsistent in production this season, was limited in practice but is currently expected to play in this AFC contest. In the other locker room, Julio Jones sees a similar designation for the Titans and is questionable due to a hamstring injury. Meanwhile, Chester Rogers, who has scored a touchdown and had two 60-yard games on the season, is already ruled out due to a groin injury.
It is also noteworthy that A.J. Brown, who had a tale of two halves in Week 6, has been dealing with well-advertised illnesses but is not listed on the Week 7 injury report.
https://twitter.com/1kalwaysopen_/status/1451290845701984259
Washington Football Team vs. Green Bay Packers
QUESTIONABLE: RB Antonio Gibson, WSH (shin)
OUT: WR Curtis Samuel, WSH (groin)
The team with no name has struggled on defense this season so they will need every bit of production they can get on offense with Taylor Heinicke under center to beat the 5-1 Green Bay Packers. They unfortunately won’t be at full health in that department as Antonio Gibson was limited in practice on Friday and will likely trend towards a game-time decision. Meanwhile, Curtis Samuel is already ruled out for the Week 7 matchup against the mediocre Packers secondary.
On the Packers side, while Marquez Valdes-Scantling remains on the injured reserve to nurse a hamstring injury, there are no other significant fantasy football headliners in danger of missing Week 7 at the moment.
Cincinnati Bengals vs. Baltimore Ravens
OUT: WR Sammy Watkins, BAL (thigh) / RB Latavius Murray, BAL (ankle)
The Cincinnati Bengals have been dealing with some big-name injuries on both sides of the ball this season but this week, none of your offensive fantasy players see any such designations.
You just can’t make the same statement in any week this season about the Baltimore Ravens as we see some new names in Sammy Watkins and—hold the phone—another running back in Latavius Murray be ruled out due to injury. The backfield for the Ravens is now down to Devonta Freeman, Le’Veon Bell, and Ty’Son Williams, in that order on the depth chart. Of course, the best rushing talent on the team is still their MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson.
In the pass-catching game, the absence of Watkins could open up an opportunity for a breakout from rookie Rashod Bateman in his second career game, as he is currently the WR2 on the team.
Carolina Panthers vs. New York Giants
QUESTIONABLE: WR Sterling Shepard, NYG (hamstring) / TE Evan Engram, NYG (calf) / WR John Ross, NYG (hamstring) / WR Darius Slayton, NYG (hamstring)
OUT: WR Terrace Marshall Jr., CAR (concussion)
OUT: WR Kadarius Toney, NYG (ankle) / WR Kenny Golladay, NYG (knee)
Let’s get Carolina out of the way first because they are blessed with health compared to their opponents. Rookie wideout Terrace Marshall Jr. is ruled out with a concussion for the Panthers; with Christian McCaffrey still on the injured reserve, it’s not clear whether the receiving game will be shifted much due to Marshall’s absence. DJ Moore still leads the pack as a target magnet for Sam Darnold and Robby Anderson still exists but will have to actually catch footballs to make an impact in the fantasy game, something he couldn’t do in Week 6.
And now for the Giants, who have twenty-five (25) names listed on the injured reserve, with the fantasy-relevant names appearing here looking like a full list of everybody one might one on their team. While Daniel Jones has certainly been playing well in spikes this season, he doesn’t have a starter in his play-making core that will enter the game healthy. As this game stands right now, it is risky to play any member of the Giants in any fantasy format and there could be several names listed above that end up being game-time decisions. Look for receiving options elsewhere instead of scrambling for some Hail Mary plays that could limp their way into the Giants lineup.
Atlanta Falcons vs. Miami Dolphins
QUESTIONABLE: WR Preston Williams, MIA (groin) / WR DeVante Parker, MIA (shoulder)
Fairly short and simple here. The Falcons are favored against the yucky Dolphins but only slightly—in what could be a good game for some value fantasy football plays, the Dolphins wide receiver core is wrinkled with some injuries. In Week 6 at London, rookie wide receiver Jaylen Waddle was my Love of the Week at the position and made me look like a prophet with 10 receptions for 70 yards and 2 touchdowns. If Parker and Williams are no-gos for the matchup again, it is another high-ceiling matchup for the talented target hog.
New York Jets vs. New England Patriots
QUESTIONABLE: RB Tevin Coleman, NYJ (hamstring)
QUESTIONABLE: K Nick Folk, NE (knee)
Definition of fantasy irrelevance here but if you are burdening yourself with Tevin Coleman on your fantasy roster due to the depth of your league, you must know he did not participate in practice on Friday. If he misses the contest, not much should be shifted in the fantasy game and Coleman hasn’t rushed the ball more than 5 times since Week 1. As for New England, they are burdened with a plethora of injuries but fantasy relevance is only seen at the kicker position. If you are in a league that has kickers, just look for someone outside of New England. Nick Folk, who will likely play, was limited in practice on Friday. Go with a healthy leg instead.
Detroit Lions vs. Los Angeles Rams
QUESTIONABLE: RB D’Andre Swift, DET (groin) / TE T.J. Hockensen, DET (knee)
While the Rams are one of the best and healthiest teams in the NFL, the Lions will enter the Week 7 matchup as multi-score underdogs and down a few healthy bodies such as Quintez Cephus and Tyrell Williams, who remain on the injured reserve. Meanwhile, two fantasy studs in D’Andre Swift and T.J. Hockensen were both limited in practice on Friday.
If Swift were to miss the matchup, Jamaal Williams would immediately step into fantasy start consideration as the starting running back of the team. If T.J. Hockensen’s status were in danger, it should create more opportunities for wide receivers Kalif Raymond, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and maybe KhaDarel Hodge as the Lions are expected to play a good chunk of the game from behind.
Chicago Bears vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
QUESTIONABLE: RB Damien Williams, CHI (illness) / WR Allen Robinson, CHI (ankle)
QUESTIONABLE: TE O.J. Howard, TB (ankle)
OUT: TE Jimmy Graham, CHI (illness)
OUT: WR Antonio Brown, TB (ankle) / TE Rob Gronkowski, TB (ribs)
While big names for the Bears such as David Montgomery continue to remain on the injured reserve, they aren’t getting help in the depth department due to health recently. Damien Williams, who is unvaccinated, will have to wait till the weekend to find out if he can be cleared or not and therefore fantasy owners must wait till then to see if the Bears will start him or Khalil Herbert at running back against the stingy Buccaneers run defense. Meanwhile, veteran tight end Jimmy Graham was played on the COVID-list but that shouldn’t move the fantasy needle much as Graham has only caught one pass this season so far.
Bears’ RB Damien Williams, on the Reseve/COVID-19 list, was not at practice again today and couldn’t be cleared until Saturday at the earliest because he’s unvaccinated and there’s a mandatory 10-day waiting period.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 21, 2021
As for the Super Bowl contender Tampa Bay Buccaneers, they are clearly in trouble with the secondary failing to remain healthy but they also continue staying afloat in the fantasy football injury news. Tight end O.J. Howard, who caught 6 passes on 7 targets for 49 yards and a touchdown in Week 6, could have an opportunity to repeat the strong performance since Rob Gronkowski is out again due to a rib injury. Howard will have to make it healthy himself though as he is currently listed as questionable, but he participated in practice fully on Friday. The biggest news on the Buccaneers’ injury beatdown came out of the wide receiver room as Antonio Brown will nurse an ankle injury and miss the Week 7 contest against the Bears. These injuries to the pass-catching core should lead to more opportunities for Tom Brady to look in the direction of wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin.
Indianapolis Colts vs. San Francisco 49ers
QUESTIONABLE: WR T.Y. Hilton, IND (quadriceps)
OUT: WR Parris Campbell, IND (foot)
OUT: QB Trey Lance, SF (knee)
After missing the first five weeks of the season due to injury, veteran wide receiver T.Y. Hilton was relevant in the passing game in Week 6, notching 4 receptions on 4 targets for 80 yards. He is again in the injury news, though, as he did not practice on Friday and is questionable for the Sunday Night Football matchup in San Francisco. Additionally, Parris Campbell, who was fantasy-relevant in Weeks 5 and 6, will now miss a chunk of the season and is droppable in medium-depth leagues. Campbell has a foot injury and he isn’t expected to return until about Week 15. The Colts naturally view Michael Pittman Jr. as their WR1 and still believe in their talented backfield, led by Jonathan Taylor.
As for the 49ers, the only new development coming off their Week 6 bye is that Jimmy Garoppolo is the man at quarterback since rookie Trey Lance is ruled out anyway with a knee injury. The 49ers are still without most of their original backfield and still see tight end George Kittle on the injured reserve.
New Orleans Saints vs. Seattle Seahawks
QUESTIONABLE: WR Tre’Quan Smith, NO (hamstring) / WR Deonte Harris, NO (hamstring) / Player Taysom Hill, NO (concussion)
QUESTIONABLE: RB Alex Collins, SEA (groin) / WR D.K. Metcalf, SEA (foot)
The Saints had a bye in Week 6 and had some movement on the injury report. Tre’Quan Smith, who has not fielded an offensive snap this eason, is now upgraded to questionable and could make his return from the injured reserve on Monday Night Football in Week 7. Unfortunately, this is at the same time that Deonte Harris missed practice on Friday and is in danger of missing Week 7. Meanwhile, Swiss Army knife ballplayer Taysom Hill is still concussed and also did not participate in practice on Friday.
As for Seattle, they are already dealing with a lot, including running back Chris Carson and quarterback Russell Wilson still being on the injured reserve. To add to the bad news, star wide receiver D.K. Metcalf did not practice on Friday and his status will have to be monitored over the weekend. Similarly, new Seattle RB1 Alex Collins also did not practice on Friday. If Collins misses the contest, DeeJay Dallas, Travis Homer, and Rashaad Penny would all move into the mix of fantasy relevance in a messy offensive situation.
More fantasy football fun for Week 7: Waiver Wire | FAAB Guide | Buy-Low, Sell-High Trade Targets | Start & Sit | Loves & Hates | Stock Watch | Sleepers & Streamers | QB Streamers | D/ST Streamers |
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