This column is meant to offer our best predictions on what players will/will not play, as of 8 AM ET on Sunday. For the official active/inactive reports, please see our Latest NFL Player News.
The football fan's annual holiday has arrived, as Week 1 finally unfolds Sunday. A number of players that figure to be key contributors to the fantasy fortunes of many have been hampered by injuries throughout the offseason or during preseason. With quite a few key question marks heading into the NFL's opening weekend, here's a breakdown of who's slated to suit up and should therefore be in your starting lineups:
QUARTERBACKS
We'll start with the good news in terms of quarterbacks who were forced to sit out the preseason, as the Ravens' Joe Flacco returned to practice on Sept. 2 and has been a full participant since leading into the Week 1 matchup against the Bengals. The back injury that felled him for the duration of the exhibition slate is therefore no longer a concern, although the fact that he's yet to be hit this summer heading into the opener could be.
Andrew Luck's scenario is a markedly different one, however, as the Colts signal caller did not practice at all this past week and is already ruled out of the opener. Luck is approximately eight months removed from the January surgery that repaired his partially torn labrum, and whether he'll be able to take the field when Week 2 prep begins in earnest
This column is meant to offer our best predictions on what players will/will not play, as of 8 AM ET on Sunday. For the official active/inactive reports, please see our Latest NFL Player News.
The football fan's annual holiday has arrived, as Week 1 finally unfolds Sunday. A number of players that figure to be key contributors to the fantasy fortunes of many have been hampered by injuries throughout the offseason or during preseason. With quite a few key question marks heading into the NFL's opening weekend, here's a breakdown of who's slated to suit up and should therefore be in your starting lineups:
QUARTERBACKS
We'll start with the good news in terms of quarterbacks who were forced to sit out the preseason, as the Ravens' Joe Flacco returned to practice on Sept. 2 and has been a full participant since leading into the Week 1 matchup against the Bengals. The back injury that felled him for the duration of the exhibition slate is therefore no longer a concern, although the fact that he's yet to be hit this summer heading into the opener could be.
Andrew Luck's scenario is a markedly different one, however, as the Colts signal caller did not practice at all this past week and is already ruled out of the opener. Luck is approximately eight months removed from the January surgery that repaired his partially torn labrum, and whether he'll be able to take the field when Week 2 prep begins in earnest next Wednesday remains to be seen. Scott Tolzien will helm the Colts' offense in Week 1, downgrading all of the team's offensive skill position players to an extent.
The Panthers' Cam Newton's questionable designation due to a shoulder injury is disconcerting on the surface, but head coach Ron Rivera has confirmed that the tag is simply in lieu of the availability of a "probable" designation. The consensus is that Newton is fully expected to be out there and without restrictions against the new-look 49ers come Sunday.
A concussion knocked the Bills'Tyrod Taylor out of an Aug. 26 exhibition versus the Ravens, but he's been trending in the right direction since. The 28-year-old began participating in individual drills on Labor Day and cleared the league-mandated protocol for head injuries the following day. He's put in full practices since that point and gets first crack at could be one of the more inept squads in the league in the Jets to open the season.
RUNNING BACKS
Although not technically injury-related, fantasy owners sweating a potential extended absence from the Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott got at least a reprieve when he was granted a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against the six-game suspension the NFL had imposed. He was already cleared to play Week 1, but he'll now be allowed to continue taking the field beyond that while the legal process unfolds.
The Seahawks' Thomas Rawls is officially questionable with a high-ankle sprain for the opener against the Packers despite practicing in full all week. Head coach Pete Carroll has labeled him a true game-time decision, leaving open the possibility that Eddie Lacy will get the start against his old squad, with C.J. Prosise and rookie Chris Carson seeing a bump in reps as well.
The Bills' LeSean McCoy was sidelined with an illness early in the practice week, but he was back to a full session by Friday. He therefore should see a full workload against a Jets run defense that suffered a significant blow when former Pro Bowler Sheldon Richardson was traded to the Seahawks on Sept. 1.
T.J. Yeldon was already to be a secondary figure in the Jaguars backfield during the coming season with first-round pick Leonard Fournette taking the reins, and he may not see any touches at all in the opener due to a hamstring injury. He practiced in limited fashion in Thursday and Friday, but he's 50/50 to miss Week 1, pushing Fournette's stock – and to a lesser extent, Chris Ivory's – further up.
The hamstring injury that plagued the Titans' DeMarco Murray during the preseason is a thing of the past, as he's been practicing in full and is well-rested after logging only seven preseason touches. Murray could certainly be in advantageous position from the jump, as the Titans face off with the Raiders in a game projected to be one of the higher-scoring of the week.
The Bengals' Jeremy Hill faces a formidable challenge from rookie Joe Mixon this season, but a preseason ankle injury had been the biggest threat to his playing time heading into Week 1. However, Hill returned to a full practice on Wednesday and appears to be a full-go for the opener against the Ravens.
Speaking of the Ravens, Danny Woodhead looks set to make his Ravens regular-season debut Sunday after missing time in the preseason with a hamstring injury. Woodhead figures to take on his usual pass-catching role while Terrance West handles a solid bulk of the rushing workload.
Two of the downtrodden Jets' most talented skill players, Matt Forte and Bilal Powell, are reportedly ready to take the field against the Bills on Sunday. Forte dealt with a hamstring injury earlier in the preseason, while Powell fought through neck and rib ailments.
WIDE RECEIVERS
All eyes are on the Giants' Odell Beckham, Jr. heading into the Sunday night matchup against the Cowboys, with the ankle injury he suffered against the Browns in preseason rendering him a true game-time decision. Beckham didn't practice all week but did travel with the team to Dallas, leaving him with a chance of suiting up. The fantasy stock of Brandon Marshall and Sterling Shepard would naturally see significant boosts in Beckham's absence.
The Seahawks' Tyler Lockett has been hampered by a knee injury, but he's practiced all week and appears set to take the field for the first time since his broken leg since Week 16 of last season. Head coach Pete Carroll has said as much, but naturally didn't reveal whether the speedster will play limited snaps.
The Texans' defense rightfully earns headlines, but DeAndre Hopkins is as pivotal to the team's success as anyone. He's been sidelined for the majority of the past three weeks with a thumb injury, but he returned to practice Monday and was removed from the Week 1 injury report Thursday. Meanwhile, teammate Braxton Miller has participated fully in practice this past week following a preseason ankle injury, and he too looks set to line up against the Jaguars on Sunday.
Amari Cooper surprisingly popped up on the injury report Wednesday with a knee ailment, but was back to full practices Thursday and Friday. He's fully expected to take the field for the Raiders' Week 1 showdown against the Titans.
The Broncos' Demaryius Thomas has been fighting groin and hamstring injuries since the third week of preseason, but full participation beginning with Thursday's practice seemingly has him on the right track to take the field against the Chargers in the opener.
The presence of the Redskins' Jamison Crowder on Thursday's injury report with a hip flexor injury apparently isn't cause for concern, even with limited participation on Friday. The same applies for fellow wideout Josh Doctson, who actually has been practicing in full since Wednesday, apparently putting the hamstring injury that lingered throughout the preseason behind him.
The Bears' Markus Wheaton is apparently making a faster-than-expected recovery from his broken finger, as there now appears to be at least a chance he takes the field for Sunday's opener against the Falcons. Wheaton was originally slated to be out until at least Week 2.
The timing of the Bills' Jordan Matthews' sternum injury couldn't have been much worse, as it occurred during his first practice in Buffalo after being traded from the Eagles. However, he's been practicing fully since Wednesday, making him a full go for Sunday's opener against the Jets. The one caveat is that this week's three sessions essentially represent the extent of Matthews' work with Tyrod Taylor, which could affect his early-season performances.
The Ravens have a clean bill of health on a pair of important offensive weapons heading into Sunday's showdown against the Bengals, as Jeremy Maclin (hand) and Breshad Perriman (hamstring) participated fully in practice during the week.
Their opponents also have a couple of pass catchers with some injury concerns, but they have slightly different prognosis heading into Sunday. Tyler Boyd was on the injury report with a hamstring injury but seems ready to go for Week 1, while rookie John Ross is a true game-time call after practicing in limited fashion with a knee injury on Thursday and Friday.
Another talented first-year player, the Lions' Kenny Golladay, is questionable with an ankle injury after practicing in limited fashion all week. Although he got off to a fast start in preseason, he's slated to open the season as the No. 4 receiver.
The Chargers' Dontrelle Inman and Mike Williams have different outlooks coming into Monday's opener against the Broncos. Inman is questionable with a groin injury that limited him in practice all week, while Williams is out with the herniated disk that he's been recovering from since rookie minicamp.
TIGHT ENDS
The Bengals' Tyler Eifert is apparently over the knee tendinitis that caused him to miss the Bengals' final pair of preseason contests. He practiced fully all week and looks to be without restrictions entering Week 1 against the Ravens.
KEY DEFENSIVE PLAYERS
The Rams' Aaron Donald ended his holdout Saturday and passed his physical, bringing his months-long absence to an end. While he doesn't project to be available against the Colts come Sunday, the goal is to apparently have him ready to roll by Week 2. Facing a depleted Indianapolis attack in Week 1 likely makes Donald's absence a bit more tolerable.
The Browns will be without an important defensive piece in first-round pick Myles Garrett, who suffered a high-ankle injury in Wednesday's practice. Given the lingering nature of that type of injury, he's expected to be out until at least Week 3, if not longer.
The status of a key component of the Steelers defense is in doubt as well, as Bud Dupree's shoulder injury has earned him a questionable tag heading into Sunday's game against Cleveland. Dupree has insisted his availability is not in question, despite practicing in limited fashion throughout the week.
Khalil Mack appears ready to go for Sunday for the Raiders versus the Titans after practicing in full on Thursday and Friday. There'd been some concerns Wednesday after he missed that session with a knee injury.
The Seahawks' Richard Sherman will apparently be out there defending Jordy Nelson and company on Sunday after a thigh injury prompted his presence on the injury report during the middle of week.
