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AJ Mass, ESPN Staff Writer
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 before 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
Dontayvion Wicks, WR, GB — Active
Impact: Wicks is playing, but who knows how healthy he truly is? Malik Heath and Samori Toure could be pressed into action given all the WR uncertainty in Green Bay.
Christian Watson, WR, GB — Inactive
Impact: Romeo Doubs is definitely the safest WR option if you’re itching to start someone on the Packers this week.
Jayden Reed, WR, GB — Inactive
Impact: He missed all three practices this week, so it’s not surprising to see him out of commission today.
AJ Dillon, RB, GB — Active
Impact: Aaron Jones is healthy again, so even though Dillon (thumb) is apparently ready to suit up, Jones is likely to be the better fantasy option.
Nico Collins, WR, HOU — Active
Impact: After sitting out last week, Collins has been steadily progressing toward being able to play this weekend.
C.J. Stroud, QB, HOU — OUT
Impact: Case Keenum will start again as Stroud continues to deal with post-concussion headaches.
Zack Moss, RB, IND — OUT
Impact: The timing works out as Jonathan Taylor is ready to return from his thumb injury.
Michael Pittman Jr., WR, IND — OUT
Impact: He cleared the league’s concussion protocol Friday, but he suffered a relapse of symptoms and will not play. D.J. Montgomery could be a last-ditch, dart-throw, waiver-wire WR option.
Alexander Mattison, RB, MIN — Active
Impact: Even though Mattison’s ankle will allow him to suit up, Ty Chandler is still in line to get the bulk of the RB touches in this one.
Zach Wilson, QB, NYJ — OUT
Impact: Trevor Siemian will start as Wilson deals with concussion aftereffects. Aaron Rodgers was removed from IR so he can continue to practice with the team, but it is unlikely he sees actual game action this season.
Kenneth Walker III, RB, SEA — Active
Impact: Although he was only able to manage a limited Friday practice this week, that was apparently all the team needed to see from him to get him back into the huddle.
Will Levis, QB, TEN — Inactive
Impact: Ryan Tannehill took nearly all of the first-team reps this week, as it was expected that Levis would miss this one.
Chigoziem Okonkwo, TE, TEN — Active
Impact: He missed Friday’s practice due to an illness, but that appears to be behind him. With Trevon Wesco (shin) inactive and Josh Whyle (knee) ailing, we expect Okonkwo will be on the field a ton today.
Brian Robinson Jr., RB, WSH — OUT
Impact: Chris Rodriguez Jr. and Antonio Gibson will split touches, with Rodriguez likely getting more carries and Gibson more RB targets.
4 p.m. ET games
Greg Dortch, WR, ARI — Questionable
Impact: TE Trey McBride caught 10 passes last week as Arizona’s wideouts started getting hurt. He should be very active again in Week 16, and even more so if Dortch joins the inactive list.
Marquise Brown, WR, ARI — OUT
Impact: Michael Wilson becomes a much more prominent fantasy option.
Equanimeous St. Brown, WR, CHI — OUT
Impact: A third consecutive sit gives Tyler Scott another chance to showcase his abilities.
D’Onta Foreman, RB, CHI — Questionable
Impact: Foreman (personal) is not expected to play. Even so, a murky Bears backfield consisting of Roschon Johnson and Khalil Herbert is still probably one to be avoided in fantasy.
Cole Kmet, TE, CHI — Questionable
Impact: A thigh issue doesn’t appear to be enough to keep Kmet from suiting up this week.
Trevor Lawrence, QB, JAX — Questionable
Impact: Lawrence has cleared the league’s concussion protocol and will indeed start.
Zay Jones, WR, JAX — Questionable
Impact: Parker Washington might be worth a fantasy flier if Jones (hamstring) is unable to take the field, which seems to be the way the wind is blowing.
Tyreek Hill, WR, MIA — Questionable
Impact: Hill finished out the week with a pair of limited practices, so everything appears to be in line for a Sunday start here.
Sunday night game
Greg Dulcich, TE, DEN — OUT/IR
Impact: He’s still not ready to return from foot issues. Lucas Krull could be a late long shot pick for the desperate.
Hunter Henry, TE, NE — OUT
Impact: Mike Gesicki and Pharaoh Brown will split the TE workload for New England.
JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, NE — OUT
Impact: Demario Douglas should, at minimum, take over his target share.
Rhamondre Stevenson, RB, NE — OUT
Impact: Ezekiel Elliott gets another chance to rack up the RB touches.
