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AJ MassESPN Staff Writer
Who should you start? Who should you sit? To help you set your fantasy football lineups and to avoid starting a 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, typically about 90 minutes before kickoff. 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 time, around 11:30 a.m. ET for the early games and 2:30 p.m. ET for the late games.
Refresh often for the latest information.
1 p.m. ET games
Offense
Latavius Murray, RB, BAL: Ankle — Doubtful
Impact: Nobody is expecting him to play. Devonta Freeman and Le’Veon Bell should split most carries.
Sammy Watkins, WR, BAL: Thigh — Questionable
Impact: He’s likely going to sit out unless Bateman really can’t go.
Rashod Bateman, WR, BAL: Groin — Questionable
Impact: Missed practice late in the week, but optimism still exists here.
Cole Beasley, WR, BUF: Ribs — Questionable
Impact: Practiced late in the week, but this still may come down to a last-minute call.
Dawson Knox, TE, BUF: Hand — OUT
Impact: Tommy Sweeney will once again take over for the injured TE starter.
Sam Darnold, QB, CAR: Concussion — Questionable
Impact: He’s out of the league’s protocol, but it’s still not 100% clear if he or P.J. Walker will start.
Christian McCaffrey, RB, CAR: Hamstring — Questionable
Impact: He’s been activated from IR but a final decision for Week 9 won’t likely come until kickoff.
Chris Evans, RB, CIN: Hamstring — Questionable
Impact: If he plays, Samaje Perine becomes less of a flex option.
Donovan Peoples-Jones, WR, CLE: Groin — Questionable
Impact: If he’s healthy, he can take over for the soon-to-be-waived Odell Beckham Jr.
Amari Cooper, WR, DAL: Hamstring — Questionable
Impact: He’s expected to play, which is good because Michael Gallup is not yet ready to come off IR.
CeeDee Lamb, WR, DAL: Ankle — Questionable
Impact: He suffered his injury on Wednesday, so his status is truly up in the air.
Blake Jarwin, TE, DAL: Hip — OUT/IR
Impact: Dalton Schultz takes over for at least the next three weeks.
Noah Fant, TE, DEN: COVID-19 — Questionable
Impact: Fant is not expected to be cleared to play this week.
Albert Okwuegbunam, TE, DEN: Knee — Questionable
Impact: Given the absence of Fant, this is another solid opportunity to make some noise.
Pharaoh Brown, TE, HOU: Thigh — OUT
Impact: Jordan Akins and Brevin Jordan will catch passes from Tyrod Taylor, fresh off the IR.
James Robinson, RB, JAX: Heel — Questionable
Impact: Carlos Hyde‘s value grows if Robinson has to sit.
Tua Tagovailoa, QB, MIA: Finger — Questionable
Impact: Jacoby Brissett would step in if the words “sore and swollen” continue to be bandied about.
DeVante Parker, WR, MIA: Hamstring — OUT/IR
Impact: Jaylen Waddle and Preston Williams will do their best to fill in.
Jonnu Smith, TE, NE: Shoulder — Questionable
Impact: Limited in practice, but should be able to split targets with Hunter Henry.
Jameis Winston, QB, NO: Knee — OUT/IR
Impact: Trevor Siemian will start, with Taysom Hill also seeing some snaps under center.
Saquon Barkley, RB, NYG: Ankle — OUT
Impact: Devontae Booker will continue to handle the bulk of the backfield burden.
Sterling Shepard, WR, NYG: Quad — OUT
Impact: Kadarius Toney will get a chance to make a big splash this week.
John Ross, WR, NYG: Quad — Questionable
Impact: If he plays, he’ll be the “deep threat” for Daniel Jones.
Kenny Golladay, WR, NYG: Knee — Questionable
Impact: Expected to be able to play and would start alongside Toney.
Defense
Jerome Baker, LB, MIA: Knee — Questionable
Michael Pierce, DT, MIN: Elbow — OUT
Anthony Barr, LB, MIN: Knee — Questionable
Dont’a Hightower, LB, NE: Ankle — Questionable
Kyle Van Noy, LB, NE: Groin — Questionable
Malcolm Jenkins, S, NO: Knee — Questionable
Lorenzo Carter, LB, NYG: Ankle — OUT
4 p.m. ET games
Offense
Kyler Murray, QB, ARI: Ankle — Questionable
Impact: Given the late kickoff, Murray is a risk. You don’t want to lock him into lineups and end up watching Colt McCoy in there.
DeAndre Hopkins, WR, ARI: Hamstring — Questionable
Impact: He’s a game-time call and may well cede snaps to Antoine Wesley.
A.J. Green, WR, ARI: COVID-19 — Questionable
Impact: Unless he has gotten those required two negative tests, he will sit.
Aaron Rodgers, QB, GB: COVID-19 — OUT
Impact: Jordan Love will be the one throwing to Davante Adams and the recently-activated Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
Justin Jackson, RB, LAC: Quad — OUT
Impact: Joshua Kelley will step up to spell Austin Ekeler.
Elijah Mitchell, RB, SF: Ribs — Questionable
Impact: Jeff Wilson Jr. was activated from the PUP list and may be ready to step into the fray.
Deebo Samuel, WR, SF: Calf — Questionable
Impact: Brandon Aiyuk is the safer 49ers WR to use in fantasy lineups. The team seems unsure how healthy Samuel truly is.
Robbie Gould, K, SF: Groin — Active
Impact: Joey Slye was released this week as Gould is finally off IR.
Defense
J.J. Watt, DE, ARI: Shoulder — OUT/IR
Rashard Lawrence, DT, ARI: Calf — OUT
Kingsley Keke, DE, GB: Concussion — OUT
Dean Lowry, DE, GB: Hamstring — Questionable
Michael Davis, CB, LAC: Hamstring — OUT
Jimmie Ward, S, SF: Quad — OUT
Sunday night game
Derrick Henry, RB, TEN: Foot — OUT/IR
Impact: Jeremy McNichols, Adrian Peterson and/or D’Onta Foreman will try to fill Henry’s enormous shoes.
A.J. Brown, WR, TEN: Knee — Questionable
Impact: Julio Jones appears to be healthy, but Brown might yield way to Nick Westbrook-Ikhine.
Rashaan Evans, LB, TEN: Ankle — OUT
Robert Woods, WR, LAR: Foot — Questionable
Impact: The Rams’ coaches say they’re expecting to see Woods on the field catching passes from Matthew Stafford.
Von Miller, LB, LAR: Ankle — Questionable
Jalen Ramsey, CB, LAR: Knee — Questionable