Week 12 of the NFL season is here, and the Rotoworld crew has everything you need to have a winning week. Patrick Daugherty answers your lineup questions with his Week 12 Rankings, Nick Mensio tells you who to start and who to fade in Start’ Em or Sit ‘Em, and Evan Silva breaks down every matchup in his award-winning Matchups Column.
As for me, I am here to shed some light on the most important injury situations facing fantasy owners heading into the weekend. The sister resource to this column is the Rotoworld News Page, which will have every single inactive and all the late-breaking news up to kickoff and beyond. I also occasionally tweet about football @RMSummerlin.
Early GamesVikings @ Falcons
*Devonta Freeman (concussion) is not going to play after not practicing all week. Tevin Coleman will get the start, but he was terrible against the Colts last week and is playing a better defense this time around. He is worth starting based on potential workload, but expectations should be tempered. Leonard Hankerson‘s return from a hamstring injury lasted one game. He is out, meaning Jacob Tamme is fantasy relevant again. Matt Bryant hurt his right quad Wednesday in practice and is out. Shayne Graham will handle the kicking duties. *Harrison Smith (knee, questionable) and Everson Griffen (hip, questionable) got in limited sessions Friday and should play. Trae Waynes injured his ankle Thursday and did not practice Friday. He is officially questionable but unlikely to suit up.
Bills @ Chiefs
Saints @ Texans
Rams @ Bengals
Bucs @ Colts
Giants @ Redskins
Raiders @ Titans
Dolphins @ Jets
*Jarvis Landry (knee) is listed as questionable after not practicing Friday, but Dan Campbell said he expects Landry to play. He will be in a great spot if he does. Jelani Jenkins (ankle), Koa Misi (abdomen), Spencer Paysinger (neck) and Kelvin Sheppard (hamstring) are also questionable. Ja’Waun James (toe) is out, and Chris McCain (hip) is doubtful.
Chargers @ Jaguars
*Allen Hurns (foot, thigh) is probable. Craig Loston (ankle), Bernard Pierce (calf) and Neal Sterling (illness) are doubtful. Dan Skuta (groin) is out.
*Malcom Floyd (torn labrum) practiced in full Friday and is probable. It remains to be seen how effective he can be with a serious shoulder injury, but Floyd is going to tough it out. Floyd being active limits the value of Dontrelle Inman. Antonio Gates (hip) is also probable. San Diego’s always banged-up offensive line will be without D.J. Fluker (concussion, out) and King Dunlap (ankle, doubtful). Sean Lissemore (concussion) and Corey Liuget (foot) are questionable.
Afternoon Games
Cardinals @ 49ers
*Carlos Hyde (foot) is out again and did not even practice this week. He is likely a couple weeks away if he even plays again this season. Shaun Draughn will continue to dominate backfield touches while Hyde is sidelined. Anquan Boldin (hamstring) is probable. Ahmad Brooks (concussion, toe) is questionable.
*Michael Floyd (hamstring) is listed as questionable, but he is expected to play. Coach Bruce Arians said earlier in the week they were not going to push Floyd, so it is possible he plays limited snaps. He and John Brown (hamstring, probable) are risky plays in a game the Cardinals are expected to dominate. Patrick Peterson (ankle) got in a limited practice Friday but is listed as questionable. He is also expected to play. Deone Bucannon (concussion), Jonathan Cooper (knee) and Ed Stinson (groin) are questionable. Frostee Rucker (ankle) and Cory Redding (ankle) are out.
Steelers @ Seahawks
*Marshawn Lynch (abdomen) will not play until at least Week 16, making Thomas Rawls (knee, probable) the starting running back in Seattle. Rawls is a solid play this week despite a middling matchup. Patrick Lewis (ankle, knee) is questionable despite practicing in full all week. Jeremy Lane (wrist, ankle) is expected to be activated off the PUP in time to play. Paul Richardson (hamstring) is out, and Bruce Irvin (knee) is doubtful.
*Matt Spaeth (knee) and Ryan Shazier (knee) are questionable, but both practiced in full Friday.
Sunday Night
Patriots @ Broncos
*Peyton Manning (foot) is expected to miss at least the next three weeks, but it remains a possibility Brock Osweiler starts the rest of the season. Osweiler is not worth a start this week against Bill Belichick and company, but he has a soft schedule down the stretch. Emmanuel Sanders (ankle) is probable, DeMarcus Ware (back) is out, and Evan Mathis (ankle) is questionable.
*There are dueling reports on if Danny Amendola (knee) will travel with the team to Denver, but he is likely out. Keshawn Martin (hamstring) is questionable after being limited all week. He would see a big bump in targets with Amendola out, but Brandon LaFell and Rob Gronkowski are the only pass catchers worth a look in the tough matchup. Jamie Collins (illness) returned to practice Friday, but he is listed as doubtful. Collins should be able to return next week. Michael Williams (knee) is questionable, and Justin Coleman (hand) is out.
Monday Night
Ravens @ Browns
*Andrew Hawkins (concussion), Taylor Gabriel (concussion) and Joe Haden (concussion) are not practicing this week. With Hawkins and Gabriel likely out, Travis Benjamin should be targeted heavily in a good matchup. Josh McCown targeted Benjamin 58 times in the six games he played the majority of the snaps. Haden sounds like he could be out quite some time.
*With Justin Forsett (arm) on injured reserve, Buck Allen will start in a great matchup. He is an RB2 on volume alone. Marlon Brown (back), Eugene Monroe (shoulder) and Kelechi Osemele (knee) did not practice Friday.