NFL Week 12 Injury Report — Julio Jones is OUT for Sunday vs Raiders
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Thanksgiving Thursday Injury Report
Houston Texans at Detroit Lions
The Lions limp into Turkey Day action with a long injury report, including wide receivers Kenny Golladay and Danny Amendola, who are out Thursday. QB Matthew Stafford was hampered by a thumb injury last week but is active. RB D’Andre Swift failed to clear concussion protocol and is inactive. WR Marvin Hall (toe) and TE T.J. Hockenson (shoulder) are both active for Detroit.
Houston will be without wide receivers Randall Cobb (IR - toe) and Kenny Stills (quadriceps), who have been ruled out. Will Fuller and Brandin Cooks will receive additional targets and are solid starting options against the Lions' injury ravaged defense. Texans OT Laremy Tunsil (illness) returns after sitting out Week 11. He will help open holes for RB Duke Johnson and protect QB Deshaun Watson, who is riding a red-hot fantasy scoring streak.
Washington Football Team at Dallas Cowboys
Both teams enter this grudge match fairly healthy on offense. RB Ezekiel Elliott was dealing with a mild hamstring injury in Week 9, but posted his first 100-yard game of the season against Minnesota last week. TE Dalton Shultz ($3,800) is worth considering in Thanksgiving Thursday DFS contests at DraftKings. He was targeted six times and caught a TD last week. Washington has allowed six scores to tight ends. Backup TE Blake Bell (back) is questionable for Dallas.
Washington RB Antonio Gibson (ankle) has been a full practice participant and he is a solid starting option Thursday. Gibson racked 128 rushing yards and one TD in Week 7 against Dallas, starting a streak of five touchdowns over four games. WR Terry McLaurin has a mild ankle injury, but is expected to start. After missing the last three games, WR Dontrelle Inman is active this week. He will battle emerging wide receiver Cam Mims for targets.
Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers
UPDATE: Postponed Until Sunday
COVID-19 is pounding the Ravens as they’ve had multiple new cases since Sunday night. That includes running backs J.K. Dobbins and Mark Ingram, who are questionable to play on Sunday. Gus Edwards and Justice Hill would top the Baltimore RB depth chart. They face a tough Steelers defense that has allowed just five rushing touchdowns and 103.5 yards per game this season. TE Mark Andrews (thigh) was limited during practice Wednesday.
Pittsburgh is rolling along with a 10-0 record and enters Week 12 without any serious injuries on offense. QB Ben Roethlisberger is dealing with a minor thigh injury, but put in a full practice on Wednesday. JuJu Smith-Schuster (toe) was also a full practice participant. They will be active if this game is played on Sunday. Pittsburgh -4 is an attractive spread betting option at DraftKings Sportsbook.
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Quarterbacks
Kyler Murray – Arizona Cardinals
INJURY: SHOULDER
STATUS: PROBABLE
Pressured often in Week 11 by a surprisingly strong Seattle pass rush, one blitz got through to Murray in the first quarter. He landed heavily on his throwing shoulder and wasn’t quite the same for the rest of the game. “I feel fine, I feel good," Murray said on Tuesday. He has had extra time to rest and is expected to start when Arizona visits New England. The Patriots pass defense has been torched regularly since Week 6 and decent weather is in the forecast.
Phillip Rivers – Indianapolis Colts
INJURY: TOE
STATUS: ACTIVE
Noticeably hobbling around last week during the Colts 34-31 OT win against Green Bay, Rivers is dealing with a toe injury. He posted 25.30 fantasy points with a 288/3/1 line against the Packers. That was his second-highest total this season, behind the 29.95 points he posted in Week 6. Rivers had 308 passing yards and one TD against Tennessee two weeks ago. If healthy, he is a low-end QB1 in the rematch against the Titans in Indianapolis on Sunday.
Teddy Bridgewater – Carolina Panthers
INJURY: KNEE
STATUS: ACTIVE
Close to starting last week before being a pregame scratch, Bridgewater was a full practice participant Wednesday. The call to let Bridgewater play is a tricky one for the Panthers as they are on a bye next week. Carolina is on the road in Minnesota and it’s a favorable matchup against the Vikings defense that has allowed 22 passing touchdowns. This will be Bridgewater’s first start against Minnesota, which selected him 32nd overall in the 2014 NFL draft.
Drew Brees – New Orleans Saints
INJURY: RIBS/LUNG
STATUS: OUT
A punctured lung and multiple rib fractures, plus a lingering shoulder injury, are likely to keep Brees out for at least two more weeks. Taysom Hill stepped in last week and posted 233 passing yards, plus 51 rushing yards and two touchdowns. He finished with 28.75 fantasy points, which was the fourth-highest quarterback total during Week 11. New Orleans visits Denver on Sunday, and Hill ($6,200) is priced as a mid-range QB1 in DFS contests at DraftKings.
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Running Backs
Christian McCaffrey – Carolina Panthers
INJURY: SHOULDER
STATUS: OUT
Despite a limited practice session on Wednesday, McCaffrey is out on Sunday when Carolina visits Minnesota. It has been a lost season for McCaffrey, who was the consensus first overall pick in 2020 fantasy drafts. Whether he returns at all this year is still in question, but his owners are holding out hope that he will be back for the fantasy playoffs. Mike Davis will get the start and should be considered as a low-end RB1 against the Vikings.
Austin Ekeler – Los Angeles Chargers
INJURY: HAMSTRING
STATUS: ACTIVE
Chris Carson – Seattle Seahawks
INJURY: FOOT
STATUS: PROBABLE
Finally a full participant in practice, Carson is expected to return to the Seattle backfield when the Seahawks visit Philadelphia on Monday night. It would be his first start since Week 7 and he faces the Eagles run defense that has allowed just one 100-yard rusher this season. Carson is likely to share touches with Carlos Hyde, so fantasy owners should temper their expectations. Players involved in the Seattle pass offense are more valuable fantasy options this week.
Rex Burkhead – New England Patriots
INJURY: KNEE
STATUS: OUT
While not yet confirmed by New England, Burkhead appears to have suffered a torn ACL and is likely out for the season. On Tuesday he posted “Look forward to coming back better than ever in 2021” on his personal twitter account. Damien Harris should see and uptick in touches and Sony Michel will serve as his backup. James White will continue as the Patriots pass-catching back. New England hosts the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.
Raheem Mostert – San Francisco 49ers
INJURY: ANKLE
STATUS: QUESTIONABLE
San Francisco has designated Mostert as eligible to return from injured reserve. Out since Week 6, he still needs to be activated off IR by 4 p.m. ET on Saturday to play on Sunday against the Rams. Jeff Wilson (ankle) is also eligible to return from IR and is listed as questionable. Tevin Coleman is still dealing with a knee injury. JaMycal Hasty is on IR after suffering a broken collarbone last week and is likely out for the season.
Myles Gaskin – Miami Dolphins
INJURY: KNEE
STATUS: OUT
On injured reserve since Week 9, Gaskin returned to practice on Wednesday and was limited while wearing a red non-contact jersey. That suggests Gaskin may not return for the Dolphins' Week 12 game in New York against the Jets. Backup Salvon Ahmed (shoulder) sat out practice Wednesday and is listed as questionable. If neither player suits up, Matt Breida would get the start with Patrick Laird and DeAndre Washington in the mix as backups.
La'Mical Perine – New York Jets
INJURY: ANKLE
STATUS: OUT - IR
A rough season in New York keeps getting rougher as the Jets have placed rookie RB La’Mical Perine on IR. Perine was starting to get more playing time but isn’t eligible to return until Week 15. Veteran Frank Gore will continue as the Jets' lead back and second-year RB Ty Johnson will replace Perine. With fantasy playoffs looming, the Jets backfield can be ignored for the rest of the season.
Wide Receivers
Julio Jones – Atlanta Falcons
INJURY: HAMSTRING
STATUS: OUT
Aggravating a lingering hamstring injury, Jones was involved in just 22 snaps during the Falcons' 24-9 Week 11 loss to New Orleans. He was limited in practice on Wednesday and will likely be a dreaded game-time decision. Calvin Ridley was also limited in practice but is expected to play on Sunday. Ridley caught five passes for 90 yards last week against the Saints. Atlanta has a favorable matchup against the porous Las Vegas Raiders pass defense.
Adam Thielen – Minnesota Vikings
INJURY: COVID-19
STATUS: OUT
A confusing situation, after he tested positive and then negative, the Vikings put Thielen on their COVID-19 reserve list on Monday. If the first test was a false positive, and he tests negative each day prior to Sunday, he will clear protocol and play against Carolina this week. Thielen (32.30) was the second highest scoring fantasy WR behind Keenan Allen (36.50) during Week 11.
DeAndre Hopkins – Arizona Cardinals
INJURY: ILLNESS
STATUS: ACTIVE
An illness, which is not believed to be COVID-19 related, kept Hopkins out of practice on Wednesday. Backup TE Maxx Williams also sat out due to illness so this is a situation we will be monitoring. Practice participation on Thursday and Friday will clarify his status but Hopkins is likely to play in New England on Sunday. Looking to rebound, from a 10.10 point total last week, he is the highest priced wide receiver ($8,100) at DraftKings this weekend.
Deebo Samuel – San Francisco 49ers
INJURY: HAMSTRING
STATUS: ACTIVE
San Francisco is hoping Samuel can return this week. He hasn’t played since Week 7 and was limited during practice on Wednesday. Rookie WR Brandon Aiyuk remains on the COVID-19 reserve list, but has a chance to be cleared prior to 49ers game in Los Angles against the Rams on Sunday. Kendrick Bourne and Trent Taylor top the San Francisco wide receiver depth chart. Their fantasy value is minimal, especially if Samuel and/or Aiyuk return.
John Brown – Buffalo Bills
INJURY: ANKLE
STATUS: OUT
Injured late in the game, during the Bills’ Week 10 loss in Arizona, a bye week didn’t seem to help Brown who missed practice on Wednesday. Stefon Diggs and Cole Beasley will see added targets and Gabriel Davis elevates to the Bills’ WR3 role if Brown sits out. Davis can be viewed as a low-cost roster filler with a $3,000 price in DraftKings daily fantasy contests. Justin Herbert and the L.A. Chargers visit Buffalo for what should be a high-scoring game.
Jerry Jeudy – Denver Broncos
INJURY: ANKLE/ACHILLES
STATUS: QUESTIONABLE
Playing through a mild ankle injury last week, Jeudy is now dealing with an Achilles injury as well. He was limited during practice on Wednesday. The rookie caught three passes for 37 yards against Miami in Week 11. Things don’t get any easier against New Orleans and Jeudy will be a risky option in Week 12.
Tight Ends
Zach Ertz – Philadelphia Eagles
INJURY: ANKLE
STATUS: QUESTIONABLE
Removed from the Eagles IR prior to Week 11, Ertz didn’t play against Cleveland last week. He is however "trending in the right direction" and may play in Week 12, according to head coach Doug Peterson. Ertz hasn’t played since Week 6 and will battle Dallas Goedert and Richard Rodgers for TE targets if he returns.
Greg Olsen – Seattle Seahawks
INJURY: FOOT
STATUS: OUT – IR
Seattle has placed Olsen on IR after he suffered a ruptured plantar fascia against Arizona last week. Winding down his career, Olsen had 23 receptions for 224 yards and one TD over 10 games. Will Dissly and Jacob Hollister will split time with Hollister being the better pass catching TE option for the Seahawks.
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