| |  | | Sunday, September 17, 2023 | Based on how last week's injury replacements fared, how confident can you actually be in starting Joshua Kelley and AJ Dillon? | That's the wrong question to ask. Or, at least, it's the wrong way to phrase it. Just because guys like Isiah Likely, Jamaal Williams, and Courtland Sutton let us down in Week 1 doesn't actually have any bearing on how Kelley or Dillon is likely to play this week. But, with another week of significant injuries on the way, those examples (among others) serve as a reminder that, well … backups are backups for a reason: They aren't as good as the starters! | Injuries represent opportunities in Fantasy, but that also brings the potential for disappointment. I'm ranking Kelley as my RB12 for Week 2's game against the Titans, because the Chargers ran the ball incredibly well in Week 1 while seeing the kind of increase in pace and play volume we hoped for with Kellen Moore taking over as offensive coordinator. This has been a great situation for backup running backs over the years, and Kelley should be in line for a significant role in a great offense with Austin Ekeler ruled out with an ankle injury. Dillon ranks even higher as the lead back for a team that didn't even have a third RB until this weekend. | I'm significantly less certain about how to handle guys like Elijah Moore if Amari Cooper (groin) is out, especially since we may not have any certainty on Cooper's status until Monday night. If you have both Cooper and Moore, I think it's probably OK to wait until inactives come in to make that decision Monday, but if I have someone in the top-36 at WR (or top-60 in Flex) playing Sunday, I'd probably just roll with them over any Browns WRs. There's just too much uncertainty, in a passing offense I still don't believe in. | There are plenty of tough questions facing Fantasy players this Sunday – maybe the toughest? How to handle Puka Nacua, who is expected to play through an oblique injury, but who knows how much. He was a revelation in Week 1, but I'm definitely worried about a limited workload and the risk of a setback. He's in the WR3 range for me, but I don't have a ton of conviction about it. | In the rest of this morning's newsletter, we've got the latest injury updates from around the league for you, along with my updated rankings. Of course, we're sending this before inactives are in for the 1 pm games, so you might need more specific help. If so, go to Twitter and use the hashtag "#AskFFT", where our whole team will be answering questions all morning; and go to the FFT YouTube channel to chat with Adam and I starting at 11:30 . We'll be there right up until kickoff answering as many questions as we can, so make sure you're in the chat early to get your questions in. | | In the rest of today's newsletter, we've got the latest injury updates you need to know about, plus my updated Week 2 rankings to get your lineups set. For more Week 2 help, here's the rest of our preview content to get you ready: | | | | | | |  | | | | Quarterbacks | - C.J. Stroud (shoulder) is questionable for Sunday's game against the Colts after putting in a limited practice Friday. As per early Sunday reports, Stroud is expected to play, although he'll be operating without four starting offensive linemen due to injury. Despite Stroud's injury emerging so late in the week, Houston wouldn't be in dire straits should Stroud have a setback, as a relatively experienced option in Davis Mills would step in for the rookie second overall pick in such a scenario.
| | Running backs | - Austin Ekeler (ankle) is out for Sunday's game against the Titans after missing practice all week. Joshua Kelley, who took 16 carries for 91 yards in Week 1 against the Dolphins in Week 1, is primed to serve as Los Angeles' feature back versus Tennessee while Elijah Dotson and Isaiah Spiller will be on hand for complementary carries. However, the matchup against a Titans defense that has done a very good job against the run over the last several seasons -- including a 2022 campaign in which it allowed the fewest rushing yards per contest -- could prove a daunting challenge.
- Aaron Jones (hamstring) is questionable for Sunday's game against the Falcons after missing practice all week. As per early Sunday morning reports, Jones is not expected to play versus Atlanta, a notion further supported by the fact Green Bay called up Patrick Taylor from its practice squad Saturday. AJ Dillon, who's taken on an elevated workload in Jones' stead in the past with varying degree of efficacy, should have a good chance at helming Green Bay's ground game versus Atlanta, although rookie Emmanuel Wilson and Taylor could certainly factor in with some complementary touches.
- Breece Hall (knee) is questionable for Sunday's game against the Cowboys but managed to put in a full practice Friday after logging a pair of limited sessions to open the week. Hall was one of the bright spots in a roller coaster of a Week 1 overtime win over the Bills , ripping off an 83-yard run as part of a 10-carry, 127-yard night that also included a 20-yard catch and which seemed to corroborate the explosive running back's return to full health following last season's ACL tear. If Hall were unable to suit up versus Dallas, Dalvin Cook would see an even larger workload, while Michael Carter and rookie Israel Abanikanda would serve as his backups.
- Zack Moss is off the injury report after practicing in full all week following a Week 1 absence due to a broken forearm. Moss could immediately jump into the top running back job for Indianapolis, considering Deon Jackson averaged just 1.1 yards per carry in Week 1 against the Jaguars and also lost two fumbles. Jackson would still be slated to have a complementary role in that scenario, while Moss would be looking to build on a solid finish to 2022 where he gained 334 yards and scored a touchdown on 69 carries in the final four games.
- Clyde Edwards-Helaire (illness) is questionable for Sunday's game against the Jaguars after sandwiching two missed practices around a full Thursday session. If CEH is unable to suit up, Isiah Pacheco would take on a larger workload, while Jerick McKinnon, who only logged one touch in the Week 1 loss to the Lions, should also be more involved versus Jacksonville.
- Kendre Miller (hamstring) is questionable for Monday night's game against the Panthers after practicing in limited fashion all week. If Miller sits out a second straight game to open his career, Kirk Merritt would likely slot in as the No. 2 back behind Jamaal Williams while Taysom Hill would potentially see some carries as well.
| | Wide receivers | - DeAndre Hopkins (ankle) is questionable for Sunday's game against the Chargers after missing practice all week. However, as per early Sunday morning reports, Hopkins is expected to play. If he were to have a setback, Treylon Burks would serve as Ryan Tannehill's top target versus Los Angeles, while Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, who already posted a 4-58 line on seven targets in Week 1, would bump up to the No. 2 receiver role.
- Christian Watson (hamstring) is questionable for Sunday's game against the Falcons but did manage to put in a limited practice Friday after missing the first two sessions of the week. However, as per early Sunday morning reports, Watson is expected to sit out a second straight game to open the season. If another Watson absence does come to pass, Romeo Doubs , who snagged a pair of touchdowns in Week 1 and seems to have put his own hamstring issues behind him, would once again serve as the No. 1 receiver, while rookie second-round pick Jayden Reed, undrafted rookie Malik Heath and 2022 seventh-round selection Samori Toure would slot in behind him.
- Jerry Jeudy is off the injury report ahead of Sunday's game against the Commanders after practicing in full all week, setting him up for his season debut after he sat out the Week 1 loss to the Raiders. Jeudy will thus have his first regular-season opportunity to work with Russell Wilson under coach Sean Payton's offense, while Courtland Sutton will slide back into a No. 2 role with his teammate's return.
- Brandin Cooks (knee) is questionable for Sunday's game against the Jets after missing practice all week. Per early Sunday morning reports, Cooks is not expected to play versus New York. In his projected absence, Michael Gallup is expected to move into the No. 2 role alongside CeeDee Lamb, while Jalen Tolbert and KaVontae Turpin would be in line for a bump up the depth chart as well.
- Amari Cooper (groin) is questionable for Monday night's game against the Steelers after suffering his injury during Saturday's practice. If Cooper can't suit up, Donovan Peoples-Jones would move back into a starting role that he held last season, while more targets would be available for Elijah Moore and tight end David Njoku as well.
- Diontae Johnson (groin) is out for Monday night's game against the Browns after missing practice all week. In his absence, second-year wideout Calvin Austin is expected to move up to the No. 3 role behind starters George Pickens and Allen Robinson. Tight end Pat Freiermuth could also enjoy a slight bump in workload given Johnson's typical shorter-area role.
- Jakobi Meyers (concussion) is out for Sunday's game against the Bills after missing practice all week. With Meyers, who recorded nine receptions and two touchdowns on 10 targets in Week 1, leaving behind a sizable role, Hunter Renfrow should have a chance to atone for the first target-less game of his career in the season-opening win over the Broncos by moving into a starting role versus Buffalo, while DeAndre Carter is likely to fill the No. 3 receiver role alongside his kick-return duties.
- Puka Nacua (oblique) is questionable for Sunday's game against the 49ers but was upgraded to a limited Friday practice after sitting out Thursday's session. As per Friday comments from coach Sean McVay, he expects the rookie to suit up versus San Francisco after setting the team's franchise record for receiving yards in a pro debut with 119 on 10 catches in Week 1 against the Seahawks. If Nacua were to reverse course, Ben Skowronek , who played as a starter down the stretch run in 2022 due to multiple injuries, would move into the No. 3 role.
- DJ Chark (hamstring) is questionable for Monday night's game against the Saints but managed to work back to a full practice Saturday after logging limited sessions the first two days of the week. If Chark does make his season debut versus New Orleans, he'll slide into his projected No. 2 role while rookie Jonathan Mingo moves back into the No. 3 spot on the depth chart.
| | Tight ends | - Travis Kelce (knee) is questionable for Sunday's game against the Jaguars after practicing in limited fashion all week. However, per Friday beat writer reports that were confirmed Sunday, Kelce is expected to make his season debut against Jacksonville while playing with a compression sleeve on his leg. The perennial Pro Bowler's expected availability is naturally a boon for a Chiefs air attack that struggled with consistency and drops in a Week 1 loss to the Lions, and Kelce notably bedeviled Jacksonville last season over one regular-season meeting and a divisional-round clash by posting a 20-179-3 line.
- Mark Andrews (quadriceps) is questionable for Sunday's game against the Bengals but worked back to a full practice Friday after limited sessions Wednesday and Thursday. As per early Sunday reports, Andrews is expected to make his season debut versus Cincinnati and jump back into the top tight end role, bumping second-year pro Isaiah Likely to the No. 2 spot on the depth chart.
- Greg Dulcich (hamstring) was placed on injured reserve Saturday, knocking him out for the next four games at minimum. In Dulcich's absence, Adam Trautman should continue to handle the majority of pass-catching duties for Denver, while journeyman Chris Manhertz will likely slot in as his primary backup.
| | | | Rankings Updates | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Flex Top-150 | | | | |  | |  | | | | | Saturday, the SEC returns to CBS with South Carolina heading to face #1 Georgia. CBS will get you set for kickoff beginning at 2:30 PM ET with the Drive to Atlanta followed by College Football Today. Tune In
| | This Sunday, it's another NFL on CBS doubleheader. The early games are headlined by the Chiefs at the Jaguars and the Raiders taking on the Bills. Then, it's a showdown in Dallas when the Jets face a huge test against Dak and the Cowboys. It all begins at 12:00 PM ET with JB and the guys on The NFL Today. Tune In
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