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| Sunday, December 12, 2021 |
There are so, so many injury question marks entering Sunday, in addition to a bunch of players we already know are out for this week like Elijah Mitchell, D'Andre Swift, Jamaal Williams, Darrell Henderson, Keenan Allen, and Darren Waller. That is, trust me, an incomplete list, and it doesn't even touch the likes of T.J. Hockenson or Brandin Cooks whose status is up in the air. The first thing you should do this morning is check your lineups against our injury updates in today's newsletter to make sure you're not going to be left high and dry. |
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And, of course Jamey Eisenberg, Dave Richard, and Heath are on CBS Sports HQ until kickoff of the 1 p.m. games to answer your questions and keep you updated on all of the news you need to know on the FFT live show. You can also go to Twitter and use the hashtag "#AskFFT", where our whole team will be answering questions all morning. That's what Sunday morning is all about. |
| Here's the rest of our preview content to get you ready, and check out my updated position rankings at the bottom of the newsletter to help with any early lineup dilemmas you may have: |
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| Quarterbacks |
- Out: Daniel Jones (neck), Andy Dalton (hand)
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| Jones still hasn't been cleared for contact despite practicing on a limited basis all week. Until that happens, he won't be playing. |
- Expected to play: Justin Fields (ribs), Mike Glennon (concussion)
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| Fields would have started even if Dalton were expected to be active, since he was cleared to return earlier in the week. He's a lower-end QB2 against the Packers, although with his rushing potential, there's also upside to be top-12 if the passing production is there ... Glennon will start for the Giants, but expectations should be fairly low. The only hope here is he can deliver the ball on target enough times to Saquon Barkley and Sterling Shepard. |
| Running backs |
- Out: Elijah Mitchell (concussion/knee), D'Andre Swift (shoulder), Jamaal Williams (COVID), Mark Ingram (COVID), Tony Pollard (foot), Darrell Henderson (COVID), Kenyan Drake (ankle), Tevin Coleman (concussion), J.D. McKissic (concussion), Travis Homer (calf), Adrian Peterson (back), Jalen Richard (COVID), Ty Montgomery (COVID)
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| Alright, so that's a lot of guys ruled out, especially with COVID. In some of these cases -- with Pollard, Ingram, Henderson, and McKissic, specifically -- there really isn't any question of who will step up, because those teams have must-start Fantasy backs already in place. Just make sure you have Sony Michel active this week. In order of preference, here's how I am viewing the replacement options among these other situations: |
- Jeff Wilson Jr. @CIN
- Ty Johnson vs. NO
- Godwin Igwebuike @DEN
- Jemar Jefferson @DEN
- JaMycal Hasty @CIN
- Rashaad Penny @HOU
- Alex Collins @HOU
- Austin Walter vs. NO
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- Legitimately questionable: Chase Edmonds (ankle)
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| We probably won't know Edmonds' status until Monday, which makes it all but impossible to even consider starting him. You could keep him in a flex and start someone like Van Jefferson if he's out, but I think you should probably just start Jefferson and Beckham over Edmonds anyway. Edmonds could be a solid contributor down the stretch, but I want to see how they use him before I trust him. |
| Likely in: Joe Mixon (illness), Melvin Gordon (hip) |
| Mixon didn't practice all week but is expected to play, and I'm assuming he'll more or less have his typical role. There's some risk that he won't have that role or will have to leave the game early, but based on what we know right now, I think you have to start him as usual. And Gordon is a viable RB2 for a great matchup against the Lions. I think Javonte Williams is the better start, but both are in my top-24 and are separated by just a few spots. It's possible Williams' play in Week 13 earned him a lion's share of the RB work moving forward, but until we see it happen, I have to assume it'll still be a fairly even split here. |
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| Wide receivers |
- Out: Keenan Allen (COVID), Kadarius Toney (quad), Corey Davis (abdomen), Elijah Moore (quad), Marquise Goodwin (foot), Randall Cobb (abdomen), Anthony Schwartz (concussion)
- Legitimately questionable: Lil'Jordan Humphrey (hamstring), Curtis Samuel (groin)
- Expected to play: Deebo Samuel (groin), Julio Jones (hamstring), Tee Higgins (ankle), Allen Robinson (hamstring), Kenny Golladay (ribs), Sterling Shepard (quad), Brandin Cooks (back), Mike Williams (COVID)
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| The biggest decisions here revolve around Samuel and Julio Jones. Both are expected to play, but can you really trust them? I say yes in Samuel's case, but not with as much confidence as I would say under normal circumstances seeing as he's had just one day of practice over the past two weeks. With Jones, I think my preference would be to sit him and see how he reacts to his first game action since Week 9. He's been dealing with this injury since Week 3, so let him prove he's healthy if you can afford to. I'm sitting him for Russell Gage in one league. |
| The other interesting case here is Shepard. He has played just five games, none since Week 8, but he has a 28% target share on the season despite leaving two of those five games early with injuries. The Giants have been playing him primarily out of the slot and peppering him with targets, and if that continues, he's going to be a pretty excellent Fantasy option -- he's averaging 13.9 PPR points per game despite, again, leaving two of his five games early with injuries. There is risk of re-injury and of playing with Mike Glennon, but I'm viewing Shepard as a WR2 for this one. |
| Tight ends |
- Out: Darren Waller (knee), Harrison Bryant (ankle), David Njoku (COVID)
- Likely out: T.J. Hockenson (hand)
- Questionable: Ryan Griffin (ankle), Brevin Jordan (hand)
- Expected to play: Hayden Hurst (ankle)
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| Hockenson is doubtful, but since the Lions don't play until 4:05, we don't know that he's officially out. Assume he is, and if you need a fill-in, Austin Hooper seems like the best widely available option, given the absences of Bryant and Njoku. He's worth starting this week, as is Foster Moreau in Waller's absence. |
| Updated rankings
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| Here are my latest rankings as of Sunday morning: |
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- Josh Allen @TB
- Tom Brady vs. BUF
- Lamar Jackson @CLE
- Kyler Murray vs. LAR
- Dak Prescott @WAS
- Justin Herbert vs. NYG
- Aaron Rodgers vs. CHI
- Patrick Mahomes vs. LV
- Matthew Stafford @ARI
- Cam Newton vs. ATL
- Taysom Hill @NYJ
- Russell Wilson @HOU
- Joe Burrow vs. SF
- Taylor Heinicke vs. DAL
- Teddy Bridgewater vs. DET
- Derek Carr @KC
- Ryan Tannehill vs. JAX
- Justin Fields @GB
- Matt Ryan @CAR
- Zach Wilson vs. NO
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- Austin Ekeler vs. NYG
- Leonard Fournette vs. BUF
- Alvin Kamara @NYJ
- Joe Mixon vs. SF
- Ezekiel Elliott @WAS
- Antonio Gibson vs. DAL
- Cordarrelle Patterson @CAR
- Josh Jacobs @KC
- Aaron Jones vs. CHI
- Sony Michel @ARI
- David Montgomery @GB
- Saquon Barkley @LAC
- Nick Chubb vs. BAL
- Javonte Williams vs. DET
- James Robinson @TEN
- James Conner vs. LAR
- Kareem Hunt vs. BAL
- Devonta Freeman @CLE
- Melvin Gordon vs. DET
- Clyde Edwards-Helaire vs. LV
- Chuba Hubbard vs. ATL
- Jeff Wilson @CIN
- AJ Dillon vs. CHI
- Ameer Abdullah vs. ATL
- Ty Johnson vs. NO
- D'Onta Foreman vs. JAX
- Godwin Igwebuike @DEN
- Dontrell Hilliard vs. JAX
- Jemar Jefferson @DEN
- Tony Pollard @WAS
- JaMycal Hasty @CIN
- Darrel Williams vs. LV
- Rashaad Penny @HOU
- David Johnson vs. SEA
- Rex Burkhead vs. SEA
- Tony Jones @NYJ
- Alex Collins @HOU
- Mike Davis @CAR
- Chase Edmonds vs. LAR
- Austin Walter vs. NO
- Devin Singletary @TB
- Zack Moss @TB
- Samaje Perine vs. SF
- Carlos Hyde @TEN
- Ronald Jones vs. BUF
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- Davante Adams vs. CHI
- Tyreek Hill vs. LV
- Cooper Kupp @ARI
- Stefon Diggs @TB
- CeeDee Lamb @WAS
- Chris Godwin vs. BUF
- D.J. Moore vs. ATL
- Mike Evans vs. BUF
- Ja'Marr Chase vs. SF
- Tee Higgins vs. SF
- Deebo Samuel @CIN
- Marquise Brown @CLE
- Tyler Lockett @HOU
- D.K. Metcalf @HOU
- Mike Williams vs. NYG
- Amari Cooper @WAS
- Hunter Renfrow @KC
- Terry McLaurin vs. DAL
- DeAndre Hopkins vs. LAR
- Sterling Shepard @LAC
- Odell Beckham @ARI
- Brandin Cooks vs. SEA
- Brandon Aiyuk @CIN
- Jerry Jeudy vs. DET
- Jarvis Landry vs. BAL
- Jamison Crowder vs. NO
- Van Jefferson @ARI
- Russell Gage @CAR
- Julio Jones vs. JAX
- Darnell Mooney @GB
- Michael Gallup @WAS
- Tyler Boyd vs. SF
- Laviska Shenault @TEN
- Marvin Jones @TEN
- Kenny Golladay @LAC
- Marquez Valdes-Scantling vs. CHI
- Josh Palmer vs. NYG
- Amon-Ra St. Brown @DEN
- Mecole Hardman vs. LV
- Rashod Bateman @CLE
- Cole Beasley @TB
- Tim Patrick vs. DET
- Courtland Sutton vs. DET
- Christian Kirk vs. LAR
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- Travis Kelce vs. LV
- George Kittle @CIN
- Mark Andrews @CLE
- Rob Gronkowski vs. BUF
- Kyle Pitts @CAR
- Dalton Schultz @WAS
- Foster Moreau @KC
- Noah Fant vs. DET
- Tyler Higbee @ARI
- Zach Ertz vs. LAR
- Dawson Knox @TB
- Austin Hooper vs. BAL
- Jared Cook vs. NYG
- Gerald Everett @HOU
- James O'Shaughnessy @TEN
- Ricky Seals-Jones vs. DAL
- Cole Kmet @GB
- O.J. Howard vs. BUF
- Evan Engram @LAC
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| Flex Top 150 |
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