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AJ Mass, ESPN Staff Writer
Whom should you start? Whom should you sit? To help you set your fantasy football lineups and avoid starting an offensive 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. 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 times: around 11:30 a.m. ET for the early games and 2:30 p.m. ET for the late afternoon games.
Refresh often for the latest information.
1 p.m. ET games
Mark Andrews, TE, BAL, Questionable
Impact: The plan appears to be for Andrews to play Sunday. Just be ready to make a quick swap out if he suddenly sits again.
Chris Evans, RB, CIN, Questionable
Impact: Trayveon Williams becomes the more likely option to spell Joe Mixon in Week 2.
Christian Watson, WR, GB, Questionable
Impact: Watson did at least get in some limited work Friday, but signs point to him sitting this one out. Romeo Doubs and Jayden Reed are much safer options.
Aaron Jones, RB, GB, Questionable
Impact: With Jones not practicing all week, he’s not expected to play. This should mean a lot more touches for AJ Dillon.
C.J. Stroud, QB, HOU, Questionable
Impact: While the Texans have been cautious with Stroud’s shoulder all week, it doesn’t look like they’ll need to turn to Davis Mills in Week 2.
Kylen Granson, TE, IND, Questionable
Impact: Granson was downgraded Saturday, which never bodes well. Mo Alie-Cox and Drew Ogletree, fresh out of the league’s concussion protocol, will fill the void.
Travis Kelce, TE, KC, Questionable
Impact: Andy Reid says he’s playing. That’s probably all you need to hear.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, KC, Questionable
Impact: An illness has kept him out of practice this week, and La’Mical Perine was elevated from the practice squad. Either way, Isiah Pacheco may well already be primed to take over RB1 duties here.
Jakobi Meyers, WR, LV, OUT
Impact: Hunter Renfrow will slide into the No. 2 WR spot in Las Vegas alongside Davante Adams, who was removed from the injury report.
Austin Ekeler, RB, LAC, OUT
Impact: Expect Joshua Kelley to start, with Elijah Dotson and Isaiah Spiller backing him up.
DeAndre Hopkins, WR, TEN, Questionable
Impact: It seems like this will be a game-time call. If he sits, both Treylon Burks and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine get a fantasy value boost — and that may still be the case if he’s active, as Hopkins did not practice all week.
4 p.m. ET games
Brandin Cooks, WR, DAL, Questionable
Impact: There’s only an outside shot he’ll play, but after a 40-point win in Week 1, why would Dallas decide to risk further injury here? Both Michael Gallup and Jalen Tolbert would benefit if Cooks sits.
Greg Dulcich, TE, DEN, OUT/IR
Impact: It will be at least a month before we see Dulcich again. Adam Trautman enters the deep-league TE mix.
Puka Nacua, WR, LAR, Questionable
Impact: If he sits, Van Jefferson and Tutu Atwell both become more interesting in fantasy, but after 15 targets in Week 1, most fantasy managers are hoping Nacua will be able to provide an encore.
Wan’Dale Robinson, WR, NYG, Doubtful
Impact: It may be a few more weeks for Robinson. If you’re looking to start a receiver on the Giants, TE Darren Waller is probably a better bet than anyone in the WR room.
Breece Hall, RB, NYJ, Questionable
Impact: A full Friday practice indicates he’ll likely play, but Dalvin Cook may end up getting more touches. Given Hall’s efficiency in his career, however, any “snap count” may not hold his fantasy value back.
Greg Zuerlein, K, NYJ, OUT
Impact: Austin Seibert was signed to fill in for Zuerlein, who got hurt in practice Thursday.
Sunday night game
DeVante Parker, WR, NE, Questionable
Impact: He sat out Week 1 with the same amount of midweek practice, so you shouldn’t count on him. JuJu Smith-Schuster, on the other hand, is no longer on the injury report. Even so, you may want to take a chance on Kayshon Boutte or Demario Douglas instead, as potential fantasy fliers.