dropped back down to a Low Injury Risk. While shoulder injuries to a QB are always concerning, this one is relatively minor.
Willie Snead:
Snead’s hamstring has been a problem since his suspension ended after Week 3. He was a surprise inactive in Week 7 but will play today. Hamstring strains are notoriously tricky, especially for wide receivers. He shouldn’t be in any fantasy lineups today unless you are desperate.
JuJu Smith-Schuster:
Smith-Shuster reported concussion symptoms when he arrived at the Steelers’ facility on Tuesday and was placed in the concussion protocol. He was a full participant at practice this week and should play today. It’s an odd situation, but maybe the Steelers were just being cautious. He remains an Elevated Injury Risk but could be a high risk-high reward play today.
Melvin Gordon:
Each week Melvin Gordon seems to pick up a new injury. His knee is always a concern, and last week he dealt with a shoulder problem. Now it’s his foot that we are worried about. His upside is way too high to take him out of fantasy lineups, but the injuries are piling up. Make sure you have a backup in place just in case he misses time later in the year.
Graham Gano:
Kickers are very sensitive to any lower body or core injury, so Gano must be watched very carefully today. It’s best to plug another kicker into your lineup due to the injury and because the Panthers’ offense is struggling. It isn’t worth the risk as he battles knee soreness.
Michael Thomas:
Thomas was a surprise DNP on Wednesday, but he returned to practice Thursday, confirming reports from the Saints that it was a minor knee injury. With a two week Optimal Recovery Time, he should be fairly healthy. He isn’t back as a Low Injury Risk yet, so play him with caution.
Emmanuel Sanders:
The Broncos don’t play until Monday night, so Emmanuel Sanders can’t be trusted. Even if they were playing Sunday, we still wouldn’t have Sanders in fantasy lineups. His ankle needs at least four weeks to heal, so he is still a minimum of two weeks away from being ready to play. At a High Injury Risk with a Below Average Health Performance Factor, expectations are very low if he does suit up.
Golden Tate
Tate was limited at practice all week and is officially listed as questionable for Sunday night. Like Sanders, he is a risky player to plug into fantasy lineups, especially if you don’t have backup plan in case he doesn’t play. His shoulder injury will be painful to play through and will impact him when he tries to reach for passes.
