Week 3 Friday Injury Report: Lamb and Jefferson Cleared, Herbert and Love Uncertain

The good news is that we don't have a lot of uncertainty among key fantasy players heading into the weekend, apart from QBs Jordan Love (MCL) and Justin Herbert (ankle). The bad news is that a ton of important guys are listed as out or doubtful, including mid-week addition George Kittle (hamstring). 

Below you'll find four different categories, with our lists including key offensive linemen and defensive players whose presences/absences might impact fantasy decisions. The bottom section — truly questionable — is sorted by kickoff times and can be used as a checklist/cheatsheet for Sunday morning and afternoon when inactives come out. First, let's see who's definitely in and who's definitely out...

Good to Go 💯

• RB Josh Jacobs (back) + WR Jayden Reed (calf) + TE Tucker Kraft (shoulder)
• WR Justin Jefferson (quad)
• WR Rome Odunze (knee)
• WR CeeDee Lamb (ankle)
• WR Amon-Ra St. Brown (quad)
• WR Nico Collins (hip/foot)
• WR Josh Downs (ankle)
• WR Tyler Lockett (thigh)
• WR Devaughn Vele (ribs)
• TE Jake Ferguson (knee)
• TE Noah Fant (knee)
• K Matt Gay (quad)

Jefferson and St. Brown made quick recoveries from the injuries that led to early Week 2 exits, and Lamb's progression to full practice participation Friday confirmed his listing on the injury report was nothing to worry about. Collins also put any doubts to rest by the end of the week, locking him in as a high-end WR1 after 252 receiving yards over the first two games.

Ruled Out/Doubtful 🚑 

• RB Raheem Mostert (D - chest)
• RB Kenneth Walker (D - oblique)
• RBs Joe Mixon (D - ankle) & Dameon Pierce (hamstring)
• RB Travis Homer (finger)
• RB Pierre Strong (hamstring)
• RB Isiah Pacheco (IR - fibula)
• WR Keenan Allen (heel)
• WR Jordan Addison (ankle)
• WR Cooper Kupp (ankle)
• WR A.J. Brown (hamstring)
• WR Deebo Samuel (calf)
• TE George Kittle (D - hamstring)
• TE David Njoku (ankle)
• TE MyCole Pruitt (knee)
• TE Davis Allen (back)

Cam Akers will fill in as Houston's starting RB, with Dare Ogunbowale likely taking most of the snaps in obvious passing situations. Akers lost a fumble near the goal line last week and then gave way to Ogunbowale afterwards, so there is some question about the extent of Akers' workload / how much the coaching staff trusts him. Akers should probably be treated as a low-end RB2, with an even wider range of outcomes than the other guys in that range.

Other players set for larger-than-usual roles this week include Seahawks RB Zach Charbonnet, Chiefs RBs Carson Steele and Samaje Perine, Bears WR DeAndre Carter, Vikings WR Jalen Nailor, Rams WR Jordan Whittington, Eagles WRs Jahan Dotson and Britain Covey, 49ers WRs Jauan Jennings and Chris Conley, Browns TEs Jordan Akins and Blake Whiteheart and 49ers TEs Eric Saubert and Jake Tonges.

Of that group, only Charbonnet is a clear fantasy starter, but Steele, Perine and Jennings are passable options for deep leagues or desperate situations, and Whittington makes for an interesting bench stash.

Key Defensive Players + Offensive Linemen

• OLB Dallas Turner (knee) + ILB Ivan Pace (ankle/quad)
• S Antoine Winfield (foot) + DL Calijah Kancey (calf) + DT Vita Vea (knee) + T Luke Goedeke (head)
• OLB Baron Browning (foot)
• DT Khalen Saunders (calf)
• G Isaac Seumalo (pectoral)
• OLB Uchenna Nwosu (knee) + ILB Jerome Baker (hammy) + RT George Fant (knee)
• LB Divine Deablo (oblique)
• NT Shy Tuttle (foot)
• CB Taron Johnson (arm) + LB Terrel Bernard (pec)

Listed as Questionable - Should Play 👍

• WR Michael Pittman (back/calf)
• DE Maxx Crosby (ankle) + DT Christian Wilkins (knee)

Truly Questionable / Game-Time Decisions 🤔

Early Games

• QB Jordan Love (MCL)
• QB Justin Herbert (high ankle)
• QB Russell Wilson (calf)
• RB Tyjae Spears (ankle)
• WR Joshua Palmer (calf/ankle)
• TE Taysom Hill (chest)

Love and Herbert appear truly questionable, with the former a limited practice participant Wednesday through Friday while the latter managed just one limited showing (Thursday). Herbert revealed Friday that his injury is a high-ankle sprain, adding to the concern that he's in real danger of sitting out despite not missing any snaps after he was hurt during last week's game. Easton Stick will fill in if Herbert can't play, and with little reason to respect the Chargers' passing game, things likely would become tougher for RBs J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards.

Late-Afternoon Games

• WR Greg Dortch (hamstring)
• K Joshua Karty (groin)

Dortch was an end-of-week addition due to a hamstring injury, which is usually a bad sign (just ask A.J. Brown or George Kittle). The bigger concern for Arizona from a non-fantasy standpoint is RT Kelvin Beachum, whose potential absence could make things easier for red-hot Lions pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson (five sacks against Tampa last week). Beachum is listed as questionable after missing practice Friday.

Primetime Games

• RB Tank Bigsby (shoulder) - MNF
• TE Evan Engram (hamstring) - MNF
• WR Tee Higgins (hamstring) - MNF
• TE Mike Gesicki (calf) - MNF

Engram seems on track to be ruled out/doubtful Saturday when the Jaguars release their final injury report. Bigsby is more likely to be questionable or cleared, as he still played special teams after hurting his shoulder last week and then managed limited practice participation Thursday and Friday. It is possible his role behind Travis Etienne is minimal even if Bigsby is active for the game.

Higgins is the big one here, and he said Friday that he expects to play. He seemed to be in a good mood after Friday's practice, and he even mentioned that he thought he was ready Week 2 but was held back to reduce the odds of aggravating his injured hamstring. Gesicki also seems likely to play, having managed limited practices Thursday and Friday, but he's not super interesting for fantasy besides single-game DFS contests if both Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase are active.

Key Defensive Players + O-Linemen

• C Juice Scruggs (groin) + C Jarrett Patterson (calf)
• OLB Brian Burns (groin)
• LT Jedrick Wills (knee) + RT Jack Conklin (knee)
• S C.J. Gardner-Johnson (foot)
• CB Ja'Sir Taylor (leg)
• OLB Boye Mafe (knee)
• CB Cobie Durant (toe) + DT Bobby Brown (ankle)
• DE Nick Bosa (ribs) + CB Charvarius Ward (hamstring)
• RT Kelvin Beachum (hamstring)
• LB Alex Anzalone (concussion) + CB Terrion Arnold (illness) + G Graham Glasgow (knee)
• DT Mazi Smith (back)
• OLB David Ojabo (quad)
• S Vonn Bell (back) + DT B.J. Hill (hamstring) + DT Sheldon Rankins (hamstring)
• CB Emmanuel Forbes (thumb)