Week 8 Friday Injury Report: Walker Cleared, Lockett Looking Good, Moss Uncertain

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 💯

• QB Jimmy Garoppolo (back)
• RB Saquon Barkley (elbow)
• RB Miles Sanders (shoulder)
• RB Alvin Kamara (illness)
• RB Roschon Johnson (concussion)
• RBs Kenneth Walker & Zach Charbonnet (hamstrings) 
• WR DK Metcalf (hip/ribs)
• WRs Tyreek Hill (hip) & Jaylen Waddle (back)
• WR Treylon Burks (knee)
• WR Kalif Raymond (hamstring) 
• TE T.J. Hockenson (foot)
• TE Juwan Johnson (calf)
• CBs Sauce Gardner & D.J. Reed (concussions)

Ruled Out/Doubtful 🚑 

• QB Daniel Jones (neck)
• QB Deshaun Watson (shoulder)
• QB Ryan Tannehill (ankle)
• QB Justin Fields (thumb)
• QB Kyler Murray (D - ACL)
• WR Deebo Samuel (shoulder)
• WR Zay Jones (knee)
• WR Robert Woods (foot)
• WR Laviska Shenault (ankle)
• TE Kylen Granson (concussion)
• TE Josh Whyle (concussion)

Joshua Dobbs, Tyson Bagent, Will Levis, Tyrod Taylor and P.J. Walker will all start this week, though in Levis' case he might be sharing snaps with Malik Willis. 

Key Defensive Players + Offensive Linemen

• S Vonn Bell (quadriceps)
• DT Sheldon Rankins (knee)
• LT Andrew Thomas (hamstring)
• LB Cody Barton (ankle) + G Saahdiq Charles (calf)
• slot CB Roger McCreary (hamstring)
• RT Braden Smith (hip) + CB JuJu Brents (quad)
• LT James Hurst (ankle)
• S Marcus Williams (hamstring)
• G Nate Davis (ankle) + CB Terell Smith (illness)

Listed as Questionable - Should Play 👍

• QB Trevor Lawrence (knee)
• RB Raheem Mostert (ankle) 
• TE Darren Waller (hamstring)
• S Xavier Woods (hamstring) + LB Frankie Luvu (hip)

Truly Questionable / Game-Time Decisions 🤔

Early Games

• RB Zack Moss (elbow/heel)
• WR Curtis Samuel (foot)
• TE Luke Musgrave (ankle)
• TE Taysom Hill (chest)

Moss is the big one here for most fantasy leagues, with an absence likely opening the door for Jonathan Taylor's first huge workload of the season (it might happen even if Moss plays). Moss missed practice Wednesday and Friday, with a limited session Thursday being his only participation of the week.

Otherwise, the potential game-time calls for the early contests shouldn't matter much unless you're in a deeper league and thinking of using someone like Commanders WR Dyami Brown, Packers TE Tucker Kraft or Saints TE Juwan Johnson. The latter is returning from a four-game absence, and Hill's presence (or lack thereof) might not matter much for his role anyway.

Musgrave is someone I've been a fan of all year, but it sounds like he won't be at his best even if he ends up playing.

Late-Afternoon Games

• RB Jerome Ford (ankle) - 4:05 ET
• WR Tyler Lockett (hamstring) - 4:05 ET
• QB Brock Purdy (head) - 4:25 ET
• WR Brandon Johnson (hamstring) - 4:25 ET
• RB Keaton Mitchell (hamstring) - 4:25 ET

Ford initially was expected to miss multiple games with a high-ankle sprain, but he apparently is making great progress and might not miss any at all. Even so, it'll be tough to trust him as a fantasy option if he ends up active, as his injury could lead to more playing time for Kareem Hunt and/or Pierre Strong.

Purdy and Lockett both were full practice participants Friday, putting them on track to play. The only concern with Lockett is that Pete Carroll can be deceptive about injuries, almost always erring toward optimism. And then in Purdy's case it all comes down to receiving clearance from an independent neurologist Saturday.

Primetime Games

• WR Joshua Palmer (knee) + TE Gerald Everett (hip) - SNF
• RB David Montgomery (ribs) - MNF 
•  K Daniel Carlson (groin) - MNF

Montgomery seems unlikely to play and may be ruled out Saturday. Palmer and Everett, on the other hand, both appear truly questionable. If both end up sitting, the Chargers won't have much pass-catching depth behind Keenan Allen and Austin Ekeler. Note that Stone Smartt got more playing time than Donald Parham after Everett left last week's loss to the Chiefs. An absence for Palmer would mean more playing time for Quentin Johnson and Derius Davis, neither of whom has done much this season. FWIW, Everett managed a full practice Friday while Palmer was limited.

Key Defensive Players + O-Linemen

• OLB Brian Burns (elbow)
• RG Evan Neal (ankle) + C John Michael Schmitz (shoulder) + CB Adoree' Jackson (neck)
• slot CB Michael Carter (hamstring)
• LG Walker Little (knee) + CB Tyson Campbell (hamstring) + S Andre Cisco (leg)
• CBs Joey Porter (calf) + Levi Wallace (foot) + James Pierre (ankle)
• LT Tyron Smith (neck)
• RT Rob Havenstein (calf)
• CB Jaire Alexander (back) + LB De'Vondre Campbell (ankle) + C Josh Myers (ankle)
• G Ezra Cleveland (foot)
• OLB Bud Dupree (groin)
• S Jevon Holland (concussion) + CBs Xavien Howard (groin) & Jalen Ramsey (knee)
• C Connor Williams (groin)
• DE Deatrich Wise (shoulder) + LB Josh Uche (foot)
• LB Demario Davis (knee) + S Marcus Maye (hamstring) + CB Alontae Taylor (hip)
• G Andrus Peat (ankle) + G Max Garcia (illness)
• LT Jedrick Wills (foot)
• LT Trent Williams (ankle)
• LB Nick Bolton (wrist)
• S Jalen Thompson (hamstring) + CB Antonio Hamilton (groin)
• OLB Odafe Oweh (ankle)
• Ss Eddie Jackson (foot) & Jaquan Brisker (illness)
• S Alohi Gilman (heel)
•  CBs Nate Hobbs (ankle) & Jakorian Bennett (shoulder) + LB Divine Deablo (ankle) 
• LG Jonah Jackson (ankle) + C Frank Ragnow (toe)