Fantasy football Week 9 inactive: Who’s in and who’s out?

On By Littum

Who should you start? Who are you going to sit with? 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 when NFL teams release their official inactive lists. Any rankings quoted in this column come from our ESPN Fantasy staff.

Official Sunday inactives should begin arriving approximately 90 minutes before 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.

Update often to get the latest information.

Keaton Mitchell, RB, BAL: knee — OUT
Impact: He’ll have to wait another week before getting a chance to spell Derrick Henry.

Amari Cooper, WR, BUF: Wrist — Questionable
Impact: Keon Coleman and Khalil Shakir could well get the majority of WR targets with Cooper picking his spots.

Curtis Samuel, WR, BUF: Pectoral — Questionable
Impact: Even if he does play, he’s not likely to be on the field enough to matter in fantasy.

Jonathan Brooks, RB, CAR: knee — Questionable
Impact: Next week would be the last chance the Panthers have to activate the rookie if he rules this one out. Chuba Hubbard is expected to start again.

Tommy Tremble, TE, CAR: Back — Questionable
Impact: He looks to play and share targets with Ja’Tavion Sanders.

Adam Thielen, WR, CAR: hoarding — OUT
Impact: Why risk hurting him again? Diontae Johnson is gone and Thielen may also be headed elsewhere with the trade deadline looming.

Xavier Legette, WR, CAR: Toe — Questionable
Impact: He should be able to suit up and start opposite WR Jalen Coker.

Zack Moss, RB, CIN: Neck — OUT
Impact: We knew his late Friday addition to the injury report meant trouble. We will see a lot of Chase Brown.

T-shirt Higgins, WR, CIN: quad — Questionable
Impact: Andrei Iosivas will most likely start alongside Ja’Marr Chase.

Charlie Jones, WR, CIN: Groin — Questionable
Impact: His potential absence could put Trenton Irwin on the deep league flex radar.

Ezekiel Elliott, RB, DAL: Team Decision — OUT
Impact: The Cowboys get Rico Dowdle back and have elevated Dalvin Cook to take Elliott’s spot, who did not travel with the team.

Stone Smartt, TE, LAC: Ankle — Questionable
Impact: We’re only talking about him so we can report that fellow TEs Hayden Hurst and Will Dissly are not on this week’s injury report.

DJ Chark Jr., WR, LAC: Groin — Questionable
Impact: He has been activated from IR and should play, as should Quentin Johnston, who was removed from the injury report.

Zamir White, RB, LV: quad — Questionable
Impact: While he may be able to play, Alexander Mattison is still projected to be the lead here.

Drake Maye, QB, NE: Concussion — Questionable
Impact: He has cleared the league’s concussion policy and will start Sunday.

Kendre Miller, RB, NO: hoarding — OUT/IR
Impact: Alvin Kamara is pretty much the only healthy running back on the Saints’ roster.

Jamaal Williams, RB, NO: Groin — Questionable
Impact: Fullback Adam Prentice could get some touches alongside the experienced Jordan Mims.

Bub means, WR, NO: Ankle — OUT/IR
Impact: Returning QB Derek Carr may have to throw some to Marquez Valdes-Scantling.

Cedrick Wilson Jr., WR, NO: Hip — Questionable
Impact: Expect Mason Tipton to start alongside Chris Olave.

Greg Joseph, K, NYG: Abdomen — OUT/IR
Impact: Welcome Jude McAtamney to the NFL.

Will Levis, QB, TEN: Shoulder — Questionable
Impact: While this is technically a game-time call, Mason Rudolph is expected to start again with Levis not at 100 percent.

Tyjae Spears, RB, TEN: hoarding — OUT
Impact: This is where we’d normally say Julius Chestnut becomes the team’s No. 2 RB…

Tony Pollard, RB, TEN: foot — Questionable
Impact: … but Chestnut might even have to start if Pollard, who didn’t practice all week, can’t go.

Tyler Boyd, WR, TEN: Shoulder — Questionable
Impact: Calvin Ridley (shoulder) was removed from the injury report and will play.

Brian Robinson Jr., RB, VAR: hoarding — Questionable
Impact: Limited all week in practice, Robinson can still play. However, any setback and Austin Ekeler will get a fantasy value boost.

16:00 ET game

Jordan Love, QB, GB: Groin — Questionable
Impact: Most reports have leaned toward love from Sunday.

Josh Jacobs, RB, GB: Ankle — Questionable
Impact: He missed practice early in the week but appears to be in line to play.

Tank Bigsby, RB, JAX: Ankle — Questionable
Impact: He’ll likely get a lot of touches if he can go and Etienne can’t. Speaking of which…

Travis Etienne Jr., RB, JAX: hoarding — Questionable
Impact: Etienne is a risky Week 9 starter in fantasy as a late-window game-time call.

Gabe Davis, WR, JAX: Shoulder — Questionable
Impact: Even after participating in practice all week, he will still be a decision for playing time.

Christian Kirk, WR, JAX: collar bone — OUT
Impact: Limited all week, it’s also going to come down to the last minute until we know about Thomas.

Brian Thomas Jr., WR, JAX: Chest — Questionable
Impact: Parker Washington and Tim Jones could be the only WR options for Trevor Lawrence this week.

Jordan Whittington, WR, LAR: Shoulder — Questionable
Impact: He will only have fantasy value if one of the Rams’ WR starters returns to the sidelines due to injury…

Puka Nacua, WR, LAR: knee — Questionable
Impact: … and the fact that Nacua is back on the injury report is scary. However, he traveled with the team and appears to be in line to play.

Dallas Goedert, TE, PHI: hoarding — OUT
Impact: Grant Calcaterra starts, but he’s no Dallas Goedert.

Noah Fant, TE, SEA: Groin — OUT
Impact: A trip to IR isn’t currently planned, but it could still be Week 12 before we see Fant again.

DK Metcalf, WR, SEA: knee — OUT
Impact: It looks like Metcalf could be on track to return to the field after next week’s bye.

Sunday night game

TJ Hockenson, TE, MIN: knee — Activated from IR
Impact: Hockenson will make his debut in 2024, but he may still need a week or two to get back up to full speed.