Sit Start Injury Report Sunday Morning Week 8 2021

By KC Joyner
KC Joyner

Every fantasy manager knows that injuries can have a huge impact on a fantasy team's performance.

That makes properly navigating each week's injury report a must. To assist in this effort, this weekly article series will analyze the fantasy football impact of the Friday and Saturday injury reports.

The injured players are noted by player position and then their injury status. Out means the player has been ruled out of this week's contest. Doubtful means the player is very unlikely to start. Questionable indicates the player might start. Start likelihood is increased if a player has participated in practices that week, so practice participation levels are frequently noted in these posts.

Let's look at the Week 8 injury report. The initial edition of this article is generated following the league's Friday injury report. It is then updated on Saturday night with any injury changes that have been posted since the Friday update.
 

Carolina at Atlanta

Carolina injuries

The Panthers do not have any notable injuries.

 

 

Atlanta injuries

The Falcons had no players listed on their injury report.

 

 

 

Cincinnati at New York Jets

Cincinnati injuries
The Bengals do not have any notable injuries.

 

 

 

New York injuries

RB Tevin Coleman: Out
QB Zach Wilson: Out
WR Corey Davis: Doubtful
S Ashtyn Davis: Questionable
Davis was going to be a marginal starter at best with Wilson out, but the doubtful status indicates he will almost certainly miss this game. Wilson's absence also makes any other Jets player a sit candidate, as backup quarterback Mike White might be the worst quarterback that has played this year.

 

 

 

Dallas at Minnesota

Dallas injuries

QB Dak Prescott: Questionable
T Tyron Smith: Questionable
Prescott looks like he will be a gametime decision. If he doesn't play, it lowers all Cowboys fantasy players down at least one tier and possibly two. Those values would all get an additional marginal reduction if Smith ends up missing this game.

Saturday night update: Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News is reporting that Prescott is unlikely to play this week.

 

 

Minnesota injuries

The Vikings do not have any notable injuries.

 

 

 

Jacksonville at Seattle

Jacksonville injuries

The Jaguars do not have any notable injuries.

 

 

Seattle injuries

T Duane Brown: Questionable
G Damien Lewis: Questionable
RB Alex Collins: Questionable
Collins had limited practices on Wednesday and Friday but missed practice on Thursday. That suggests that he likely will start yet has the potential for missing this game. If Collins is out, Rashaad Penny would move up to flex status. Either running back's value could take a notable hit if Brown and Lewis, the Seahawks' starting left tackle and left guard, respectively, end up out. Brown is the more likely to miss this game, as he did not practice on Friday, while Lewis put in a full practice on Friday and thus is trending to play.

 

 

 

Los Angeles Rams at Houston

Los Angeles injuries

T Andrew Whitworth: Out
S Jordan Fuller: Questionable
CB Jalen Ramsey: Questionable
CB Robert Rochell: Questionable
These defensive injuries might have resulted in notable fantasy value if Tyrod Taylor had been able to make it back for Week 8, but with Davis Mills under center there is very little bankable value in the Houston fantasy lineup. Fuller and Rochell put in full practices on Friday as well, so Ramsey may be the only one of the questionable status players with high potential to miss this game.

 

 

Houston injuries

C Justin Britt: Questionable
C Justin McCray: Questionable
As if the Texans offense needed more issues headed into a matchup against the powerhouse Rams defense with Mills as their quarterback, they are also battling a couple of offensive line injuries. Fantasy managers would have to be in desperate straits to consider playing David Johnson or Phillip Lindsay in this scenario.

 

 

 

Miami at Buffalo

Miami injuries

CB Noah Igbinoghene: Questionable
WR DeVante Parker: Questionable
C Greg Mancz: Questionable
Parker hasn't played since Week 4 and probably isn't a solid fantasy play given the limited practices he had all week.

 

 

Buffalo injuries

TE Dawson Knox: Out
Knox is still recovering from hand surgery and is only listed here because the Bills didn't place him on the injured reserve list. That suggests they think he will be back as early as next week.

 

 

 

New England at Los Angeles Chargers

New England injuries

C David Andrews: Questionable
WR Kendrick Bourne: Questionable
K Nick Folk: Questionable
LB Don't'a Hightower: Questionable
G Shaquille Mason: Questionable
TE Jonnu Smith: Questionable
LB Kyle Van Noy: Questionable
Bourne has an incredibly low roster rate despite posting 10+ PPR fantasy points in four of the past five weeks, but the tough matchup and questionable status probably preclude picking him as a longshot play this week. The biggest factor on this list could be Andrews and Mason, as they make up two-fifths of an offensive line that could move the ball quite well on the ground against a shaky Chargers rush defense.

 

 

Los Angeles injuries

RB Austin Ekeler: Questionable
Ekeler did not practice on Thursday or Friday and is thus truly questionable to play this week. The Chargers are in the late kickoff window on Sunday so fantasy managers will need to have a backup plan in place if they want to wait for confirmation on Ekeler's status. If Ekeler is out for this game, Justin Jackson and Joshua Kelley will split the workload, with Jackson and Kelley likely dividing the rush carries evenly and Jackson garnering most of the receiving duties.

Saturday night update: ESPN's Adam Schefter is reporting that Ekeler will be active this week. Fantasy managers should still be prepared in the event that this status changes between now and 4 PM on Sunday, but this indicates Ekeler will be a go this week.

 

 

 

Philadelphia at Detroit

Philadelphia injuries

RB Miles Sanders: Out
S Anthony Harris: Doubtful
Sanders was never likely to play in this game and has now been ruled out. Kenneth Gainwell will get the bulk of the backfield workload in this pass-centric offense, but Boston Scott could get a solid share of carries and will likely serve as the Eagles goal line back. Harris' absence is a plus to the value of T.J. Hockenson.

 

 

Detroit injuries

LB Trey Flowers: Questionable
RB D'Andre Swift: Questionable
CB Jerry Jacobs: Questionable
CB A.J. Parker: Questionable
RB Jamaal Williams: Questionable
Swift has been on the injury list with a questionable tag for many weeks, so this is probably just another precautionary listing. Williams hit the injury on Thursday and thus may be truly questionable. Jacobs and Parker are two of the top three cornerbacks in what may be the most talent challenged secondary in the league. Both missed practice on Thursday but put in limited practices on Friday and thus should be able to go on Sunday. The Eagles wideouts already are solid upside plays due to the state of the matchup before any injuries are factored in, so if Jacobs and/or Parker do miss this game, it simply increases the odds that the upside play pays off.

 

 

 

Pittsburgh at Cleveland

Pittsburgh injuries

TE Eric Ebron: Out
LB Melvin Ingram: Doubtful
Ebron has been a non-entity in fantasy this year and Ingram is a depth linebacker, so these have zero fantasy impact.

 

 

Cleveland injuries

CB Denzel Ward: Out
WR Odell Beckham: Questionable
DE Jadeveon Clowney: Questionable
DT Malik Jackson: Questionable
DE Takkarist McKinley: Questionable
Ward was slated to be a coverage hindrance for Chase Claypool, so Claypool now is a much safer WR2/WR3 option. Beckham is dealing with injuries to both of his shoulders and is a bench candidate in nearly all scenarios due to that, this matchup, and Baker Mayfield's injury. The trio of defensive linemen who head into this game banged up does increase the odds that Najee Harris racks up another 20+ PPR point game.

 

 

 

San Francisco at Chicago

San Francisco injuries

DT Javon Kinlaw: Out
DT Maurice Hurst: Out
S Jaquiski Tartt: Out
LB Azeez Al-Shaair: Doubtful
DE Dee Ford: Doubtful
DE Samson Ekuban: Questionable
T Trent Williams: Questionable
The Bears running backs have been about the only viable Chicago start options for fantasy managers. That should be the case again this week for Khalil Herbert, as this slew of defensive front seven injuries and losing Tartt will hinder the 49ers defensive capabilities.

 

 

Chicago injuries

LB Khalil Mack: Out
S Tashuan Gipson: Questionable
DT Akiem Hicks: Questionable
This triumvirate consists of arguably the best players on this platoon, so their injury status helps the cases of every San Francisco fantasy candidate.

 

 

 

Tampa Bay at New Orleans

Tampa Bay injuries

WR Antonio Brown: Out
LB Lavonte David: Questionable
CB Dee Delaney: Questionable
TE Rob Gronkowski: Questionable
LB Jason Pierre-Paul: Questionable
CB Richard Sherman: Questionable
Delaney and Pierre-Paul did not practice on Friday and are likely to be out for this game. Gronkowski and Sherman had limited practices all week and thus are both trending to start. Brown's absence could make Tyler Johnson a potential flex candidate in very deep leagues.

 

 

New Orleans injuries

QB Taysom Hill: Out
G Andrus Peat: Out
RB Dwayne Washington: Out
WR Deonte Harris: Questionable
CB Marshon Lattimore: Questionable
The most notable item here would seem to be Lattimore, as he has been quite successful in slowing Mike Evans in recent matchups, but Lattimore had full practices all week and thus will play in this contest.

 

 

 

Tennessee at Indianapolis

Tennessee injuries

WR Julio Jones: Out
CB Chris Jackson: Questionable
Jones being out may be a blessing in disguise for his fantasy managers, as at least now they won't have the potential to suffer through another disappointing point total from ones of the biggest draft busts so far this season. Jackson practiced in full on Friday and thus is likely to play.

 

 

Indianapolis injuries

WR T.Y. Hilton: Questionable
CB Xavier Rhodes: Questionable
T Braden Smith: Questionable
Hilton, Rhodes, and Smith all practiced in full on Friday and are on track to play this week.

 

 

 

Washington at Denver

Washington injuries

WR Dyami Brown: Out
T Samuel Cosmi: Out
WR Curtis Samuel: Out
G Brandon Scherff: Questionable
CB William Jackson: Questionable
T Cornelius Lucas: Out
Lucas missed Friday's practice with an illness and thus could miss this game and deplete the Washington offensive line of much needed depth, especially if Scherff ends up being out following limited practices all week. Jackson had limited practices all week as well. If Jackson is out, it gives some boost to Courtland Sutton's fantasy value.

Saturday night update: Lucas is now listed as out.

 

 

Denver injuries

DT Mike Purcell: Out
LB Von Miller: Questionable
Miller did not practice on Friday and thus is likely to miss this game. With Purcell also out, it puts the Denver D/ST down two of its front seven and could push this platoon towards posting a fifth straight game of three or fewer fantasy points despite what could be a favorable matchup.

Saturday night update: The Broncos activated Jerry Jeudy from IR this week so he is almost certain to play on Sunday.

 

 

 

New York Giants at Kansas City (Monday)

New York injuries

RB Saquon Barkley: Out
WR Kenny Golladay: Out
TE Evan Engram: Not on injury report
WR Sterling Shepard: Questionable
WR Kadarius Toney: Questionable
Barkley and Golladay's missed practices are likely precursors to their being out for this matchup. Engram, Shepard, and Toney's limited practices all augur towards them being available to play on Monday night. If Shepard or Toney end up out this week, Darius Slayton has solid WR3/flex value against the coverage sieve that is the Chiefs defense.

Saturday night update: Barkley and Golladay are now listed as out. Engram was not listed on the final injury report, so he will play this week. Shepard and Toney are listed as questionable, but they did have limited practices on Saturday and thus are trending towards playing.

 

 

Kansas City injuries

S Tyrann Mathieu: Not on final injury report
T Mike Remmers: Questionable
CB Charvarius Ward: Questionable
Kansas City's secondary is already in bad shape and not having Mathieu and/or Ward for this matchup would make things even worse. It could add a lot of upside to the Giants passing game, especially if Shepard, Toney, and Engram are all able to go.

Saturday night update: Mathieu was not listed on the final injury report, so he will play this week. Remmers and Ward both had limited practices on Saturday and thus are trending towards playing.