Fantasy Injury Updates: Tyreek Hill, Adam Thielen, JuJu Smith-Schuster, more affect Week 13 WR rankings

Billy Heyen

Fantasy Injury Updates: Tyreek Hill, Adam Thielen, JuJu Smith-Schuster, more affect Week 13 WR rankings image

Tyreek Hill, Adam Thielen and JuJu Smith-Schuster are three big names that aren't certain to be ready for your Week 13 fantasy start 'em, sit 'em decisions. The latest news on Alshon Jeffery, Nelson Agholor, Mohamed Sanu and Phillip Dorsett also have their statuses up in the air. There could be big waiver wire and sleeper implications if some of these guys were to be inactive in Week 13, so we have the latest injury updates for them below.

For updates on banged-up RBs James ConnerDamien WilliamsJordan Howard, and more, click here; for the latest on TEs Austin Hooper and Evan Engram, go here. Follow us for more news and updates on Twitter @SN_Fantasy.

WEEK 13 NON-PPR RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker

Tyreek Hill injury update

Hill injured his hamstring in Week 11 before his bye. Speaking Monday, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said that he's "optimistic" about Hill's availability for Week 13 against the Raiders.

The Raiders' pass defense is very beatable, so Hill's owners will be hoping he gets back. With Hill dinged up in Week 11, it was Mecole Hardman who played 51 snaps and would be in line for increased action if Hill were to be out, and Demarcus Robinson would also be a boom-or-bust WR3. When these teams played in Week 2 (also without Hill), Hardman had a 4-61-1 line and Robinson had a 6-172-2 line. 

WEEK 13 PPR RANKINGS: Running back | Wide receiverTight end

Adam Thielen injury news

Thielen hasn't played since injuring his hamstring in Week 9. Considering the conversations that surrounded him since, he should be good to go after the Vikings' Week 12 bye week, but there haven't been any official statements on Thielen yet.

(Update: Thielen resumed practicing on Tuesday in an informal Minnesota practice session.)

Minnesota plays Monday night against Seattle, so hopefully there's some positive Thielen news in the interim so you don't have to worry about him potentially missing the last game of the week. He and Stefon Diggs are both fantasy starters against the Seahawks (if Thielen is out, give small boosts to Kyle Rudolph, Irv Smith Jr. and Olabisi Johnson).

WEEK 13 DFS LINEUPS:
FD Cash | FD GPP | DK Cash | Y! Cash | Y! GPP

Will JuJu Smith-Schuster play Week 13?

Smith-Schuster is dealing with both a concussion and knee contusion that held him out of Week 12. For JuJu to make it back for Week 13 against Cleveland, he'll have to clear concussion protocol. Mike Tomlin should provide an update on Smith-Schuster in his Tuesday presser.

James Washington was the most productive wideout in Smith-Schuster's absence, catching three passes for 98 yards and a touchdown. That's despite Diontae Johnson being active, too. If JuJu is out, we like Washington the most for Week 13, especially if Devlin Hodges gets the start at QB, but he's still nothing more than WR3/FLEX.

Alshon Jeffery injury updates

Both Jeffery (ankle) and Nelson Agholor (knee) missed Week 12, and that's after Jeffery was reportedly trending in the right direction the night before the game. Doug Pederson again said Monday that both receivers are "trending" in the right direction.

Philly plays at 1 p.m. Sunday in Miami, a great matchup if either of the wideouts can make it back to the field. If not, expect heavy dosage of Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert. The Eagles did waive Jordan Matthews on Monday, suggesting at least one of the WRs should be ready for this highly favorable matchup.

Mohamed Sanu, Phillip Dorsett injury update

Sanu (ankle) and Dorsett (concussion) both missed Sunday's game against the Cowboys. Sanu was closer to returning, per pregame reports. The Patriots play on Sunday night in Week 13 in Houston.

With the pair out, rookie Jakobi Meyers caught four-of-nine targets while N'Keal Harry caught one-of-four targets (for a touchdown). Harry played three more snaps than Meyers. It'd be hard to predict which of the rookies remains relevant if one of the veterans makes it back. If both remain out, both rookies have some FLEX appeal in Sunday night's favorable matchup.

T.Y. Hilton injury update

Hilton is uncertain about his Week 13 status, he told reporters Tuesday, after he "didn't have (his) explosiveness" in the Colts' Thursday night loss. He added that he spent the weekend in the training room, and that he hopes he practices this week.

This is a twist after Hilton made it back to the field - his late-week practice reports will be the best indication we have. Zach Pascal wasn't useful in Hilton's absence, so this is mostly just about Hilton himself.

Billy Heyen