With Week 1 of the 2020 NFL season getting ready to kick off, fantasy football owners are facing their first round of tough start 'em, sit 'em decisions. A big part of those decisions will be injuries, and in an offseason that saw no preseason action, it's hard to know exactly how healthy banged-up players may be. Currently, a handful of big-name receivers -- including Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel, Kenny Golladay, and Amari Cooper -- are dealing with injuries that are impacting their Week 1 statuses. Here is the latest news on all of those maladies and how they are impacting fantasy football rankings.
For all the latest fantasy injury news and updates on banged-up RBs Miles Sanders, David Montgomery, and Devine Ozigbo, click here. Check back here and on Twitter @SN_Fantasy for all the latest news.
WEEK 1 PPR RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker
Mike Evans injury update
UPDATE: Evans officially didn't practice on Thursday, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. Friday's practice now will become paramount for Evans' chances of playing but either way, Evans' fantasy owners will want to have a backup plan ready to go in case he can't suit up.
Ahead of a highly-anticipated matchup with the Saints in Week 1, it appears that Evans is truly questionable for the contest. As ESPN's Adam Schefter reported, Evans is dealing with a hamstring injury, and per ESPN's Jenna Laine, Bucs head coach Bruce Arians said it will "come down to the wire" as to whether or not Evans will play in the contest.
This news is obviously concerning for Evans' fantasy owners, as the wideout finished last season on IR with a hamstring injury. He'll have to be watched closely in Thursday's practice, but if he can't get on the field in a limited capacity, owners may want to turn elsewhere, especially considering that soft-tissue injuries tend to linger.
If Evans does miss the game, Chris Godwin gets a stock up, as he will be the Bucs' clear-cut No. 1 receiver. Additionally, the Bucs would presumably use a lot of two-TE sets, so Rob Gronkowski and O.J. Howard could both work their way into streamer territory with Gronk having a real shot at being a TE1 for Week 1. Scotty Miller, the team's slot-man, would also receive more targets, but he shouldn't be trusted as anything more than a flier in DFS formats.
WEEK 1 STANDARD RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker
Is Deebo Samuel playing Week 1?
UPDATE: Samuel missed practice on Thursday and is looking doubtful for Week 1's game against Arizona.
Deebo Samuel is battling back from a foot injury he suffered during the summer and his Week 1 availability is very much in doubt. Samuel did not practice on Wednesday and his outlook for playing on Sunday doesn't look too bright.
It always seemed likely that Samuel was going to miss at least a couple of games working back from the Jones fracture, but as long as he's on the practice field, his status will bear watching.
With Samuel out and Brandon Aiyuk (hamstring) banged up and not practicing, Kendrick Bourne could be a nice sleeper pick in the 49ers receiving corps. It also should mean George Kittle will get a ton of targets, which will further cement him as our top overall TE play for Week 1.
WEEK 1 DFS TOURNAMENT LINEUPS:
Yahoo | DraftKings | FanDuel
Will Kenny Golladay play Week 1?
UPDATE: Golladay didn't practice Thursday, which is concerning since he reportedly "tweaked" his hamstring the day before. Golladay is looking more like a true game-time decision.
At Wednesday's Lions practice, Kenny Golladay was limited with a hamstring injury. Golladay didn't deal with any injury issues during training camp, so this may just be a bit of maintenance to make sure that he is fully ready and healthy for the team's Week 1 opener. Furthermore, Lions coach Matt Patricia, who comes from the Patriots system, may just be looking for an excuse to list more guys on the injury report and keep the Bears guessing ahead of their meeting on Sunday.
We'll keep an eye on Golladay, but this doesn't seem like anything major. If he were to miss time, Marvin Jones would be the biggest beneficiary, as he would be the Lions' temporary No. 1 receiver, but again, that doesn't seem likely.
WEEK 1 DFS CASH LINEUPS:
Yahoo | DraftKings | FanDuel
Amari Cooper injury news
Good news for Amari Cooper owners: The wide receiver is practicing in full in the lead up to Dallas' Week 1 matchup with the Rams. Cooper had missed quite a bit of practice action the previous week with a hamstring injury, but now, it appears that he is on track to play.
Of course, Cooper is going to be dealing with a tough Week 1 matchup against Jalen Ramsey, so that may scare some owners off. Still, barring a setback, Cooper can be trusted as a low-end WR2 this week.
Courtland Sutton injury update
UPDATE: Sutton was diagnosed with a sprained AC joint and is "day-to-day." He's expected to be "questionable" for Monday night's game.
Sutton left Thursday's practice early after landing on his right shoulder. He underwent an MRI after practice and is awaiting the results.
With Sutton playing the late Monday night game, fantasy owners should already be planning ahead to have someone else available as a late sub. Corey Davis and KJ Hamler are two possibilities from the waiver wire, though Hamler (hamstring) is banged up himself. DaeSean Hamilton and Tim Patrick would be emergency WR replacements if both Hamler and Sutton are out, though it's possible TEs Jonnu Smith and Noah Fant and available in shallower leagues to plug into your flex spot.
