Week 8 Friday Injury Report: Lions Roaring, Pollard Scoring, Lockett and Metcalf Questionable

This article is part of our Injury Analysis series.

The bottom section — truly questionable — can be used as a kind of checklist or cheatsheet for Sunday morning. First, let's see who's in and who's out...

Good to Go 💯

• RB D'Andre Swift (shoulder)
• RB Darrell Henderson (illness) 
• RB Josh Jacobs (foot)
• WR Van Jefferson (IR - knee)
• LB Shaquille Leonard (head/nose)

Ruled Out/Doubtful 🚑 

• RB Chuba Hubbard (ankle)

Coach Steve Wilks said he wants to keep the backfield as a committee, but there's not much doubt D'Onta Foreman will lead the way with Hubbard ruled out and only undrafted rookie Raheem Blackshear as a healthy RB option on the roster. Spencer Brown likely will be called up from the practice squad.

• RB James Conner (ribs)

Darrel Williams (knee) is a game-time decision but would probably come off the bench behind Eno Benjamin (and possibly Keaontay Ingram) if he's able to play. Benjamin looked good last Thursday against the Saints with 113 yards and a TD, pushing him up to 4.6 YPC for the year.

• RB Cam Akers (personal)
• RB Ezekiel Elliott (knee - doubtful)
• WRs Michael Thomas (foot) & Jarvis Landry (ankle)
• WR Deebo Samuel (hamstring)
• WR Allen Lazard (shoulder)
• WR Ja'Marr Chase (hip)
• WR Corey Davis (knee)
• WR Jahan Dotson (hamstring) + TE Cole Turner (concussion)
• WR Kenny Golladay (knee) + TE Daniel Bellinger (eye)
• TE David Njoku (knee)

Key Defensive Players + Offensive Linemen

• LB Cole Holcomb (foot) + CB William Jackson (back)
• CB A.J. Terrell (hamstring) + S Jaylinn Hawkins (concussion)

The Atlanta secondary is a mess, though so is the Carolina passing game. This is one of DJ Moore's better chances to produce a useful fantasy line, and he was one of the highlighted players in Start/Sit earlier this week.

• G Ben Bredeson (knee) + T Evan Neal (knee)

• C Lucas Patrick (toe) + RT Larry Borom (concussion)

• DE Arik Armstead (foot) + LB Dre Greenlaw (calf)
• CB Marshon Lattimore (abdomen)
• C David Andrews (concussion)

Listed as Questionable - Should Play 👍

• WRs Davante Adams (illness) & Mack Hollins (heel)
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Truly Questionable 🤔

• WR Amon-Ra St. Brown (concussion) - 1 ET

St. Brown was a full practice participant Friday and now just needs clearance from an independent neurologist. TBD if that happens Saturday or not. 

• TE Darren Waller (hamstring) - 1 ET

Foster Moreau figures to handle an every-down role again ($3,100 on DK) if Waller misses another game.

• Darrel Williams (knee) - 1 ET

Williams (knee) is a game-time decision but would probably come off the bench behind Eno Benjamin (and possibly Keaontay Ingram) if he's able to play. Benjamin looked good last Thursday against the Saints with 113 yards and a TD, pushing him up to 4.6 YPC for the year. (James Conner is out for a third straight game.)

• TE Logan Thomas (calf) + WR Dyami Brown (groin) - 1 ET

John Bates becomes a DFS punt option if Thomas is inactive for a fourth straight game, after fellow tight end Cole Turner suffered a concussion this week. Bates and Armani Rogers are the healthy tight ends, while Brown and Cams Sims are the best bets to replace Jahan Dotson (out - hamstring).

• WR Noah Brown (foot) + TE Dalton Schultz (knee) - 1 ET
• TE Juwan Johnson (hamstring) + TE Adam Trautman (knee) - 1 ET

Trautman missed the last game, while Johnson was a mid-week addition to the injury report and limited in practice Thursday/ Friday. Both should be considered truly questionable, and even after the pair of TDs last week it'll be unwise to trust Johnson if he plays... that's true even if he's active and Trautman is out.

• QB Ryan Tannehill (ankle) - 4:05 ET

Malik Willis will get his first NFL start if Tannehill is deemed unready. That'd be bad news for the already lifeless Tennessee pass catchers, but it might help Derrick Henry to play alongside a QB who forces backside defenders to stay honest. Either way, Henry is in a great spot against Houston's lousy run defense.

• WRs Brandin Cooks (wrist) & Nico Collins (groin) - 4:05 ET

Cooks was a Friday addition to the injury report (and listed as a full practice participant), while Collins left last week's game early. My guess is Cooks plays and Collins doesn't, but I'm not sure about it. Chris Moore and Phillip Dorsett are the depth options behind them, so Houston at least has some speed (and not much else).

• WRs DK Metcalf (knee) + Tyler Lockett (oblique/hamstring) - 4:25 ET

Earlier this week (or even Friday morning), Metcalf seemed closer to doubtful and Lockett to probable, but apparently the former is progressing faster than expected while the latter tweaked something in practice Thursday. Both now are considered game-time decisions, with Marquise Goodwin, Dee Eskridge and Dareke Young the backup options (Goodwin scored twice last week).

• WR Jauan Jennings (hamstring) - 4:25 ET

There's a DFS case for Ray-Ray McCloud if Jennings joins Deebo on the sideline Sunday. Though you might say the smarter move would be Brandon Aiyuk or George Kittle, both of whom get targets-share projections bumps with Deebo out.

• WR Christian Watson (hamstring) - 8:20 ET (SNF)

With Lazard out, Watson could be the No. 3 receiver behind Rome Doubs and Sammy Watkins. That shouldn't be a tough cover for the Buffalo secondary; Aaron Rodgers really is up against it this week.

Key Defensive Players + O-Linemen

• CB Xavien Howard (groin) - 1 ET
• LB Micah Parsons (shoulder) - 1 ET
• CB Marshon Lattimore (abs) - 1 ET
• S Kyle Dugger (ankle) - 1 ET
• DE Jeffery Simmons (ankle) - 4:05 ET
• DE Trey Hendrickson (neck) - MNF 
• CB Denzel Ward (concussion) + LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (knee)