This feature will be in your email each week. Don't miss it or the other email features we'll be sending.
DON'T MISS OUT: Sign up for our free, daily newsletter here.
As we head into Week 10, there are many impactful injuries that fantasy managers need to be aware of. Here are some of the biggest ones to watch.
RB Rhamondre Stevenson (knee), New England Patriots
After opening the week with a DNP, Stevenson logged back-to-back practices on Thursday and Friday. Stevenson was expected to miss multiple weeks with this knee injury but appears well ahead of schedule. If he's active, he's a risky start, more of a back-end RB2 than the RB1 he'd be if healthy. If Stevenson can't go, fire up Corey Kiner as a high-floor volume play. If Stevenson is active, Kiner becomes more of a desperation start. The Patriots play early in Sunday's game in Munich, so check inactive status when they come out at 8:00 a.m. ET on Sunday morning.
WR A.J. Brown (knee/ankle), New England Patriots
According to Ian Rapoport, Brown has "a good chance to play" this week against the Lions. This is an international game in Munich, and kickoff will be at 9:30 a.m. ET. It's imperative that fantasy managers wake up early to check the inactive report in case Brown is a surprise scratch. The Patriots have a Week 11 bye, so Brown will have an extra week of rest if he can push through Week 10. If he's active, the risk of limitation or reinjury will keep him in the WR3 range rather than the high-end WR2 he was drafted to be. Brown has had a disappointing season so far, marred by ankle and knee injuries. Fantasy managers who invested a premium pick in him will hope he returns value after the bye.
WR George Pickens (hamstring), Dallas Cowboys
After a surprise Week 9 inactive status following a full week of limited practices, Pickens opened up this week with more limited practices. Speculation has suggested Pickens is in preservation mode for the second half of the season, hoping to stay healthy and earn a contract this offseason. However, when asked about his Week 10 availability, Pickens said, "Tell your wife or your girl to turn the TV on, and she'll see me on the field." Take that for what you will, but Pickens appears confident he can suit up. If he's active, he's a boom-or-bust WR2. Any preseason hopes that he'd usurp the WR1 role from CeeDee Lamb can be put to rest, but Pickens' big-play ability makes him a must-start, especially in a potential shootout against the 49ers.
WR Denzel Boston (toe), Cleveland Browns
Boston reportedly left Wednesday's practice in a walking boot, making this injury a bit more concerning than we initially anticipated. However, teams have been much more liberal with the use of boots lately, and this could be precautionary. And Monken described the injury as minor, which is positive. It's promising that Boston returned to practice on Friday. As for actionable advice, we've reached the point where it's probably just best to start Boston, KC Concepcion Jr., and Harold Fannin Jr. every week and hope for the best. The depth of pass-catchers leads to volatile production, but they all have sky-high weekly ceilings. If Boston can't go, the floors for Concepcion and Fannin both rise. If Boston is out there, he'll likely draw tough coverage from Derek Stingley Jr., but he can make his fantasy day in one play, making him a strong WR2 option in fantasy lineups. We'll hope for an update before Sunday's kickoff.
Follow @DaveKluge Follow @Footballguys