The injury reports are coming in, and the biggest one involves a player whose game is on Monday night. That increases the level of difficulty. There's also going to be some weather going on.
Puka Nacua (groin) didn't practice either Friday or Saturday. Officially, he's questionable. Nacua has been questionable before and played, but with the Rams playing Monday night, options are limited if he winds up inactive. In the same game, fill-in options include Konata Mumpfeld or Xavier Smith for the Rams (Jordan Whittington is doubtful, he's even less likely to play than Nacua), or Malachi Fields or Darnell Mooney for the Giant. (I assume people don't have the options of Malik Nabers or Davante Adams. If you can stick Nacua in a flex spot, your options expand to one of a variety of tight ends who might even be available on waivers, or perhaps a No. 2 running back like Blake Corum. If Nacua winds up active, I assume he's fine for his usual workload. But we're not going to know if he'll be active today, and I personally will go to great lengths to avoid taking a zero in a lineup.
Zay Flowers won't play for the Ravens. He was doubtful on Friday, and this is a reminder that most doubtful players do not play. Rankings of Ravens receivers in the Friday update assumed Flowers was out.
Chris Olave (hamstring) is expected to play for New Orleans. He got in limited practices, the team referred to that as precautionary. I removed Olave from my Blackout lineup (I already started DJ Moore, gonna be a great week), but if I had him in a lineup I'd be using him. Seems fine to use.
Ladd McConkey (rib) is "pushing to play," according to Ian Rapoport. Not exactly the most helpful update -- a competitive player wants to play, shocker -- but that's what we've got to work with. Schefter's report suggests that McConkey will be playing with a flak jacket if he plays. I'd use him as ranked, if active, on Friday.
Weather might affect a couple of games, with wind and rain expected for Packers-Jets, Vikings-Bears, and Steelers-Patriots. In Foxborough, rain. I didn't love either passing game anyway. I don't think the rain should dramatically affect plans to use Metcalf or a Patriots receiver, if you had to go with one. For Jets-Packers, we've got rain and 10 mph winds. Not terrible, but if you were debating a Packer receiver and someone in another game ranked similarly, maybe go with the other player. Less chance of rain but more wind in Chicago, 15-16 mph. Making people aware of these things, but I feel you could make as many mistakes overreacting to weather as underreacting. I'm using Jefferson, Burden, Caleb Williams, Garrett Wilson. It's the medium-level guys where you can switch to a player ranked similarly where I'd think about going with the other guy.
Kaelon Black (groin) is expected to play for the 49ers. Some potential in a game San Francisco should win comfortably, but hard to get too excited about a No. 2 running back who's less than 100 percent. Sounds like it's a minor injury, though, so if you're desperate.
Joe Burrow (back) is playing. Use as normal.
RJ Harvey (hamstring) is unlikely to play for the Broncos. I'm seeing some use this as an excuse to recommend rookie Jonah Coleman. It's possible or likely that Coleman will play more. But Harvey's main contributions to the offense are in the passing game, and the Broncos, if Harvey is inactive, will probably make Tyler Badie active, and he'll get some of those passing game chances. So I'm not willing to say Harvey being out makes Coleman a great start.
Michael Pittman (foot) won't play for Pittsburgh. This is a plus for Roman Wilson, but also rookie Germie Bernard, both of whom should be playing in three-receiver sets. I wasn't even recommending Pittman this week, so I'm not really gung ho on his fill-in.
--Andy Richardson
