The Week 11 WR injury report has a lot of good news for fantasy football managers, but which players enter the weekend questionable? Let’s examine the status of the likes of Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Davante Adams, DeAndre Hopkins, Wan’Dale Robinson, and more for Week 11.
WR Injury Report Heading Into Week 11
Keenan Allen, LAC | Hamstring (Questionable)
The Friday of Week 11 saw Keenan Allen practice in full for the first time since Week 1. However, he is still listed as questionable on the Los Angeles Chargers’ final injury report. When Allen spoke to Jeff Miller of the Los Angeles Times, Allen said he was able to run at full speed and felt his usual explosiveness.
That should mean Allen is able to suit up and handle a reasonable workload in Week 11. Allen did tell Lindsey Thiry that while he feels 100% and wants to play Sunday, it will be up to the training and coaching staff.
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That last bit of news makes it tough to know whether fantasy managers should trust Allen. The problem is that the Chargers play on Sunday Night Football, so if Allen is a late inactive, fantasy managers will have limited pivot options. The other concern is that Allen might be limited in terms of snaps, which could mean he underwhelms compared to fantasy managers’ expectations.
The report on Sunday morning from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport echoed the fact that Allen is hopeful of playing. However, Rapoport also added that it “is the expectation” that he will play. Of course, that is barring a setback in pre-game or the coaches deciding to play it cautiously for another week.
If Allen doesn’t suit up, then Joshua Palmer and DeAndre Carter are the potential pivots. However, if Allen plays, that could throw a wrench into everything, as a limited snap count could temper the value of Allen, Palmer, and Carter. It is tough even to trust this group in Underdog Fantasy Best Ball leagues if they are all active. All three could end up being touchdown-dependent in Week 11.
Mike Williams, LAC | Ankle (Questionable)
We also saw Mike Williams practice in full on Friday. He told Thiry that his ankle is “200 percent.” Ignoring the impossibility of Williams’ math for a second, it’s good news that he should be able to suit up on Sunday. However, Chargers’ head coach Brandon Staley called Williams and Allen game-time decisions.
In Rapoport’s report on the Chargers’ WRs, he also stated that Williams is hopeful to play and that it is expected that he will. However, the language he used is less definitive than we have seen for other players expected to play in a given week. This situation is a tricky one for fantasy managers to manage this week.
With both of the top-two WRs potentially limited this week, it could be tough for fantasy managers to get any value. If both are healthy enough to suit up but cannot play a full complement of snaps, then it could limit fantasy value for both of them, as well as Palmer and Carter.
Davante Adams, LV | Abdomen (Questionable)
Update: Davante Adams is active for the Raiders’ Week 11 game.
When Davante Adams was listed as limited with an abdomen injury on Wednesday, it did not seem like it was a major issue. However, he remained limited all week and carries the questionable tag on the Las Vegas Raiders’ final injury report.
On Sunday morning, Rapoport tweeted that Adams is expected to play today, according to a source. This always seemed like the likely outcome, but this is the first real definitive idea we have that it is the case. However, the fact this is a late-afternoon game adds some jeopardy for fantasy managers. If you are counting on Adams, it might be prudent to have a backup plan in place in case he has a setback in pregame.
The Raiders already have Darren Waller and Hunter Renfrow on IR, so if they are to go into Sunday without Adams, they would be without three of their top four offensive-skill-position players. If Adams plays, it will be hard to sit him in fantasy lineups this week, but playing him will come with huge risk.
In the event Adams is absent, expect to see a heavy dose of the run game. On the receiving side, Mack Hollins could be in line for a big target day and could be an intriguing 14-team-league fantasy option this week.
DeAndre Hopkins, ARI | Hamstring (Questionable)
After we saw DeAndre Hopkins absent from practice on Thursday, it was good to see him back on the field Friday and then again on Saturday. Hopkins missed three games last year with a hamstring issue, so this is not something we can dismiss lightly. However, the upgrade from Thursday to Friday is promising.
Hopkins finished the week listed as questionable and now heads into Monday as an uncertainty for fantasy managers. Players who are questionable for a Monday Night Football game are tough for fantasy managers. Unless you have another option on your roster ready to suit up in that game, then by putting them in your lineup on Sunday, you are taking a huge risk.
Hopkins is good enough to be worth that risk, but it could be a dangerous move if he ends up inactive on Monday and you have no cover. If there is a 49ers’ or Cardinals’ option on the waiver wire, it might make sense to grab them as insurance if you can spare the roster spot.
If Hopkins is out, then it might speed up the Cardinals’ timeline to activate Marquise Brown from injured reserve. But even if Brown is active, there’s no certainty as to how big his role would be this weekend.
The biggest winner from the situation is likely Rondale Moore. If Hopkins is out, it could also push more into the hands of James Conner, with the run game taking center stage. Further complicating the picture is uncertainty over whether QB Kyler Murray will suit up this week.
Wan’Dale Robinson, NYG | Hamstring (Questionable)
Update: Wan’Dale Robinson is active for the Giants’ Week 11 game.
After Wan’Dale Robinson was downgraded to a non-participant on Thursday, it seemed highly unlikely he would overcome his hamstring injury to play this week, even though Robinson himself seemed optimistic. However, he was upgraded to a limited participant and was then tagged as questionable entering the weekend on the New York Giants’ final injury report.
The indication from Giants head coach Brian Daboll was that he was “optimistic” about Robinson’s status for Sunday. However, it has been tough to trust any of the Giants’ WRs to have consistent fantasy value, and this remains the case for Robinson this week. With uncertainty over how limited he may be, it will be tough for fantasy managers to start Robinson in Week 11.
Josh Reynolds, DET | Back (Out)
It was a surprise to see Josh Reynolds absent from practice on Friday but still listed as questionable. It was especially strange after Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell said that Friday would be a big day for Reynolds and DJ Chark. Campbell said ahead of practice that “both of them looked better [Thursday].”
Based on that, the indication would be that Reynolds will not be active in Week 11. However, the Lions would not have given him a questionable status if they didn’t think he had a chance. On Saturday, Reynolds was downgraded to out.
With Amon-Ra St. Brown back and healthy, there hasn’t been room for a second WR to produce for fantasy in recent weeks. The departure of T.J. Hockenson should open some opportunities, but it’s tough to trust either Reynolds or Chark this week, especially if both are active for Week 11.
JuJu Smith-Schuster, KC | Concussion (Out)
It’s no surprise to see JuJu Smith-Schuster ruled out, as he did not appear to be making significant progress through the concussion protocol. All eyes will now be on a potential return in Week 12.
MORE: RB Injury Report Week 11
Last week, when Smith-Schuster left the game, it was Justin Watson that took the majority of snaps as the WR2. Whether that changes as Kadarius Toney gets more heavily integrated is yet to be seen. But with Mecole Hardman placed on IR, there could be room for both Toney and Watson to have fantasy value.
Ja’Marr Chase, CIN | Hip (Out)
Once again, Ja’Marr Chase did not manage to practice in Week 11 and was subsequently ruled out on Friday. It will be intriguing to see how he progresses into the early part of Week 12.
In his absence, the combination of Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd get the biggest boost. Trenton Irwin saw the biggest boost in snaps as the WR3, but part of that could have been due to the blowout nature of the game. It is hard to trust anyone outside of Higgins and Boyd this week.
Jerry Jeudy, DEN | Ankle (Out)
Jerry Jeudy was unable to participate in practice this week as he dealt with the ankle injury he suffered last week. Therefore, it is not a surprise to see him ruled out for Week 11.
It will be intriguing to see who benefits now. Courtland Sutton could see a huge amount of targets. After Sutton, things get messy. With KJ Hamler also out, we’re left with Kendall Hinton, Jalen Virgil, and Montrell Washington. With Hinton also questionable, expect to see the Broncos elevate some combination of Victor Bolden Jr., Tyrie Cleveland, Kaden Davis, and Brandon Johnson from the practice squad.
Trusting any of the options behind Sutton will be tough this week. The other big winners of Jeudy’s absence could be Melvin Gordon, Latavius Murray, and Greg Dulcich. That trio could see more targets get funneled their way with the WR situation being a bit of a mess.
WRs Cleared for Week 11
- Isaiah McKenzie, BUF | Illness
- Brandin Cooks, HOU | Hip/Wrist
- Nico Collins, HOU | Groin
- Marquez Valdes-Scantling, KC | Illness
- DeAndre Carter, LAC | Ribs
- Justin Jefferson, MIN | Toe
- Jarvis Landry, NO | Ankle
- A.J. Brown, PHI | Ankle
- DeVonta Smith, PHI | Knee
- Curtis Samuel, WAS | Shin