NFL Offensive/Defensive Line Injury Impact: Week 13
Each week we will provide a game-by-game breakdown of offensive and defensive line injuries and what that impact they may have for DFS purposes._
Week 13
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Sunday Games
Baltimore @ Atlanta
Baltimore Breakdown
Offensive Lineman – James Hurst (D)
Defense – Tony Jefferson (O) Tavon Young (Q)
Atlanta Breakdown
Offensive Lineman – None
Defense – None
Fantasy Impact:
The Ravens are starting to get healthy up front, with only James Hurst as the lone would-be-starter showing up on the report. He likely sits here, but the front should play a little bit better overall for Lamar Jackson and company to create things against a Falcons defense that has been generous.
Atlanta comes in with a clean sheet, but it would be wise to remember just how bad they have been hit on all fronts losing key starters to the IR.
Denver @ Cincinnati
Denver Breakdown
Offensive Lineman – None
Defense – Brandon Marshall (Q) Tramaine Brock (O)
Cincinnati Breakdown
Offensive Lineman – Cordy Glenn (D)
Defense – None
Fantasy Impact:
Overall, this is a Denver team that has looked better in recent weeks and I do not think it is a coincidence that they are as healthy as we have seen them all year. Brandon Marshall remains limited in practice, so we will have to keep an eye out for his status, but this is a team I see as better than perceived especially on the defensive side.
Anytime you are facing a defensive front that can get after a quarterback, we need to take notice and even more so when that team will be without their starting left tackle. That is the exact scenario we have here and Denver is a primed for a heavy pressure situation with Andy Dalton done, leaving Jeff Driskell to start at QB.
Los Angeles Rams @ Detroit
Los Angeles Breakdown
Offensive Lineman – None
Defense – None
Detroit Breakdown
Offensive Lineman – None
Defense – Jalen Reeves-Maybin
Fantasy Impact:
The Rams continue to stay healthy and continue to win games. The injury report is completely clean here and they should be too much for the Lions in Detroit.
We will have to keep an eye on the status for Reeves-Maybin who was limited in practice this week. The Rams like to use the middle of the field quite a bit and will attack regardless of who mans that space, but backups are obviously not going to be as prepared to stop them as a starter.
Arizona @ Green Bay
Arizona Breakdown
Offensive Lineman – D.J. Humphries (Q)
Defense – Deone Bucannon (O) Hasson Reddick (Q) Budda Baker (Q) Rudy Ford (Q)
Green Bay Breakdown
Offensive Lineman – David Bakhtiari (Q) Lane Taylor (Q)
Defense – Mike Daniels (O) Kentrell Brice (O) Kevin King (Q) Bashaud Breeland (Q)
Fantasy Impact:
Arizona already lost Justin Pugh to the IR and another starter in Humphries looks very questionable with a knee injury here. That will certainly affect things up front for Josh Rosen. To make matters worse, the Cardinals linebacker squad is at serious risk of missing all three starters of their base defense at the position. Not only that, but their strong safeties are both questionable in Baker and Ford. Add all of this up and you have a recipe for a get right game for Rodgers and the Packers here.
The Packers are not without their own injuries woes as well. The blind side protection for Rodgers is questionable, with both Bakhtiari and Taylor limited this week in practice. We have a few would be starters listed out and/or on the IR.
Buffalo @ Miami
Buffalo Breakdown
Offensive Lineman – John Miller (O)
Defense – None
Miami Breakdown
Offensive Lineman – Travis Swanson (D)
Defense – None
Fantasy Impact:
The Bills will be without right guard John Miller for this matchup in what amounts to a pretty minimal injury report overall. This report should not sway your decisions regarding this game.
This game will feature each squad missing a lineman, but the Dolphins will be without their center in Travis Swanson. Anytime a team is missing the man in the middle it can be a cause for concern, but overall the impact is pretty minimal for fantasy in my opinion.
Chicago @ New York Giants
Chicago Breakdown
Offensive Lineman – None
Defense – Akiem Hicks (Q)
New York Breakdown
Offensive Lineman – None
Defense – B.J. Goodson (O)
Fantasy Impact:
Hicks is a big name on the injury report, but his full participation puts him closer to probable than questionable here and I expect him to go.
The Giants are pretty healthy, but will be without the services of starting linebacker B.J. Goodson for this game. With Daniel likely to start for Chicago, it could make things a slightly easier in that intermediate game where he seemed to live in his start last game.
Carolina @ Tampa Bay
Carolina Breakdown
Offensive Lineman – None
Defense – None
Tampa Bay Breakdown
Offensive Lineman – Demar Dotson (D)
Defense – Lavonte David (Q) Justin Evans (Q) Carlton Davis (O) Brent Grimes (Q) M.J. Stewart (O)
Fantasy Impact:
Carolina is another team that has been playing better football as of late and it goes along with the team getting healthy. They have a clean report for the week and your favorite targets remain in play.
Tampa Bay is no stranger to an extended report and that is once again the case this week with the defense continuing to struggle fielding their would be starters. I would continue to target the Bucs with offensive weapons as has been the case all year.
Cleveland @ Houston
Cleveland Breakdown
Offensive Lineman – None
Defense – Damarious Randall (Q)
Houston Breakdown
Offensive Lineman – None
Defense – J.J. Watt (Q)
Fantasy Impact:
Not only is Cleveland putting a good product on the field for the first time in recent memory, but they are doing it with their starters, which means people are healthy. The Browns are dealing with only minimal injury issues at this point and nothing that affects the fantasy output for either team in this one.
Houston is absolutely rolling at this point in the season and the injury report is very clean with one very big name listed. J.J. Watt is dealing with a knee injury that had him limited in practice this week, but I would be a bit surprised if he missed this weeks game.
New York Jets @ Tennessee
New York Breakdown
Offensive Lineman – None
Defense – Marcus Maye (O)
Tennessee Breakdown
Offensive Lineman – None
Defense – None
Fantasy Impact:
The Jets have lost Marcus Maye to the IR, but overall we are seeing a defense as healthy as we have all year long. Given the secondary injury issues for most of the year, this is a game where you would play them neutral to projection or better.
The Titans will have a fully healthy team heading into the weekend and as such there is obviously no fantasy impact from the injury report.
Kansas City @ Oakland
Kansas City Breakdown
Offensive Lineman – None
Defense – Eric Berry (Q)
Oakland Breakdown
Offensive Lineman – None
Defense – Maurice Hurst (Q) Arden Key (Q) Daryl Worley (Q)
Fantasy Impact:
Eric Berry is practicing again, which means we could be closer to seeing the safety back on the field, but at this point there is no word on that return. Outside of that, there are no items to report regarding this article.
The Raiders are a miserable group at this point and each of these defenders were limited in practice this week, leaving their status completely up in the air. To be honest, you are already loving the Chiefs, so no need to wait here. Load them up.
Minnesota @ New England
Minnesota Breakdown
Offensive Lineman – None
Defense – Xavier Rhodes (Q) Mackensie Alexander (Q)
New England Breakdown
Offensive Lineman – None
Defense – None
Fantasy Impact:
The Vikings have a pretty big injury designation for this weekend as Rhodes continues to deal with a hamstring injury. His status will obviously have an impact on the WR for New England, who should get a bump upward if he is unable to go.
We go from ten players with a questionable tag to nobody on the report. New England is getting healthy at the right time of the year and should be ready for this battle at home against the Vikings.
San Francisco @ Seattle
San Francisco Breakdown
Offensive Lineman – None
Defense – D.J. Reed (O)
Seattle Breakdown
Offensive Lineman – None
Defense – Shamar Stephen (Q) K.J. Wright (O)
Fantasy Impact:
The 49ers will be without starting safety D.J. Reed for the game. By now, most should know that Reuben Foster was released by San Francisco and will create time for Elijah Lee to take his place most likely.
Seattle is pretty clean once again with Wright out and only Stephen in question for the week. He was a full participant in practice making him more likely to go than not.