Week 2 inactives
Welcome to Week 2! Here we'll be posting "live" updates and analysis as NFL teams release their inactive lists. Refresh often for the latest information.
Top players we're watching
Early games (1 p.m. ET)
Anquan Boldin, WR, ARI: Active
Steve Breaston, WR, ARI: Active
Matt Cassel, QB, KC: Active
Donovan McNabb, QB, PHI: Inactive
Pierre Thomas, RB, NO: Active
Kevin Walter, WR, HOU: Inactive
Wes Welker, WR, NE: Inactive
Late games (4 p.m. ET)
Antonio Bryant, WR, TB: Inactive
LaDainian Tomlinson, RB, SD: Inactive
Updates/analysis (most recent first)
7:37 p.m. ET -- Tony Romo active -- The Dallas Morning News reports that Tony Romo (ankle, probable) is active for the Cowboys, as expected. Despite the tough-on-paper matchup, he's well worth a fantasy start.
7:34 p.m. ET -- Hakeem Nicks, Danny Ware inactive -- The Newark Star-Ledger reports that both Hakeem Nicks (foot, out) and Danny Ware (elbow, out) are inactive for the Giants, as expected. With Nicks out, expect Domenik Hixon and Mario Manningham to each see an uptick in number of targets.
7:34 p.m. ET -- Giants defenders healthy -- The Newark Star-Ledger reports that S Kenny Phillips (knee, questionable), LB Michael Boley (hip, probable) and S Michael Johnson (shoulder, probable) are all active for the Giants.
3:25 p.m. ET -- Tommie Harris, Danieal Manning active -- ESPN's John Clayton reports that both DT Tommie Harris (knee, probable) and S Danieal Manning (back, probable) are active for the Bears.
3:24 p.m. ET -- Desmond Clark inactive -- ESPN's John Clayton reports that Desmond Clark (rib, doubtful) is inactive. As if you needed any more reason to consider Greg Olsen a must-start.
3:19 p.m. ET -- LaDainian Tomlinson inactive -- ESPN's John Clayton reports that LaDainian Tomlinson (ankle, out) is inactive for the Chargers, as expected. Darren Sproles will get the start in Tomlinson's place and is an appealing deeper fantasy play, though what's unfortunate is that he's facing the Ravens, which is a poor matchup. Temper your expectations.
3:18 p.m. ET -- Ravens defenders active -- ESPN's John Clayton reports that both S Ed Reed (concussion, probable) and LB Terrell Suggs (concussion, probable) are active for the Ravens.
3:17 p.m. ET -- L.J. Smith inactive -- ESPN's John Clayton reports that L.J. Smith (hamstring, questionable) is inactive. Smith's absence continues to underscore the strength of Todd Heap's matchup versus the Chargers.
3:14 p.m. ET -- Troy Polamalu inactive, Lawrence Timmons active -- The Steelers' official Web site reports that S Troy Polamalu (knee, out) is inactive, as expected, though LB Lawrence Timmons (ankle, probable) is active. In addition, depth receiver Limas Sweed (foot, out) is also inactive.
3:11 p.m. ET -- More Browns active -- The Browns' official Web site also reports that Mohamed Massaquoi (shoulder, questionable), Steve Heiden (knee, probable) and DT Shaun Rogers (foot, probable) are active. Rogers is the only one of great fantasy significance, and he's only useful in IDP formats.
3:08 p.m. ET -- Jamal Lewis, Jerome Harrison active, James Davis inactive -- The Browns' official Web site reports that both Jamal Lewis (neck, probable) and Jerome Harrison (knee, probable) are active, though James Davis (shoulder, questionable) is inactive. Lewis will start with Harrison backing him up, though Lewis is the only one of fantasy significance, and it's more as a flex-play option than a solid play.
3:04 p.m. ET -- Antonio Bryant inactive -- Confirming our earlier reports, ESPN's John Clayton reports that Antonio Bryant (knee, doubtful) is indeed inactive. Michael Clayton gets a bump up in value, for those of you in deeper leagues, while Maurice Stovall will start in Bryant's place.
3:03 p.m. ET -- Champ Bailey and Brian Dawkins active -- The Denver Post reports that both CB Champ Bailey (ankle, probable) and S Brian Dawkins (hand, probable) are active for the Broncos.
3:02 p.m. ET -- Kyle Orton active -- The Denver Post reports that Kyle Orton (right finger, probable) is active for the Broncos. He's worth a look in two-quarterback leagues, but has little value otherwise.
3:01 p.m. ET -- Knowshon Moreno active -- The Denver Post reports that Knowshon Moreno (knee, probable) is active for the Broncos. Considering his limited usage in Week 1, Moreno isn't a recommended fantasy option outside of deep-leagues flex-play consideration.
3:00 p.m. ET -- Jabar Gaffney active -- The Denver Post reports that Jabar Gaffney (finger, probable) is active for the Broncos. He's third/fourth in the pecking order among Broncos receivers, though, and has limited fantasy appeal.
2:59 p.m. ET -- Paul Posluszny inactive, Aaron Schobel and Derek Fine active -- The Bills' official Web site reports that LB Paul Posluszny (forearm, out) is inactive as expected, while DE Aaron Schobel (back, probable) is active. Derek Fine (hamstring, probable) is also active but not much of a fantasy consideration.
2:55 p.m. ET -- Brandon Jones inactive -- ESPN's John Clayton reports that Brandon Jones (shoulder, doubtful) is inactive for the 49ers. Jones is third on the depth chart when healthy, and with the 49ers focusing more on the run this season, he has minimal fantasy appeal.
2:54 p.m. ET -- Justin Smith active -- ESPN's John Clayton reports that DE Justin Smith (elbow, probable) is active for the 49ers.
2:53 p.m. ET -- Walter Jones inactive, Lofa Tatupu active -- ESPN's John Clayton reports that LB Lofa Tatupu (hamstring, questionable) is active, while T Walter Jones (knee, questionable) is inactive, for the Seahawks.
2:51 p.m. ET -- Deion Branch inactive -- ESPN's John Clayton reports that Deion Branch (hamstring, questionable) is inactive for the Seahawks. Expect Nate Burleson to get another start, making him a deep-league hail mary play.
2:50 p.m. ET -- T.J. Houshmandzadeh active -- ESPN's John Clayton reports that T.J. Houshmandzadeh (back spasms, probable) is active for the Seahawks, as expected. Fantasy owners can feel free to slot him in as a strong No. 2 wide receiver option.
12:24 p.m. ET -- Matt Moore No. 2 quarterback -- ESPN's John Clayton reports that A.J. Feeley is inactive for the Panthers. It was expected, but this is news worth noting because of Jake Delhomme's Week 1 struggles. Matt Moore will serve as Delhomme's backup and would see time first if Delhomme continues to perform poorly.
12:21 p.m. ET -- Jamaal Charles inactive -- ESPN's John Clayton reports that Jamaal Charles is inactive for the Chiefs. This is great news for Larry Johnson's owners, as he won't have Charles lurking to steal carries going up against the Raiders' weak run defense.
12:19 p.m. ET -- Justin Fargas inactive -- ESPN's John Clayton reports that Justin Fargas is inactive for the Raiders. Fargas is healthy, but this shows how much his stock has fallen on the depth chart. Darren McFadden's owners will be happy to hear the news, and Michael Bush might even get some goal-line work.
12:12 p.m. ET -- Shonn Greene active -- ESPN's John Clayton reports that Shonn Greene (rib, probable) is active for the Jets. This is an interesting development, as Greene was inactive in Week 1 and that allowed Thomas Jones and Leon Washington to run wild versus the Texans. There might be a bit more of a divide in carries between the three this week, though Greene isn't attractive from a fantasy perspective. Expect him to have the most limited role.
12:11 p.m. ET -- Jerod Mayo inactive, Adalius Thomas active -- ESPN's John Clayton reports that LB Jerod Mayo (knee, out) is inactive, but LB Adalius Thomas (foot, probable) is active, for the Patriots.
12:09 p.m. ET -- Kevin Walter inactive -- ESPN's John Clayton reports that Kevin Walter (hamstring, questionable) is inactive for the Texans. Jacoby Jones will start in Walter's place, but he's not much of a fantasy option.
12:08 p.m. ET -- Tom Brady active -- ESPN's John Clayton reports that Tom Brady (right shoulder, probable) is active for the Patriots. Shocking. Brady remains a must-start and shouldn't have any lingering injury issues.
12:06 p.m. ET -- Raiders defenders healthy -- ESPN's John Clayton reports that CB Nnamdi Asomugha (wrist, probable), LB Kirk Morrison (elbow, probable) and DE Greg Ellis (shoulder, probable) are all active for the Raiders. Morrison's return is most significant to IDP owners, as he's typically an elite option in those formats.
12:05 p.m. ET -- Johnnie Lee Higgins inactive -- ESPN's John Clayton reports that Johnnie Lee Higgins (shoulder, questionable) is inactive. Fantasy owners should want no part of the Raiders' passing game anyway.
12:05 p.m. ET -- Chaz Schilens inactive -- ESPN's John Clayton reports that Chaz Schilens (foot, out) is inactive for the Raiders, as expected. He'll be back in a couple of weeks but is a marginal fantasy option when healthy.
12:04 p.m. ET -- Bo Scaife inactive, Jared Cook active -- ESPN's John Clayton reports that Bo Scaife (knee, doubtful) is inactive, but Jared Cook (ankle, questionable) is active, for the Titans. Though Cook will play, he's not much of a fantasy consideration in the Tennessee offense.
12:02 p.m. ET -- Mason Crosby active -- ESPN's John Clayton reports that Mason Crosby (abdomen, probable) is active for the Packers. Keep Crosby in your fantasy lineup; he's an elite kicker option.
12:01 p.m. ET -- Greg Jennings active -- ESPN's John Clayton reports that Greg Jennings (wrist, probable) is active for the Packers. This was expected, but it just confirms that Jennings is a fine fantasy option.
11:59 a.m. ET -- Matt Cassel active -- ESPN's John Clayton reports that Matt Cassel (knee, questionable) is active for the Chiefs. He'll start for them, but with all his injury questions is a shaky fantasy option outside of two-quarterback leagues.
11:58 a.m. ET -- Anquan Boldin, Steve Breaston active -- ESPN's John Clayton reports that both Anquan Boldin (hamstring, questionable) and Steve Breaston (knee, questionable) are active for the Cardinals. Boldin is the better fantasy option, but these two might cut somewhat into each other's targets. Temper your expectations as a result.
11:57 a.m. ET -- Jason Hanson active -- ESPN's John Clayton reports that Jason Hanson (right knee, probable) is active for the Lions. He'll be their kicker, but isn't much of a fantasy consideration.
11:56 a.m. ET -- Philip Buchanon active -- ESPN's John Clayton reports that CB Phillip Buchanon (neck, probable) is active for the Lions.
11:55 a.m. ET -- Jason Elam active -- ESPN's John Clayton reports that Jason Elam (left hamstring, probable) is active. He'll be the Falcons' kicker and is a worthwhile fantasy starter.
11:54 a.m. ET -- Jonathan Stewart active -- ESPN's John Clayton reports that Jonathan Stewart (heel, probable) is active for the Panthers. Though he's the No. 2 running back, Stewart actually got a healthy share of carries in Week 1, which makes him a flex-play consideration in deeper leagues.
11:53 a.m. ET -- Harris inactive, Johnson active -- ESPN's John Clayton reports that S Chris Harris (knee, doubtful) is inactive, but DE Charles Johnson (knee, probable) is active, for the Panthers.
11:52 a.m. ET -- DeSean Jackson active -- ESPN's John Clayton reports that DeSean Jackson (groin, probable) is active. Jackson is a worthy fantasy play as a No. 2 or 3, but temper your expectations a bit with Kevin Kolb at quarterback.
11:51 a.m. ET -- Kevin Curtis active -- ESPN's John Clayton reports that Kevin Curtis (knee, probable) is active. He's not an attractive fantasy option considering the Eagles' quarterback issues.
11:50 a.m. ET -- Quinton Demps active -- ESPN's John Clayton reports that S Quintin Demps (hamstring, out) is inactive.
11:47 a.m. ET -- Wes Welker inactive -- ESPN's Rachel Nichols reports that Wes Welker (knee, questionable) is inactive. Joey Galloway will likely start in his place, and might warrant deep-league consideration, but expect Julian Edelman to get a fair share of targets working out of the slot.
11:47 a.m. ET -- Atari Bigby inactive -- The Packers' official Web site reports that S Atari Bigby (knee, out) is inactive. Heads up to those of you in IDP leagues.
11:46 a.m. ET -- Brandon Jackson inactive -- The Packers' official Web site reports that Brandon Jackson (ankle, out) is inactive. He was a backup in Green Bay, and wasn't fantasy worthy.
11:39 a.m. ET -- Donovan McNabb inactive -- ESPN's John Clayton reports that Donovan McNabb (rib, doubtful) is inactive. Confirming earlier news, Kevin Kolb will start.
11:35 a.m. ET -- Jeremy Shockey active -- ESPN's John Clayton reports that Jeremy Shockey (ankle, probable) is active. Coming off a strong Week 1 and as the Saints' go-to tight end, Shockey makes a fine fantasy start.
11:35 a.m. ET -- Roman Harper active -- ESPN's John Clayton reports that S Roman Harper (hamstring, probable) is active.
11:33 a.m. ET -- Pierre Thomas active -- Updating our previous report, ESPN's John Clayton confirms that Pierre Thomas (knee, questionable) is active, but that the running back will not start.
11:32 a.m. ET -- Kevin Kolb to start -- Though we have yet to receive official word on Donovan McNabb's (rib, doubtful) status, Kevin Kolb will start at quarterback for the Eagles. Downgrade their passing game and don't look to Kolb as a fantasy sub for this week.
11:02 a.m. ET -- Anquan Boldin should play -- ESPN's John Clayton reports that Anquan Boldin (hamstring, questionable) is likely to play, and Clayton believes we'll see the "real Anquan Boldin" this week. That's encouraging to the receiver's fantasy owners, though it's still risky to term Boldin a top-shelf play at the position ... yet.
11:01 a.m. ET -- Matt Cassel should play -- ESPN's John Clayton reports that Matt Cassel (knee, questionable) is likely to be active, and that the quarterback is currently warming up to play. He's not advised outside of two-quarterback leagues.
11:01 a.m. ET -- Pierre Thomas should play -- ESPN's John Clayton reports that Pierre Thomas (knee, questionable) is likely to be active, though he'll be the third running back in the pecking order behind both Mike Bell and Reggie Bush. Fantasy owners should prepare accordingly expecting a limited number of snaps, though this diminishes Bell's appeal.
