The final day of the regular season is here, and some big names are going to miss it. Some expected, some not, so if you're setting lineups for today or about to win millions in a daily competition, make sure you're up to date.
Boy, the Houston Texans are in trouble for next week's playoff game. Deshaun Watson (back) and DeAndre Hopkins (illness) aren't going to be available to start a game where Bill O'Brien maintained his starters would play. I'm not sure why the cloak and daggers stuff was necessary, perhaps trying to fool season-ticket holders into thinking their starters would play or something, but Watson will back up A.J. McCarron, and Houston will hope they don't actually need to put him on the field. Hopkins will sit out. They'll likely be perfectly fine for next week's playoff game.
In another AFC game where one team cares and the other one doesn't, the Ravens had already ruled out Mark Ingram and said Lamar Jackson wouldn't play, and neither Mark Andrews nor Marquise Brown is expected to play either. No surprises there.
Kyler Murray (hamstring) is a gametime decision for Arizona, but the Cardinals are fully prepped for him not to be available by promoting Drew Anderson from the practice squad. I'm just guessing here, but I think it's at least 60-40 he doesn't play. And if he does, he'll probably run less or be at risk of leaving early.
Odell Beckham (illness) is expected to play for Cleveland. He's 46 yards away from a 1,000-yard season, not necessarily a factor, but maybe. Reports have been circulating that the Browns might blow things up by getting rid of Freddie Kitchens, John Dorsey etc. Which is reasonable, the team has been a disaster since the get-go. Anyway, Beckham should be available, although check those inactives before counting on him.
You may wonder why Zach Ertz (rib) was ruled out of a must-win game for the Eagles today. Couldn't he have simply taped it up and tried to play? According to a report Ertz not only suffered a cracked rib but a lacerated kidney that had him in the hospital after last week's game. So yeah, can't tape that up and expect to play a football game. Consider Ertz very questionable to suit up for a playoff game next week even if the Eagles win today.
Josh Jacobs (shoulder) and Leonard Fournette (neck) won’t play.
--Andy Richardson