It's the first Sunday morning of the season. Most Sundays, especially if there's meaningful injury news, there will be a post here about the breaking news. Glad to answer questions related to those injured players as we see them. Here are the early developments.
A note on these, in general I get info off Twitter from Adam Schefter, Ian Rapoport and Jay Glazer. Schefter and Rapoport get fed stuff by teams. Since Rapoport works for NFL Network he has the most access, though I also trust less of his info since I think teams use him on occasion to paint sunnier pictures of injuries and such than is warranted. I like Schefter who seems to have very good sources and resists the trivial platitudes that Rapoport leans on. And I respect Glazer, who seems to break a lot of news for a guy with less help (certainly compared to Rapoport) than the other guys have.
Russell Wilson (calf) is questionable, and indications (and the Friday update operated under this feeling) is that Justin Fields will draw the start for Pittsburgh. But Wilson did travel with the team to Atlanta and is pushing to play, perhaps aware that his spot atop the depth chart isn't so strong that he could withstand Fields leading the team to a win. I just want to say as politely as possible that neither quarterback is very good at this point, and I think Mike Tomlin would prefer to start Wilson, who's old and slow and immobile, but a better passer. So not a given that Fields starts, but that is our lean. If you're wondering where key receivers (or receiver: George Pickens) slot, use the Wednesday rankings if it's Wilson and the Friday rankings if it's Fields. But let's not rule out both quarterbacks playing.
Christian McCaffrey (calf) is questionable. I can't imagine there's any doubt about him playing, but I'll concede I have mild concern. Not of him not playing, but perhaps being limited or at risk of aggravation. But what can you do? He's McCaffrey. I'm just hoping for positive news or hoping I have Jordan Mason to sub in in the event he misses tomorrow night's game.
The Bengals kick off in three hours and I have no idea whether Ja'Marr Chase will be active or not. I am assuming he will be -- I don't really think he wants to miss a game, attract the ill will he'd get if he sat out, and just maybe have the team do really well without him, which wouldn't help his case. If I had him anywhere, I'd start him. But obviously I'd first be checking the inactives, which at this writing are still a couple of hours away. But my belief is that he's playing, while Tee Higgins is not.
Keenan Allen (heel) is expected to play for the Bears. A general rule of thumb with veterans like Allen and Tyler Lockett in Seattle is that when they're listed as questionable, they usually play. And if you were an older veteran staring into the setting sun of your NFL career, wouldn't you be? Allen and Lockett don't have a lot of Week 1s left. This is a slight negative for those hoping to use Rome Odunze. With Seattle, we think Jaxon Smith-Njigba is the better bet regardless, but he'd move up in the unlikely event Lockett winds up inactive.
DeAndre Hopkins (knee) is expected to play for the Titans. File Hopkins along with Allen and Lockett as an older veteran who will generally play if he can stand up.
Antonio Gibson (hip) is expected to play for the Patriots against the Bengals. I don't know how large a league has to be for Gibson to be a good Week 1 lineup consideration for anyone, but if you were thinking about him (cheap salary option in a salary cap game perhaps), sounds like he'll be active.
If I see anything significant on any of these or other injuries/inactives, I'll post in the comments below.
--Andy Richardson
