Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck has already been ruled out for the team's big game against the Houston Texans on Sunday. The good news for Indy here is that Matt Hasselbeck did return to practice on Thursday and is expected to get the start. That means Charlie Whitehurst, much to the happiness of fans in Indy, will be riding the pine.
Jacksonville Jaguars running back T.J. Yeldon missed yet another day of practice with a sprained MCL on Thursday. Gus Bradley wouldn't rule him out for Sunday's game against the Atlanta Falcons, but it seems highly unlikely that he will be able to play.
If Yeldon is unable to go, Denard Robinson will be Jacksonville's primary ball-carrier against an Atlanta defense that has yielded the second-most fantasy points to running backs on the season.
Jonathan Stewart has been ruled out for the Carolina Panthers game against the New York Giants on Sunday. This doesn't come as much of a surprise considering he was seen in a walking boot at the Panthers facility earlier this week.
With Stewart out of action, Carolina is planning on starting Fozzy Whittaker with Cameron Artis-Payne sharing duties in a backfield by committee approach. Artis-Payne, a rookie from Auburn, is the more likely of the two to have a fantasy impact in this one. He's looked good in limited action and is a better fit as an every-down back with Stewart injured. Though, that's only applicable in deeper leagues and DFS contests.
Chicago Bears wide receiver Alshon Jeffery was sidelined on Thursday with an illness. Bears head coach John Fox didn't delve much further into the situation, but there also has to be some concern over Jeffery's calf — an injury that limited him on Wednesday. This is something to definitely keep an eye on.
New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman practiced again on Thursday after missing the past four games with a foot injury. Tough, we must note that it was in a limited capacity.
As with pretty much everything Patriots related, the public will be the last to learn about Edelman's availability Sunday against the Tennessee Titans. The good news here is that it's an early game, which enables you to set your lineups for pretty much the entire week when the inactives come out about 90 minutes before kickoff.
Cincinnati Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert did not practice again on Thursday after suffering a concussion last week against the Pittsburgh Steelers. It's highly unlikely that Eifert will be able to go in this one. If not, Giovani Bernard becomes a solid option in PPR-heavy formats against a lackluster San Francisco 49ers defense, as he should see some targets to help fill the vacuum. Tyler Kroft, who would start in Eifert's place, is not fantasy relevant.