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The Divisional Round is here, and unfortunately, injuries continue to be a factor for DFS contests and playoff fantasy leagues. Our injury updates and reports for the Divisional Round as of Friday, January 19, 2024, will give you the latest updates on key guys.
As always, some players have more "real" risk of missing this week's game than others, but things change quickly, so it's important to stay up to date. Stefon Diggs, Mark Andrews, Sam LaPorta, Gabe Davis, Kadarius Toney, Kalif Raymond, and more are in danger of missing the second round of the NFL playoffs. Fantasy managers and DFSers should be ready to pivot should things go south.
To keep close tabs on all of the news across the NFL, make sure to favorite or bookmark the fantasy football player news page, or download the free RotoBaller fantasy football mobile app with push notification alerts on all the latest news. Let's look at the updates for some top fantasy assets at all positions and see whether they may play this weekend.
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Stefon Diggs Injury Update
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs (foot) doesn't carry an injury designation for Sunday's Divisional Round matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs. As expected, he's good to go and will play despite appearing on the injury report this week after injuring his foot in the wild-card win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Diggs was held out of practice on Thursday but returned to a limited session on Friday.
Gabe Davis (knee) is missing another game this weekend, so quarterback Josh Allen could lean even more on Diggs, who hasn't scored a touchdown since Week 12. However, he was targeted nine times against the Steelers on Monday and caught seven passes for 52 yards. The matchup against the Chiefs is not the friendliest, but Diggs should have plenty of volume to make some noise as the fifth-most expensive WR at DraftKings.
Mark Andrews Injury Update
The Baltimore Ravens are not expected to activate star tight end Mark Andrews (ankle) from Injured Reserve on Friday in order to play against the Houston Texans in Saturday's Divisional Round playoff game, as he's not quite ready to return from a significant ankle injury that has kept him out since Week 11. If the Ravens beat the Texans and advance to the AFC Championship, perhaps Andrews will be ready then.
The 28-year-old put in full practices on Wednesday and Thursday and was listed as questionable for Saturday's game, but the Ravens aren't going to push it and will hold Andrews out. It means that Isaiah Likely, who has scored five touchdowns in his last five games, will once again be the team's top pass-catching tight end and will be a solid DFS play if you're trying to save money at the TE position.
Sam LaPorta Injury Update
Detroit Lions rookie tight end Sam LaPorta (knee) is officially listed as questionable to play on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Divisional Round of the playoffs. LaPorta suffered a hyperextended knee and a bone bruise in the Week 18 regular season finale but then played through a questionable tag in the wild-card win over the Los Angeles Rams. In that game, the 23-year-old played 80 percent of the offensive snaps and found the end zone on three catches.
We'd be surprised if he wasn't active against the Buccaneers, a team that allowed the second-most half-PPR points to opposing TEs during the regular season. LaPorta was the top-scoring fantasy tight end in 2023, but he's going to carry some more risk in DFS this weekend because of his knee. DraftKings has him listed at $5,900, the second-most expensive TE behind Travis Kelce.
Gabe Davis Injury Update
Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott said that wide receiver Gabe Davis (knee) will not play in the Divisional Round playoff game on Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs. Davis will miss his second straight playoff game after spraining the PCL in his knee in the Week 18 win over the Miami Dolphins. Davis' absence didn't really make a difference in the easy wild-card win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, but it could be a factor against a strong Chiefs secondary this weekend.
With the 24-year-old sidelined again, Khalil Shakir, who had three catches for 31 yards and a touchdown against Pittsburgh, should be more involved again and will be a consideration as a low-cost DFS play at the receiver position. Tight ends Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox should be more involved as well.
Kadarius Toney, Justyn Ross Injury Update
Kansas City Chiefs wide receivers Kadarius Toney (ankle, hip) and Justyn Ross (hamstring) were both limited in practice all week and are questionable to play on Sunday versus the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round of the postseason. Regardless of whether Toney is able to play this weekend, the fact remains that he hasn't played since Week 15 and wasn't on the fantasy radar to begin with before his injuries.
The 24-year-old had only 27 receptions (38 targets) for 169 yards and one touchdown through the air in his first full season with the Chiefs. Ross, meanwhile, injured his hamstring in Week 18 and didn't play in last week's wild-card win over the Miami Dolphins. He, too, should be avoided in DFS if he's active, as he had just six catches for 53 yards and no TDs during the regular season.
Kalif Raymond Injury Update
Detroit Lions wide receiver Kalif Raymond (knee) has been ruled out for the Divisional Round of the playoffs on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Raymond also missed the wild-card win over the Los Angeles Rams last weekend after he injured his knee in the Week 18 regular season finale. The 29-year-old wouldn't have really been on the fantasy radar for DFS contests this weekend if he was active, and the Lions will likely miss him most on special teams.
It remains to be seen if Raymond would be ready to play in the NFC Championship if Detroit advances past the Bucs. With Raymond out again, second-year wideout Jameson Williams will have a bigger role as Detroit's No. 3 behind Amon-Ra St. Brown and Josh Reynolds. Fantasy managers shouldn't have high hopes for Williams unless he can break one of his few touches for an explosive touchdown-scoring play.
Skyy Moore Injury Update
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Skyy Moore (knee) will not come off the Injured Reserve to play in Sunday's Divisional Round game versus the Buffalo Bills. Moore returned to practice this week but isn't ready to contribute on offense. The 23-year-old second-year player was a disappointment once again before even getting injured, catching 21 of his 38 targets for 244 yards and the first touchdown of his career in 14 regular season games before getting injured in Week 15.
Moore has not played since but could be available as receiver depth for KC if they beat the Bills in Buffalo and advance to another AFC Championship next weekend. Rookie Rashee Rice has become the Chiefs' only reliable pass-catcher for fantasy purposes, outside of tight end Travis Kelce. Justin Watson and Marquez Valdes-Scantling are the starters alongside Rice.
Chase Edmonds Injury Update
Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said that running back Chase Edmonds (toe) will be questionable for the Divisional Round of the playoffs on Sunday against the Detroit Lions. After not practicing on Wednesday and Thursday, Edmonds returned to practice on Friday and at least has a chance to suit up against Detroit. Even if the 27-year-old is cleared to play this weekend, he's not much of an option for fantasy lineups in DFS as the clear backup to starter Rachaad White.
Edmonds didn't have a single game during the regular season with double-digit half-PPR points. In total, he had 49 carries for 176 yards and no touchdowns. If Edmonds is unable to play against the Lions, rookie Sean Tucker would have a bigger role as the No. 2 behind White in an offense that prefers to throw the ball.
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