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Is A.J. Brown playing tonight versus the 49ers on Thursday Night Football, or is A.J. Brown hurt and injured? Read the injury updates for Brown for Week 16.
Week 15 was about as wild as it gets for the NFL and fantasy football managers. But with significant injuries and COVID-19 still wreaking havoc on the league, Week 16 could be just as hectic. Fantasy managers that survived the first week of the playoffs must stay on top of the news in order to get an advantage.
It hasn't been easy for NFL teams or fantasy football managers to navigate through all the injuries and placements on the COVID-19 list, let alone on a short week. That's what the Tennessee Titans have to deal with in Week 16 with a Thursday night matchup against the San Francisco 49ers.
Is A.J. Brown playing this week, or is he still injured? When is A.J. Brown (chest) returning from Injured Reserve? Let's take a closer look.
Is A.J. Brown Playing This Week Against the 49ers?
After missing the past few games with a chest injury, and being placed on injured reserve, A.J. Brown will officially be active and play versus the San Francisco 49ers in Week 16 on Thursday Night Football:
This is an updated on the previous injury updates that were published below earlier in the week. Brown will be a much-needed and much-welcomed return for the Titans passing attack.
A.J. Brown Injury Updates for Week 16
Wide receiver A.J. Brown has been on IR and dealing with a chest injury for the past few weeks. He could be a game-time decision on Thursday Night Football against the 49ers, and ESPN's Cameron Wolfe said there's "a good chance" that Brown will be activated to play in Week 16.
All signs are pointing toward Brown returning on Thursday, but fantasy managers also want to know how much Brown will play if he's active. That's a lot tougher to prognosticate. Brown has been out since Week 11, but the Titans are desperate for playmakers on offense and Julio Jones (hamstring) could miss another game.
Should I Start A.J. Brown if He Plays in Week 16?
Wide receiver A.J. Brown won't have his normal fantasy upside if he plays in Week 16 on Thursday night against the 49ers. Given the fact that he hasn't played since Week 11, there's a chance that the Titans ease him back onto the field and limit his snap count.
But that doesn't mean that Brown won't be quarterback Ryan Tannehill's favorite target on the night, and the 49ers defense has surrendered the third-most fantasy points per game to opposing receivers in the last three weeks (43 receptions, for 576 yards and six TDs).
If Brown is active, he'll be more of a WR3/flex in fantasy with WR2 upside if he's not limited at all. One thing we know: Tannehill and the Titans offense are desperate for playmakers through the air. In last week's loss to Pittsburgh, the three RBs -- D'Onta Foreman, Dontrell Hilliard and Jeremy McNichols -- were targeted a combined 12 times.
The receivers -- Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Julio Jones, Chester Rogers, Cody Hollister and Racey McMath -- were targeted 15 times. When he's on the field, Brown is by far and away Tennessee's best playmaker through the air.
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