Fantasy football Week 8 inactives: Status for Tee Higgins, Jayden Daniels and others

Whom should you start? Whom should you sit? To help you set your fantasy football lineups and avoid starting an offensive player who won't be in the lineup, we'll post fantasy-relevant updates and analysis here as NFL teams release their official inactives lists. Any rankings cited in this column come from our ESPN Fantasy staff ranks.

Official Sunday inactives should begin coming in approximately 90 minutes before the scheduled kickoff times: around 11:30 a.m. ET for the early games and 2:30 p.m. ET for the late-afternoon games.

Refresh often for the latest information.

4 p.m. ET games

Curtis Samuel, WR, BUF: Pectoral -- OUT
Impact: He's targeting Week 9 for a return, but he has even less value now that Amari Cooper is in town.

Andy Dalton, QB, CAR: Thumb -- Inactive
Impact: Bryce Young will start as Dalton recovers from Tuesday's car crash.

Jonathon Brooks, RB, CAR: Knee -- OUT
Impact: Chuba Hubbard gets to be the main man for the Panthers for at least one more week.

Tommy Tremble, TE, CAR: Back -- Active
Impact: Ja'Tavion Sanders (groin/wrist) was also limited in practice all week. Either TE could still end up starting.

Diontae Johnson, WR, CAR: Ribs -- OUT
Impact: He will sit, despite claiming to be ready to go. Xavier Legette and Jonathan Mingo start.

Adam Thielen, WR, CAR: Hamstring -- OUT
Impact: Still not ready to return from IR; we could see whether David Moore or Jalen Coker get looks.

Travis Homer, RB, CHI: Finger -- Active
Impact: Fresh off IR, he'll get to spell D'Andre Swift. Khalil Herbert sits.

JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, KC: Hamstring -- OUT
Impact: At least he's not on IR. Having just arrived in town, DeAndre Hopkins will suit up alongside Xavier Worthy.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, KC: Team decision -- Inactive
Impact: It looks like he may still need a little more time before he makes his 2024 debut.

Will Dissly, TE, LAC: Shoulder -- Active
Impact: He caught eight passes last week with Hurst out. He was a game-time call, but will suit up.

Hayden Hurst, TE, LAC: Groin -- Inactive
Impact: With Hurst out and Dissly ailing, Eric Tomlinson could be a TE sleeper.

DJ Chark Jr., WR, LAC: Groin -- Inactive
Impact: He was on IR heading into the week and was not activated in time to play -- and his team could have used him.

Derius Davis, WR, LAC: Hamstring -- Inactive
Impact: Either Brenden Rice or Simi Fehoko might end up in the huddle for some snaps by default.

Quentin Johnston, WR, LAC: Ankle -- Inactive
Impact: It looks like Joshua Palmer is the only Chargers wideout you can count on to start. Jaylen Johnson and Jalen Reagor were both elevated from the practice squad.

Ladd McConkey, WR, LAC: Hip -- Active
Impact: He will suit up (perhaps only out of necessity) even though he missed two practices this past week and saw only limited Friday action.

Aidan O'Connell, QB, LV: Thumb -- OUT/IR
Impact: Gardner Minshew, whose mustache has typically been more impressive than his stat line, will once again start at quarterback.

Jakobi Meyers, WR, LV: Ankle -- Active
Impact: He will be playing for the first time in several weeks. He may be "on a pitch count."

Derek Carr, QB, NO: Oblique -- Inactive
Impact: Spencer Rattler will make another start as Carr attempts to get back into throwing shape.

Cedrick Wilson Jr., WR, NO: Hip -- OUT
Impact: Chris Olave, on the other hand, will return this week following a sit-out due to a concussion.

Marquez Valdes-Scantling, WR, NO: Team decision -- Inactive
Impact: Only signed earlier in the week, the receiver needs more time to get up to speed on the playbook.

DK Metcalf, WR, SEA: Knee -- Inactive
Impact: It will be Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba for all of your pass-catching needs.

Jayden Daniels, QB, WAS: Ribs -- Active
Impact: Marcus Mariota will grab the clipboard and hopefully not have to put it down.

Sunday night game

John Stephens Jr., TE, DAL: Knee -- OUT/IR
Impact: His season is over. The freed-up roster spot helped make room for RB Dalvin Cook, who was elevated from the practice squad.

Jake Moody, K, SF: Ankle -- OUT
Impact: Anders Carlson fills in again, even after missing an extra point last week.

Jauan Jennings, WR, SF: Hip -- OUT
Impact: With Jennings and Brandon Aiyuk (on IR with torn ACL) out, Ricky Pearsall may be tasked with starting.

Deebo Samuel Sr. , WR, SF: Illness -- Questionable
Impact: Jacob Cowing and Chris Conley might also see some targets as Samuel deals with pneumonia, though he is currently expected to play.

George Kittle, TE, SF: Foot -- Questionable
Impact: Especially given the WR issues, expect Kittle to play through the injury.

1 p.m. ET games