It’s championship weekend for many fantasy football leagues so this is the payoff for months of hard work and agony navigating rosters around injuries.  Once again, there are many key players whose health will likely impact the results of games this weekend so you need to make smart and logical decisions when it comes to choosing your starting lineups.  As always, there are some players whose status is not clear at this point so spend the extra time over the weekend checking NFL teams’ injury reports and updates so that you have all the information you need to set the healthiest and best lineup possible.  So, without further ado, let’s delve into the next edition of the fantasy football emergency room.

Aaron Rodgers (QB-GB) – A gift was given to fantasy GMs in Week 15 when Rodgers was activated and played his first game in months.  Once the Packers lost, they made the smart decision by putting him back on injured reserve so that he can recover fully and be ready for next year.  The best quarterback in football finishes the year with 1,675 yards and 16 touchdowns in a truncated season due to injury.  He can be dropped for good in all redraft leagues and Brett Hundley returns to finish out the season.

Leonard Fournette (RB-JAX) – Fantasy GMs have been frustrated with Fournette’s available for the second half of the season due to injuries and suspensions.  He is dealing with a quadriceps injury but is expected back on the field for Week 16 against the 49ers.  He will be an elite RB1 option with this good matchup, but do your due diligence and continue monitoring his status because it is always possible he suffers a setback or is ruled out closer to game time.

Julio Jones (WR-ATL) – Jones is dealing with both an ankle and thumb injury but neither will keep him from playing this weekend against New Orleans.  This is a huge divisional showdown so Jones will need to be at his best to help solidify Atlanta’s playoff chances.  The Saints defense has been surprisingly solid this season but Jones has a chance of putting up elite statistics in a game that the Falcons must have.

Davante Adams (WR-GB) – The Packers have ruled Adams out for this weekend’s game against Minnesota due to a concussion he suffered last week against Carolina.  He sustained a vicious hit from Thomas Davis and got his second concussion of the season.  Adams has been a borderline WR1 all season with 74 catches for 885 yards and ten touchdowns despite Aaron Rodgers being out.  His absence should open the door for more targets for Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb and Geronimo Allison but they will be going against Minnesota’s solid defense making them all risky options.

Amari Cooper (WR-OAK) – I am running out of words to use for Cooper because he has been an absolute disaster this season except for one game against Kansas City.  Cooper’s lack of production and variety of injuries have made this a lost season for him.  The Raiders are hopeful he can return from his ankle injury on Monday night against Philadelphia, but start him at your own risk because even if he plays he will be against a solid defense. 

Joe Mixon (RB-CIN) – Mixon has been dealing with a concussion the past couple weeks but is headed in the right direction to play this weekend against Detroit.  He practiced in full on Wednesday and Thursday so as long as he avoids any setbacks he will be back on the field for Week 16 making him a viable RB2 candidate.  It took awhile for him to get going but he got hot before the injury and now will look to add on to his 518 rushing yards and four touchdowns.

Cameron Brate (TE-TB) – Brate has been a solid alternative for GMs this year who may have been devastated by various injuries to tight ends.  He has 42 catches for 541 yards and six touchdowns making him a solid streaming option.  He hurt his knee on Monday night against the Falcons but was able to come back and finish the game.  Now that O.J. Howard is out for the year, Brate will be the Bucs’ top tight end and a favorite target for Jameis Winston.  He is a great option for Week 16 against the Panthers.

Kelvin Benjamin (WR-BUF) – The Bills have not gotten what they expected from Benjamin after trading for him earlier in the year.  Needless to say, fantasy GMs have not either.  He has been marred by injuries most of the season and has never found his groove even when he has been on the field.  Benjamin is trying to play through a torn meniscus and is a huge risk if you are starting him in your lineup.  He should take the field this weekend against the Patriots but he is not a wise choice to go with given his inconsistency and the increased chances he gets injured during the game,

Chris Hogan (WR-NE) – Hogan has become a tremendous risk to start during the fantasy playoffs as he returned from a shoulder injury in Week 14 only to be deactivated last week.  He did practice in a limited capacity last week before being declared out so it is anybody’s guess whether he will be active for Week 16.  With league championships on the line, it is a risky proposition to rely on him even if he does suit up.  Check back over the weekend for further updates but plan on having an alternative that is more dependable to at least be on the field.

Samaje Perine (RB-WAS) – Perine suffered a groin injury at practice on Thursday and now his status for this weekend is in jeopardy.  The Redskins have been depleted at running back due to injuries so if Perine is unable to play then look for Denver’s defense to annihilate the likes of LeShun Daniels and Kapri Bibbs who would play in his place.  Perine is only a marginal RB2 anyway with 547 rushing yards and two total touchdowns.

Mohamed Sanu (WR-ATL) – Sanu is still dealing with a knee injury that has limited him in practice the past couple weeks.  However, he did play on Monday night against Tampa Bay and he is expected to be on the field this weekend against the Saints.  Sanu is a borderline WR3 with 56 catches for 601 yards and five touchdowns on the season.

Isaiah Crowell (RB-CLE) – There are very few reasons to start players on the Browns given how awful they are.  Crowell is one of the few who merit consideration given he has 788 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the season.  However, he was limited at practice on Thursday with a shoulder injury but this should not affect his ability to be on the field against the Bears.  He is a low-end RB2 or Flex option at most.

Jeremy Maclin (WR-BAL) – Fantasy GMs can should end the torture and put Maclin out of their misery by simply dropping him.  Maclin will not play this weekend against the Colts due to a knee injury which has hampered him for quite some time.  He got off to a hot start to the season and never really found his groove again even as the Ravens offense caught fire.  Mike Wallace is the receiver to own on Baltimore and he should be in line for a big game against Indianapolis.

Greg Zuerlein (K-LAR) – Rarely do kickers make it onto the injury report but in this case it is well deserved.  Zuerlein has been the best fantasy kicker in the league as he is tops in both field goals and extra point attempts made.  He is 38-for-40 in field goals and 44-for-46 in extra point attempts making him a valuable fantasy asset.  Unfortunately, he has been placed on injured reserve with a back injury which will require surgery.  The Rams signed Sam Ficken to replace him so scour the waiver wire for better replacements.

Michael A. Stein, Esq. is the Chief Justice of Fantasy Judgment, the industry's premier dispute resolution service, and co-host of the Fantasy Alarm Podcast.  You can contact him at michael.stein@fantasyjudgment.com or on Facebook and Twitter (@FantasyJudgment)