How to read the NFL injury report

A player listed Questionable can go either way, Doubtful almost never plays, and Out does not play. A player left off the final report is expected to play. The practice reports earlier in the week tell you which way a Questionable player is leaning.

Game statuses

There is no "Probable" anymore. The league dropped it in 2016, so a player who is fine simply comes off the report.

Practice reports

Teams report each player's practice as did not participate (often shortened to DNP), limited (less than his normal reps) or full (all his normal reps).

The trend matters more than any one day. A player who goes from DNP to limited to full is heading toward playing. A player stuck at DNP all week rarely plays. A veteran's Wednesday DNP is often a scheduled rest day, so wait for Thursday.

Final statuses come out with the last practice report of the week, so Friday for most Sunday games. Teams can still change a status up to the day before the game, which is why a Saturday downgrade happens.

Inactives

Each team names its inactive players 90 minutes before kickoff. That is the last word on a Questionable player, and the reason to check before the early games lock. For a player in a late game, have a backup from the same or a later window so you can still swap.

Games abroad and early kickoffs

Games played outside the US usually kick off at 9:30 a.m. Eastern, hours before the rest of Sunday. Inactives come out 90 minutes before that, so check those players first thing Sunday morning, and know that your league locks them early.

The schedule still lists one team as home, but the game is played on a neutral field. Don't count on home field when you read the matchup.

Injured reserve and other lists

• Injured reserve (IR): the player must miss at least four games. Each team can bring back up to eight players from IR during a season. Once he returns to practice, the team has 21 days to activate him or he stays out for the year.
• PUP (physically unable to perform): for football injuries carried over from before the season. A player who starts the season on this list misses at least four games.
• NFI (non-football injury): the same idea for injuries or illnesses from outside football.

In fantasy, a player on IR usually frees a bench spot if your league has IR slots. A player cleared to practice is the first sign he is close.

We refresh our weekly rankings after Friday's final statuses and again on Sunday morning.

How long injuries usually last