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It's been a chaotic year to roster Antonio Brown in fantasy. The 33-year-old is averaging the fifth-most PPR fantasy points this year, but has missed nine games due to an ankle injury and a suspension due to giving the NFL a fake vaccination card.
Now, there's more problems; Brown has a new lingering injury that is jeopardizing his status for Week 17. Is there legitimate concern to be had here, and what should fantasy managers do?
Is Antonio Brown playing this week? If so, should you be starting him in your fantasy football lineups? If he's out, who stands to benefit? Let us cover all of that here!
Is Antonio Brown Playing This Week Against the Jets?
After making his return last week, and playing a featured role in the offense, Antonio Brown suffered an ankle injury this week in practice. This has left his status uncertain for the Week 17 matchup against the New York Jets:
Meanwhile, his practice participation isn't exactly encouraging. Going from limited participation to no participation in practice is concerning:
There might be a legitimate chance that Brown does not play this week, especially with the Bucs being a 13-point favorite against the Jets. Even if he does play, there is a chance he is limited, which isn't ideal for fantasy purposes.
Who Should I Start If Antonio Brown Doesn't Play?
Last week, Brown commanded a 50% target share, preventing any other Bucs receiver from getting their chance to shine. If Mike Evans, who is a game-time decision, is also out, someone has to catch the football, right?
At the same time, the Jets are allowing the most rush attempts in the NFL, and we could easily see tight end Rob Gronkowski command a significant target share. With the Bucs' receiver depth chart being inconsistent week-to-week, it's hard to trust another pass-catcher.
Last week, it was Cyril Grayson who served as the other outside receiver opposite of Brown, while Tyler Johnson was in the slot. With Breshad Perriman returning, he'd be the replacement for Brown, and is likely the #1 option in the passing game outside of Gronkowski. That being said, this is a very difficult situation to predict.
If you have Brown on your roster, I suggest looking at a different option on the waiver wire that isn't playing for Tampa Bay. Be sure to check back for further injury updates throughout the weekend to make sure if AB is playing this week.
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