Happy holidays to all of the loyal Fantasy Alarm readers.  As an extra special holiday gift this year, Santa Claus and Chanukah Harry are giving all of us NFL games on the first night of Chanukah, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day during fantasy championship week.  While the Grinch and Scrooge have dominated most of the season with injuries, we have some holiday miracles with the anticipated returns of some key fantasy players.  So without further ado, here is the next edition of the fantasy football walking wounded.

Julio Jones (WR-ATL)

The fate of the fantasy playoffs in many leagues has been affected by Julio Jones missing the past few weeks with turf toe.  The elite wide receiver’s injury could not have come at a worse time as GMs have felt a major void in their lineups due to his absence.  The good news is that the Falcons expect him to return to practice and increase his activity throughout the week which should put him in line to play this week against the Panthers.  His status is not certain, but it is more positive than it has been in weeks which is encouraging for fantasy owners vying for a league championship in Week 16.

A.J. Green (WR-CIN)

Julio Jones isn’t the only elite wide receiver likely to return in Week 16.  A.J. Green has missed the past several games with a hamstring injury but he appears ready to return for this week’s matchup against Houston.  The Bengals are eliminated from playoff contention but Green’s return will provide a huge boost for a team that has struggled for the past two months.  Barring any unforeseen setbacks in practice, you can expect to plus Green back into your WR1 slot in fantasy lineups.

Lamar Miller (RB-HOU)

Miller has been dealing with an ankle injury for most of the year and he aggravated the injury this past week forcing him out of the Texans game against Jacksonville.  However, he fully expects to play this coming week against Cincinnati so his status does not appear to be in jeopardy.  Miller has run for over 1,000 yards this season but it hasn’t been pretty because of the lingering injury.  He will still be a solid RB2 option for Week 16 and his production could see a boost if Houston sticks with Tom Savage at quarterback.

Melvin Gordon (RB-SD)

Gordon missed Week 15 as expected with a hip and knee injury, but he is targeting a return this coming week against Cleveland.  Fantasy owners should be salivating at the thought of getting Gordon back for this highly favorable matchup against the winless Browns.  Gordon is just three yards shy of 1,000 and has ten rushing touchdowns, so this week would be a golden opportunity to pad those statistics.  Follow up later in the week for further updates on his status and plan on using him as a RB1 if he is able to take the field.

Donte Moncrief (WR-IND)

Moncrief was inactive this past week against Minnesota after suffering a hamstring injury back in Week 14.  The Colts ended up destroying the Vikings without him and kept pace in the AFC South standings, but they still need Moncrief on the field in what will be a very tough matchup at Oakland this weekend.  Moncrief has only played in eight games this year but has six touchdowns so he has made the most of his 28 receptions.  If he is able to play then he should certainly be in your lineup as a WR3 or Flex option.

Jared Goff (QB-LA)

Goff took a huge hit by Richard Sherman after an interception last Thursday night and has been placed in the league’s concussion protocol.  If you were starting Goff in your fantasy lineup in Week 15 then something had gone terribly wrong for you.  He is not an option in any league format but in case you had to play him he has the benefit of having extra time to be cleared to play next week against the hapless 49ers.

Shane Vereen (RB-NYG)

Disaster has struck Vereen again as he re-tore his triceps and is now officially out for the season.  The valuable PPR running back missed over two months with the initial triceps injury, came back last week only to sustain a concussion, and then injured his triceps again this past Sunday against Detroit.  The Giants running game has been awful all season so any potential increase in touches or short passes for Rashad Jennings and Paul Perkins is not enough to even think about putting in your lineup for Week 16.

Bryce Petty (QB-NYJ)

The Jets season has spiraled out of control but at least they committed to giving Bryce Petty a chance to show whether he can be the quarterback of the future for the franchise.  After a solid performance in the Jets win over the 49ers in Week 14, he suffered a chest contusion against Miami during their shellacking this past Saturday.  Test results were more encouraging than initially expected so Petty should be under center against the Patriots in Week 16.  New England’s defense will be a great fantasy option for championship week and DFS leagues.

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