It does not get any easier as the season progresses when it comes to managing your roster due to injuries.  Tough decisions need to be made on a weekly basis and the uncertainty of the status of several key players creates controversy and chaos.  It should be noted that Ezekiel Elliott is not listed in this injury report because technically he is not injured, but losing him to the suspension has the same devastating effect as if he did go down with an injury.  It is worth repeating that you need to constantly and aggressively navigate the waiver wire and obtain depth on your roster while also negotiating smart trade options without dealing from desperation.  So, without further ado, let’s delve into the next edition of the fantasy football emergency room.

Tom Brady (QB-NE) – It isn’t often that Tom Brady is listed on the injury report, but he is here with a sprained AC joint in his left shoulder.  He was limited at practice on Thursday but his status for Sunday’s game against the Jets does not appear to be in question.  Brady is an elite fantasy option with his 1,702 passing yards to go along with 11 touchdowns and only one interception.

Rob Gronkowski (TE-NE) – The daily drama over whether Gronkowski will play on Sunday trended in the right direction after he practiced in a limited capacity on Thursday following a DNP on Wednesday.  It would appear that Gronkowski will play on Sunday against the Jets but we can never be so sure as we saw last Thursday night against Tampa Bay.  Follow up over the weekend for further updates and plan on having him in your lineup but be prepared to make a last-second switch if the news goes south.

Leonard Fournette (RB-JAX) – The dynamic rookie is coming off a huge game last week but has been limited in practice this week with an ankle and shoulder injury.  It does not appear that either injury is serious enough to put his status for Sunday’s game against the Rams in jeopardy.  He is a must-start elite RB1 and should be in for another big game against a suspect Rams defense.

Jordy Nelson (WR-GB) – Fantasy GMs can breathe a sigh of relief as Nelson is practicing in full and will be back on the field this weekend against Minnesota.  He sat out the final drive last week against Dallas but his back injury appears to be fine now.  Nelson always seems to be banged up but he has been highly productive catching six touchdowns through the first five games of the season.

Travis Kelce (TE-KC) – Great news for fantasy GMs that Kelce practiced in full on Thursday after being in the concussion protocol since last Sunday night.  Kelce’s status for this week now appears to look good which means he is an elite option at tight end.  GMs would have had to struggle to replace his production if he wasn’t able to bounce back and get on the field for the Week 6 matchup against Pittsburgh.

Derek Carr (QB-OAK) – Carr is working his way back from a back injury which initially was going to sideline him between two and six weeks.  However, he has made progress but not quite to the point where he is practicing in a full capacity.  His status for Sunday is still in the air but it at least looks like better than a 50/50 chance he is on the field against the Chargers.  Just keep in mind that he will not be 100% if he does play.

Marcus Mariota (QB-TEN) – Mariota remained limited in practice on Thursday as he deals with his hamstring injury which sidelined him during Week 5.  The Titans play on Monday night which gives him extra time to recover, but it is still unknown whether he will be able to suit up for a favorable matchup against the Colts.  If you have a solid alternative to Mariota for this week then you should likely go with the safer option rather than taking the chance he does not play.

Stefon Diggs (WR-MIN) – It does not look good for Diggs to be on the field this weekend against the Packers after he hasn’t practiced all week.  He is dealing with a groin injury he sustained last weekend and his status is doubtful at best for the big NFC North showdown.  Adam Thielen becomes the Vikings’ number one receiver but the offense is still sputtering after Dalvin Cook went down for the season and the injury issues at quarterback.

Tyreek Hill (WR-KC) – Hill practiced in a limited capacity on Thursday due to a hamstring injury.  This is always concerning for a player who is as fast as Hill is and can break a big play any time he touches the ball.  There does not appear to be a major concern for his status in this Sunday’s game so he should absolutely be in your starting lineup as a WR2 with the capability of going the distance at any time. 

Ty Montgomery (RB-GB) – Montgomery has been dealing with a rib injury the past couple weeks and took a big step forward in practice on Thursday after he faced contact wearing a flak jacker.  It looks like he is on track to suit up against Minnesota but could see his snaps reduced to help maintain his health but also to get rookie Aaron Jones the opportunity to be involved in the offense.  Jones looked good last week against Dallas and should see significant playing time which could limit Montgomery’s value for Week 6.

Jeremy Maclin (WR-BAL) – Maclin got off to a hot start to the season but has cooled down significantly over the past few weeks.  He is dealing with a shoulder injury which limited him in practice on Thursday.  Maclin caught two touchdowns over the first couple weeks but has not found the end zone since then and has barely been a part of the Ravens’ offense for the past three weeks.  He should be on the field against Chicago on Sunday but is not a great starting option unless your roster is depleted with injuries or players on a bye week.

Jacoby Brissett (QB-IND) – Brissett landed on the Colts injury report with an injury to his left wrist but still was a full participant in practice this week.  His status for Monday’s game against the Titans is all but guaranteed so there is no need to worry.  He is a solid option for GMs whose quarterbacks are on a bye this week because Tennessee’s pass defense has struggled mightily most of the year.

Tyler Eifert (TE-CIN) – At least GMs have been put out of their misery quickly with Eifert who has been placed on injured reserve after deciding to undergo season-ending back surgery.  Eifert has been dealing with this injury for a long time and will hopefully provide him with the relief he so badly needs.  He will have a 4-6 month recovery which means he should be ready for training camp, likely with a new team as he is a pending free agent.  He can be dropped if you were still holding out hope that he would play this year.

Kenny Britt (WR-CLE) – The beleaguered Kenny Britt left practice on Thursday as a result of re-aggravating a groin injury.  He was one of the only legitimate offensive weapons for the Browns who will start Kevin Hogan at quarterback this week.  Britt’s status for Sunday’s game against Houston is in serious jeopardy due to this development, but even if he plays he will not have much value against a solid Houston defense that is still prolific even without J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus.

Luke Kuechly (LB-CAR) – Kuechly is one of the best linebackers in the league but has a history of concussions over the past few seasons which have cost him nine games over the course of 2015-2016.  He sustained his third concussion in three years during Thursday night’s loss to the Eagles and is now in the concussion protocol.  He is a very valuable fantasy asset in IDP leagues and will have extra time to recover and get out of the protocol. 

Matt Bryant (K-ATL) – The veteran kicker missed practice earlier this week with a back issue but it is also quite possible he was just given some extra rest.  There was no previous indication that Bryant was dealing with any type of injury before the Falcons’ bye week.  Bryant has been one of the best fantasy kickers for years and even at 42-years old he is as consistent as they come after having made all nine of his field goal attempts thus far.

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).