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Injury Wrap: Can you trust Sammy Watkins in Week 13?

Will Sammy Watkins be smiling on Sunday? (AP)
Will Sammy Watkins be smiling on Sunday? (AP)

No time to mess around, with playoff spots (and playoff seeding) waiting to be secured. Here’s your Week 13 walkthrough.

• Sammy Watkins (foot) admits he isn’t 100 percent, but he might try to play at Oakland anyway. I’d want safer options, especially at this time of the year; he’s not in the Top 40 on my receiver board. This is also a late start on Sunday, just to make things more complicated. Buffalo is especially thin at receiver; Robert Woods (knee) and Percy Harvin won’t play, and Marquise Goodwin has a sore wrist. RB Mike Gillislee (hamstring) might be ready to go this week.

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• Andrew Luck is still waiting on his concussion clearance, though he’s been practicing. It would be a stunner if he didn’t start Monday at the Jets. Brandon Marshall (knee/foot) needs to be monitored the next couple of days; he’s questionable.

• With Trevor Siemian battling a foot injury, the Broncos will start Paxton Lynch against Jacksonville. For all the problems with the Jags this year, they’ve been respectable defending the pass. I’ve ranked Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders lower than usual.

• Jordan Reed (shoulder) won’t play at Arizona, which sets up Vernon Davis for another start. The Redskins love to feature tight ends, but the Cardinals defense is a bad matchup.

• Mark Ingram (toe) had a limited practice Friday after missing the two previous days. He’s no sure thing to play against Detroit. Tim Hightower isn’t as good as Ingram, but he’s a quality backup.

• Rob Gronkowski had back surgery this week and is done for the year — the Patriots moved him to injured reserve Saturday. You’d suspect this could be a fantasy boost to Martellus Bennett, but he’s been playing through his own physical problems (ankle, shoulder). Bennett is listed as questionable for week 13, along with the rest of the New England team photograph: Julian Edelman (foot), Chris Hogan (back), Tom Brady (knee). At least the Pats have an early kickoff against the Rams, so we can get the confirmations at a convenient time.

• Tavon Austin (chest) isn’t expected to play at New England, which means Kenny Britt is even more of a marked man. Then again, the Pats pass defense has struggled all year. Brian Quick will likely start on the other side.

• Ryan Mathews (knee) remains week-to-week, if you want to play the Wendell Smallwood or Darren Sproles game at Cincinnati. The Eagles also aren’t sure about Jordan Matthews (ankle), which could push Dorial Green-Beckham into another busy game. DGB was pepped with 18 target the last two weeks, posting an 11-136-1 line, in between the usual mistakes.

[Week 13 rankings: Overall | FLEX | QB | RB | WR | TE | DEF | K]

• Jeremy Maclin (groin) did some work this week but isn’t ready to return. Keep rolling with Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill against the Falcons.

• The Miami offensive line is healing up, though Mike Pouncey (hip) probably isn’t ready. The Baltimore rushing defense is a nasty draw for Jay Ajayi. DeVante Parker (back) missed the full week of practice, which might push Kenny Stills to a bigger role. Leonte Caroo is another deep-league option.

• The Lions were careful with Marvin Jones (thigh) and Theo Riddick (ankle) this week, but they’re likely to play at New Orleans. The Lions and Saints have a game total of 53; indoor fireworks are expected.

• With Chris Ivory (hamstring) out for Week 13, T.J. Yeldon figures to be Jacksonville’s featured back against Denver. Allen Hurns (hamstring) is also out, which helps Marqise Lee, in theory — but you can’t trust any marginal wideouts against the Broncos secondary.

• Aaron Rodgers is expected to start despite a hamstring injury. The Packers should have a fun day at home against Houston; I especially like the Green Bay DST as a plug-and-play, picking on Brock Osweiler. Speaking of the Texans, they’re not listing Lamar Miller (ankle) on the injury report, though he did miss practice time this week.

• Oakland counts on Michael Crabtree (ankle) and Latavius Murray (ankle) to play through their dings against Buffalo.

• Tyrell Williams (shoulder) is a tricky call, after a limited practice Friday. He didn’t work the two previous days. Perhaps it’s best to focus on Dontrelle Inman for another week.

• John Brown is still dealing with sickle-cell issues, and can’t be relied upon against Washington.

• Panthers LB Luke Kuechly is out indefinitely after suffering a concussion in Week 11. He will not play at Seattle. The Seahawks defense is getting healthy, however, with Michael Bennett and Earl Thomas expected back.

• The Bengals say A.J. Green (hamstring) isn’t ruled out for a December return, but he’s out for this week at minimum.