Week 17 Status Report: Waiting on Davante Adams

When we get to Week 17, it’s always a question of who’s playing hard and who’s hardly playing? Here’s what makes sense to me among the contending teams.

• Maximum incentive teams: Chiefs, Patriots, Steelers, Ravens, Texans, Colts, Titans, Eagles, Vikings, Rams

• Somewhat incentivized: Chargers (if the Chiefs are rolling in their game, the Chargers all of a sudden have little use for theirs), Bears (would need Rams to also lose to move up a seed; if Rams are up big at halftime, does Chicago scale back?)

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• Modestly incentivized: Seahawks (teams generally don’t care about seeding when a home game is impossible)

• Better to rest guys: Saints (No. 1 seed secured), Cowboys (can’t move off the No. 4 line, have treated this as a meaningless exercise before)

As for all the teams out of the playoff mix, motivation will vary. In the NFL, most contracts can be walked away from, so in theory everyone has motivation every week — putting something on tape, protecting a reputation, showing value. Some teams will be auditioning lesser talents to see what they have. Some stuff is simply unknowable, and you know NFL teams are not in the information dissemination business.

Onto your status report:

• Davante Adams (knee) missed the full practice week and could be a game-time decision. Adams is 134 yards away from the Packers team record for receiving yards. Randall Cobb (post concussion) has been cleared, but he’s not on the fantasy radar. Equanimeous St. Brown (post concussion) is listed as doubtful.

• Todd Gurley (knee) is out for another week, setting up C.J. Anderson to start against the 49ers. The Rams need to win to secure the conference’s No. 2 seed, so they’ll take the game seriously.

• Julio Jones (hip/ribs) made it back for some work Friday and was removed from the injury report. Tevin Coleman (groin) is also off the report.

• It looks like James Conner (ankle) will play after a full practice week, though he’s not a sure thing. Antonio Brown (knee) is also expected to go with the Steelers desperately needing a win, and help from the Browns.

• The 49ers are down a gaggle of skill players, most notably Matt Breida (ankle) and Dante Pettis (knee). I expect to have a lot of Pettis shares for 2019. Marquise Goodwin (calf) is also out.

• Doug Baldwin (shoulder) was removed from the injury report and should play against the Cardinals. Seattle has nothing much to play for, locked into a No. 5 or No. 6 seed.

• The Saints look ready to air out the depth chart, with Teddy Bridgewater set to start. I’d be shocked if the main skill players (Alvin Kamara, Mark Ingram, Michael Thomas) played long in this game. It’s the final regular season game for Benjamin Watson; perhaps the team will skim an extra target or two in his direction.

• Hunter Henry (knee) has a chance to return for the first week of the playoffs, according to Eric Williams of ESPN. Fill in your own Stephen A. Smith joke here.

• Kenny Golladay (chest) and LeGarrette Blount (knee) are both expected to play through questionable tags at Green Bay. The Detroit passing game has collapsed in 2018; Matthew Stafford has just one game inside the QB1 cutline (Top 12).

• Lamar Miller (ankle) is expected to return for the Texans, but Keke Coutee (hamstring) is not someone to gamble on. Houston has a theoretical chance to be the No. 1, 2, 3, or 6 seed; they’ll be out to win.

• Looks like we’re done with Leonard Fournette (ankle/foot) for the year; he’s listed as doubtful. Carlos Hyde (knee) is also less than 100 percent. If you want to talk yourself into T.J. Yeldon, that’s your business.

• Sammy Watkins (foot) remains out, but the Chiefs should get Spencer Ware (hamstring) back. Damien Williams has performed well in recent weeks, with five touchdowns and 293 total yards the last three games.

• Odell Beckham (quad) is out for another week. Maybe you’re fine with him as Top 15-20 pick next year; I likely won’t be.

• With Cam Newton (shoulder) and Taylor Heinicke (elbow) injured, the Panthers turn to undrafted rookie Kyle Allen to start Sunday at New Orleans.

• Eric Ebron (knee/post concussion) had a full Friday practice and should play in the play-in game against Tennessee. T.Y. Hilton (ankle) hasn’t practiced much in recent weeks but he’s expected to play. Marcus Mariota (neck/foot) is probably a game-night call for the Titans; Blaine Gabbert is the backup.

• Robby Anderson is on a roll and Chris Herndon has been surprisingly effective, but the Jets passing game doesn’t have much else. Quincy Enunwa (ankle) and Jermaine Kearse (Achilles) are both out for Week 17.

• DeSean Jackson (Achilles) is out for the finale. He probably won’t return to Tampa.