To help you set your lineups and avoid starting a player who doesn't take the field, we will post fantasy-relevant updates and analysis here as NFL teams release their Sunday inactive lists before kickoff. Any rankings cited in this column come from our ESPN Fantasy staff ranks.

Refresh often for the latest information.

Ruled out before Sunday

TE Julius Thomas (back); CB Marcus Williams (ankle); RB Mike Gillislee (hamstring); LB Luke Kuechly (concussion); C Ryan Kalil (shoulder); WR Robert Woods (knee); QB Cody Kessler (concussion); RB Alfred Blue (calf); DE Michael Bennett (knee); LB Dee Ford (hamstring); WR Jeremy Maclin (groin); DB Brandon Flowers (concussion); LB Leonard Floyd (concussion); DB Earl Thomas (hamstring)

Early games, 1 p.m. ET (eight scheduled)

QB Jay Cutler (shoulder, doubtful) -- inactive

RB T.J. Yeldon (ankle, questionable) -- active

RB LeSean McCoy (thumb, questionable) -- active

WR Sammy Watkins (foot, questionable) -- active

WR Percy Harvin (illness, questionable) -- inactive

DB Jimmy Smith (back, doubtful) -- inactive

CB Desmond Trufant (shoulder/pectoral, questionable) -- inactive

WR Michael Floyd (hamstring, questionable) -- active

DB Tyrann Mathieu (shoulder, questionable) -- active

DE Jason Pierre-Paul (knee, questionable) -- active

RB Mark Ingram (concussion, questionable) -- active

RB Todd Gurley (illness, questionable) -- active

WR Kenny Stills (calf, questionable) -- active

WR Travis Benjamin (knee, questionable) -- active

DB Jimmie Ward (concussion, questionable) -- active

WR Torrey Smith (shoulder, questionable) -- active

Late games, 4:05 and 4:25 p.m. ET (three scheduled)

TE Rob Gronkowski (chest, questionable) -- active

TE Martellus Bennett (ankle, questionable) -- active

WR Julian Edelman (foot, questionable) -- active

QB Tom Brady (knee, questionable) -- active

C Justin Britt (ankle, questionable) -- active

RB Jacquizz Rodgers (foot, questionable) -- inactive

RB Latavius Murray (ankle, questionable) -- active

WR Michael Crabtree (ankle, questionable) -- active

Sunday night game, 8:30 ET

DB Marcus Peters (hip, questionable) -- active

Updates/analysis (most recent first)

New York Jets (3:05 p.m.): C Nick Mangold, who had been listed as questionable, surprises nobody by appearing on the inactive list due to a bad ankle. This will be his fourth straight missed game.

New England Patriots (2:58 p.m.): While the team's offense looking like it's going to have all the usual suspects in the huddle today, CBs Justin Coleman and Cyrus Jones will both be inactive. That certainly leaves the secondary a tad shorthanded.

Justin Britt (2:35 p.m.): The Seattle center is active today, but still may not start. Rookie Joey Hunt could be the guy called upon to snap the ball to Russell Wilson, which may somewhat slow down the Seahawks offense.

Matt Barkley (12:06 p.m.): For better or worse, Chicago fans, you'll get to witness his first career NFL start today. Jay Cutler, as expected, is not suiting up for the Bears this afternoon due to his shoulder injury.

Mark Ingram (12:02 p.m.): A concussion suffered last Thursday was the reason for concern with Ingram's status for today's game. However, as he is active, there shouldn't be any reason to expect that he won't get his usual share of the Saints' backfield carries.

Greg Robinson (11:55 a.m.): The Rams have apparently benched the tackle, who is inactive today despite not being on the team's injury report headed into today's action. Rodger Saffold is expected to start in his place.

T.J. Yeldon (11:50 a.m.): Despite earlier reports that seemed to indicate he would not be active, Yeldon's name is indeed missing from the list of no-go players for the Jaguars. That said, this is far from a clean bill of health. Starting him in fantasy is still an act of abject optimism.

San Francisco 49ers (11:45 a.m.): With no Mike Pouncey, Laremy Tunsil or Branden Albert in uniform today for Miami, the 49ers D/ST gets a boost for those fantasy owners looking to stream or ready to roll the dice on an unexpected top scorer from the position.

Miami Dolphins (7:50 a.m.): According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, both Ndamukong Suh and Mario Williams will be able to play this week.

T.J. Yeldon (7:45 a.m.): ESPN's Adam Schefter notes that the Jaguars running back is unlikely to play on Sunday, but will test his ankle before the game before a final decision is made. If he can't go, the forgotten Denard Robinson may well serve as the primary backup to Chris Ivory.

Tom Brady (7:35 a.m.): All signs point to the New England quarterback playing on Sunday, as well as a trio of his receiving options in Julian Edelman, Chris Hogan and Martellus Bennett. As for Rob Gronkowski, despite some prior bleeding and bruising in his chest, he is also expected to suit up.

Buffalo Bills (7:30 a.m.): WR Sammy Watkins is expected to be active on Sunday, but due to his long layoff, he may not play a full workload. The Bills are likely to be quite shorthanded at receiver, with Robert Woods already having been ruled out and Percy Harvin once again suffering from migraines.

Desmond Trufant (7:25 a.m.): ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that the cornerback has a torn pectoral muscle and is expected to undergo season-ending surgery. The Falcons had been hoping that Trufant was going to be able to play in Week 12 -- hence his "questionable" tag -- but this latest news has us expecting to see his name on the inactives list when it comes out later today.

Official Sunday inactives should begin coming in at approximately 11:30 a.m. ET for the early games, 2:30 p.m. ET for the late games and 7 p.m. ET for the Sunday night game.