Matt LaFleur made it clear that he will play his starters in Week 18 but won’t take any unnecessary risks with injured players. It’s hardly surprising, then, that several key players are missing from the Green Bay Packers’ lineup against the Chicago Bears.
With little to play for, LaFleur is taking the right approach. Allow the healthy players to attempt to bounce back from last week’s loss and build momentum for the playoffs while giving others the necessary time to get healthy for the biggest game of the season next week.
On Friday, the Packers ruled out Jaire Alexander (who is likely done for the year), Zayne Anderson, Andre Dillard, Quay Walker, and Evan Williams.
Although he is healthy, Josh Jacobs doesn’t expect to play too many snaps — something to note if your fantasy season extends to Week 18. Beyond that, the Packers are expected to play their starters and push to finish with a 12-5 record, even if it won’t improve their NFC North position. It could, however, boost their playoff seeding with some help from the Dallas Cowboys.
Full inactives list for Packers in Week 18
This will be updated when the Packers announce their full list of inactives at 10:30 a.m. CT. They have already ruled out five players.
| Player | Position | Injury |
|---|---|---|
| Jaire Alexander | CB | Knee |
| Zayne Anderson | S | Concussion |
| Andre Dillard | T | Concussion |
| Quay Walker | LB | Ankle |
| Evan Williams | S | Quadricep |
Full inactives list for Bears in Week 18
This will be updated when the Bears release their full inactives list at 10:30 a.m. CT. They have already ruled out three players.
| Player | Position | Injury |
|---|---|---|
| Elijah Hicks | S | Ankle/Foot |
| Travis Homer | RB | Hamstring |
| Teven Jenkins | T | Calf |
The Bears will aim to finish a disappointing season on a positive note. A win would not only end their 10-game losing run, but snap an 11-game winless stretch against the Packers. Green Bay is the only team with something playoff-related to play for, although a potential improvement from the No. 7 to 6 seed is hardly too exciting, especially as it’s out of the team’s control.
But it’s still Packers-Bears, and that’s a game always worth winning.
