The NFL’s new reserve/COVID-19 list was created for players who have either tested positive or have been exposed to the virus and require quarantine.
In addition to this designation, the NFL players are permitted to opt out of the 2020 season amid the pandemic. It has affected fantasy football minimally in the early stages. The league set a deadline of seven days after the safety agreement was reached, leaving players until Wednesday, Aug. 5, to make their permanent decision for the upcoming year.
Update: As of end of business Wednesday, July 29, the revised CBA has not been ratified, which means players now will have until Aug. 5 to opt out of the 2020 NFL season. The deadline is extended seven days from the finalization of the agreement.
Being placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list is temporary. During the regular season, the duration is three weeks. In training camp, players must pass three tests in five days to be permitted back into the team facilities. It’s unclear if the players will require a “ramp-up phase” of getting back into shape before putting on pads.
The opt-out designation, however, lasts the entire season. Per NFL rules, the league will not disclose whether players on the reserve list have tested positive or were exposed to infected persons, so fantasy football owners will be taking some sort of a guess as to assessing value of returning assets.
Fantasy football players on Reserve/COVID-19 list
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers RB Ke’Shawn Vaughn
- Minnesota Vikings WR Justin Jefferson
- WR Kenny Golladay, Detroit Lions
- TE T.J. Hockenson, Detroit Lions
- Philadelphia Eagles OT Lane Johnson
- Jacksonville Jaguars OT Jawaan Taylor
Players opting out of 2020 fantasy football season
- Kansas City Chiefs RB Damien Williams
- Green Bay Packers WR Devin Funchess
- Philadelphia Eagles WR Marquise Goodwin
- New England Patriots RB Brandon Bolden
- New England Patriots LB Dont’a Hightower
- New England Patriots SS Patrick Chung
- Chicago Bears DT Eddie Goldman
- Buffalo Bills DT Star Lotulelei
- Minnesota Vikings DT Michael Pierce
- New York Giants OT Nate Solder
- Kansas City Chiefs OG Laurent Duvernay-Tardif
- New England Patriots FB Danny Vitale
- New England Patriots OT Marcus Cannon
