Patrick Mahomes, Tua, Pickens, NFL Injury Statuses and Fantasy Impact for Week 16

The injury concerns surrounding Patrick Mahomes have subsided.

The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback does not have an injury designation for Saturday's clash with the Houston Texans.

Mahomes suffered a high ankle injury in Week 15, but he has recovered well enough to not miss a game.

That's an important piece of news for fantasy football players who have to rely on Mahomes in either semifinal or championship matchups in Week 16.

Tua Tagovailoa is off the injury report as well. The Miami Dolphins signal-caller was removed from the injury report after popping up with a hip injury.

The wait will go on, though, for Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens, who will miss Saturday's AFC North battle with the Baltimore Ravens.

Below is a look at all of the significant injury news that will affect fantasy football matchups in Week 16.

• Patrick Mahomes, QB, KC: Cleared to play (ankle), per ESPN.com's Adam Teicher.
• Tua Tagavailoa, QB, MIA: Off injury report (hip), per NFL.com
• George Pickens, WR, PIT: Out (hamstring), per team injury report. 
• Rashod Bateman, WR, BAL: Questionable (foot), per team injury report. 
• Malik Nabers, WR, NYG: Limited participant in Friday practice (knee/foot), per team injury report. 
• Xavier Legette, WR, CAR: Out (hip), per team injury report. 
• Geno Smith, QB, SEA: Off injury report (knee), per Seattle Times' Bob Condotta.
• Kenneth Walker III, RB, SEA: Off injury report (calf), per Condotta.
• A.J. Brown, WR, PHI: Will play Sunday (knee), per Philadelphia Inquirer's Jeff McLane.
• Jaylen Waddle, WR, MIA: Doubtful (knee), per ESPN's Adam Schefter. 
• Isaac Guerendo, RB, SF: Unlikely to play (hamstring), per Schefter. 
• Cade Otton, TE, TB: Game-time decision (knee), per Pewter Report.

Patrick Mahomes Cleared To Play

Patrick Mahomes will play in Saturday's clash with the Texans.

The Chiefs quarterback was cleared to play and taken off the injury report on Thursday.

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid detailed what he saw from Mahomes in the week of practice after he suffered a high-ankle injury in Week 15, per ESPN.com's Adam Teicher.

"He did look good out there,'' Reid said. "He moved around pretty good. So, you're always looking to make sure they can get out the way, not to further any harm to them. So that's what I look at.

"I've been through it with him before, and he amazed me every time he does it. The guy, he's been so mentally tough and just puts it into a mindset that he has going into it [from] where he was a few days ago.''

Mahomes and the Chiefs are going up against a Houston defense that recently has been more susceptible to conceding yards through the air compared to the ground.

The Texans let up over 230 passing yards to four of their last five opponents. In that span, they held three teams under 100 rushing yards.

The return of Marquise "Hollywood" Brown could also help Mahomes' fantasy football stock, but do not be surprised if the quarterback involves his two most experienced targets, Travis Kelce and DeAndre Hopkins, to defeat one of the other division leaders in the AFC.

Tua Tagovailoa Off Injury Report

Tua Tagovailoa does not have an injury designation for the Dolphins' clash with the San Francisco 49ers.

Tagovailoa was limited in practice on Thursday, but that was only as a precaution.

The Dolphins signal-caller will likely be without Jaylen Waddle, who is listed as doubtful.

Waddle's absence could have an affect on Tagovailoa's fantasy football numbers, but the Dolphins will have Tyreek Hill and Jonnu Smith still on the field as the primary pass-catchers.

Malik Washington, who shined in Waddle's absence last week, is the waiver-wire target from the Miami offense. Washington caught five passes for 52 yards in Week 15 against Houston.

The matchup itself isn't ideal for the Miami passing offense, though, as San Francisco held its last six opponents under 200 passing yards.

George Pickens Ruled Out

George Pickens will be out again for the Steelers in Week 16.

The star wide receiver has been dealing with a hamstring issue and was officially ruled out on Thursday, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

Pickens had eight catches for 89 yards on 12 targets in Pittsburgh's first meeting with the Ravens in Week 11.

He was not available in the last two weeks, either, and the Steelers passing offense struggled without him. The AFC North leader had 147 and 107 passing yards in games against the Cleveland Browns and Philadelphia Eagles.

Tight end Pat Freiermuth has been the biggest beneficiary of Pickens' absence. He produced six catches and two touchdowns in the last two weeks.

Calvin Austin III and Mike Williams saw extended run inside the Pittsburgh offense at wide receiver, but neither player put up numbers worthy of fantasy football waiver-wire pickups.

Las Vegas' Jakobi Meyers and Jacksonville's Parker Washington are worth looks against bad defenses in the Raiders-Jaguars matchup. Dallas' Brandin Cooks is a potential waiver-wire pickup as well in his matchup with Tampa Bay's third-worst passing defense.