Packers Rule Out LG Aaron Banks for Thursday Night vs. Falcons

Packers hit with O-line absences for Thursday night

Green Bay's final injury report ahead of Thursday night's game against the Falcons confirmed that the Packers will play without two starting offensive linemen. Left guard Aaron Banks has been ruled out, and defensive tackle Javon Hargrave is listed as questionable.

That's a meaningful hit to the interior on both sides of the ball for a short-week game — losing a starting guard up front and potentially a starting defensive tackle inside.

What it means for your survivor pick

If you were eyeing the Packers as a safe survivor pick this week, the O-line news is a reason to slow down. Two missing starters up front can disrupt the run game and pass protection, especially on the quick Thursday turnaround where there's less time to shuffle the line. Hargrave's questionable tag adds another layer of uncertainty on defense.

None of this makes Green Bay unplayable, but it trims the margin — and margin is the whole point in survivor. When a favorite is dealing with multiple line injuries, it's worth checking whether you have a cleaner option on your board before locking it in. New to the format? Brush up on how survivor pools work and keep your season alive one careful week at a time. If you're not in a pool yet, you can start a free survivor pool and put this read to use.