In fantasy football, "PUP" stands for "Physically Unable to Perform." It is a roster designation used for players who are injured and unable to practice or play due to football-related injuries, typically sustained before training camp begins
. There are two types of PUP lists:
- Active/PUP list: Used during training camp for players who cannot practice but count against the 90-man roster. Players on this list can be activated to practice and play as soon as they are medically cleared
- Reserve/PUP list: Used during the regular season for players who remain injured after training camp. Players on this list must miss at least the first four games of the season and do not count against the 53-man roster during that time. After the four games, teams have a window to allow the player to practice and then activate them to the roster
In fantasy football, a player on the PUP list is typically unavailable for games until activated, so their status affects their fantasy availability and roster decisions
. The PUP designation differs from injured reserve (IR) in that players must have been injured before training camp to be eligible for PUP, and once they practice, they cannot be placed on PUP again that season. IR rules are different and often involve longer absences or season-ending injuries
. In summary, PUP means a player is physically unable to perform due to injury, affecting their participation and fantasy football status until they are medically cleared and activated
