I’ll refer you to my post at FFLockerRoom again for my Week 17 injury post.
http://fflockerroom.com/2012/12/29/fantasy-football-week-17-injury-update-t-richgronkmjd/
And just FYI, I’ll update the blog soon with a post about the recent rash of ACL injuries both during Week 16 and over the last few seasons. Hopefully it’ll give some insight into why the ACL is so important and why it’s so difficult to come back from.
Well, Week 14 didn’t go the way I planned. Not sure about you, but I had 4 teams in these playoffs and I’m on the brink of losing all 4 (2 upsets, 2 I probably should lose). The biggest culprits for me were Miles Austin, Vernon Davis, and my trio of Saints (Marques Colston, Lance Moore, Jimmy Graham). All three guys underperformed considerably and may end up costing me dearly.
From an injury standpoint, Week 14 wasn’t terrible, but we did get news that Fred Jackson is out for the year after suffering a grade 2 MCL sprain of his right knee. Shutting him down makes total sense, with the Bills’ season being over already and his extensive history of knee pathology. CJ Spiller becomes the man in Buffalo and should see a huge increase in his value moving forward.
Additionally, we saw a couple of Giants who are gritting out injuries, but really having a hard time with them. Hakeem Nicks had to have X-rays done on his sore knee and seems to have a bout of swelling and soreness each and every week now. To add insult to injury, he came down directly on the knee, causing pain and some missed time during the game. In addition, Ahmad Bradshaw suffered a knee sprain to go along with his already sore foot and neck, so he’s dealing with a trio of painful injuries at the same time. High pain thresholds are one thing, but three injuries (and two involving his legs) at once is tough to deal with and may lead to his workload being decreased, especially with David Wilson’s breakthrough game. I’d expect Nicks to be limited all week and be close to a game time decision while Bradshaw’s news will come out as the week goes on, giving us insight about his Week 15 status. Stay tuned.
And how can we forget Robert Griffin III and his right knee injury. Word is (as I expected) he suffered a sprained lateral collateral ligament (LCL), but the severity seems to be in the grade 1/2 range, which is definitely something that can be played through. What RGIII loses with this injury is some stability in the knee when he cuts or twists, as the LCL is the ligament that connects the femur (thigh bone) to the tibia (shin bone) on the outside of the knee. So anytime a player has LCL involvement and tries to play through it, a brace of varying strength is involved. My expectation is that he will play this week, especially since the severity of the sprain is a grade 1 or 2, which is mild to moderate in nature. However, we’ll wait til Friday to see what his practice participation was like this week.
Quick Hits:
Jay Cutler suffered a “whiplash” type injury on Sunday, which is normally categorized as a muscular injury to the neck muscles. He should receive a ton of treatment this week to help decrease inflammation and soreness and should play this week…Jared Cook seems to have suffered a re-aggravation of his shoulder injury from early in the season. Watch out for him to be limited this week and his availability for Week 15 is up in the air…Ray Rice suffered a hip pointer that’s being classified as “minor”. Wait until later in the week to see if he practices or not this week, but with the Ravens in the thick of the home field advantage race, expect him to play. Click this link (http://tinyurl.com/benbhhw) and scroll down to the Hip Pointer paragraph to gain a better understanding of what this injury entails…Victor Cruz had a monster day on Sunday, but he also hurt his shoulder during the game, requiring sideline evaluation to determine the extent of the injury. He basically played the whole game otherwise, so expect him to be just fine. We’ll monitor it just in case…Dwayne Bowe has two fractured ribs, which means he’ll either be able to play through it and tolerate the pain or his season may be over. More information should come out this week…Marshawn Lynch flared up his low back a little bit during his standout game against the Cardinals. Remember, he’s dealt with back spasms all season and has basically been a “rest” scratch from every Wednesday practice this season. He’ll do the same deal this week and should be fine for Week 15, but back spasms are a tricky, fickle injury, so keep an eye on him…Darren McFadden practiced today, which is a great sign for his availability for Week 15 after re-aggravating his high ankle sprain this past Thursday. If he continues to increase his availability, he should be fine, but monitor his situation closely.
That should cover the biggies. If your leagues are anything like mine, tonight is a VERY important night. Not only are my Pats playing on MNF, but I also need Steven Ridley and Matt Schaub to have huge days and Wes Welker and the Houston Defense to do not so well. So here’s hoping the Pats win 52-45 (wishful thinking, I know).
Ok boys and girls, the most important week of the regular season is upon us. Many playoff spots hinge on the results of this week’s games, so make sure you have you monitor Inactive lists tomorrow AM and prior to the afternoon games, as many guys who are iffy are playing either at 1pm PST or Sunday night.
Felix Jones looks like he’s going to be a game-time decision for this Sunday night’s game. This knee injury appears to be troublesome and he hasn’t looked great healthy either. With DeMarco Murray slated to come back this week, Jones becomes a definite sit this week…Speaking of the Cowboys, watch out for reports prior to the game concerning Miles Austin and his hip flexor strain. First he dealt with a hamstring strain, now a hip flexor. Looks like he’s definitely prone to muscular issues, which have a tendency to linger and really limit function. I think he’ll play, but he may not be quite 100% at this point…Sidney Rice is an interesting one to watch tomorrow, as he was a full participant on Wednesday and Thursday, but apparently suffered a calf strain during Friday’s practice. It’s never a good sign when someone is added to the injury report on Friday and we’re talking a strained calf, which is a very difficult injury to play through. The calf provides the force behind pushing off to change directions and accelerate, so he will be significantly limited whether he plays or not…Percy Harvin is officially doubtful to play and word is he didn’t travel with the team to Green Bay. Jarius Wright gets a bump in value with Harvin out…Danny Amendola is another guy who is listed as doubtful, but basically a lock to miss Sunday’s game against the Niners with a foot injury…Two Bengals are dealing with injuries, but both are expected to play. BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Andrew Hawkins should both be ready to go despite minor injuries. Green-Ellis sprained his ankle during Friday’s practice. I’m not concerned because he was still listed as probable despite the injury. Hawkins is coming back from a sore knee and looks like he’s ready to regain his starting job this week. Remember, he’s the possession guy who stands to benefit a ton from the attention AJ Green gets, so I’m expecting (hoping) he has a huge day tomorrow…Julian Edelman and Brandon Weeden both look good to return from concussions this week, as both returned to practice and were participants on Friday, which is always a good sign for return to action. No word on clearance from an independent neurologist per the NFL concussion guidelines though, so check reports before each guy’s game…Antonio Brown will be back in the starting lineup for the Steelers, but he’s still a must SIT this week with Charlie Batch getting the start at QB again. With Ben Roethlisberger expected to be back in action next week, that would be the time to get Brown back in your lineup. Brown has had time to recover and seems to have shaken off his lingering high ankle sprain.
THE REST:
Expected to Play: Ahmad Bradshaw, Aaron Hernandez, Carson Palmer, Jeremy Kerley, Torrey Smith, Owen Daniels, Andre Johnson, Wes Welker, Brandon Lloyd, Beanie Wells
Should Play, but Could Be Limited: Darren McFadden (I’m not a believer that he’s ready to roll, maybe one week away), Matt Forte
Long Shot to Play: Andre Roberts, Kevin Kolb
There we have it, should be an interesting Week 13 with so many implications. On a personal note, I have two teams that are in the playoffs with a victory, so I know I’ll be glued to the TV tomorrow morning and afternoon. This would actually be the first season I’ve had all my teams make the playoffs if things work out the way I hope they do (4 total teams). Let’s see how this puppy plays out. Good luck folks!
With breaking news that both Percy Harvin and Aaron Hernandez are going to be out this week, some owners are left scrambling for fill-ins. While Harvin’s absence doesn’t surprise me (I think he’s got a two to three week time line), Hernandez missing this game is a bit shocking. He’s had two full weeks of rest and seemed primed to come out of the bye completely healthy. This screams one thing to me: setback in practice. My guess is he reaggravated the ankle during practice this week, causing him to take a step or two back. We’ll keep an eye out for both guys for week 11, but let’s talk a bit about the guys who are slated to play this week and what you should expect to see.
Calvin Johnson: He’s an absolute stud, so he’ll play. He had a great week 9, even though he still appears limited. Expect him to draw a ton of attention, even more so if Titus Young doesn’t play. That nerve injury he spoke about early in the week? Don’t worry about it, as he seems to have bounced back from that. Watch out for any signs of discomfort in the knee, which has plagued him for weeks.
CJ Spiller: He reappeared on the injury report with a shoulder issue, which stems from the separated shoulder he suffered earlier in the season. It’s not out of the ordinary for him to have some shoulder soreness after an injury like that, but it’s disconcerting that he’s popped back up on the injury report. Expect him to play this week, but any setback when his shoulder is a bit vulnerable could be a weeks-long issue.
Marshawn Lynch: Back, wrist, whatever it is, he practiced fully on Friday, so there’s no risk for him missing this week. He’s a gamer, so expect him to produce.
Guys who are banged up, but shouldn’t be limited:
Adrian Peterson (just caught a cold, he’ll be good), Lesean McCoy (same as AP), Law Firm (sensing the illness theme?), Willis McGahee (knee soreness), Mikel Leshoure (ankle, showed no limitations at all), Frank Gore, Jamaal Charles, Dez Bryant (hip appears to have calmed down quite a bit, he looks ready to go), Eric Decker (full practice Thurs/Fri), Demaryius Thomas (knee soreness), Rob Gronkowski (don’t even think about sitting him), Jerome Simpson (I like him as a deep sleeper this week, so why not give him the kiss of death as my SLEEPER O THE WEEK)
Banged up, possibly limited, but will play:
Ahmad Bradshaw (he hasn’t been the same recently, basically since playing the Niners in week 6, he’ll play, but limit your expectations), Andre Brown (seems like he has a shoulder sprain, possibly similar to CJ Spiller, will play, but could be bothered), Felix Jones (limited more because he kind of sucks, knee issue seems to be almost past him), Any non-Issac-Redman-Steelers-RB (I still dont trust Mendenhall’s Achilles issue, he’s a walking risk right now, Dwyer is probable, but Quad strains are tough to push through), Steve Johnson (I almost put him in the above section, but he did look a bit limited last week, so he goes here, great matchup though)
Banged up, definitely not the same:
Hakeem Nicks (poster child for this section, he says all the right things and practices fully, but these flare ups in his knee are pretty problematic, more so because they keep coming back, knee swelling itself isn’t the main issue but can be indicative of an underlying pathology, I wouldn’t blame you if you sat him until he showed something), Danny Amendola (I think it’s one week too soon, I could be totally wrong, but it seems too soon to me from such a freak injury)
Out fo sho:
Alshon Jeffery (still trying to work back from a broken hand, next week seems likely), Darren McFadden (high ankle sprain, 2-3 weeks at least in my book), Antonio Brown (possibly same as McFadden, didn’t look as serious though), DeMarco Murray (next week possible, don’t know for sure until he gets some practice time on his sprained foot), Darren Sproles (hand surgery two weeks ago, expect him back at the low end of the initial timeline, 4 weeks).
Jordy Nelson (Q): Didn’t practice today, still dealing with hamstring strain, will test Sunday before game, hammy’s are tricky, so have a backup just in case
Issac Redman (P): Will play, but same can’t be said for Rashard Mendenhall and Jonathan Dwyer, who are both doubtful. Look for Redman to get most of the work, tough matchup with the Giants, but he’s the guy this week
Adrian Peterson (Q): He didn’t practice, but did do some rehab work on the side to test that ankle of his. Looks like he’ll play, but monitor just in case. Remember, ankle/hip injuries on same side as post-ACL reconstruction is never positive (RE: Mendenhall). Scares me a bit moving forward, may be a nice sell-high guy. But word is he will play this week.
Calvin Johnson (Q): Didn’t practice at all this week, knee soreness is really becoming a problem. I think he still plays through it, but he just hasn’t looked the same, as I stated earlier this week (https://ziaddahdul.wordpress.com/2012/10/31/wednesday-injury-report-megatron-dez-tannehill-more/). You just can’t bench him unless he’s ruled out, so he’s in your lineup if he plays.
Felix Jones (P): Probable to play, dealing with a shoulder injury in addition to his knee. I just don’t like the way he’s run these last two games, doesn’t look like he has any burst or explosiveness. And Atlanta is pretty solid against the run. He’s a flex at best.
Donald Brown (P): He participated fully today, which is great news for his likelihood of playing on Sunday. He’s got a few things working against him: Tough Dolphins run D, split carries with Vick Ballard, and still finding his rhythm after knee surgery. I think he’ll be involved, but it’s hard to tell how much with time shares. He’s probably more of a flex guy at this point.
Ryan Tannehill (Q): Limited all week with thigh injury, my guess is he plays, but they’ll evaluate him this weekend and make a firm decision at that point. Matt Moore is listed as probable, so know that option is there just in case Tannehill can’t go. With Brian Hartline also questionable and looking like a game-time type decision, Miami may be running the ball quite a bit this week. I like Tannehill’s chances of playing, but can’t imagine you’d want to start either of these guys this week.
Dez Bryant (Q): Limited all week with a hip injury, the extent or specifics of which has not been released. It seems like he’s questionable with the idea that he’s going to play, but he did take a nasty tumble on that play at the end of the Giants’ game. Looks like it could have been a hip pointer type of injury, but if he suits up, you probably have to play him, especially since they play the Sunday night game. Maybe a Kevin Ogletree pick up is in line just in case you need a quick change.
Darren Sproles (O): Out indefinitely with a fractured hand (not sure the specifics, usually means the long bones in the hand that connects the small wrist bones to the fingers) that also required surgery. I’d say, if pressed, that he’ll be out at least 3 weeks, especially since he’s so important to the passing game, which clearly requires healthy hands (you know, to catch the ball). Pierre Thomas is an immediate pick up and you can even think of targeting a guy like Chris Ivory, who will now get some more run with Sproles out.
Ben Tate (O): Already ruled out with a hamstring issue. Seems to be lingering pretty good for him, as he’s been ruled out pretty quickly each week. Justin Forsett becomes the backup this week against a really bad Buffalo run D. Looks as if Arian Foster will continue to get run into the ground.
Victor Cruz, Ahmad Bradshaw, Aaron Rodgers, Percy Harvin, Lance Briggs, Jermichael Finley: All listed on their teams’ respective injury reports to some extent (Bradshaw is the only one not Probable, he’s questionable), but all will play. Get them in your lineup.
First on Aaron Hernandez not playing in Week 8. It’s being reported that he had a setback during practice this week, so that explains him not being in the lineup this week. This seems to smell like an avoidance thing more than anything else, as I think the Pats are seeing that he’s still not 100% and want to give him a bit more rest time so that when week 14 rolls around, he’s still not limited. I think the timing of this move is great too, as the Pats play a team that they SHOULD beat without Hernandez and Week 9 is the Pats’ bye week. So essentially, he will have 12-14 days of rest and controlled practice time to allow the ankle to calm down and strengthen for the Week 10 contest. I like the move, although I was very surprised by the news because I had just watched him this past week against the Jets and thought he looked fantastic. But again, we’re talking about something that could be a nagging issue all season if he keeps playing at less than 100%, so in the end it’ll work out, but your week 8 roster will have to be tweaked. Some possible fill ins at the last minute??
Second on Ahmad Bradshaw and Hakeem Nicks for the Giants. Nicks was a full participant and looks to be as close to 100% as he’s been all season. I actually like him a lot this week, despite the solid corners that the Cowboys throw out there. Bradshaw, on the other hand, was limited all week. But he’s limited EVERY week and still seems to come out just fine. He did this all of last season as well. I think he’ll still be out there this Sunday and should have a solid game against the Cowboys, who have Demarcus Ware just back from injury and Sean Lee out for the season. I think both Bradshaw and Nicks should be in your lineup this week and both should have very good games.
Lastly, on Greg Jennings. He’s scheduled to have surgery for his groin injury and the timetable is anywhere from 3 weeks to 6 weeks. His recovery time is largely dependent on what they find when they get in there in terms of severity of the injury, amount of tissue that’s impaired, and the amount of post-surgical swelling/inflammation. Based on how long he’s been already dealing with this issue, I’d put him closer to 4-5 weeks than 3 weeks, because it seems like the Packers are very resistant to throwing a guy back out there at less than 100%, which I think is great. My expectation would be for Jennings to be back by week 13 or 14, which is right before the fantasy playoff season begins. It’s very difficult to say how much he’ll be able to contribute at that point, especially coming off basically 9 weeks of not playing in a game. I say if you have the luxury of stashing him on your bench and don’t need the roster spot, hang onto him. I wouldn’t kill you if had to drop him to fill numerous roster spots due to byes or injuries, but I know how difficult it is to drop a guy who, for many, was a top 3 round pick.
So lots of big news this wek, MJD being ruled out for this week and beyond, and potential disastrous news regarding Greg Jennings and Pierre Garcon. Let’s take a look at all the big injury news of the week and implications for this weekend’s games.
Blaine Gabbert: He took all the snaps during Thursday’s media portion of practice and seems to be on track to play this week. Look for him to be out there against the Pack as his sprained shoulder appears to be minor.
Ahmad Bradshaw: He didn’t practice Wednesday or Thursday, which is no surprise at all with Bradshaw. This seems to be par for the course with him for the near future as it doesn’t seem worth it to risk setback during the week. Look for him to be out there this week barring any new issues when he inevitably practices on a limited basis on Friday. It appears this foot soreness is something he’s going to be dealing with for the rest of the season.
Trent Richardson: His ribs are sore and will probably continue to be sore for a couple more weeks. However, he practiced fully on Wednesday and seems to be ahead of schedule this week compared to last. Look for him to be out there against the Chargers, with things being pain-management based more than anything else.
Pierre Garcon: The official diagnosis now is a tear to the plantar plate in his foot. What is that exactly? The plantar plate is a ligamentous-type structure on the plantar surface (bottom of foot) of the balls of the feet. It functions to protect the metatarsal heads (balls of toes) from excessive pressure with weight bearing tasks. It also prevents our toes from over-extending during push off tasks like running and sprinting. When the planter plate tears, the stability of the individual toe is lost, causing direct pressure on the met heads (balls of toes) and sapping a person of their explosiveness and speed. In Garcon’s case, he has been unable to push off and plant/cut properly because his toes don’t want to absorb that amount of force without the proper stability from the plantar plate to counter the forces. Check out the picture to the right to see exactly where the plantar plate is, which will give you an idea of why he’s having such a hard time with going full speed. 
The word is that Garcon could potentially be shut down until after the Redskins’ week 10 bye week, which would be a great idea so that he could actually get off that foot, protect in a bit more from movement to allow it to heal, and see if more conservative measures would be beneficial. If this doesn’t settle down in 3 weeks, I’d expect the Skins to potentially shut him down and look to surgery to get this thing taken care of. Typically, when an injury doesn’t respond well to conservative measures in 4-6 weeks, the next step needs to be looked at, which can consist of further imaging (MRI, X-Ray, CT scan), cortisone injection, or, the last resort, surgery. What do you do about his roster spot? If you have the luxury of waiting 1-2 weeks, I’d hold onto him until you got official word. But my gut feeling is that he’s not going to be contributing to your fantasy season for the rest of the year.
Greg Jennings: You can count on him not being in the lineup this week, or next week for that matter. His complications with the groin issue continue to get worse and it’s getting more difficult to figure out exactly what’s going on with it. Conflicting reports say that he could potentially need surgery to repair the groin issue and/or has a sports hernia that needs to be dealt with. Either way, he’s not back in the lineup anytime soon, and to be honest, they really don’t need him right now. Their offense is clicking and they’re playing the 1-5 Jaguars this week, so there is absolutely no rush with Jennings. Keep an eye on reports in the next week or so, but if you hear the word “surgery” being thrown around with him, you’re probably going to need a contingency plan if you don’t have one in place already.
Danny Amendola: Don’t kid yourself about him playing this week: He’s not. Since he separated his sternoclavicular joint (SC joint, connects your collar bone to your sternum, the breast bone) just 3 weeks ago, don’t expect much in the next week or two. But with the Rams having a bye week coming up in week 9, there’s an outside chance he plays in week 10. I would venture to guess that week 11 he’ll be back in the lineup. So if you have the ability to stash him for a couple more weeks, he should be back up to speed for the start of fantasy playoff season, which could be a huge boon to your lineup.
Jermichael Finley: Limited in practice Wednesday, still restricted by his shoulder injury, I think he’ll play this week and will be darn near 100% for week 9. Typically, it takes a couple weeks for an injury like a minor separated shoulder to resolve itself, so expect him to feel pretty good to go next week, when at least 4 weeks will have passed since hurting the shoulder.
DeMarco Murray/Felix Jones: Murray is believed to be out for this week against the G-Men, which was definitely expected. The prevailing thought is that his sprained foot was more minor than anything else, the expectation of him being out 2-3 weeks seems right on the money. But don’t look to count on him this week. Jones, on the other hand, doesn’t seem to ever want to benefit from an opportunity. He suffered a bone bruise in his knee during week 7, which could potentially limit him this week. He’s still expected to start this week, but his practice participation will give us some insight about how active he’ll be. Bone bruises are normally just trauma to the bone, which won’t predispose him to developing a more severe injury, but can be painful depending on the severity of the bruise. Look for him to play, but make sure he’s more active in practice on Friday, even if it’s limited.
Chris Johnson/Marshawn Lynch/Calvin Johnson: All listed with minor little injuries, all will play.
Aaron Hernandez/Rob Gronkowski/Wes Welker: The questionable 3 are all at it again, but rest assured that they will all be out there in London against the Rams. Gronk looked as close to his regular self as he has in weeks against the Jets and Hernandez’s snap counts continue to rise each week. Welker’s supposed ankle issue is more a Pats injury report thing than anything else, as he’ll get treatment all week in preparation for their Friday departure for London. Look for all 3 to have great weeks against a not-so-great Rams secondary, although Welker may have his hands full dealing with Cortland Finnegan.
Donald Brown: He seems to be a little ahead of schedule in his return from arthroscopic knee surgery. They seemed to be targeting next week initially, but with his return to practice on Wednesday, there appears to be an outside chance that he plays in week 8. I wouldn’t bet on it, but if he gets himself to be close to a full participant by Friday, there’s an outside chance he goes. Hold onto Vick Ballard for this week, but with Brown potentially back next week at the latest, it appears Ballard will be very droppable at that point.
More to come later today, as I’ll touch more on who to play from tonight’s Bucs/Vikings contest
Hakeem Nicks: Holy crap, he’s PROBABLE!! Nicks practiced again on Friday and looks to be ready to go this Sunday. I still think he’s going to have some rust and be somewhat limited since it’s both his foot and knee that he’s trying to bounce back from. However, look for him to get back involved in the offense, which decreases Domenik Hixon’s value this week. I think this is the time to get Nicks back in your lineup, especially with a very good matchup this week.
Ahmad Bradshaw: Bradshaw missed practice again on Friday and is officially listed as Questionable for Sunday’s game. I get scared anytime I hear Bradshaw and “foot” in the same sentence, as his foot issues have been well documented. I have a feeling he won’t play or won’t be productive if he does play, so I’d look for a fill in. Andre Brown is not a shoe in to play, so it may all fall on David Wilson, which can be a good or bad thing, depending on how you look at it. I think this development actually makes the Giants’ passing game that much more attractive this week. Look for Eli, Nicks, and Cruz to have big days.
Brandon Bolden: Hasn’t practiced all week with a knee injury. It’s hard to predict how a knee will respond during a game without getting him out there and practicing. (UPDATE: BOLDEN IS OUT THIS WEEK)All signs point to him not playing, so look for Danny Woodhead and Shane Vereen to split carries backing up Stevan Ridley. I actually like Woodhead a lot this week against the Jets, with his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield, as he will be named my SLEEPER O’ THE WEEK! (I swear to you, I’ll get one of these right at some point, so why not week 7?)
Jimmy Graham: Limited participant on Friday, which was expected. He’s officially Questionable, and although he seems like he has a good chance of suiting up on Sunday, there is some riskiness in that play. His mechanism of injury looked like it was similar to a high ankle sprain, although he did actually come back into the game after injuring the ankle. He wasn’t the same, but at least he was able to grit it out and still weight bear through the foot. He also had the luxury of a bye week right after, so he’s had adequate rest time. My hunch? He’ll play, but it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have a backup plan who plays at the same time, just in case.
Aaron Hernandez: He returned to practice on Friday after sitting out Thursday, so it’s looking more and more like yesterday’s missed practice was just a precaution after playing a decent amount of snaps on Sunday. The Jets’ D has been pretty kind to TEs this year and the Pats TE’s have always done well when lined up against the Jets’ LBs. I think Hernandez is in line to get closer to a regular amount of snaps this week, so use him as you normally would.
Terrell Suggs: So, he’s practiced three straight days, including Friday, which is looking better and better for Suggs’ return to the lineup. I’m going to preface all this by saying that an Achilles tendon rupture is a BRUTAL injury to come back from for the average person, let alone an elite athlete like Suggs. Add to that fact that he partially tore it, which can be worse than fully tearing it sometimes depending on how much of a partial tear it was, and the odds are definitely stacked against him. The reason a partial tear can be worse is that if >50% of the tendon is torn, but some fibers are still attached, the surgeons typically opt to repair the torn fibers and keep the intact ones as they are. The problem is that the intact fibers end up picking up so much of the slack that they have greater than normal forces imparted on them, essentially weakening the area that was originally strong. In addition, the rehab process can last longer because you’re dealing with half intact and half torn regions of the same tendon, which can make the healing process a bit trickier.
I understand the reasons he’s pushing so hard to come back, especially now with Ray Lewis and Ladarius Webb out for the season, and it’s very admirable. Typically, it’s anywhere from 8-9 months before someone can really be back to every day life without limitation, and Suggs is only 5+ months post surgery. I think he’s rushing, and I can’t imagine the training staff would let him come back this fast. I think he should be out until at least mid November at the earliest (I’ll give him 1-2 month leeway since he’s a such a freakish athlete), so don’t expect him to be the huge game-changer he has been in the past, at least right off the bat. I think the Baltimore D/ST will still struggle without Lewis and Webb, putting them more in the 10-12 range.
Christian Ponder: Apparently he’s just been dealing with a sore knee the last few weeks. He was a full participant today and is listed as Probable. He hasn’t looked limited during games, so this could be more of a precautionary thing by letting him rest Wed/Thu and then having a full practice Friday. Use him as you would.
Rashard Mendenhall: He didn’t practice Friday and reports came out that said he will NOT play Sunday night. Look for Jonathan Dwyer to get the majority of carries with Baron Batch contributing as well. This will probably be a “play the hot hand” type of scenario.
Adrian Peterson: He’s been dealing with a sore ankle all week, which is on the same side as his ACL reconstruction. He was a full participant in practice today and is listed as Probable. Reports said he looked ok during practice, moving around just fine. Make sure you watch for any news of a setback between now and kickoff, but he appears to be ready to go.
Vincent Jackson: Jackson is dealing with a calf strain, which seems to have worked it’s way out as he practiced fully today and was listed as Probable. Looks like it’s all systems go for Jackson, who is coming off a solid week and should benefit from Josh Freeman getting his head out of his you-know-what and finally having a productive day. And they’re playing the Saints, who haven’t decided whether they want to play defense or not this year.
Greg Jennings: What a nightmare, huh? So he’s officialy OUT again this week, as he seems to be having such a hard time shaking this groin strain. It’s getting to the point where you may need to think about parlaying some depth at other positions into some wideout help because there’s not even a guarantee he plays in week 8. Maybe targeting a WR2 type guy to help pick up the slack or trading an RB1/WR1/QB1 for two quality guys would be a good idea for the near future.
Wes Welker/Rob Gronkowski: Do I still need to say anything? They’ll both play, and I’m throwing in a little prediction here too: both will have 100+ yards and 1 TD each.
Jermichael Finley: Officially listed as probable, he looks like he’s ready to go. I still doubt he’s 100%, but word from practice is that this is the closest to 100% he’s been in a while. I think he’ll have a good game finally, especially with Jennings out this week and with a pretty good match up. I’d put him in the lineup this week.
Pierre Garcon: He had a setback during the week and has missed practices all week. He’s listed as doubtful, but I can tell you with certainty that he shouldn’t be in your line up this week. Find a fill in for him. Leonard Hankerson and Santana Moss stocks should go up.
Dez Bryant: He was fully healthy all week and managed to pop up onto the Friday injury report, as reports are he strained his groin muscle (see my previous posts related to Greg Jennings for more info on this injury). Hip muscle strains are tricky in general and when a muscle group like the hip adductors (groin) are injured, it changes things as this muscle group helps pull the leg towards to middle of your body and is a stabilizing muscle during quick, dynamic motions. And it’s NEVER a good sign when this type of thing happens the Friday before a game. I’m a little iffy on him for this week, so try your best to pick up Kevin Ogletree if he’s still out there. Looks like a gametime decision deal for Bryant this week, so have contingency plans just in case.
Week 4 brought us very highly anticipated returns from fantasy studs like Fred Jackson, CJ Spiller, Reggie Bush, and possibly Matt Forte (looks like he’s got a shot at being active). It also left us wanting, with guys like Hakeem Nicks, Aaron Hernandez, and Kenny Britt still on the shelf. Here’s some initial reactions about the guys that did play and a look ahead to Week 5 for the guys who didn’t.
Fred Jackson: This was one game that I watched from beginning to end (gotta watch my beloved Pats) and, though he didn’t do too much out there numbers-wise, he didn’t look limited in the least big. He broke a 30+ yard screen pass on one play and pushed off that R foot just fine. I thought the Bills coaching staff did a great job of managing his touches, but they’re offense just kept turning the ball over, which made it difficult to stay intent on running the football. He said he had some soreness in the knee afterwards, but so long as it doesn’t turn into swelling and stiffness, I feel pretty good about him. I like him a lot going forward and would go back to playing him week in and week out.
CJ Spiller: His return just didn’t go as well. I feel vindicated in my analysis of him and Fred Jackson, as I said they could both very well be ok, but I wouldn’t trust them in the first week back. I don’t think the shoulder contributed to his lack of production, but when he was tackled and driven into the ground, he was visibly grabbing onto his injured shoulder, leading me to believe that he basically reinjured that sucker again. He said after the game that it felt sore, and I think he came out of the game worse than Jackson because I visibly saw him favoring his shoulder during the game. At first glance, I’d sit him again next week, especially with as good as Jackson looked, the Bills won’t feel quite as rushed. Unless he miraculously is 100% in less than a week (he won’t be), I’d sit him again.
Jared Cook: He played on Sunday, getting 4 targets and catching 3 of them. He didn’t hit pay dirt, but he did come out of the game unscathed and should be much closer to 100% next week. They also played a very, very tough Texans D, so hopefully you took my advice and sat him. It also didn’t help that Jake Locker (more on him in a minute) was knocked out with a aggravation of his separated shoulder (it must be AC sprain season), relegating Cook to catching passes from Matt Hasselback. Look for Hasselback to start next week, which could mean a slight decrease in Cook’s value.
Jake Locker: He really took a hit to that separated left AC joint and subluxation (think of it as a mini dislocation, where the ball pops out slightly, but re-sets itself), leaving the game after getting driven into the ground. I’m thinking this is the time they make the decision to sit him for a week and let things settle. Pick up Hasselback if you need a guy or look for an Andy Dalton type out on the wire. An MRI after the game revealed no structural damage to the left shoulder, but I still don’t trust it. Make sure you sit him.
Dwayne Bowe: There was doubt about his effectiveness with a quad strain this week, which can really limit a player’s burst due to the strength and power housed within such a large muscle group. Must not have been a very serious strain because he looked great on Sunday. With unrest at QB for the Chiefs, change could be coming. But in terms of Bowe’s status moving forward, all signs point to him being healthy heading forward. Play him.
Santonio Holmes: Now that’s an injury that looked bad. Thankfully for Jets’ fans, the X-rays came back negative on his left foot. However, X-rays just tell a small part of the picture (bony pathology), as the important info will be his MRI results. Based on the mechanism of injury, I’d say a moderate to severe sprain of various ligaments around the ankle is plausible. We won’t know much til then, but my gut feeling is he’ll be out this coming week and possibly limited in week 6. Look for a fill in until then.
Jonathan Stewart: He finished Sunday with a disappointing 40 yards rushing, and from what I saw, didn’t look limited by the sprained toe. I think as long as he didn’t suffer a setback, the toe won’t be a lingering thing. My bigger concern is the time share he has going on with DeAngelo Williams and the fact that Cam Newtown is basically their goal line back. I’m not too high on Stewart at this point, and it’s really not injury related. I think his toe will be fine, but right now he doesn’t look like anything more than a decent Flex option.
Rob Gronkowski: He entered Sunday’s matchup questionable with a hip injury. The Pats are as tight-lipped as it gets when it comes to injuries, so I wasn’t able to find out what exactly was going on with his hip. But he didn’t looked bothered by it at all, as he caught a nice TD pass running the seam in the 2nd half and had a deep ball thrown to him that he should have caught, but was just short on. He looked just fine, I’d run him out there with confidence.
Steven Jackson: He was clearly limited by his groin strain and he really doesn’t look explosive right now. This is two weeks in a row without good burst, which is getting a little worrisome. My thought is that he’s doing ok during the week, getting treatment and working to calm down inflammation/stretch/strengthening the adductors (groin muscles), I just think the second he really tries to play free of thought, he begins to feel the restriction. One week of limitation was ok, as that’s expected. But with two weeks of limitation in a row, I’d be a bit concerned. Wait until the end of the week to make a decision, but if they play the whole “game time decision” card again, he may be an injury-sit this week. Look for Darryl Richardson if he’s out there as a handcuff or maybe a guy like Joique Bell, who looked solid as Mikel LeShoure’s backup.
Greg Jennings: See Steven Jackson above, as they’re both dealing with the same injury. Jennings’ is worse because he clearly hasn’t been the same and he actually had to leave the game. Coach Sherman even said Jennings looked how he was two weeks ago. Not looking good. Prepare for another missed game, maybe two, as he can’t seem to get over this groin strain. Leonard Hankerson could be an option, even Andre Roberts or Dominik Hixon.
Mikel LeShoure: This rounds up groin-strain central, as he played and finished the game as the lead carrier for the Lions. He didn’t look fantastic, but overall, he appears to be the guy right now in Detroit. He has the luxury of a bye week to get things right, but expect him to be the lead back with Joique Bell backing him up. (Anyone know what the hell happened to Kevin Smith??)
Matthew Stafford: He wasn’t limited by his hamstring strain, as he moved around well and didn’t have a noticeable limp. He’s not really looking like the Stafford we saw last year, but it doesn’t seem to be injury related. He’ll have a bye week to get things together and look for him to have a big game in Week 6.
Jeremy Maclin: I still think he’s bothered by the hip pointer injury he suffered two weeks ago and coming back as fast as he did didn’t do him any favors. I don’t like him right now, especially with all the “bench Vick” talk that was coming out of Eagles camp prior to Vick’s save-his-ass win against the Giants. It seems like a fluid situation, but Vick probably bought himself another couple weeks, but Maclin is clearly limited, in my opinion. I’m almost to the point where I sit him next week until something changes in his route running and explosiveness.
Willis McGahee: Nothing like playing the Raiders to make your ribs feel aaallllll better. He looked fantastic, finishing with 112 yards and 1 TD, also notching a full carry load of 19. He looks like a go from here on out.
Pierre Garcon: He lucked himself into a touchdown, recovering an RGIII fumble in the end zone. He was not targeted much at all and finished with 1 catch. Remember, he was the guy who RGIII was looking for early and often in Week 1, as it appeared they had developed good chemistry. So the fact that he was barely targeted should tell you he was still limited. They’re reporting he had no setbacks during the game, but who knows based on how he looked. They have a tough mactchup against the Falcons this week, so monitor the injury reports this week and plan accordingly. Leonard Hankerson might not be a bad handcuff, as he appeared to be the next go-to guy.
LeSean McCoy: Word was he “tweaked” his knee during the Giants game, which typically means a mild ligament sprain. There were no reports of swelling or a limp, which is a good sign. Monitor his practice status this week, but he should be out there for Week 5.
Rashard Mendenhall: With the bye week behind them, Mendenhall is reported to be ready to go for this coming week against the Eagles. October 7th puts him approximately 10 1/2 months post ACL tear, which is nearing that 1 year window. I wouldn’t necessarily play him his first week out there, but he seems to be on track to making an Adrian Peterson-like return. If he looks good
Ahmad Bradshaw: He didn’t have a great game, but the point is he looked good and didn’t have any setbacks. Andre Brown only had 5 carries compared to Bradshaw’s 13, so it’s clear who the lead back is. Look for Bradshaw to play better in Week 5.
Kenny Britt: He was held out of week 4, and Coach Munchak said it was done with an eye towards getting Britt out there for week 5. This ankle injury is a little troublesome, especially considering he was coming off an ACL injury last year. Like I mentioned earlier, with Locker out and Cook not fully healthy, it’s hard to like the Titans’ skills guys. One positive could be that Hasselback is more of a prototypical pocket passer and doesn’t scramble like Locker does, which could mean more throws to the outside in week 5.
Hakeem Nicks: This much post-surgical soreness this long after surgery is troublesome. I’m officially worried, being a Nicks owner and all. I just worry that he is re-aggravating either the area of the surgical site or placing too much strain on other regions of the foot to compensate. Either way, it’s bad news. Based on how early they ruled him out, I think they had an eye towards Week 5 (pure speculation). If he practices Thursday and Friday, limited or not, I’d probably chance it based on how he played against the Bucs when he was hurt. If he skips days and is labeled “game time decision”, I’d lean towards the bench.
Aaron Hernandez: Reports are he’s recovering nicely, maybe a little ahead of schedule. He wasn’t officially diagnosed with a high ankle sprain, but if you read my previous post on high ankle sprains (YOU DIDN’T?? How dare you. No excuses now: https://ziaddahdul.wordpress.com/2012/09/18/dodging-the-dreaded-high-ankle-sprain/), you know these injuries are tricky. I’m eyeing week 6 against the Seahawks, so I’d stay away from him regardless of what comes out this week. Too risky with all the options the Pats have. They have the luxury of not rushing him, so wait on it.
Ok kids, that’s it for now. I tried to give you guys a longer one today to make up for my lack of action this weekend. Will follow up Wednesday and Thursday once the practice reports come out. Enjoy!
First off, quick update for tomorrow’s game between the Ravens and Browns. Not a ton going on fantasy wise, but let’s do a quick run through:
Ravens:
Basically, not a damn thing. Ladarius Webb had a minor little thing, but he’s probable and will play. Roll out everyone you normally would. And for what it’s worth, I think Joe Flacco throws 3 TDs, all to RBs/WRs (I think Dennis Pitta gets shut out since the Browns are very solid against TEs this year).
Browns:
Trent Richardson is officially forever probable, but his knee is good to go. He has a tough match up this week, so I could see why any Richardson-owner would be hesitant, but I think he sneaks in a late TD, possibly on a screen pass, which Brandon Weeden will be checking down to all night. I’d still play him.
Joshua Cribbs is also probable with a sprained knee, but I don’t like him at all this week. Weeden really is not very good, and the Ravens pass rush is going to throw different looks at the rookie QB. Cribbs really didn’t look 100% this past week anyways. I’d sit him.
Mohamed Massaquoi is officially out. I’m so, so sorry if you were relying on him (your chances to win this season aren’t good if you’re relying on guys like him), but he’s not going to suit up tomorrow.
I honestly don’t like anyone on the Browns tomorrow except for Richardson. Baltimore is dominant at home and is coming off an emotional win against the Pats, which I think will cause a bit of a let down early on, but come on, it’s the freakin Browns.
Other News:
Ahmad Bradshaw: Full participant in practice Wednesday, he looks like a go. I think he’ll be ok, even though he’s in more of a time share now than he probably thought he would be. But if you’ve been waiting on him, play him. He seems ready to go
Arian Foster/Andre Johnson: Get used to these guys being limited on Wednesdays. Reports are they’re going to be “limited” participants because the Texans are going to use Wednesdays as rest days. Play both.
Roy Helu/Beanie Wells: I combined these two because they were both placed on IR today with turf toes, effectively keeping them out until November. Both were pretty big disappointments thus far, so thank your lucky stars. However, Ryan Williams’s stock shot through the roof.
Jeremy Maclin: He practiced today, which is good. I still think he’s toughing this hip pointer out, because he doesn’t seem right at all. I just think he’s gutting through this injury and being a good solider, but if he was on my team, I’d sit him until he demonstrates he can play a whole game.
Matthew Stafford: Reports say he didn’t practice, but did do some things on the side and was moving around well. It seems like the Lions are just being cautious, but this is one of those cases where the end of the week will tell the story. Wait until Friday, but make sure you have a serviceable backup just in case (Ryan Fitzpatrick is available in a ton of leagues, and the Pats aren’t exactly world beaters against throwing teams).
Titus Young: He didn’t practice today with an undisclosed knee injury. I don’t remember hearing anything about this over the weekend, so just monitor and adjust accordingly.
Hakeem Nicks: He had his scheduled “non-practice” on Wednesday, as the Giants’ plan was to have Nicks practice on Thursday for the first time. Post-surgical soreness is pretty normal, so here’s hoping that 10 days of rest and rehab went a long way for him. I think he’s dress and play, and I’m expecting him to look a lot more fresh this week.
Reggie Bush/Matt Forte/Fred Jackson: They were no practice/practice/practice today, respectively. I’m lumping them together because all three scream “TOO SOON” to me.
CJ Spiller: Reports are he’s going to make a strong push to play this week, and it seems like he’s progressing well. From an injury standpoint, I don’t necessarily think he will damage the shoulder any more than it already is, but there will be pain associated with it when he gets hit. My one concern is if he gets tackled and goes down shoulder first, because that’s a very common mechanism for AC joint separations. I’d probably err on the side of sitting him this week regardless of what news comes out.
Ok boys and girls, as more news comes out, I’ll post more information. Friday’s practices will tell us a lot about these guys. Keep checking the waiver wire for more gems.
Ziad Dahdul 