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.
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.
Yes, I know, I’ve been lagging. Sorry folks, but I’ll make it up to you by actually giving GOOD advice this week. Here we go:
Matt Forte: He is definitely OUT, but I mention him here because there was speculation that he could possibly play, which is a great sign. Obviously, keep him out of your lineup this week, but considering this could have been a 6 week ordeal, it’s nice to know we could be revisiting this next week.
Marshawn Lynch: Full participation all week, including Friday. He’s all systems go, put him out there.
Steven Jackson: He was out of practice all week, which is never a good sign for his availability on Sunday. Groin injuries are tough, as Greg Jennings (more on him later) owners know all too well. They have a tendency to linger, especially with cutting and pushing off, as this muscle group helps stabilize the hip during dynamic movements. Had he been limited in practice and not out, I may feel better. But I don’t think he plays this week, so hopefully you snatched up Daryl Richardson as a handcuff this week. I’d sit Jackson.
Dexter McCluster: He’s been listed as questionable and was limited in practice all week with a shoulder injury. No word on an exact diagnosis, I’m assuming nothing more than a sprain (maybe landed on the shoulder wrong) or some rotator cuff/biceps tendonitis. Either way, neither shoulder be enough to keep him out of the game, so unless it’s something that’s more serious than they’re letting on, he should play. But monitor the inactive report Sunday morning, as we can benefit from the Chiefs playing the early game.
Marques Colston: He’s been limited all week with this lingering foot injury. I’m getting more concerned about it because he was absolutely nonexistent last week. It’s just regarded as a “sore” foot, so take that for what it’s worth. But this sounds like something that can linger all year if he continues to play through it. If you would normally play him, do so. But just know this type of injury doesn’t just disappear with continued play. He’s played through pain before, let’s see if he can do it again.
Jeremy Maclin: So I was wrong about him last week and he ended up playing and scoring a TD. But it looks like he’s suffering the consequences of playing too early because he looks like he is OUT this week due to sorriness and pain in the hip. Like I said last week, hip pointers are a pain-tolerance type of injury, meaning these bone bruises are slow to heal and don’t do so on their own. He’s better off taking this week off and giving himself more time to rest because that’s the only way it’ll improve. We’ll revisit him next week and see how he practices leading up to the Week 4 contest. Damaris Johnson will start in his place if you’re looking for a deep sleeper (I can’t really tell you anything about him because I have no clue who he is)
Desean Jackson: He, on the other hand, came through last week’s game fine with no aggravation of his hamstring issue, although he didn’t contribute fantasy-wise like Maclin did. With Maclin out, he’s the guy this week, with only Damaris Johnson and Jason Avant behind him. They have a tough matchup against the Cardinals potent defense, so that tempers my excitement a bit. I like him because he’s the 1st option this week, but I don’t think he’s anything more than a WR3 at this point until he shows me something.
Jonathan Dwyer/Rashard Mendenhall: I lump them together because they have a direct effect on each other. Mendenhall has already been ruled out as he tries to bounce back from ACL surgery, so we know that much is true. Dwyer has been plagued by a sprained toe, but he is listed as probable and should be good to go this week. I just don’t like this whole RB situation in Pittsburgh at all. When Mendenhall comes back, that’s 3 mouths to feed and Mendenhall won’t just become a 20+ carry guy right away. They’ll limit his carries/plays for a few weeks and go from there, which makes this the timeshare from hell. I’m still in the “avoid Mendenhall’s ACL” camp, so I’d just as well stay away for this week and beyond.
Heath Miller: Listed as probable with sore ribs, it appears he’ll tough it out and play against the Raiders. Considering his matchup, I like him this week to catch a TD (yup, I’m tying predictions into these posts now)
Antonio Gates: He practiced fully Thursday and Friday, which is a change from last week’s limited participation. I’ll be the first to admit I was shocked and wrong about him last week. He looks ready to go this week and I think with the return of Ryan Mathews (more on him in a second), the Chargers offense should be it’s dynamic self again. Remember, Gates spent the offseason dropping weight to take pressure off his chronically hurt feet, so he’s poised to go back to his dynamic self. He looks ready to start that this week. Play him
Ryan Mathews: Cleared for contact, 7 weeks post surgery, listed as probable. The stars are finally aligning for Mathews. I predicted a Week 3 return, so him being ready doesn’t surprise me. I’m going to hold my breath the first time he takes a pop, but as long as he bounces back up, he should be good to go. I”d play him this week with confidence.
Brandon Lloyd: He’s been officially listed as questionable with a thigh injury, as he was limited in practice on Thursday and Friday. Not a great sign, but with no information on Patriots injuries ever being public knowledge, I’d have to speculate it’s a femoral (thigh bone) contusion or some quad tightness/strain. I wouldn’t worry about him sitting this week, as it seems like it’s more precautionary than anything else. If you would normally roll him out, do so this week, even against a good Ravens D.
Greg Jennings: He was limited in practice and there’s a momentum push that he’ll be available on Monday. But that’s tricky if you don’t have someone playing on Monday who you could sub in just in case he can’t go. The risk is putting him in your lineup at the expense of a solid WR and having to sit Jennings last minute for someone like Doug Baldwin. Gut feeling: He plays, he’s not 100%, the Seahawks D is underrated and very solid in the defensive backfield, so I’d sit him. Again, that’s my gut feeling, he could easily play at less than 100% and contribute (a la Jeremy Maclin), but I’m not the risk taking type with Monday nighters.
Probable Guys Who Are Locks to Play, Therefore Require No Explanation: Miles Austin, Calvin Johnson, Drew Brees, Mark Sanchez, Roddy White, Julio Jones
Adrian Peterson, (Questionable, ACL): My, how much difference a week makes, huh? After tallying 17 carries last week and being a full participant in all practices this week, he looks revved up and ready to go. They’re talking about increasing his workload this week since he did not have anything more than minor patellar soreness (if they used a patellar tendon graft for his ACL reconstruction, this is a very common post surgical side effect as they had to take a piece of his patellar tendon to replace his torn ACL, just speculating though) during the week, but I can’t imagine they load him up quite yet. Depending on how the game goes, he can still be effective with less than 20 carries, so get him in that lineup. Just FYI: Don’t forget to trade for Gerhart as his handcuff; it may come in handy at some point and it’s worth it to protect your #1 back.
Denarius Moore, (Probable, Hamstring): He’s a sneaky play this week. He was actually dropped in quite a few leagues this week, but with Jacoby Ford out and Darius Heyward-Bey not a very good receiver, I think he gets quite a few targets this week from Carson Palmer against a porous Miami defensive backfield. The hammy appears to be just fine and the probable designation is a good sign. I kind of like him as a flex/WR3 option this week. SLEEPER O’ THE WEEK
Trent Richardson, (Probable, Knee): He practiced fully this week and had a pretty full workload in week 1. The numbers weren’t great, but as Brandon Weeden gets better, so will Trent. Run him out there this week.
Calvin Johnson, (Probable, Foot): He practiced fully Thursday and Friday. He defies common logic. Play him
Ryan Mathews, (Questionable, Fractured clavicle): I just can’t endorse him quite yet, and frankly, I’m getting kind of tired of talking about him. But there remains a chance he plays this week, I just don’t think he should be in your fantasy lineup quite yet. I like that he was cleared for contact, and considering he’s 5 weeks post op, he’s right on schedule. But from a physiologic standpoint (I’m going to get nerdy for a second, sorry), it takes approximately 6 weeks for bone to lay down and heal properly. Taking blows to an area that’s still in the healing process can set him back, and I bet that the Charger training staff/MDs know this. Next week’s game will put him at 6 weeks, so I’d sit him until he’s a full participant in practice. That’s just my gut feeling.
Jeremy Maclin, (Questionable, Hip): I have a feeling he plays, but I also have a feeling he won’t be terribly effective. These hip flexor/pointer injuries are not easy to bounce back from in one week. I think he plays mainly because Jason Avant becomes Vick’s #1 if he doesn’t play (and if Jackson doesn’t play, see below). I’m not a huge fan of Maclin this week against a VERY good Ravens team. Check the Active/Inactive list prior to the game to be sure either way.
Desean Jackson, (Questionable, Hamstring): I like Jackson more than Maclin this week. Both of them were limited participants this week, which can be just as much precautionary as it is necessary. He didn’t have any reported setbacks this week, but as I stated in a previous post this week, he really hasn’t done an awful lot when HEALTHY over the last year or so. But if you got him and usually run him out there, do so as long as you check the reports prior to game time.
(For both Jackson and Maclin, the only guys I touch in case both don’t play is Brent Celek and Jason Avant. Other than those two, it’s way too difficult to predict who gets targets)
Pierre Garcon, (Questionable, Foot): This is the definition of a game time decision. The report is he will test it out prior to the game and they’ll make a determination at that point if he will play or not. In all honesty, not a lot of the reports I read gave any indication of what type of injury he is suffering from, so it’s hard for me to make an argument one way or another. Have a backup ready to go and watch in the AM for injury reports to come out. Play him if you normally would if he’s active.
Jake Locker, (Questionable, Shoulder): He was a full participant all week, he had no setbacks, and the injury was to his non-throwing shoulder. I say that sounds as sure as it gets that he plays.
Marshawn Lynch, (Probable, Back): Looks like he got through Week 1 without any back issues. And he had no flare ups all week. Always remember, back spasms are volatile by nature, as they can flare up with one wrong twist or turn. Just know that’s always lingering there until he goes a few weeks without issue. But looks like he’s ready to go this week. Robert Turbin would pick up carries if Lynch is slowed at all, so have him stashed away if you don’t already.
Jason Witten, (Probable, Spleen): He has had 10 days of rest and he practiced every day this week. If he was able to suck it up and play Week 1, he will definitely be a go this week.
Antonio Gates, (Questionable, Ribs): I truly think it’s the Chargers just putting that designation on him and not how they feel about his chances to play. He’s played through worse foot issues, so some bruised ribs won’t keep him from playing this week. I think he plays his normal workload and only a setback will stop him from continuing on. He should be good.
Beanie Wells and Ryan Williams, (Probable, Knees): They’re both basically in the same boat, easing their way back from injuries, although William’s torn patellar tendon was more serious. It looks like both will be suiting up and playing hits week against New England, but keep in mind that the Pats did hold Chris Johnson to 4 yards on 11 carries, and he is a significantly superior back. I don’t particularly like either guy this week or for the next few weeks because Beanie is made of china glass and Williams still needs 1-2 more weeks to really get into a rhythm after such a serious injury (the patellar tendon is attached to your quadriceps, which are the power muscles in the legs and the largest muscle group typically in terms of force production).
Antonio Gates/Ryan Mathews: Both practiced on Friday, Mathews doing a little more than he did yesterday, putting him on track to play this week. Gates practiced for the first time this week, so it looks like he’s a go as well. I’m more confident on Gates than Mathews, but if you’re in a pinch, Mathews appears ready to go. Play both this week.
Darelle Revis: He’s been ruled out this week due to the concussion he suffered on Sunday. He won’t be traveling with the team. This is a big boost to all the offensive stars on the Steelers (Antonio Brown, Mike Wallace, Big Ben) as the WRs will be much more free out there on Sunday.
Pierre Garcon: He’s been listed as a game time decision with a foot injury. I felt better about him earlier in the week (http://tinyurl.com/8ol7h2a) than I do now, as he seems to have regressed a bit this week. I still think he plays, but I’m not sure how much he can contribute if this foot injury is still bothering him. I still haven’t heard anything that says it’s more than a bruise, but be aware there’s a chance he’s inactive on Sunday.
Jake Locker: He will start on Sunday. He came through practice without any setbacks. Play him if you normally would (Why you would normally play him? I’m not sure)
Jeremy Maclin: Officially listed as questionable, I’d still stay away from him as he has not practiced all week. Go with plan B
Desean Jackson: He’s also listed as questionable, and appears to be a game-time decision with a hamstring strain. I like his chances of playing a lot more than Maclin, but even when healthy, Jackson hasn’t been the greatest option. If you have someone else, I’d roll with them until Jackson is healthy. Although as bad as he’s looked healthy, maybe he’ll be better when he’s hurt.
Adrian Peterson: Listed as probable and was a full participant in practice. He looks ready to go. This is huge for someone coming off his first game activity post ACL because it means he didn’t have any abnormal soreness or swelling, which can be common. As the season wears on, monitor his activity levels because he did do quite a bit in week 1 and he should be eased into things a little better or else he may suffer a fatigue-related secondary injury. But as for this week, roll him out there.
Kenny Britt/Nate Washington: Britt looks like he’ll play this week, Washington looks like he’ll be out. Either way, I don’t like either one with a quarterback who is also hurt. Britt is an ACL/MCL guy coming back for the first time. AP and Jamaal Charles both showed you can be fine in the first game back, but Britt is more reliant on his QB and with Washington not playing, Britt has much more attention on him. I think stay away from Britt until week 3.
Jonathan Stewart: Officially listed as questionable, he was able to run and cut in practice without any setbacks or issues. As bad as DeAngelo Williams looked last week, I think Stewart comes right in and gets the bulk of the carries this week. When a player with an ankle injury can run and cut and plant and not have any limitations, I think it’s a great sign. I like him this week and think he can really contribute. Make sure he’s active Sunday, but play him if he is.
Steve Smith: Knee soreness kept him out of practice and it seems like he’s got a very good chance of sitting out this week. He’s listed as questionable and Ron Rivera seems confident that Smith will play, but when your practice is cut short because the knee starts to get sore, I’d be a bit worried. He’ll probably play, but I’m a little weary. He’s playing in the 1pm ET block of games, so you’ll know early on if you need to bench him.
Hakeem Nicks: He practiced yesterday, wasn’t seen out there today. I wouldn’t worry about him. He’s a maintenance type of guy at this point, because if he played last week with the foot bothering him, he’ll be a go this week. Play him.
Ryan Mathews: He has officially been cleared for contact and was a limited participant in practice, with full pads. Impact: I’m more comfortable waiting to see how he plays at game speed at least once before I play a guy who was just cleared. If you’re desperate, he’s a solid play this week if you really don’t have a legit backup. Wait for reports tomorrow and Saturday; if all looks good, play him.
Jeremy Maclin: Sat out practice today with no participation. Impact: Sit him this week. Not worth the risk
Darelle Revis: Did not practice today and more info won’t be known until Fri/Sat at earliest. Impact:</em My guess is he will play, but with teams needing an independent neurologist to clear concussed players, there’s a chance he doesn’t play if he still has ANY semblance of concussion symptoms. I think the Jets D is still a solid play, even against the Steelers, but without Revis on Mike Wallace, the field opens up quite a bit for Antonio Brown and Heath Miller.
Jake Locker: Full participant in practice today. Impact: If this continues through the rest of the week, he’s good to go.
Calvin Johnson: Sat out Wednesday’s practice with a foot injury suffered during Sunday’s game. Reports are he will still play Week 2 and that he is out for precautionary reasons. Impact: He’s cut from the Adrian Peterson/Bo Jackson (ya I just went old school on you) mold, in that he’s such a physical specimen that you just count on him performing every week until a firm OUT designation is given to him. Play him this week.
Jonathan Stewart: He was listed as a full participant in practice today. Impact: If he participates fully tomorrow and has no setbacks, I’d roll him out this week. He’s, in my opinion, the best back on that team because he’s a big part of the run and pass game.
Antonio Gates: He sat out practice today with soreness in the ribs and the hope is that he practices fully tomorrow. Impact: I still like him this week. He’ll wear a flak jacket and take some pain mess and will be good to go. I can’t envision a scenario where he sits unless he has a practice setback.
Roddy White: Word is he was limited in practice today with a groin injury. Impact: Very surprising considering I hadn’t heard anything about this going into today. I wouldn’t be concerned, especially since he has an extra day with the Monday night game. If he’s a full participant, he plays. I’d be a teeny bit worried if he is t a full participant, but I think he has a minor issue and will play (I have him on one of my teams and there’s nothing I’ve heard so far that screams “bench him”.
I did a little internet search to see what I can find out about Jeremy Maclin and his hip injury he suffered in week 1 versus the Browns. There are reports of a hip flexor tear, hip flexor strain, and hip pointer. The first two are essentially the same thing, but as we talked about with Fred Jackson and different “grades” of ligament tears, it’s the same with muscle strains (http://tinyurl.com/bnx86oh). So based on the fact that he came back into the game and seemed to handle it ok, I would steer clear of a full or significant tear (I’d put it into the Grade 1-2 region).
So we have two diagnoses: Hip flexor strain and Hip pointer. Let’s talk a bit about both.
Hip flexor strain: This diagnosis typically refers to the Iliopsaos muscle group, which begins at the lumbar spine vertebrae/upper pelvis and ends at lesser trochanter, which is a bony prominence on the femur (thigh bone). This muscle group is responsible for exactly what it sounds like: it flexes the hip (think about standing and marching in place with one leg). With the skills positions, this muscle group is very important, as it is where the runner gets his “drive” and ability to accelerate forcefully. When someone has a hip flexor injury, they lose that drive and are not able to initiate the running motion as confidently or quickly. Since Maclin is frequently lining up out of the slot position and facing 5 yard bump coverage all game, this is key.
Like with any other muscle injury, the extent of the strain will determine the rehab prognosis and amount of time he will miss/be limited. Until an MRI is done and an official diagnosis is revealed, I’d put his missed time/limited time frame at around 3-4 weeks until he feels close to 100%. Always remember, however, with muscle injuries that REST is a big component of the rehab protocol, which probably can’t be counted on if he is playing hurt each week.
Hip Pointer: This injury is defined as a bruising to the iliac crest (the top of pelvic bone) that can result in a severe bone contusion, bruising to the hip flexor/abdominal musculature, and, in severe cases, bleeding in that region. The mechanism of injury for this condition is typically either a blow to the iliac crest or falling directly onto the iliac crest. These types of injuries will last ALL season if not treated properly for a few reasons: 1. Bone is, physiologically, not a fast healer due to lack of blood flow to the healing bone 2. Because bone/muscle/ligament/fascia are typically all involved, the general rule of thumb is the more structures involved, the lengthier and more complicated the rehab.
At the beginning of rehabbing a hip pointer, the acronym PRICE (Protect, Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate) is typically used during the acute phase (0-10 days). What does that mean for a professional athlete who plays a contact sport and relies on speed/agility? It means he will lose quite a bit of what makes him so dynamic to begin with. Also, the next time he falls directly onto that region, padding or not, could set back the healing process.
Fantasy Impact: What does all this mean for our boy Maclin? Well, if both diagnoses are correct and involved, it’s obviously going to slow down the healing process. We always have to factor in that we’re talking about an elite athlete, which means he will heal faster than someone in the general population just because of how freakish of an athlete he is. If he continues to play through, I really think it’ll end up coming down to how much pain he can tolerate because this hip pointer issue will not just magically disappear. If he sits 1-2 weeks and allows the hip time to recover, I think he can be back at it by week 5-6 at the level he was this week prior to the injury. Again, wait until more information comes up, but in terms of week 2, whether he’s active or not, I don’t like him.
Ziad Dahdul 