Setting Your Week 9 Lineup: Friday Injury Updates, Twitter-style

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.

Monday Injury Notes

Jimmy Graham looked pretty good out there for the most part against the Broncos. He had moments where he looked a bit hesitant with his cuts and wasn’t as dynamic as he normally is. I don’t know exactly how much we could have expected being only 3 weeks post-high ankle sprain, but the key is that he didn’t have any reported setbacks. He should be fine moving forward

Trent Richardson looked more like himself against the Chargers, as the hesitancy that he played with last week seemed to be gone. He looks to be recovering nicely from the bruised ribs and is going to benefit from games like Sunday’s, as the Browns had to run the ball a ton due to inclement weather. In terms of his ribs, I’d say he should be back to normal in Week 9 and moving forward.

Danny Amendola seems on track to be ready for Week 10 following the Rams’ bye. It’s pretty remarkable that he made the trip to London and was officially listed as questionable considering that the dislocation he suffered is so rare and there’s really no protocol for the rehab timeline. As I’ve mentioned before, it’s usually 5-6 weeks for physiologic healing to occur with bone/ligament complexes, so Week 10 puts him right at 5 weeks. Look for him to be a go after the bye week and hopefully get back to himself.

Don’t buy into Greg Jennings being back in 3 weeks. “Sports Hernia” surgeries are a bit more involved than they’re made to sound and there’s no way to know the exact extent of the damage until they actually get in there and see for themselves, regardless of MRI results. I’d be shocked if he was back prior to week 13, with week 12 being the probable best case scenario. Abdominal tears are tough to predict because the core is involved with all movements, especially for WRs. Good news is this isn’t a risky thing to come back from and he won’t be prone to recurrence, but I’d put his prognosis closer to 6 weeks, not 3.

Caught up in all the hoopla of the dramatic Giants-Cowboys finish was Dez Bryant limping off the field after his game winning then overturned TD.  Based on the mechanism, it looked like a bone bruise/contusion type of landing, as he hit just near the outside of his hip. I wouldn’t expect anything serious, but some soreness and discomfort is definitely on the docket. Monitor him this week for practice participation.

The Packers did the right thing in resting Jordy Nelson’s bum hamstring in week 8 and will reap those benefits now that he’ll have had 10 days to rest prior to their next game. Barring setbacks or abnormally slow healing, expect Nelson to be out there this week. But just in case, take a look at his participation this week for confirmation.

I think I may have been a bit premature with saying that Hakeem Nicks would be back to his old self against the Cowboys. He didn’t look bad by any stretch, but he seemed to be a bit rusty out there. He did get 7 targets from his buddy Eli, which is a definite positive, and he didn’t look limited at all. I still maintain that he’s close to 100% and will continue to get better as he gets back into the flow of offense.

Something’s going on with that knee of Calvin Johnson, as it appears that it’s hindering him more than anyone thought. He even stated that he was bothered by it and he lacked his normal freakish athleticism/explosiveness against the Seahawks. I’m not concerned that he’ll miss time, but two subpar weeks in a row is slight cause for concern. There hasn’t been any reports of an exact diagnosis, but it could be something as simple as a bone bruise or patellar tendonitis. Hard to say for sure without seeing any diagnostic testing done, but keep an eye on him this week as I can’t imagine they’ll list him as probable again after how limited he looked.

I’m not sure what to make of Jermichael Finley and his dwindling production. I really don’t think his shoulder is limiting him at all, as he’s practiced fully and had no setbacks for weeks. I thought this would be the week he’d contribute more with Jennings and Nelson both out, but he just doesn’t seem to be on the same page with Aaron Rodgers. I’d fully support any Finley owner’s decision to bench him at this point until he breaks out of this funk if you have a good secondary guy.

Wes Welker left the Pats’ big win over the Rams with an ankle sprain. He’s got the whole bye week to rest and will have two weeks off before their week 10 contest against the Bills. I think he’ll be fine, and remember he torched the Bills for 9-129 last time out.

Dolphins’ QB Ryan Tannehill left the game against the Jets with what was termed a quad contusion. From the looks of the injury, I wouldn’t be surprised if there were some mild ligamentous involvement, possibly the MCL or PCL. He’s scheduled to have an MRI done on Monday, so more will be known then. As of know, expect him to be out there for week 9 until you hear otherwise.

Desean Jackson tweaked his ankle during the contest against the Falcons, leaving the game to get checked out in the locker room. He returned to the game and finished it, which is always a good sign. Expect him to be fine for week 9

Word is that DeMarco Murray is out of the walking boot and has gotten rid of the crutches, which is a great sign for the Cowboys’ star RB. Next step is going to begin doing more football-related activities to see how he tolerates more force and load through his sprained midfoot. I’d expect him to make some sort of limited return to practice this week, but Friday will be the key day in terms of his participation level. My thought is that this may be a bit to soon and I’m expecting him to be back in week 10 at the earliest. Should be one more week of butterfingers Felix Jones, which can be construed as a good or a bad thing depending on how you look at it.

Thursday Injury Updates (Like What the Heck is a Plantar Plate Tear)

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

Setting Your Week 7 Lineup: Friday Injury News

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 6 Injury Reactions and Possible Fantasy Trade Scenarios

We had a very, very busy NFL week 6, with some key guys suffering injuries ranging from minor to potentially career ending. Let’s talk about how these key injuries affect your Week 7 lineup and some short term ramifications. Also, some of these injuries will definitely play a role on your teams moving forward, so we’ll also talk a bit about what you can do to counteract these big injuries, possibly wheeling and dealing via trade.

Ray Lewis: Let’s start with the biggest one. Word is that he suffered a complete rupture of one of tendons of his triceps muscle group. Why is this muscle group important? Well, any time we push off and extend our elbows, we’re using the triceps. Any time we try to shed blockers and drive through offensive linemen, we’re using quite a bit of triceps. The main functions of the triceps are to extend (straighten) the elbows and extend (move arm back behind you parallel to your body) the shoulder. These types of injuries usually take a significant amount of time to heal, especially since it’s such a big muscle group and it’s a tendon injury, which takes time to heal. In terms of returning to the field for football-related activities, we’re probably talking 6-8 months before he’s near 100%. However, with  his age and the amount of wear and tear on his body, it’s tough to predict how quickly he’ll bounce back from an injury of this nature. The good news is that it’s not a leg issue, which would be very brutal for a guy his age, especially considering how hard he worked to shed weight and regain some of his speed. I can’t imagine Lewis will allow his career to end of this note, so I’d expect him back next season, maybe on a more limited basis. But what about the value of the Baltimore D?? Losing Lewis and Ladarius Webb for the season are huge, especially with Suggs already out for the year. They were already giving up a ton of points by their standards, and it’s only going to get worse moving forward. They’re too good to just fall off the face of the earth, but when you add Haloti Ngata to the list, it doesn’t look pretty. Look for them to drop a few notches, but they should still be a top 10-12 D/ST by the end of the year.

DeMarco Murray: He was just rounding into form and then, BAM, injured foot. Word is he sprained the foot, which if we know from past history (Pierre Garcon, Ben Tate, etc), which is a very fickle injury. It’s so hard to predict how a player will respond coming back from this type of injury because there are so many factors (what part of the foot, which joints if the midfoot is involved, is it a big weight bearing joint, etc). It looked and sounded worse than what they’re saying the prognosis is, but I can see this being a couple week type of injury because he’s a running back, and when you take away a runner’s ability to be dynamic, they just don’t function the same. Now, on the flip side, if Felix Jones (who you should be adding ASAP this week) struggles and doesn’t get the job done, this could turn into a “rushing back too soon” type of thing. I think his prognosis will all depend on how fast he responds to conservative treatment (PRICE- protection, rest, ice, compression, elevation; stretching, soft tissue mobilization, joint work, etc) early on so that he can get back to the aggressive stuff as soon as possible. He’ll definitely be week to week, so be ready to play that game.

Rashard Mendenhall/Issac Redman: Both are very up in the air for this week’s game against the Bengals with an achilles injuryand ankle sprain, respectively. I don’t like Mendenhall’s chances due to the location of his injury (same side as his torn ACL), which I think is a big compensatory pattern issue that needs to be corrected because it’s clear to me that he’s putting too much reliance on his ankle due to not fully trusting that knee yet (at least that’s what I suspect). Redman is coming off an ankle sprain and has a shot to play, but I don’t know about you, but I don’t really want to rely on Redman anyways. I have a feeling both will play, with Mendenhall obviously getting the bulk of the carries if he’s right, but it’s a bit sketchy this week, although they did have the luxury of an extra 3 days off after playing the Thursday night game. Take it day by day.

Jake Locker: I understand if fantasy owners are frustrated with his absence from the Titans’ lineup, but I love the approach the training staff is taking with Locker. He tried coming back, but it was clearly too soon, so they’ve now taken things slowly and allowed him to heal fully before sending him back in. People will ask me, “If it’s his non-throwing shoulder, why has he been out so long?”. Well, it only takes one shot to the shoulder or a defending driving him into the turf after a throw for him to go back to square one. Also, things such as handing the ball off, hiking the ball, holding the ball with two hands on a roll out, etc all involve the left arm as well. And add to the fact that running is one of Locker’s main strengths and you can see why a subluxed shoulder (quick subluxation) and separated AC joint would be difficult to come back from. He’s out this week, with the possibility of returning next week. Play it by ear, but he’s going to need some time to round back into form. Locker should be considered no more than a QB2 at this point moving forward.

Pierre Garcon: MRI results showed an “inflamed capsule under the 2nd toe”. What this means is that the joint capsule surrounding the 2nd “knuckle” on the bottom of the foot is inflamed. This is essentially like having a tender area and banging it against a surface over and over again. Every time he tries to run/sprint/plant/push off, he’s putting extra weight and force through that region, causing more discomfort. These sort of capsule injuries are a type of “itis”, which means an area is inflamed and has swelling in the region. What makes this better? Stop running/sprinting/planting/pushing off: REST. Inflamed regions don’t get better when you continue to pound on it, so look for Garcon to be in “pain management” mode this week in hopes of playing against the Giants. At some point, they’re either going to have to shut him down to let him rest or he’ll just be less than 100% all season. I don’t like the sound of either as a Garcon owner, so you should have a contingency for week 7 just in case.

Jermichael Finley: Another sprained shoulder that’s been slow to heal, he is at the mercy of the position he plays, as it requires a ton of blocking/contact, which doesn’t allow for a quick healing process. The good news was that he was able to play a little over 20 snaps. The bad news is he continues to be limited by the shoulder and has been a non-factor. He actually has had really only 1 good game all season and hasn’t done much otherwise, shoulder injury or not. If he can get healthy, this is his time to shine, with Greg Jennings still hobbled. Look for him to get more involved this week, as there was no reported setback during the game on Sunday. Watch his practice participation and if he’s more involved, he should be good to go for Week 7.

Kevin Kolb: He has officially joined the bruised rib QB fraternity headed by Michael Vick and Tony Romo. Again, this is more of a pain-tolerance type issue more than anything else, but there is a significant amount of rotation that offcurs in the trunk during the throwing motion, which can be affected by limitations in rib mobility. He’s definitely going to be limited to some extent, but they’ll get a flak jacket on him and see what he can tolerate. History (Kolb’s and other rib injuries) says he probably won’t play, but that’s more based on the fact that he hasn’t been the most resilient guy in the world when it comes to injuries. While Kolb is not nearly at the level of those guys, his injury does have a significant effect on the Cards, particularly the WRs. Larry Fitzgerald seems to have a better rapport with John Skelton while Andre Roberts seems to have a better rapport with Kolb. Fitz should be in your lineup regardless, but Roberts is just not the same when Skelton is in the lineup. I’d downgrade Roberts greatly if Skelton gets the start. UPDATE: Why am I updating before I even submitted the post? Because I’m lazy, that’s why. Looks like MRI results came back and showed rib cartilage damage, but no fractures. While the no fracture news is good, the rest of it is not, as rib cartilage has such poor blood supply that it creates a slow healing environment. In addition, the rib cartilage is stressed with the most basic of tasks (taking in a deep breath, twisting the trunk, standing up tall) that it can make it very uncomfortable to perform rigorous tasks such as playing QB in the NFL. He’s said to be out at least a couple weeks, so Skelton looks like the guy.

Trent Richardson: Another guy with a rib cartilage injury, his seems to be minor based on reports I’ve heard. Again, they’ll rest him this week (expect him to be limited basically all week, which is normal) and see how much pain he can tolerate on Sunday. I’d expect him to play unless he suffers a setback.

Aaron Hernandez: He played 38 snaps on Sunday, about 40% of the total offensive snaps for the Pats on Sunday. I can speak to Hernandez from seeing him in person at the game, he looked fantastic. Watching him cut and run prior the game, I felt better about his overall health. Then seeing him plant and run that fade route in the end zone for his touchdown put all concerns at ease. I think he looks as close to 100% as you can coming off a high ankle sprain, and if he came through with no extra swelling/soreness after the week, he will probably see an uptick in his snaps played this week against the Jets. I’d be confident playing him Week 7.

Hakeem Nicks: Only 5 targets, didn’t look 100% , but looked better than he did the last time he attempted to play. I think he’ll get his treatment this week and look better against a bad Redskins secondary. Manning will continue to look his way once he gets back on track.

So now, I wanted to spend some time talking about some guys who either are injured or are coming off injury who are great sell high/buy low candidates that you should be targeting now that we’re nearly halfway through the season.

QBs:

Sell High

Josh Freeman: Finally had a breakout game. If he strings one more good game on top of it, look to unload him to someone who needs bye week help or had Philip Rivers on their roster. You could probably snag a decent WR2/RB2 or flex type of guy to help you get through the bye weeks

Buy Low

Matt Stafford: He’s been very up and down, looking terrible in the first 3 quarters yesterday before putting together some good drives in the 4th. I’d feel good about picking him up if you can get value on him, especially if you need some QB help. I’d be willing to part with two guys to pick him up so long as you’re not giving up more than a WR2/RB2 in either case. I think Stafford is poised for a big second half.

RBs:

Sell High

Shonn Greene: He’s not doing that again, if you can find a sucker in your league to take him off your hands, I’d do it. He may have another good week (or at least dominate carries) with Bilal Powell on the shelf, so wif you can turn Greene into another RB2 or a solid, reliable TE/WR2-3, I’d do it in a heartbeat.

Darren McFadden: He’s coming off a solid Week 6 and looked pretty good overall, but with the state of the Raiders offense and how bad they’ve looked all the way around, I’d sell high on McFadden, especially if he has another good week this coming week. With the numerous bye weeks coming up (with 6 teams out of action this week), other peeps in your league my be looking long and hard on the waiver wire for RB help, but nothing on the wire will come close to an offer for McFadden. This would be a great time to parlay depth at RB for more help at WR or QB while selling a name brand instead of actual production.

Buy Low

Reggie Bush: He didn’t have the greatest week 6, but coming out of a bye, people tend to forget about how good of a start he got off to. He’s also looked remarkably durable and resilient this year, evidenced by not missing any time after injuring his knee. If you can get him cheap, I think he’s definitely worth it as he looks 100% after his knee and hip issues.

Matt Forte: Not that people are crazy down on him, but you haven’t heard his name a lot since he suffered that sprained ankle earlier in the season. He’s been solid, but unspectacular since then. I just love the idea of another owner suffering through the bye week for you, so he’s potentially someone you can steal if you can find a Forte owner in a bind due to the bye weeks (think a 2 for 1 to give the other owner more depth, but you’re always better off getting the best player in the deal)

WRs:

Sell High

Percy Harvin: Not here because he’s dealing with an injury, but he has a definite history of injury problems, especially of the nagging variety. He’s off to a fantastic start, leading the NFL in receptions, but when I think about his offense and how he’s essentially the only legit WR for Christian Ponder to throw to, I would not be averse to trading Harvin for a more established guy who has a history of consistent production (Roddy White, Larry Fitzgerald, Wes Welker) as I see Harvin’s stock dropping in the coming weeks.

Buy Low

Greg Jennings: I know I’ve talked a lot about his nagging groin injury and you could potentially wait one more week and get him dirt cheap, but if you can find a fed up Jennings owner and get him for 50 cents on the dollar, you do it. The groin injury is big, but he’s on a fantastic offense and can really do you a lot of good once fantasy playoff time rolls around as he should be 100% and ready to get back to his old ways by then.

Setting Your Week 6 Lineup: Friday Injury Updates

First off, I wanted to make a quick comment about Kenny Britt. I thought he looked ok yesterday from an injury perspective, as he didn’t show any signs of limping on/off the field and came out of his breaks pretty well. He looked pretty close to the dynamic receiver he was two years ago. My only concern with him is that Jake Locker should be coming back next week, which will mark another transition for Britt. I’m willing to say that Britt supplied us with that one game we were looking for, so that’s definitely a positive. But who knows what will happen with the Titans offense going forward, especially since consistency is not their forte.

Now let’s get to the hurt folk:

Hakeem Nicks (Q), Ramses Barden (P), Domenik Hixon: I lumped these three guys together because they all have a direct effect on each other. When Nicks went down, the first thought was that the Giants were going to be crazy thin at WR. With the emergence of Barden, Hixon, and Rueben Randle, things have changed. We actually have a bit of a crowded receiving core now. Nicks looks like he’s moving in the right direction to play this week, as he participated in practice today, although not fully. He has a history of playing a little banged up, and actually performed very well against the Bucs on a bum foot. Although he’s dealing with both a slightly sore foot and a sprained/irritated knee, he seems like he’s going to give it a go. I’d highly recommend finding someone else who is also playing in the late group of games just in case because it does seem like Nicks will be a game time type decision.

Miles Austin (P): He looks like he’s ready to go. Tough match-up against the Ravens, but he’s healthy and he’s usually very good when he’s healthy.

LaRod Stephens-Howling (P), William Powell (P): Both appear ready to go, with LSH’s bum hip looking good in practice, according to reports, and Powell’s head injury not being a huge concern. Who is going to get the bulk of the carries remains to be seen. I still think Powell is getting first crack at it because he’s the more complete back and LSH will be the 3rd down/passing down/end of half guy because of his Darren Sproles-like attributes. I like Powell slightly better, but we won’t know for sure until they throw them out there.

Rob Gronkowski (Q), Wes Welker (Q), Aaron Hernandez (Q): All listed as questionable, Welker and Gronk will play, Hernandez isn’t quite a sure thing. Welker’s ankle issue appears to be overblown, as he wasn’t limited at all during Sunday’s game and there were no reports of physical limitation at practices. Gronk will probably be questionable for the rest of the season, especially with no consensus about whether Hernandez will play or not. Hernandez seemed like he was right on track up until Friday’s practice when he was limited and not available for the media portion of practice. It looks like Hernandez will travel, but Coach Belichick stated that he would be re-evaluated on Saturday. I think he’s a game time decision guy, but they may not have liked how he responded to three consecutive days of practice, maybe having a little swelling or discomfort in the ankle. Or it could be some misdirection and not wanting to play their hand so that the Seahawks can’t prepare. Who knows. Either way, have a late game backup plan just in case.

Titus Young (P): He looks like he’s ready to go for Sunday, as he fully participated today. Seemed to have a bit of a knee sprain, which is common at this point in the season after playing so many games. However, he’s coming of a bye, so he’s had time to rest and hopefully time to get on the same page with Matt Stafford. I actually think he’s going to have a big game this week. Consider him my SLEEPER O’ THE WEEK.

Stephen Hill (P): Listed as probable even though he was a limited participant, this is a perfect opportunity for the rook to seize the #1 WR spot on the team with Santonio Holmes out for the season. I think he has some upside, as he did have a huge Week 1 to start the season and looks like he has a ton of talent. But this team is definitely different now, with much more volatility and less stability at QB. I like him semi-long term, but for now, wait him out. He’s definitely stash-worthy if you have a roster spot. In terms of his hamstring issue, it seems to be resolved, and if he comes out of this first game back without a setback, look for the issue to be behind him.

Adrian Peterson (P): I don’t like ankle issues developing on the same side that an ACL repair was done, so right off the bat that scares me a bit. I’ve talked about this with others in the past, but compensation is huge with these types of injuries, and maybe placing increased stress on the joints above and below have begun to catch up with AP. It seems like a minor issue, as he’s been practicing, but it’s something to watch out for, as instability at the ankle is never a good thing for someone coming back from knee instability. Monitor it week by week.

Percy Harvin (P): Looks like it was nothing more than some tightness and soreness in the hamstring. He looks good to go. Roll him out there.

AJ Green (P): He’s had a bit of a sore knee, which can mean a mild sprain to the knee (ligamentous) or just some swelling/irritation of the joint itself or the surrounding soft tissue. Either way, he appears to be over it and was able to practice today. He’s got a fantastic match up against the Browns, so look for a huge game from Green.

Pierre Garcon (Q): After playing last week and looking ok, reports are he had a setback during the week, which is never a good sign. I think he just became a bit too risky to put in your lineup. If you have the luxury of waiting until game day to make a decision, see whether he falls on the inactive list and then act accordingly. Either way, he’s probably still a Flex at best.

Jermichael Finley (Q): He falls into that game-time decision category. The problem with that: he plays Sunday night. So what do you do at that point? I’ve talked about AC joint injuries with Jake Locker and CJ Spiller in the past and they’re hard to predict without knowing how severe the sprain is. My gut feeling tells me because he has such a large roll with blocking in the run game and taking hits across the middle, I think he either won’t play or will play, but not be productive. Either way, I’d stay away. This also means that guys like James Jones, Jordy Nelson, and Randall Cobb go up a notch.

Robert Griffin III (Q): The Good News: He practiced full today and took all the first team snaps. The Bad News: He still hasn’t been cleared by an independent Neurologist for contact. So looks like it’ll come down to his evaluation with the Neurologist and how he feels after practice this week. He seems like he’s been asymptomatic and hasn’t had any negative effects from practicing. But again, contact is where he would feel issues, and he hasn’t had contact yet. I’d say he’s got a good chance to play this week, I’d take the chance on him this week.

Lastly, I wanted to touch on Rashard Mendenhall and his unfortunate luck. So it appears he has developed an Achilles injury on the surgically repaired limb that required him to miss the 2nd half of last night’s game. As I stated above with AP and his ankle issue, compensation’s and pathology to other joints are common, so I can’t say it’s unexpected, but it truly is unfortunate. He busted his tail to get back as soon as he did, and maybe he came back to soon, but I think it’s less that a more a product of playing his first game Sunday (with 13 carries) and then playing another game 4 days later. It’s very difficult to be ok with that quick turnaround when you’re healthy, so imagine how difficult it is when you’re slowly coming back from injury. Hopefully it’s nothing more than a strained tendon, which will keep him out a couple weeks. If it’s anything more, like a significant tear or rupture, his season is definitely over. Take a wait and see approach with him, but I’m not thinking it’s a rupture only because you almost know it when you see it and his didn’t look like one. Baron Batch apparently is the next in line if Issac Redman is also out long with an ankle injury while Jonathan Dwyer looks to be the other back fighting for carries.

Week 6 Injury Round Up

Let’s take a look at some key injuries for the upcoming week and some possible solutions for your lineup issues:

Jermichael Finley: He suffered a slightly separated AC joint on Sunday (based on the term slightly, I’d imagine it’s a grade 1) that he feels he can play through. He won’t attempt to practice until tomorrow, so we won’t know for sure whether he can even take the contact until then. I’m thinking there’s a chance he plays on Sunday, but my only issue is that when someone doesn’t even try to practice all week, it normally means there’s something they’re concerned about. I see him becoming a game time decision, which is no bueno considering they play the Texans on Sunday night. Make sure you have a backup plan, but I’d just as well roll with another guy because of the risk.

Greg Jennings: Another guy who won’t practice until tomorrow, who knows how this guy’s groin is feeling. It’s been a frustrating start for Jennings’ owners and this lingering groin strain is a real issue. He’s had a lot of time to rest, so that bodes well. If he can participate tomorrow pretty fully and not have any setbacks, I like his chances to play. Just know these muscular injuries can rear their ugly heads at any time, so be prepared. He basically needs to come through one full game without a “tweak” to feel better about things.

Alex Smith: The middle finger on his throwing hand seems like it’s not a factor, so he should be good to go. The only concern would be if he took another shot to the hand during the game, but that can happen at any time. There haven’t been any reports of swelling or range of motion issues, so if you normally play him, he should be good.

Hakeem Nicks: Today’s a big day for Nicks, as he’s supposed to give practice a go. He did some running and rehab type things on Wednesday, which is a great sign. Look for him to be limited today, with the possibility of ramping up to full participation on Friday. If he comes through today’s practice without issue in the foot or knee, I like his chances. More will be known tomorrow.

Brandon Jacobs: He practiced fully on Wednesday, but he also practiced every freakin day last week and was still inactive. I don’t know if it’s more a numbers issue in terms of his spot on the depth chart than anything else, but you probably shouldn’t be relying on him this week anyways. I still think he can be a valuable stash for later in the year, but if you’re like me and have injury/bye week issues, you may not have the luxury of a stash.

William Powell: He suffered a head injury, which could means tons of things, but he has practiced fully all week so far and hasn’t been reported as being limited at all. I actually think Powell is a better overall back than LaRod Stephens-Howling, only because Stephens-Howling is built more like a change of pace back. I can envision Powell playing on 1st and 2nd downs while Stephens-Howling is the 3rd down guy. But who knows. Either way, they both have a fantastic matchup this week against Buffalo, so they are both solid bye week fill-ins.

Marshawn Lynch: The sore back is back! Lunch was limited in practice on Wednesday and continues to be plagued by his balky back. It’s beginning to get a little sticky for Lynch, as he rested all last week and still came out of it with sore back this week. We’ll take a look at his participation this week and see where it takes him. He has a decent matchup, as the Pats are more of a bend-but-don’t-break type of defense, which lends itself to gaudy yardage totals. We’ll keep posted on his situation.

Wes Welker/Rob Gronkowski: Both were limited participants, Welker with an ankle issue and Gronk with a hip issue, but 1/2 the Pats roster was limited, so I wouldn’t worry. Both should be good to go Sunday.

Miles Austin: Coming off the bye week, Austin appears to be pretty healthy overall. He practiced fully yesterday and hasn’t had any setbacks yet after being plagued with hamstring issues. He seems like he’s finally rounding into form, and if you know anything from reading my posts, muscular injuries respond very well to rest and rehab, which Austin was able to do all week during the bye. I expect him to come out the gates strong and have a big game this Sunday.

Darrius Heyward-Bey: He practiced fully yesterday and seems to be on track to play this weekend. His concussion did look bad when it happened, but coming off a bye week and having a few weeks to recuperate, it looks like he should be fine. I’m sure they’ll monitor him well this week, but barring a setback, he should be out there.

Robert Griffin III: Although he did practice on Wednesday, taking part in team drills, he still has not been cleared for contact. Once cleared, he will probably need at least 1 day of full practice to be ready to go. I expect that day to be Friday. Look for him to take it slow, but barring any new issues popping up, he seems on track to play this Sunday.

LaRod Stephens-Howling: I talked about the Cards RB situation above with William Powell, but I think LSH (I got tired of typing his whole name, sorry) should be  good to go this week coming off a hip injury. I was not able to find out exactly what the injury was, but it appeared that he was moving around well at practice yesterday and didn’t look limited. In terms of the backfield timeshare, I think both will get chances, but LSH is much better catching the ball out of the backfield as a change of pace, so I like Powell to be the lead guy and LSH to be the 3rd down/end of half guy. I think both have value and we’ll know more after Sunday’s game, but I project Powell’s value slightly higher than LSH.

Ben Tate: Still limited in practice by turf toe, he is looking like another game time decision, which doesn’t bode well because he is involved in the Sunday night game. Same thing happened this past week with the Texans playing on Monday night, but there appears to be more optimism that he plays this week. Risky if you don’t have a backup plan playing for the Packers or on Monday night, so it may not be worth the risk. Foster is still the guy anyways, so another option may be better.

Andre Johnson: While he hasn’t been quite the same this season, I can’t say it looks like it’s because of his groin issue. He seems to be drawing a ton of attention from opposing defenses due to a lack of WR threat on the opposite side. He was limited yesterday in practice, but that’s very normal with guys who have nagging injuries, as Wednesday seems to be rest day. Friday will tell us more, as I expect him to progress his way to full participation by end of week if he’s good to go on Sunday.

AJ Green: He seems to be dealing with a bit of a knee issue, which is interesting considering he had his ankle re-taped on Sunday in the 2nd half of the game against the Dolphins. Although the ankle was the issue, he seems to have developed a bit of a knee problem, which is not uncommon considering he did continue to play through the ankle issue on Sunday. When we play through pain and injury, we tend to place more stress and strain on other regions of our body to make up for the injured region, in this case Green’s ankle. I can’t see this being any more than some knee soreness, so I don’t think he’s in any danger of missing this week. But just in case, check out his status on Friday.

Ryan Mathews: He didn’t practice Wednesday, but took “mental reps” instead. Ya, not sure what that means either. But with the Chargers playing on Monday night this week, Thursday-Saturday will be the important days. Look for him to ramp up participation this week and be fully active by Saturday.

Aaron Hernandez: He practiced again on Wednesday and has been out there for 3 straight days now (2 last week, 1 this week). He’s looking good for this Sunday against Seattle and should blend back in seamlessly to his hybrid role in the Pats offense. With high ankle sprains, rest is a big factor early on, and I think the Pats did a fantastic job of not trying to rush him back (Having another TE like Gronk helps). He has been reported as looking quick and sharp with all cutting and mobility, so there’s not reason to believe he won’t suit up this week. Barring a set back, I’d put him in your lineup this week.

Injury Reactions from Week 5

Let’s do a quick rundown of injuries around the league and make some projections about availability for Week 6 and beyond:

Robert Griffin III: Suffered a concussion during the Week 5 contest, so his Week 6 availability will be predicated on him passing the battery of tests that have been put together for concussion sufferers. It’s murky at this point, and depending on the extent of the concussion, it’s kind of hard to predict. I’m sure he’ll go through the concussion tests around Wednesday of this week, so stay tuned. Have a backup plan this week, possibly a guy like Brandon Weeden, who had a solid start this past week.

Jermichael Finley: He drove his right shoulder into the turf after making a catch, and didn’t return to the game after. He said he would be playing for sure against the Texans in Week 6 and that he didn’t come back into the game as a precaution. I think he’s probably right, but the biggest thing is practice participation. From looking at the mechanism of injury, he seemed to have suffered an AC joint (point of the shoulder, the region referred to in separated shoulders) sprain, which can be played through, but is tough with a high contact position like TE.

Cedric Benson: Based on how the injury looked, everyone immediately thought Lisfranc injury. He stated after the game that X-Rays came back negative and that he feels better than it looked. He was seen leaving the stadium in a walking boot, which is absolutely precautionary for this type of injury, so I wouldn’t read a ton into that. Even if it’s just a midfoot sprain (small tears in the ligaments that hold the small bones of the foot together), it can be very limiting for a running back who relies on that stability of the arch and toes when pushing off and performing quick burst of speed motions. Granted Benson is not a burner or anything, but it’s still key to the effectiveness of running backs. He’s been ruled out of week 6 already, so backup plans are in order. Possible back up plan? Alex Green, who filled in admirably for Benson. Possibly David Wilson from the Giants, who got more touches this week and seems out of the doghouse.

Jimmy Graham: He suffered a nasty-looking ankle sprain in the Sunday night game against the Chargers. While he did return to the game, which is promising, he clearly didn’t look the same. He didn’t look to suffer a high ankle sprain, which is great news, and having a bye week this coming week, he should be fine for Week 7. Don’t be alarmed if he really doesn’t practice much at all this week, as it’ll be precautionary to give that ankle time to rest. I would expect him out there for Week 7 with minimal restrictions.

Troy Polamalu: He returned yesterday for the first time this season, played 19 snaps, and re-injured his problematic calf. Strains to the calf muscle are very similar in nature to hamstring strains, as they’re lingering types of injuries that don’t go away with rest. And the calf muscle is a very powerful muscle with sprinting, changing of speeds, and accelerating/decelerating. I don’t have a good feeling about Polamalu’s chances of playing this week and potentially next, unless he decides to play hurt and clearly less than 100%.

Rashard Mendenhall: I was a proponent of sitting him Sunday, and he definitely proved me wrong. He looked great, very explosive and elusive. He also seemed very comfortable with outside and inside runs, which is fantastic for a post-ACL player. So long as he doesn’t have any soreness or setbacks, he’s looking good moving forward.

Adrian Peterson: Mendenhall’s post-ACL brethren seemed to tweak his ankle on his first carry of the game Sunday, but did not miss any time. No word on whether it’s his post-ACL side or not, which could make a bit of a difference. But the fact that he still played the rest of the game bodes well. I can’t imagine he’ll miss any games, but he may be limited in practice this week, so don’t be alarmed.

Jared Cook: He seems 100% from his AC joint sprain, as he caught 5 passes for 37 yards and a TD on Sunday. Granted he didn’t have gaudy yards totals, but with Matt Hasselback at QB, he’s bound to be a bigger part of the plan as Hasselback doesn’t throw downfield a ton, leading to more check downs and short passes. Look for Cook to continue to be a big part of the offense.

Kenny Britt: Only caught 2 passes on Sunday, and he looked like he was clearly having a hard time moving around. I’ve warned many times about Britt and his multiple-joint involvement on his surgically-repaired side, which seems to really be bothering him. I’d continue to sit him until he gives you that one good, solid game where he doesn’t look like he’s hobbling around.

Matt Forte: He looked fantastic Sunday, and he has a bye week now to get back to 100%. He had 24 touches on Sunday, which should tell you that he’s pretty damn close to being back to full strength. He’ll be ready to go at full speed once Week 7 rolls around.

Alex Smith: Lost in his incredible 300+ yard performance was that fact that he sprained a finger on his throwing hand. He left the game after the result was determined, but who knows if he would have stayed in had the game been closer. I can’t imagine this will keep him from missing time, but he could potentially be limited in practice this week. Monitor the situation, as gripping the ball and releasing the ball when throwing could be uncomfortable and may cause some discomfort. But at this point, it doesn’t seem like enough to keep him from missing time.

Julio Jones: 10 catches, 94 yards, 1 TD. Do I even have to tell you his hand is fine?

Pierre Garcon: He led the team with 7 targets, which is a good sign. Bad news is only 3 went for catches. And now that RGIII is banged up, who knows what the passing game will look like with Kirk Cousins at the helm. Garcon didn’t seem restricted by his injury, so he should be fine in terms of his injury now that the soreness has subsided and he’s in less pain. Look for him to be ok health wise in the coming weeks, but RGIII being out concerns me more.

Daniel Thomas: He had a decent week 6, with 29 yards rushing and 1 TD on the ground. However, he suffered a concussion during the contest, which means he’ll have to go through and pass his battery of tests prior to being able to participate next week. Like all of our other concussion folks, monitor his test results and move forward accordingly. Reggie Bush is still the lead back, so upside for him may be limited.

Matt Cassel: He also suffered a head injury during Sunday’s contest, as he took a violent blow that reportedly knocked him unconscious for a little bit. I can’t speculate as to the severity of the head injury, but it sure did look bad. And they are so strict these days with coming back to play from concussions, any residual symptoms automatically make a player ineligible from returning to contact. Consider Cassel out with Brady Quinn the next in line.

Hakeem Nicks: The knee issue is starting to seem more serious by the day. He had an MRI done today, but results were not released by the team. Coach Coughlin says “he’s iffy” for this week against the Niners, so who knows what’s actually going to happen. We’ll take it day by day like last week, but at this point, the knee injury (whatever it is) seems to be worrisome. Plan on a Domenik Hixon/Reuben Randle duo again across from Victor Cruz.

Ryan Williams: He was placed on IR today after suffering a shoulder injury that will cause him to miss at least 3 months.The exact injury has not been disclosed, but they did say surgery will be required. My guess considering the timetable? Partial labral tear, maybe an AC joint separation, ligamentous damage around the glenohumeral joint (ball and socket shoulder joint). I would say rotator cuff as well, but if they have to repair it via surgery, the timetable is typically much more than 3 months. Same with a biceps tendon tear. Fact of the matter is, he’s out for the season, so who is the guy in the Cards’ backfield now? Well, Beanie Wells is still out, so is Larod Stephens-Howling, who could be back next week. That leaves William Powell and Alphonso Smith, which aren’t great options themselves. I’d probably say Powell is the guy, but it’s most definitely going to be a RB-by-committee situation, which is never good from a fantasy perspective. I think Stephens-Howling and Powell are good speculative pickups, but I’d just as well steer clear of this murky situation.