Set That Lineup: Week 15 Injury Updates

Here’s my link to this week’s injured folks: http://fflockerroom.com/2012/12/15/fantasy-football-week-15-injury-report/

Two extra thoughts: RG3 not playing is huge. I hope RG3 owner’s treated him like they did Michael Vick, as the running QB who is also slim in stature is always a dangerous combination. I think Kirk Cousins will be adequate, but I can’t imagine he puts up the numbers (or anything near them) that RG3 does. Also, Cousins did seem to look Pierre Garcon’s way a few times in his limited snaps, and veteran wideouts are very valuable to young QBs. Look for Garcon to benefit either way.

Also, Roddy White is looking like he’s not going to play this week. There’s still a chance he suits up, so keep an eye on the situation tomorrow morning, but with him not practicing Thursday or Friday, it’s hard for me to imagine that he’d be ready to go out there and be anywhere near 100% with so much time taken off this week. I’d look elsewhere to be on the safe side, but monitor the situation tomorrow AM.

Thursday Injury Report, Thanksgiving Edition

Will Play:

Wes Welker: Don’t let the questionable tag fool you. He’ll be out there, despite his limited participation.

Brandon Lloyd: Minor knee soreness, hasn’t really slowed him down at this point, Pats will go with many more 3 WR sets.

Calvin Johnson: Don’t get cute. His leg needs to be cut off for him not to produce.

Owen Daniels: He’ll definitely be out there, may still be a tad limited by this hip injury, could cause some difficulty with driving off the line of scrimmage, but he should be a full go this week.

Logan Paulsen: Minor hip injury, in better shape than Daniels, should be 100%.

Should Play, but won’t be 100% for sure:

Pierre Garcon: Repeat after me: Instability, hypo mobility (lack of motion), and weakness in the foot are not good things for a WR who relies on separation and speed. He’ll more than likely play, but he’s not in my lineup if I own him.

Game Time Decisions:

Felix Jones: Shoulder sprain and lingering knee soreness have really limited him this week. He supposedly had a setback this past Sunday in terms of his knee, with the shoulder injury being new. Expect him to test it out pre game tomorrow and if he doesn’t look good, he may sit.

Aaron Hernandez: I think this is a game time decision that will turn out well, honestly. I think he’s ready, with 7 straight practices under his belt to test that high ankle sprain of his. He instantly becomes a #1 TE on the best offense in football, so get him in your lineup if he’s announced as active prior to the 8:20pm ET kickoff.

Jeremy Kerley: He’s dealing with a heel injury and a hamstring strain. Depending on the severity of the hamstring strain, it’s hard to say how limited he’ll be unless we knew the extent of the injury. I would not expect him to be at full strength, and he’s a speed-type receiver who needs all the burst he can get, so you may want to look elsewhere this week.

Not Playing:

DeMarco Murray: Week 12 appears to be one week too early. He didn’t practice hardly at all this week (some minor side stuff with the training staff), so keep him on that bench of yours.

Kevin Ogletree: Ruled out with a concussion. Bench time.

Ben Tate: This is no guarantee yet, but the fact that he’s had this hamstring injury for over 4 weeks tells you the severity of the injury. Don’t put him in your lineup until he can play a game without a setback.

Setting Your Week 11 Lineup

Sorry kids, it’s been a busy week. Check out my Week 11 Injury Report over at FFLockerRoom.com for all the insights for the week. They also do a fantastic job of putting together weekly rankings and analyzing add/drop trends. Click the link below for all the details. Be back next week with a weekend recap and to get you ready for a Thanksgiving Thursday chalk full of games!

http://fflockerroom.com/2012/11/17/fantasy-football-week-11-injury-report/

 

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.

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.

 

Friday Injury News

Friday is typically the most important day in terms of a player’s likelihood to play on Sunday (Saturday is the day for Monday night games). So practice participation today is key, so let’s take a look at some key injuries and the chance of them playing in Week 5 (designation in parentheses:

Brandon Jacobs (Q): He hasn’t played all season after injuring his knee in the preseason, but the specifics are not well known. MRI showed that he had no structural damage, which likely means a bone bruise of some sort or maybe ligament sprain. The Niners weren’t going to let Jacobs come back until he practiced fully the whole week, and this week appears to be it. He’s 3rd in the backfield pecking order, but he was signed to be Frank Gore’s change-of-pace backup, which Kendall Hunter is not. So I think he’s a good speculative pickup this week as he looks healthy, doing wind sprints and practicing fully in pads. I wouldn’t play him this week, but he may be a nice deep league add if you need RB help.

Kenny Britt (Q): Britt sprained his ankle initially a few weeks ago, but seemed to tweak it again yesterday in practice. The thought is he won’t play this week, but he’s leaving the door open. Put it this way: He’s coming back from ACL reconstruction, he’s sprained the ankle on that same side, and now he reinjured the ankle at practice speeds. What does this tell you? There’s still something going on that’s causing him to compensate at other joints, but now he’s compromised at two joints in the leg, which could lead to a significant amount of instability up the kinetic chain (this is the link between all the joints from the ground up the leg, into the hip, etc). You should be sitting him this week and for all upcoming weeks until he can actually play a game and come out of it looking healthy.

Jared Cook (P): He practiced fully today, which is great news for his chances of being 100% this Sunday. I think he actually has a shot to have a big game now that Chris Johnson finally showed up and with one less mouth to feed (Britt) in the WR corp. Look for him to be unrestricted and ready to go.

Rashard Mendenhall (P): Practiced fully again, which means he’s looking like a go for this week. Play him at your own risk, but I’d still bench him until he shows me something out on the field. My rule of thumb is always to sit a guy their first week back and proceed according to how they look in that first game. Mendenhall is no different.

Torrey Smith (P): Practiced fully all week, sprained ankle looks good. He’s good to go.

Pierre Garcon (P): He looks like he’s on track to play this weekend against the Falcons, who despite being 4-0 are not playing a ton of D. He’s slowly played more snaps each game he’s been out there, but he himself acknowledged that he was not 100% yet, even though he can play at 100% during each play (not sure how much sense that makes). I think he’ll be more productive this weekend as he and RGIII have developed a good chemistry so far. He looks to be a solid WR3 this week.

Aaron Hernandez (Q): He practiced today and has looked pretty good, based on reports, cutting and moving more freely than anyone expected. This week would be his 3rd missed game, so I’m still skeptical that someone can be 100% in 3 weeks coming back from a high ankle sprain. I still think he sits this week, but it’s encouraging that he has gotten better so quickly. Week 6 seems much more realistic, so he should be on your bench this week (he’ll be on mine).

Marshawn Lynch (P): He was a full participant today, with his injury being described as Rest. Seems like the Seahawks were just buying him some time and that his back spasms didn’t flare up. Play him confidently.

Ryan Tannehill (P): He was a late add to the injury report with a right thumb sprain (throwing hand). It appears that he practiced fully, but may have hit his hand on a helmet or something of that nature. I think the injury report is more of a precaution, but he should be out there this week coming off a career game. Play him if you normally would.

Reggie Bush (P): His knee is reportedly fine and his hip has been pain-free all week, so he looks ready to go. He actually looked fine this past week, not missing any time after than knee injury scare. He was running well and looked like his dynamic self, so I’d feel good playing him this week. Nothing that I’ve heard or seen leads me to believe that he’ll be restricted at all, so have at it.

Ben Tate (Q): His sprained toe kept him out of practice today, and missing a Friday practice is never a good sign. I’d be suspicious about his probability of playing this week, but since they play Monday, wait until tomorrow and see if he participates. If he’s limited or doesn’t practice, I’d sit him since it’s pretty risky to wait on a Monday nighter since you won’t have many options otherwise. I don’t think the risk matches the reward, so I’d bench him.

Stephen Hill (Q): Well, not the rookie season we were hoping for. He came out like gangbusters in Week 1 and hasn’t played since. He has a hamstring strain that’s been plaguing him all season, and it doesn’t really seem like it’s going away anytime soon. I’ve stated numerous times how tricky these hamstring injuries are, and sometimes, depending on the location of the strain, the severity of the strain, and whether there was a prior history of hamstring pathology. Not sure in Hill’s case if there is a past history of hamstring issues, but this one seems to be a doozy. He was a non-participant again in practice, and even though he plays Monday night, put him in the same category as Ben Tate above: not worth the risk of waiting.

Hakeem Nicks (O): We know Nicks is out this week, that’s for sure. Just wanted to update to say that he had very limited participation, riding the bike and doing some stretching and participating in some team activities. While this is a good sign, one observation I wanted to mention was that the stationary bike for his kind of injury makes me think they’re just trying to limit his amount of weight bearing as much as possible, which leads me to believe that there’s some sort of bony pathology going on. I don’t like the sound of it, but the activity level is promising. Obviously, plan B needs to be in effect this week, but next week is still a possibility.

Lance Moore (O): My, how much things can change in one week. At first, reports were he had a mild hamstring strain. 4 days later, he’s labeled out. Maybe he had a setback during the week while trying to practice, or maybe they underestimated the extent and severity of the strain. Who knows? The fact of the matter is these hamstring strains are hard to predict, but hopefully one full week of rest and rehab will do him some good.

That’s it for today. I’ll make more updates via my Twitter feed @z_dahdul as more news becomes available. Good luck with Week 5 and beyond!

Thursday Practice Updates of Wednesday’s Practice Updates

Did I confuse you? Good : )

I’m taking Wednesday’s post and making updates based on Thursday practice participations, just to give you a little taste of how quickly things can change in one day’s time. Here ya go:

Here’s a quick round up of today’s practice participations and their effect on each player’s ability to play and contribute in Week 5:

Marshawn Lynch: Limited in practice on Wednesday. The given reason was rest, but make sure you listen up on Friday to make sure it’s not a back spasm recurrence. I talked at the beginning of the season that back spasms are tricky and have a habit of rearing their ugly head at random times. Monitor his status leading up to the end of the week. THURSDAY UPDATE:

Matt Forte: The Bears didn’t practice, but word is he would have been a limited participant had there been a practice. Weird thing is he came out of the Monday night game with a supposed re-aggravation of his ankle sprain, but had his tape re-done and was fine thereafter. The only report after the game was “normal post game soreness”, which is very normal. So long as no setbacks are reported, he probably won’t be a full participant until Friday. Jacksonville’s run D, for lack of a better word, sucks. So throw him out there on Sunday with confidence, as it seems like his ankle is doing just fine.

Kenny Britt: Another guy who I just hate writing about, because he seems to always be hurt, like non-stop. So his recent ankle injury led to him being a non-participant in today’s practice. Word is he did some on-the-side drills, but no actual practice. With all the bad luck he’s had with his legs this past year, he just scares me. This ankle sprain seems to be lingering, which combined with the ACL reconstruction he had, can lead to quite a bit of weakness in his legs. A lack of stability around the knee with pain and discomfort in ankle take all of the drive and quickness out of a WR’s legs. I’m sticking with my thought on him: He needs to show you one solid week before he’s in your lineup, regardless of what you hear/see/read. THURSDAY UPDATE: He did not practice at all today, meaning he’s pretty much relegated to your fantasy bench again for week 5. Plan on moving forward without him. Again, wait until he shows you he can get back out there and produce before he’s back in your lineup.

Julio Jones: Apparently his hand issue was a problem during the last game, as reports said he was more decoy than anything else. He was a full participant today, and as long as that continues, this hand injury shouldn’t be an issue. Play him. THURSDAY UPDATE: More reason to play him, Jones himself said his lacerated hand feels great and ready to go. Matt Ryan is absolutely on fire right now the Redskins’ secondary is not very good. Big day coming for Jones and company.

Peyton Hillis: He’s been dealing with this ankle sprain for a couple weeks now, and although he seems to be better, it appears that he continues to be iffy for this week. The Chiefs have Jamaal Charles and Shaun Draughn playing pretty well right now, so there’s no reason to rush Hillis back. He’s not a speedster, but an issue with the ankle (which provides the push off and drive and helps maintain stability with cuts) can really make it difficult to hit holes in a timely manner. Plan on not having him this week. THURSDAY UPDATE: No practice for Hillis on Thursday and he remains on track to sit out this week’s game. Bench city for Hillis

Jake Locker: Separated shoulder, subluxation of said shoulder, already ruled out of Sunday’s game and having a short week for week 6, plan on him being out at least 2 more weeks at minimum. After his recent aggravation in week 5, they’ll take it easy with him and make sure not to rush him back. With all the instability surrounding that left shoulder of his, non-throwing arm or not, it’s going to restrict his function, especially with handing the ball off, receiving the hiked ball, and being sacked/going down head first. THURSDAY UPDATE: Not a ton more info available about Locker, but he’s as close to a lock as possible to sit out. 

Jared Cook: His AC joint (tip of the shoulder) seems to be healing well, as he played the whole game on Sunday without issue (he was taken out early due to the Titans being blown out) or setbacks. He was limited today, but it seems to be more rest than anything else. AC joint sprains are very dependent on the severity of the shoulder separation (this is the joint people refer to when a shoulder is separated), and Cook’s seems to be more on the mild side based on how quickly he’s responded. Play him this week as their matchup is much more favorable than last week’s.

Torrey Smith: He had a minor ankle sprain during the game this past week, but it’s not considered anything major at all. He was a full participant this week, which always bodes well when a player participates fully on a Wednesday. He will be just fine.

Pierre Garcon: His sprained foot finally allowed him to play in week 4, but he was basically nonexistent, catching only 1 pass. He practiced fully today, which bodes well. I continue to hear that he’s not 100%, but the fact that he fully practiced on a traditional “take it easy day” is a good sign. We seem to be talking a lot about ankles/feet these days, but a sprained foot is a very general term (it could refer to any of the ligaments that hold together the joints in his mid foot, forefoot, rear foot) and depending on the exact region that’s sprained, could really affect a player’s ability to push off and accept weight onto the foot. The accepting weight part is important for a receiver, mainly when stopping on a dime and breaking off a route. If Friday rolls around and he’s still fully practicing, roll him out there on Sunday. THURSDAY UPDATE: He continues to proactice even though he’s not fully healthy, and he himself said that he’s not 100%. However, he states he can play at 100%, but how long remains to be seen. I think he plays this week, but just expect some ups and downs throughout the course of the season.

Lesean McCoy: Full participant, following a “tweaked”, aka sprained, knee. Looks to be a minor issue, he’ll be fine.

Reggie Bush: <sigh> The knee feels great, but miraculously, he has developed a hip issue! Yay! Normally, when a hip issue develops on the same side as a knee or ankle issue, it’s without a doubt a compensatory issue, where the joint above or below the injured region (in this case, above) compensates for the lack of stability/strength/function at the impaired joint. It could be a muscular strain, it could be irritation of the labrum in the hip, it could be tendonitis/bursitis, etc…Basically, it could be a crap ton of things. Until more is known about the severity of the hip issue, expect him to play. We’ll probably know more by Friday. THURSDAY UPDATE: Practiced fully, reports state he looked good overall, no signs of limitation. Barring setback, plan on him begin ready to go on Sunday.

Danny Amendola: He had a mild ankle sprain, and is officially listed as Probable for the Thursday night game against the Cards. He looks to be ready to go tomorrow, so feel free to put him in your lineup. And always remember who told you he would be the sleeper candidate of the year (http://tinyurl.com/c3pzkg7). Did that sound like bragging too much? Who cares, I was right. THURSDAY UPDATE: Not much in terms of his status, but the prevailing thought is that he’s ready to go tonight, as his ankle sprain was considered mild in the first place.

Steven Jackson: So this is clearly becoming a frustrating issue for SJax owners. This groin strain will not go away. Here’s what I said last week: “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.” Just change two weeks to three and the problem gets worse. Top it off with a short week against a very solid run defense, and I’d really consider benching him this week. THURSDAY UPDATE: Still listed as questionable, but he’s still planning on playing. He was better last week than the week before, so hopefully he can continue to build on that.

Rashard Mendenhall: Word is he is confident he will play against Philly. I stand by my comment with my post-ACL guys (I was wrong on AP, but right on the rest): Sit them until they give you a good week. Mendenhall is no exception. He needs to show good burst and dynamic running/cutting/planting without limitations at game speeds before he goes near my lineup. I’d sit him this week. THURSDAY UPDATE: He practiced fully, which means he’s got a very good chance of getting back out there on Sunday. Again, wait one week if you can, unless you’re desperate.

Greg Jennings: See Steven Jackson, but multiply it by 10 because he actually left the game. I don’t care what I hear by the end of the week, I’m sitting him and upgrading Jordy Nelson and James Jones significantly. Too much risk. THURSDAY UPDATE: He’s officially out for week 5. I actually like James Jones quite a bit against a pretty bad Colts D.

Lance Moore: He’s the latest in the hamstring strain club. He was limited, but his appears to be more mild than other guys. I’ve talked about the importance of the hamstrings in terms of explosiveness, but this seems to be very manageable. If he has no setback and is not limited by Friday, he should play and play well on Sunday. THURSDAY UPDATE: He didn’t practice at all today, which is never good after having a limited practice the day before. I’m officially in the “worried” boat now, so montior his status on Friday. He looks like he’s going to be a game time decision guy. Have a plan B just in case.

Aaron Hernandez: One big name I wanted to add, he actually participated and ran some routes in practice, but not at full speed. There’s a thought that he has a remote chance of playing against the Broncos this week, but I’m not buying it. I actually love that there’s a great chance he will play in week 6, which is fantastic news.