Injury Report - Fantasy Football Tonight

Injury Report: Week 8

2009-11-07T01:41:00.000-08:00

Injury Report: Week 8
By Todd Farino

Anquan Boldin - Sprained Ankle. Missed practice. Game-time decision.
Analysis: This is a week you should bench Boldin. It doesn't look like he will play and if he does, don't expect much.

Ahmad Bradshaw - foot and ankle. Probable.
Analysis: The Giants are just being cautious with Bradshaw. He will be limited on carries, but makes a solid #3 RB/Flex.

Antonio Bryant - Knee. Questionable, practiced.
Analysis: Working with Freeman it will be tough for Bryant to get too many good throws. As always he could be good for a TD, but is risky.

Donald Brown - Shoulder, Questionable.
Analysis: Brown missed practice Friday after practicing for two straight days. It doesn't look good for Brown. Keep him on your bench if you can.

Calvin Johnson - Sprained knee. Questionable.
Analysis: He has been practicing all week and will play. He's not 100%, but should make some catches against Seattle. I still don't expect much from him.

Brian Westbrook - Concussion, Questionable.
Analysis: Westbrook has been cleared to play, and Reid will play him. He rested Friday, and I don't like that. If he needs rest, he's not 100%. Look for other options.

Week 8 Infirmary Report

2009-11-03T19:31:00.000-08:00

Anquan Boldin - aggravated sprained ankle. Questionable week 9.
Analysis: If you own Boldin, get a backup. If you have the chance, grab Steve Breaston. Arizona will need Boldin at Chicago, so I expect him to do everything he can to be active for week 9.

Owen Daniels - Season ending knee surgery. Out for the season.
Analysis: Joel Dreessen will step in for Daniels. He's built in the same way and should get plenty of targets from Schaub.

Aaron Rodgers - Sprained toe, Sprained foot. Day-to-day.
Analysis: I worry about Rodgers past foot issues, but he should likely be OK.

Lance Moore - Injured shin. Probable for week 9.
Analysis: We all know how much the shin can hurt. Moore will be fine for week 9.

Jake Delhomme - Chest contusion. Went to hospital. Probable for week 9.
Analysis: In the deepest leagues, breath a sigh of relief. It looks like Delhomme will be fine.

Kevin Smith - Lingering shoulder issue. Fine for week 9.
Analysis: Get Maurice Morris now if you own Smith. Smith is the workhorse for Detroit, but if his shoulder acts up Morris will get the carries.

Week 8 Injury - Aaron Rodgers

2009-11-03T01:26:00.000-08:00

Rodgers has sprains on both foots, probable for week 9
By Todd Farino

Aaron Rodgers got beat up by the Vikings in more than one way. According to his coach, Rodgers has a sprained toe and a sprained foot. Different foots of course. McCarthy expects him to miss practice this week and be ready for the Buccaneers.

I don't like this. Rodgers broke his foot a few years ago and if that is the foot he sprained this could develop into him missing at least a week. We will watch his progress throughout the week. If he's not practicing by Friday, I'd wouldn't expect him to play. The Packers are taking on the Bucs and should beat them with backup Matt Flynn. Then again, who knows if they can "win with Flynn". trademarked

Week 8 Injury - Owen Daniels

2009-11-03T01:08:00.000-08:00

Season ending surgery derails Daniels breakout year

By Todd Farino

Terrible news for managers who own any Texan, let alone Owen Daniels. Daniels will have season ending surgery to repair a torn ligament in his knee. He was having an outstanding season for the Texans and damages the value of Matt Schaub, Andre Johnson, Kevin Walter, and Steve Slaton. Tight ends Joel Dreessen and James Casey will take his place. In allot of ways Freessen is allot like Daniels and does have 5 catches for 52 yards on the season.

Casey is also having arthroscopic surgery on his knee and isn't likely to be back till November 23. Casey has two catches on the season and got them both in week 8.

The final option is Anthony Hill, but I don't expect any real fantasy value for Hill.

Injury News--Week 8

2009-10-29T20:38:00.000-07:00

Calvin Johnson was a limited participant in practice again on Friday and it is very possible that he will play on Sunday, although he has been ruled a game-time decision. The good news is that his coach has said that Calvin could play without being a full participant in practice, and that is the part that is giving me hope that he will play. If he is active, Calvin is a guy that you have to have in your lineup, especially against St. Louis' horrible pass defense.

Matthew Stafford could play this weekend as he has returned to practice after his knee injury had cost him a few games. Stafford has made great progress this week,and coach Jim Schwartz hasn't tipped his hand at who will play. If it is Stafford he could be a good play this week against the Rams, so if your QB is on bye stay tuned to the Sunday morning Fantasy Football Tonight podcast to find out if he is active.

Brian Westbrook will be, what else,but a game time decision for this week's game against the Giants, but he is all but out for the game. Westbrook suffered a concussion last week, and the NFL doesn't play games with head injuries any more, so don't expect to see him out there. LeSean McCoy will get the majority of the carries this week, but he hasn't been as impressive as we had hoped. He gets another tough matchup against New York on Sunday.

Ahmad Bradshaw revealed the fact that he has been playing with a partial fracture in his foot the entire season. Now, he's going to continue to play with this, but there is a chance that this could be a full blown fracture and he would miss a lot of time. For now this is not a concern, but just so you know that a further injury is possible.

Donald Brown has a left shoulder contusion and it really seems like he will not be playing this weekend against the 49ers. Brown still insists that he might play, but it would be an incredible long shot. Hopefully this will be a one week thing and Brown will be able to return next week. Look for Mike Hart to join Joseph Addai for this weekend's game.

Anthony Gonzalez has still not returned to practice and it is almost a certainty that he will not be playing against San Francisco on Sunday. It is an outside chance that he could play next week, but even that doesn't seem all that likely.

Andre Johnson missed practice on Wednesday, but was able to return on Thursday and said that his breathing feels normal and he expects to play. Even coach Gary Kubiak said he practiced very close to normal and it seems like a good bet that Andre will play this week against Buffalo.

Jerricho Cotchery, who has missed two straight games with a hamstring injury has been able to return to practice and it seems as though he will be able to play this week against the Dolphins. Cotchery has still been limited in practice but the fact that he is out there makes it optimistic that he will be able to get out there.

Injury News--Week 7

2009-10-23T20:53:00.000-07:00

Anquan Boldin actually practiced on a limited basis, and now it appears that there is a slim chance that he might play this week for the Cardinals against the Giants. Boldin's high ankle sprain was originally thought to be a couple week injury, but now he is a game-time decision for Sunday's game. I still think that even if he is active it will be on a limited basis and you likely have a better option for a wide receiver this week. Start him with extreme caution.

Percy Harvin has all been ruled out with the shoulder injury that he sustained, or least aggravated last Sunday. There is an outside chance that he will play, but he has been severly limited in practice all week, and it seems that it would make sense to sit him for a week or two and let it heal rather than watching him reaggravate it in the first quarter every week and have to miss the remainder of the game. I would sit Harvin this week unless your roster dictates that he is the only healthy player who isn't on bye week and you have no other choice.

Trent Edwards has been ruled out this week with symptoms from his concussion and Ryan Fitzpatrick will get the start against the Panthers. It would have to be a fairly desperate situation in a two quarterback league, or maybe if your bye week replacement is Derek Anderson before I would start Fitzpatrick.

Marion Barber and his fractured thumb practiced all week for Dallas and will be in there Sunday against the Falcons. Barber seemed to show no ill effects from the break and you can start him if you had any questions about his availability.

Felix Jones looks to be ready to return to action after missing two games with a PCL sprain of his knee. He will wear a brace for the first time in his career, but both he and the team feel confident about his return. He doesn't get an easy matchup coming back against the Falcons, and it will be a crowded backfield with Jones, Barber, and Choice back there, but at least Jones will be back on the field, where he generally makes things happen.

Roy Williams has been back to practice all week long for the Cowboys, but apparently according to head coach Wade Phillips it is not quite a sure thing that he will play this week against the Falcons. Williams suffered a rib injury in Week 4 and even after missing a game and the bye week, he still seems to have a little bit of pain. I doubt it, but there is still a chance that Dallas holds their number one receiver (kinda) out of one more game to be sure that he is ready to go for the rest of the season.

Jerricho Cotchery will miss his second consecutive game, as he has been ruled out for this week's game against the Oakland Raiders. At one point it seemed that Cotchery might play, but coach Rex Ryan confirmed on Friday that he would not even travel with the team. Perhaps if they weren't traveling all the way to California he might have had a chance to play. David Clowney will get the start, but he is only to be used if you are in a rough situation and are desperate for a wideout to play.

Donnie Avery was out of practice on Wednesday, limited on Thursday, but was able to participate fully on Friday and now appears to be ready to play on Sunday. I'm not sure how good of a play that he is for Week 7 against the Colts, but he is their best option by a mile in the passing game, so there is always a hope that he will be able to put up a decent game. The Colts will be getting Bob Sanders back which improves their whole defense, but Avery is a decent option for your WR3.

Chad Ochocinco was out of practice on Friday with a sore hip, but all indications are that he will be fine to play on Sunday and you should put him in your starting lineup if you were planning to play him anyway.

Injury News--Week 6

2009-10-16T19:35:00.000-07:00

Jerricho Cotchery was able to play last week, but he was clearly hobbled and hasn't practiced all week long. Cotchery has said that he probably suffered a setback by playing, and it really looks like he will not be playing this week against the Bills. He will likely be a game-time decision, but get him out of your lineups, the guy isn't going to play.

Correll Buckhalter was back at practice this week, as he declared himself 90% back from his ankle injury. It is all but a sure thing that he will play on Sunday, which means that he will cut into the carries of Knowshon Moreno. Moreno is still the better play this week against the Chargers.

Rashard Mendenhall missed practice the other day with flu-like symptoms, but it doesn't appear that it will effect his ability to play on Sunday. On a related note, his backfield teammate Willie Parker was back practicing in full, and now the question comes how the carries will be split. Parker might get the start, but I still see Mendenhall being the man. Parker has been ineffective, on top of the fact that he can't stop getting hurt. Start Mendenhall with confidence this week against the Browns.

Matthew Stafford was able to practice on a limited basis, which gave his owners some hope he might play this week, but now he didn't practice on Thursday, so he must have had some sort of soreness or setback in his dislocated knee cap. Detroit has a tough matchup against the Packers, so even if he goes it would have to be a desperate roster situation to think about playing Stafford this week.

Calvin Johnson didn't even play a full quarter last Sunday and after the game his knee injury was considered not serious. However, I don't know too many "not serious" injuries that cause players to miss an entire week of practice. He didn't practice on Wednesday or Thursday, and at this point it doesn't look good at all that Calvin will play. Keep an eye on this situation, but as of now you have to plan as if he isn't going to play.

Dante Rosario twisted his ankle in practice on Wednesday, and was not in there in practice on Thursday and will be questionable for this Sunday's game against Tampa Bay. Rosario isn't a very good tight end, but in this time period with bye weeks, he could be someone you plug in for your guy. This injury makes him a very risky play now considering his usual role and now the fact that he likely won't be 100% for the contest.

Johnathan Stewart was limited in Wednesday's practice, but was back as a full participant on Thursday, and now appears to be a lock to play on Sunday. He is a very risky pick given the fact that he hasn't played much this season and has a history of injury in his short NFL career. Carolina does face the Bucs which is a great team to go against, and if you are in trouble with bye weeks, then I might consider playing him.

Mike Bell appears to be ready to get back on the field after missing two weeks with an MCL sprain in his knee, as he was a full participant in practice this week. His backfield mate, Pierre Thomas has still been limited in practice and he will be questionable for the game. Right now it seems that he will play, but he might share more carries than usual with Bell if he is not 100%. I still believe he will play and be successful, even against a tough Giants defense.

Percy Harvin will be a game time decision this week with a shoulder injury he suffered in last week's game the Rams. Harvin was not at practice on Wednesday, but was able to practice on a limited basis on Thursday and Friday. There is not enough information out there right now to make an educated guess on his status yet this week, so you are just going to have to wait and see, but I would make alternate plans now, just in case.

Injury News October 10th

2009-10-10T20:41:00.000-07:00

Eli Manning practiced on Saturday as part of the team's walk-through, and if you had to guess right now it looks as if he will play. Manning is dealing with plantar fasciatis, but it appears his pain tolerance will allow him to be in there for Week 5. He has a great matchup against the Raiers, but I would be careful about playing him given his injury situation. If the Giants get comfortably ahead, they could pull him.

Jerricho Cotchery missed another practice with his hamstring injury, and it now appears that he will be a game time decision. At the end of the day I would still think he plays against Miami on Monday night, but it is still very risky since you won't have anyone to exchange for him since it is the last game of the week.

Matthew Stafford will likely miss this week's game with his dislocated knee cap, although the team refuses to tip their cap as to when or how much their up and coming rookie will play. He missed practice Wednesday and Thursday, but was able to return on a limited basis on Friday. Exactly what he did, I'm not sure, but you have to count on him not being in there if he is your bye week replacement.

Roy Williams will miss this week's game with damaged rib cartilage, as he has been unable to practice for the entire week. Don't be surprised if he were to miss more than just this one week.

Matt Hasselbeck will play this week, a very short time after suffering a cracked rib. Hasselbeck has been able to practice for three straight days, and is a lock to start on Sunday. From what I read, Hasselbeck took some "high powered aspirin" to help him be able to return from injury faster.

Donovan McNabb has practiced all week, and he will be in there on Sunday for the Eagles. McNabb suffered a broken rib in the first game of the season and has missed the past two games. He will wear a flak jacket to try to ease the pain from any hit he might take.

Joseph Addai suffered a hand injury in practice this week, and is listed as questionable for this week's game. He was able to practice in full on Friday and it appears he will play. You have to hope that he doesn't reaggravate the injury during the game as they have Donald Brown who is able to fill in more than admirably.

Derrick Ward will return this week from his knee injury, but he doesn't look like a good start from a fantasy perspective as it appears that Cadillac Williams will again get the majority of the carries. Ward is still worth having on the roster, but he will have a secondary role this week.

Donnie Avery was a limited participant in practice on Friday, and it appears that he will be a game-time decision. His coach says that he will be able to be in there, but he is a risky play with the hamstring injury which is his second injury already in this young season.

Injury News October 2nd

2009-10-02T18:33:00.000-07:00

LaDainian Tomlinson has practiced for three straight days, is listed as probable, and is expected to see the lion's share of the carries for the Bolts this week against the Steelers. So, the good news is that he will play and you should start him, the bad news is his game is against Pittsburgh who has a great defense. Unfortunately, with LT you never know when he might reaggravate the injury.

Wes Welker has been at practice this week, but he has been very limited, and is questionable on the Patriots injury report for Week 4. At this point, I think you have to assume that he isn't going to play after missing two of the first three games of the year. Keep watching for new on him, but right now I am not very hopeful for him

Randy Moss, on the other hand, is expected to play after experiencing some back troubles after last week's game. Put him in your lineup without reservation for Week 4.

Clinton Portis is now been deemed 50/50 to play on Sunday with ankle injuries and missing three days of practice. If I had to make a prediction I would say that he might not play, but there's no way he will be the featured back, or else he won't make it through the whole game healthy. The more I hear about this situation, the less I like Portis' chances of playing effectively in what should be a strong matchup against the Bucs.

Willie Parker is doubtful for this week, and it is almost a certainty that he won't play. Parker hasn't practiced all week with his toe injury, and the Steelers will lean on Rashad Mendenhall and Mewelde Moore. If I was picking one, I would go with the guy who filled in last year and also the better receiver out of the backfield, which is Moore.

Jamal Lewis appears that he will miss another week with his hamstring injury as he hasn't practiced all week long and is listed as doubtful on the injury report. Even the ever sneaky Eric Mangini appears to have failed at hiding this one. Look for Jerome Harrison and James Davis to split time again.

Dwayne Bowe has been back to practice and right now it appears that he will be able to play this week. He apparently has looked pretty good and practice and was playing with the first team offense. The Chiefs are calling him 50/50, but by what he has been able to accomplish, I would say he will play. Unfortunately, it is against the Giants.

Marion Barber will play this week as he has practiced all week long and is listed as probable on the team's injury report. He will likely not go full strength and might only get 15-18 carries. Regardless, I would likely start him against the Broncos. He will start, but I still see Tashard Choice having an impact on the game. Felix Jones is officially out with his PCL strain and will likely miss last week as well. Keep him on your bench.

Kevin Smith says he will play this week for the Lions after suffering what appeared to be a semi-serious shoulder injury last week. Smith has been practicing, however, and says he will be in there. Coach Jim Schwartz says that Smith is a game-time decision, but Smith says you can make the decision now. I would wait until Sunday to get the official word before I put him in this week against the Bears. It is a tough matchup, but it appears Smith could play.

Derrick Ward missed practice again on Friday and now appears that he will miss this week's game against the 'Skins. Ward is dealing with a knee injury and it appears that Cadillac Williams and Earnest Graham will carry the load for Tampa. I don't know if any of them are especially good plays this week.

Injury News September 24th

2009-09-24T18:15:00.000-07:00

Dwayne Bowe was limited in practice on Thursday when he was favoring his right knee. He was able to ride the bike, but really didn't do a lot the rest of the day. The Chiefs weren't saying much, and it doesn't appear to be serious. As of now I would say expect Bowe to play, but just monitor the news for the next couple of days to be sure that this situation doesn't worsen.

DeSean Jackson has a groin strain which he played through last week (quite well I might add) and it looks as though he will play again. He did not practice on Thursday, but is saying that he is feeling better and will play. I would go into this Sunday with him back in your lineup.

Adrian Peterson is nursing a slight back injury but all signs are pointing that this is no big deal. He was a limited participant in practice on Wednesday, but was back fully on Thursday and he should be fine for the matchup with the 49ers on Sunday.

Percy Harvin might have the Swine Flu. Ok, he probably doesn't, but when asked about it head coach Brad Childress basically said that he wasn't a doctor. He did not participate in drills in practice on Thursday, but he is a third receiver that I would expect to play. With the technology that team's have at their disposal nowadays, I would be shocked if they couldn't get him healthy enough to play a game three days from now.

LaDanian Tomlinson has now missed two consecutive days of practice with his ankle injury and I have to say that I am starting to get concerned that he will not play again on Sunday. I would start making alternate plans for Week 3, as it appears that he will miss another game. If he doesn't practice on Friday he will be a longshot to play.

Marion Barber and his injured thigh have not quite been ruled out of the Monday night game against the Panthers, but I still think that he won't play. He was a limited participant in practice on Thursday, and the Cowboys are still saying that there is a chance that he will play. I'm not counting on it, but I would make alternate plans.

Matt Hasselbeck also didn't practice with his cracked rib and I would be completely shocked if he played this week. This should be a 2-3 week injury at the least, and plan on Seneca Wallace being behind center on Sunday. He shouldn't be in your lineup because he won't help you in fantasy, so get your backup ready if Hasselbeck is your guy.

Wes Welker was back to practice, even though it was on a limited basis. He did not practice on Wednesday, but at least participated in some drills on Thursday. Trying to figure out if he is going to play and getting info from the Patriots about injuries is crazy. Hopefully he will play, and the fact that he is back at practice is encouraging.

Jamal Lewis was not at practice on Thursday as he tries to recover from a hamstring injury he suffered last week against the Broncos. Even if he does play at this point, which looks unlikely, the Browns are playing Baltimore, so do you really want a less than 100% Jamal Lewis in your lineup going against the Ravens? I think not.

Donovan McNabb is still not at practice nursing that cracked rib and it is all but assured that he won't play on Sunday. Kevin Kolb should get the start again.

Antonio Bryant has been able to practice, but on a very limited basis and he shouldn't play again in Week 3. Bryant has a bone bruise in his knee, and I really think that this is going to hold him out longer than the Bucs are letting on.

Injury News September 18th

2009-09-18T19:17:00.000-07:00

LaDainian Tomlinson will not play this Sunday due to that ankle injury, and Darren Sproles will start in his place but expect Michael Bennett to also get some carries. Tomlinson had his foot in a boot to try to get himself ready for Sunday, but he has officially been ruled out. Might not be a bad thing against a very physical Ravens defense. This likely will be a one week injury, but keep your eye on the news for this one.

Greg Jennings was limited in practice all week with a wrist injury, but head coach Mike McCarthy admitted that they were just being cautious with Jennings and he doesn't expect this to effect his play on Sunday.

Matt Cassel is listed as being questionable after he was limited in practice all week long, and will again be a game time decision. Brodie Croyle will start again versus the Raiders if Cassel can't go. He is still healing from the MCL sprain that he suffered during the preseason, and if he doesn't get in there this week, you can plan on him being back in Week 3.

Pierre Thomas is listed as questionable for the game on Sunday as he is still recovering from the MCL injury he suffered during the preseason. Given the good game by Mike Bell last week, I would speculate that Thomas won't play, but again, that is a gut call. Even though there have been some rumors that Thomas might be worse off than the team is letting on, I would be surprised if he missed more than this week.

Donovan McNabb is listed as doubtful for the game Sunday with the fractured rib, and there is almost no chance that he will play. Andy Reid has said that McNabb has shown improvement each day of the week, but it is still a long shot to see him in there. The improvement makes you feel optimistic that he won't miss extended time, but look for Kevin Kolb to be under center this week for the Eagles.

Wes Welker is listed as questionable, but was also questionable last week and pretty much did the same amount at practice. The way the Patriots operate, don't be surprised if he is on the injury report for months. Look for Welker to play on Sunday against the Jets.

Antonio Bryant will be a game-time decision for Sunday but is considered a huge long shot to play on Sunday. In fact, word is they are worried about his health going forward and they may have rushed him back from his preseason torn miniscus. Not good news if you own Bryant, get him out of your lineup.

T.J. Houshmandzadeh was back to practice on Friday after having back spasms all week long, he is listed as probable and you should expect him to play.

Deion Branch doesn't look good as he is still suffering from a hamstring injury he suffered in practice before the season started. He did not practice on Friday, and you should likely look for another option this week. He will more than likely miss the game.

Shonn Greene looks like he will play on Sunday as he is listed as probable. Greene has been dealing with a rib injury, but expects to see the field against the Patriots. If you have him I wouldn't start him this week in his first game of the year, I don't expect him to see many carries against New England.

Bo Scaife will not play on Sunday due to swelling in his knee from an injury he suffered during the opening game of the season. Look for Jared Cook to get more playing time.

Injury News September 12th

2009-09-12T19:42:00.000-07:00

Wes Welker is questionable for Monday's game against the Bills with a hamstring injury, but he has been practicing on a limited basis. Welker hasn't played since the second preseason game, but it looks like he will be in there Monday night. If you had to make a decision on Welker in time for the Sunday games, I would assume he will be in there.

Anquan Boldin will be a game time decision for Sunday's game against the 49ers with his hamstring injury. He has been limited in practice all week long, and it seems like there is a decent chance he won't play. Check out Jeff Mans inactive blog to see if Boldin will be in there. If he doesn't play, Steve Breaston becomes a must play.

Pierre Thomas will not play on Sunday with a knee injury. Look for Reggie Bush and even Mike Bell to get some carries against the lowly Lions. Bush also becomes a must play in my opinion, while Bell is only play him if you are in dire need of an RB.

James Davis is questionable after a one car crash on early Saturday morning. Davis suffered an unspecified head injury and right now it is 50/50 whether he plays on Sunday. I would sit Davis for Week 1 anyway since the Browns are facing one of the better run defenses in the NFL in Minnesota. Look for more information Sunday morning on Davis, but right now, expect Jamal Lewis to get the majority of the carries.

Kyle Orton has not been named the starter for tomorrow's game against the Bengals yet, but he has practiced and looked pretty good all week long, so expect him to be in there on Sunday. Orton had a wicked finger injury in which his bone was sticking through his skin, but it appears that he will play, so if you were planning on it (and I hope you weren't) keep Orton in your lineup.

Matt Cassel says he is ready to go, but he will see if the coach feels the same way as Cassel is a game time decision against the Ravens. Even if he is able to play, his matchup against Baltimore isn't one that I would want to have to play. Try to find a better matchup for Week 1.

Matt Schaub has participated fully in practice over the last three days, and is listed as probable and should play on Sunday versus the Jets. Get him right into your lineup if you were planning on playing him.

Kevin Walter on the other hand doesn't look promising to play as he has not practiced all week long. Walter also has an injured hammy and if I had to bet right now I would say that he wouldn't be playing. Andre Davis stands to gain the most playing time from Walter's injury.

Marc Bulger just started taking snaps on his broken right pinkie, but is listed as probable and should play on Sunday against the Seahawks. Bulger didn't play in the Rams last three preseason games, but it now seems that he will be ready for the season opener. Keep your expectations low for the St. Louis signal caller.

Deion Branch is going to be a game time decision after injuring his hamstring on practice on Monday and barely being able to practice since. He will go through some pre-game drills to determine if he can play Sunday morning. Again, check out Jeff's inactive blog to see if Branch will be in there.

Bernard Berrian will be a game time decision with an injured hamstring, and hasn't played through most of the preseason. Berrian has been limited in practice all preseason, and if I were a betting man, I would assume that Berrian will not be in there on Sunday.

Injury News 9/9/09

2009-09-09T21:38:00.000-07:00

Maurice Jones-Drew was back at practice on Wednesday, in pads, and participating in all the drills. He showed no signs of the injury he suffered in the team's last preseason game, and appears to be ready to go for the season opener on Sunday. Start him as your RB1.

Pierre Thomas on the other hand, did not practice on Wednesday, and if he doesn't practice on Thursday he might not be able to play this Sunday against the Lions. His sprained right knee is still giving him trouble, not to mention that he had to have stitches in the same leg that he cut on a fence while chasing his dog that got into his neighbor's yard. Are you kidding me? Looks like Thomas might not play, leaving Reggie Bush and Mike Bell to man the backfield in N'awlins.

Steve Breaston is still recovering from a bruised knee cap but is expected to be ready to go against the 49ers on Sunday. Breaston said that he is not back to normal, but will be in the lineup for the season opener. He did go through a full practice on Wednesday and you can play him this weekend if you were planning to originally.

Anquan Boldin, on the other hand, is still not back to practice, but Coach Whisenhunt said that there was a very good chance that Boldin will play on Sunday, and given his history I would put my chips down on it. The Niners defense isn't horrible, but I could see a big day for Boldin to start the year.

Johnathan Stewart returned to practice on Wednesday with his Achilles problem, but even if he does play on Sunday, I am skeptical of what his contribution will be. Stewart hasn't practiced in nearly a month, and now is just starting to do some work only days before the season starts. Unless you seriously don't have any better options, I would sit Stewart this week.

Matt Cassel is still hopeful to play in the first game, but if I were him, I would wait for Week 2 when my team wasn't playing the Ravens. Cassel injured his knee a few weeks ago and was supposed to miss some regular season time. He was in full pads in practice on Wednesday, even though he didn't participate in all the drills. Look for Cassel to get the starting nod, but not perform to expectations.

Injury News September 8th

2009-09-08T16:03:00.000-07:00

Knowshawn Moreno is back to practice and will play this Sunday against the Broncos. He likely won't be 100% and will likely share carries in the first game, but nonetheless it is good to see the rookie back on the practice field and I am very interested to see how he does. He has a favorable matchup this week and could find the endzone, but he is a risky play for Week 1. After that he should be good to go.

Kevin Walter missed the final preseason game with a preseason game and will likely be deemed questionable for this Sunday's game against the Jets but I still believe he will play. There should be some more concrete info by this weekend, but right now I would figure on playing Walter this week.

Matt Schaub returned to practice on Tuesday, but coach Gary Kubiak still has not definitively said that he will start on Sunday against the Jets. Schaub took about half the snaps in practice, the first time that he had done that since hurting his ankle in the preseason game a couple of weeks ago. Rex Grossman would start in his place, but my guess is if you own Schaub you have a better option than Grossman.....at least I hope so. I still expect Schaub to play, but this is not the way his owners wanted to start the year.

Anquan Boldin missed practice today with a hamstring pull, and he will be listed as questionable for Week 1 against the 49ers. Personally, I would be very surprised if Boldin were to miss this first game, but Steve Breaston owners just got pretty excited reading this post. I will update this situation when something more concrete is available.

Clinton Portis missed the last preseason game with a rib injury, but the team is saying that he will be fine for the season opener. However, I don't like a running back having a rib injury, not to mention that he is playing against the Giants who have a stout defense.

Matt Ryan is dealing with some sort of undisclosed injury and missed practice, but this should have absolutely no effect on him playing in Week 1. If you are planning on starting him no Sunday, you can do so with no hesitation.

Injury News September 3rd

2009-09-03T21:06:00.000-07:00

Maurice Jones-Drew will have an MRI on Friday on his injured lower leg after he left the preseason game in the first series. X-rays were negative, but Jones-Drew was clearly not happy when he left the field. We will have to wait for the results of the MRI, but it seems he will be less than 100% to start the season. In case you were wondering, Rashard Jennings is his backup.

Willie Parker was absent from the last two preseason games with hamstring and back injuries and he appears he will be ready for the first game, but it is against the tough Titans defense anyway, so he isn't a good play anyway. Parker has had his injury concerns the past couple of seasons, and this doesn't bode well for his season.

Reggie Bush missed his third straight preseason game with a calf injury, not to mention he is coming off offseason knee surgery. He is likely to be ready for Week 1, but considering his history, you can't feel very good about the fact that he is already hurt and the season hasn't even started yet.

Santonio Holmes didn't play in the Steelers last preseason game with a back injury, but he is supposed to be ready for the season opener. He had just one catch this preseason, but that shouldn't have any effect on where you draft him.

Carson Palmer sat out the team's final preseason game with that ankle sprain, but he is expected to be ready for the opening game. He was in uniform for the game, but knew that he wasn't going to play. Palmer has a chance, if he is healthy, to be a number one QB again.

Wes Welker missed another preseason game with an undisclosed injury. There is a chance that he might not be available for Week 1, but it is impossible to predict because the Patriots never give out any real information in the public.

Tom Brady didn't play in the team's last preseason game, probably because of that shoulder injury, but trying to get injury information is like trying to figure out the Matrix. There is no reason to think that he won't be ready for the team's first game.

Clinton Portis missed the Redskins final preseason game with a rib injury, but this is not considered serious and you can expect Portis to be ready for Week 1. Start him with confidence.

You can email me questions at fightingchancefantasy@gmail.com. I guarantee a response within 18 hours.

Injury News August 28th

2009-08-28T21:48:00.000-07:00

Tom Brady hurt his throwing shoulder after being crushed to the ground by Albert Haynesworth in the Patriots preseason game on Friday. Haynesworth big ol body fell on top of Brady on a hit and he did not return to the game in the second half. The Patriots said that he has a sore shoulder, Brady didn't speak to the media, and if you follow the NFL at all you shouldn't expect to hear any sort of real injury news out of New England.

Greg Jennings left his team's preseason game in the first inning after taking a shot in the head. Jennings was on the ground for a few minutes before leaving the field under his own power. All head blows are always a concern, but the fact that he walked off under his own power makes you think that he will be OK to start the regular season.

Roy Williams shoulder injury has been diagnosed as just a contusion, and more x-rays continued to come back negative. Owner Jerry Jones said that he didn't expect this to linger very long, and speculation is that he will be fine to start the season.

Terrell Owens said on his Twitter account that his toe is fully healed. He is supposed to still be out for his team's fourth preseason game. But for you tweeters out there, Owens says he is goo.

Injury News August 27th

2009-08-27T20:43:00.000-07:00

Anquan Boldin tweaked a hammy in practice on Tuesday and he missed his workouts on Wednesday. He still could play Friday in the preseason, but my guess is he will be out for that game. The good news is it doesn't seem like any chance that this will linger into the season. Continue to draft Boldin in the first few rounds as you would before this slight injury.

Roy Williams injured his shoulder/collarbone in an open practice today and at least will be out for the rest of the preseason. Thankfully for Dallas the x-rays were negative so there is no break. The team naturally wasn't sharing too much information, but if the collarbone isn't broken, he shouldn't miss much time in the regular season if any at all. The Cowboys are supposed to give an update on Friday, hopefully there isn't any other damage to the shoulder.

Pierre Thomas will miss the rest of the preseason with a lingering MCL problem in his knee. The Saints aren't saying that they are overly concerned about this, but a running back with a ligament problem in his knee makes me nervous. He could take a couple of weeks to get back in the groove, but I guess it isn't going to effect him too much.

Terrell Owens did some drills and ran a few routes in practice, but he is still out for the upcoming preseason game. The fact that he is practicing is definitely a good sign, and given T.O.'s history of playing hurt my guess would be that he would be playing if it was a regular season game. I would not drop him down your draft board if you haven't picked yet.

DeAngelo Williams missed Wednesday's practice with a sore knee, but was back out there on Thursday. He did have a sleeve on his knee, but it didn't appear to be bothering him much. He hasn't been ruled out for this weekend's game, but I would assume they will keep him out. This should not effect him into the season at all.

Shaun Hill returned to practice from a lower back injury, and said that he would play this weekend against Dallas. He is a backup at best in fantasy, and it appears he will be fine to start the season.

Injury News August 17th

2009-08-17T20:38:00.000-07:00

Carson Palmer will miss the next preseason game with an injured ankle that he suffered in the first game. Palmer was wearing an ankle covering, but not boot, and it doesn't appear that this is anything too serious. Continue to draft Palmer among the top ten quarterbacks unless you hear something new and worse.

Dallas Clark is still not back at practice with the post concussion syndrome effects. The team is still saying that this shouldn't effect him into the regular season. Clark is among the top five or six at his position and you shouldn't let this stop you from drafting him as such.

Marc Bulger fractured his pinkie and will miss the next two weeks. Not that he is a highly sought after fantasy quarterback, but will this even cost him the starting job? If Kyle Boller is able to perform well, perhaps he would get the start over Bulger. You shouldn't ever think about starting Bulger, but this could drop him back even further.

Terrell Owens and his sprained toe returned to practice but on a very limited basis. Owens stretched, ran some routes, and caught some passes, but that was about it. This is the Bills just being incredibly cautious with their new addition, don't drop Owens down your cheat sheet at all.

Injury News August 16th

2009-08-16T20:36:00.001-07:00

Knowshon Moreno suffered a sprained MCL in his knee in the preseason game the other night. He is certainly out for the next couple of weeks, but hopefully he will be ready for the regular season. This could hurt him in the beginning of the year because he could lose carries to Correll Buckhalter and Lamont Jordan until he can prove that he is better than those two guys. Moreno might drop down a slot or two on your rankings, but he is still one of the better, if not the best, rookie running back to own.

Beanie Wells is back doing individual drills in practice, but is still not a full participant as he tried to recover from a ankle injury. The Cardinals seem to be handling this overcautiously with their young runner. Coach Ken Whisenhunt said that Wells still could play in the next preseason game even if he is limited in practice this season. Wells is still a good 3rd running back option as he should be able to fly past Tim Hightower on the depth chart when he is healthy.

The X-ray on Roy Williams' wrist came back negative and it seems that he is just day-to-day. Williams fell hard on the wrist in practice the other day and he has missed a couple days of practice. It doesn't seem that they Cowboys are entirely all that concerned about this, and since there are over three weeks left until the regular season starts, you probably shouldn't worry too much either.

Bernard Berrian hurt his hamstring in the preseason game on Friday and hasn't been back to practice just yet. There hasn't been much reporting about this injury, so I can't say how long he will be out, but since it hasn't been a big deal, I would imagine he will be back soon.

Sage Rosenfels suffered an ankle injury in the game over the weekend, but his coach said he is ok, and I would say he is very close to winning the quarterback job.

Brian Westbrook practiced fully with the team for the first time all year, and apparently isn't questionable just yet. Westbrook will surely suffer another injury or two before the season starts, but will likely be ready for the start of the season. He is always dealing with some nagging injury or another, but for now he is healthy it appears.

Steve Breaston is still out of practice after injuring his knee in the preseason game over the weekend. They are saying it is a bone bruise, but should be a day to day thing and he should be fine once the swelling goes down. He hasn't been ruled out of the next preseason game, so it doesn't appear that this will have any effect on his regular season. Breaston is entrenched as the number three receiver in Arizona.

Injury News August 10th; Wide Receiver News

2009-08-10T21:56:00.000-07:00

Carolina's Steve Smith injured his shoulder in a practice collision with cornerback Chris Gamble. X-rays came back negative, but there is concern that he might have torn his labrum. If that is the case, Smith will miss a significant amount of time, and it could end up costing him some regular season time. The amount of time he might miss is speculation at this point, and shouldn't be moved on your cheat sheets until you know for sure how long he might miss.

Antonio Bryant will miss the entire preseason with a torn miniscus in his left knee. This injury dates back to last year, but he will now undergo arthroscopic surgery to fix it right. The Bucs are saying that this will cost him the entire preseason, but SHOULD be ready for the season opener. This should drop him a few notches down your rankings, but given the fact that he won't miss regular season time, it shouldn't be more than five or six places. He is 38 years old, so it might take him longer to recover from such surgery, but as of right now he should be ready for Week 1.

Calvin Johnson has been walking around with a cast on his thumb, but the team is saying that nothing is broken and it is just for precautionary reasons. They are admitting that the thumb is sore, but the cast is just to be sure that nothing further happens to their franchise player. Continue to rank Calvin as one of the top three receivers in all of fantasy.

Donnie Avery will miss four to six weeks with a stress fracture in his foot, and he looks to be back before the season starts, but could be out until the end of September. He is in a walking boot, and will miss significant time, which is a huge blow to the Rams offense. Avery is more of a third receiver for you, or perhaps a great flex option, but this will certainly take him down a notch.

DeSean Jackson is back at practice and running with the first team after hyperextending his knee on Saturday. I thought he would miss a decent amount of time with this injury, but it appears he is well on his way to a full recovery and should be fine going forward.

Chris "Beanie" Wells is doing some drills on the side, but has still been missing some practice time with his sprained right ankle. It now appears unlikely that he will play in the first preseason game on Thursday, but it should have no impact on his regular season. Wells is trying to take time away from Tim Hightower, and if he is healthy at all that shouldn't be a problem. Hopefully this won't take a good deal of practice time away from Wells and he will be able to impress his coaching staff and be the starter when the regular season opens.

Injury News August 8th

2009-08-08T20:52:00.000-07:00

Eagles WR DeSean Jackson hyperextended his left knee in practive today, and was able to put pressure on it as he walked around the field, and again after practice. It is still early enough that this shouldn't have any effect on his regular season, but he could miss some time going forward.

Eagles middle linebacker Stewart Bradley has reportedly torn his ACL and will miss the season. He is a mid level IDP player as a guy who can rack up the tackles, but doesn't really do too much else. Truth be told, he won't be doing anything in 2009.

Willie Parker missed practice today with back spasms, but the team isn't acting like it is any kind of big deal. Parker has plenty of competition with Rashard Mendenhall and Mewelde Moore, so it isn't good for him to miss much time during training camp.

Matt Hasselbeck has been icing his elbow due to "precautionary reasons". The good news is he missed most of last season due to back problems, so this is unrelated. Hopefully this will go away over time, but keep tuned to this blog for further details.

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Injury News August 4th

2009-08-03T21:32:00.000-07:00

Vikings' QB Tarvaris Jackson has been doing some throwing in practice and is wearing a protective brace to help his knee sprain. He is still thinking that he will be ready for the first preseason game, but I think he will enter the season as the backup with or without this injury. This is definitely a setback for a guy trying to win a job.

Braylon Edwards missed his fourth day of practice with an injury the team won't talk about. Eric Mangini is doing his best (yet pathetic) attempt to be the Patriots and not talk about injuries so there is no timetable for his return. Rumors are the Braylon hurt his ankle playing basketball, but no one will confirm that.

Reggie Bush went back to practice today wearing a sleeve on his surgically repaired left knee. He missed two days of practice, but was back at it today and apparently looked fine. There is apparently still some swelling, but it seems that the Saints are optimistic wh will be OK.

Kurt Warner is still having some pain in his surgically repaired hip, which is a little cause for concern. He had the surgery in March and the timetable was six to twelve months. Don't be surprised if Warner doesn't play a ton in the preseason, but he has the weapons and he has the experience so he still should be fine.

Albert Haynesworth returned to practice on Tuesday after missing two days with some left knee trouble. Haynesworth received an injection of fluid in his knee, which apparently has become routine for him. Jim Zorn has said that this is not a big deal and Haynesworth should have no problem playing a full schedule.

Texans CB Jacques Reeves broke his leg in practice today, and likely will miss six to eight weeks which will run into the beginning of the season. Reeves is a decent fantasy play in IDP leagues, but should obviously be ignored now until he is able to return.

Carson Palmer

2009-06-19T14:48:00.000-07:00

The Bengals' franchise quarterback was back running the offense in practice, and looked like his old self again. Palmer is recovering from an elbow injury that cost him 12 games last year, and basically did in what was likely to be a bad season for the Bengals anyway. He partially tore a tendon and a ligament from his elbow and they just dragged their feet on the proper treatment. Palmer chose rest over reconstructive surgery, and so far, so good. Palmer is saying that the elbow is improving every day and he has been throwing during all team workouts. Chad Ochocinco (do I really have to call him that?) is proclaiming that the old Carson is back again, but I guess you have to consider the source.

I know that he burned his fantasy owners last season, but it seems that he is a guy that you will be able to trust again in 2009. His stock has fallen and you won't have to spend a high draft pick to get him, but if he is truly healthy, he could perform among the best QBs in the game.

Donte Stallworth

2009-06-19T14:35:00.001-07:00

The NFL has suspended Donte Stallworth indefinitely for his guilty plea following a drunken driving arrest in which he killed a pedestrian. Stallworth disgustingly only will serve 30 days in prison, but Commissioner Roger Goodell is levying his own brand of justice. The Commissioner called his actions unacceptable and the suspension starts immediately. Now Stallworth really hasn't been a fantasy relevant receiver in a couple of seasons, but I predict that this suspension will be a minimum of eight games, maybe longer, and he likely won't be a factor at all in 2009.

Michael Crabtree Update

2009-06-18T21:46:00.000-07:00

The 49ers' prized rookie has started to have some of the restrictions that have been placed on him after his offseason foot surgery eased up, bringing him closer to being ready when training camp opens next month. Crabtree was reamed out by coach Mike Singletary last month when he was running routes before being cleared by team's doctors to do so. I was worried about a guy like Crabtree coming to the NFL with his super sized ego. But so far it appears that he is doing everything he can to be his best when the season opens. Even though it is still early to speculate, it looks like Crabtree will open the season as the number three receiver behind Josh Morgan and Isaac Bruce. If he is half the player the 49ers thought they were drafting when they picked him, he should pass by Bruce on the depth chart at some point this season.